What if I told you, you could spend a night under the stars with the entire Manhattan Skyline as your backdrop. What if I said, that as soon as 5 pm hits, you and select few could enjoy these views from a private island you’ll have all to yourself. What if I had a private chef rustle up a farm-to-table meal for you and a few other guests? Collective retreats provides all this, and so much more for as low as $165 a night.
It is by far one of the best and most unique experiences I have ever had! An experience that far supersedes its’ cost. Collective retreats offers a one of a kind glamping experience in beautiful settings like New York’s, Governor’s island and Hudson Valley, Vail Colorado, Hill Country Texas and Yellow Stone, Montana. I’ve never camped before but when my friend Deborah, a veteran camper, came to visit last week, I knew I wanted to make her trip special. While planning her itinerary, I came across an ad for Collective Retreats on Instagram. With a little research, I thought this is it! This will be the focal point of our trip. I can ease my way into camping and Deborah can enjoy her favorite past time. Boy, were we blown away. 
A $3 round trip ferry ride gets you from Battery Park to Governors island in just about 8 minutes. The ride itself is a treat and unfathomably inexpensive. Once you’ve disembarked, the hardest thing you’ll have to do all trip is take a 10 minute walk to the camp ground. But before you do, stand in awe of the gorgeous Manhattan skyline, the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, Staten Island, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty; all of which you’ll be able to see across the still beautiful waters of the camp grounds.
The Collective Retreats Experience
Grab a governors island ferry at the Battery Maritime Building (located at 10 South Street in downtown Manhattan). There is NO PUBLIC PARKING at the Ferry Building, so make arrangements to get their via train or cab. Governors Island is open every day from May 1st through October 1st. On weekdays, the Island is open from 10 AM to 6 PM and a little longer on some weekends. The last ferry typically leaves Manhattan at 415pm so keep that in mind when making arrangements. (For a detailed ferry schedule, click here) Unbeknownst to us, there is a Collective Retreats’ check in area at the ferry station. Here you can check in and receive your journey (medium tent) or summit (amazing tent) armbands. Don’t worry, you can check in on the island as well and when you do, be sure to ask your concierge for a map of the island.
Once you’ve disembarked, make your way to the right, along the coastal line, past Castle Williams and onto to the retreat. On a hot day, though brief, the walk can feel like torture, so pack light and bring an umbrella. We managed to fit all we needed for an over night stay in one backpack. Book your dinner on the campsite (times usually available in 30 minute increments after 6pm). If you can, try to grab a veranda seat during the sunset. The island also has several restaurants and food trucks open til 5, so if you’re not digging the menu, grab a bite off-site before 6.
The Journey Tents were large and beautifully furnished with queen sized beds, a plush duvet and soft pillows. These tents come with a shared bathing station (see Instagram highlights for bathroom pics). We got the journey tent at $165/night ($191 with fees and a shared bath). The summit tents are much larger and come with a private en-suite at $250/night. There’s no air conditioning but each tent is equipped with fans and the nights do get significantly cooler than the days. We even found ourselves under the comforters at one point. They also have electronic heaters for the cooler months.
Jacob Hashimoto also has a beautiful installation (The Eclipse) housed in the island’s historic Chapel of St. Cornelius.The ceilings have been adorned with over 15,000 delicate bamboo and paper kites, leaving much for interpretation. This is the first time his work has been exhibited in the US, and it’ll only be there til the end of October.
If you get there early enough, have a fine meal and a great cocktail at the Oyster bar (I suggest the non-alcoholic limonata- if you like tart refreshing drinks). You can also grab some eats at a food truck and head over to Hammock Grove for a nice semi-private picnic or arrange a ranger tour of Fort Jay or Castle Williams if that’s your thing. I would pass on the tour and take a self-guided walk through. The island also has tons of seasonal activities, like outdoor movies and ice skating. Once you’re checked in, the retreat offers golf cart drop offs and pick ups throughout the island, so be sure to take advantage of that as well. For detailed videos including a complete camp site tour, complete journey tent tour and island perks check out the TrAvEl highlight on my instagram page @aidannealpress!
Tips
Here are my top 5 tips for glamping with Collective Retreats:
- Smuggle in some alcohol (you’ve been on a cruise ship before, you know what to do..). Collective retreats does not have a liquor license, so do yourself a favor and hide a nice bottle of wine to enjoy during that breathtaking sunset.
- Bring your favorite drink. The drink menu is a bit limited (coke, sometimes sprite, water and blended veggie/fruit juices). The tastiest of the magic mix juices is the green eyed candy (I didn’t taste any of the greens at all).
- Get there early-ish (around 2/3). On weekdays, glampers must return to the retreat by 6pm (when the island closes). If you get to the island after 4 this may limit your time to truly explore the many wonderful things and areas it has to offer. If your’e making a weekend of your trip, the camp closes at 10pm on Fridays and 11pm on Saturdays.
- Wake up early on your last day. The sun rises on the opposite side of the island and you can’t leave the campsite before 7am, but the mornings are the coolest and you’ll have the entire island to yourself (outside of employees) for at least 2 hours. Visit the summit for sweeping views and enjoy the breakfast buffet. Take a free bike ride with blazing saddles! If you check a bike out between 10am and noon, you get an hour free! Set your alarm and be sure to return the bikes on time, otherwise it’ll be $25.
- Skip dessert and have the smores. The smores kit (graham crackers, a Hershey bar, and marshmallows) is equipped to make 4 smores and is only $15. Sit around the camp fire with your new camping fam and indulge in your very own dessert.
For detailed videos including a complete Camp Site tour, complete Journey Tent tour and a mini tour of Governor’s Island check out the TrAvEl highlights on my instagram page @aidannealpress!