Four Slides and a Hill: Slide Hill, Governors Island

The metal slides, built right into the hill.

Slide Hill is exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of metal slides built into the side of a hill on Governors Island. And it's great, because it does this one thing very, very well. There's a short fat slide, a long thin slide, and a few in between, including one wide enough for two to ride down together. Four slides and a hill. Which way down? That's a slippery question.

Wooden terraces climbing up the hillside.

I personally prefer the granite slides at the Battery Playscape, but these are longer. In fact, the longest slide in all of New York City is right here, 57 feet from top to bottom. (For the fastest slide in the city, see Chelsea Waterside.)

Clambering up the timber beams.

Half the fun is getting to the top, because there are multiple ways up. You can climb the stone steps, follow a well-landscaped winding path, or clamber up the wooden beams terracing the slope. Every kid we saw had a favorite route, and most of them changed it every lap.

All aboard the Governors Island ferry.

If you've never been to Governors Island with kids, it's worth a trip, and this is a great stop while you're there. It's an easy ride on the ferry, which seems to be free on weekend mornings. Time your visit with a stop at The Yard: most of the families we saw on Slide Hill headed straight over as soon as The Yard opened.

Verdict: worth the trip, especially as part of a full day on the island.