Bannerman Castle

Such a memorable trip! The $45 ticket includes both the round-trip boat ride and the guided tour on the island. I recommend arriving a bit early to stroll around the town before boarding. The check-in process is easy. They simply ask for your name, no printed ticket needed. Our captain was incredibly charismatic and funny, making the short 15-minute ride to the island even more enjoyable. On the island, a guide meets you for a brief but interesting tour (around 20 minutes). I wish it had lasted a little longer, but you can stay after to walk around, take photos, and even talk to one of the caretakers whose grandfather once lived there. It’s a beautiful spot with a mix of history, nature, and ruins. I highly recommend it, especially on a sunny day.

I've wanted to take this tour ($45) for a while now but finally got around to it recently on a lovely fall Sunday morning. While the tour is timed at 2.5 hours...you spend closer to 1.5 hours on the island itself, factoring in the 30-minute boatride to and from the island. There was lots of parking available as the Metro Station's parking is free on weekends. I opted for the early 9:30am departure. I arrived around 9:05am and there were a few people there waiting. They started checking tickets and allowing people onto the boat at around 9:15am. The boat left on time at 9:30am. Tom was at the wheel and Jen was assisting. (Forgive me if I got the names wrong) Jen gave an overview of the sites, buildings and history of the Newburgh waterfront during the 20-minute boatride to the island. We arrived around 9:50, docked and climbed up some stairs to a waiting/dock area. We were then greeted by ___ who was our tour guide for the visit. She explained the history of the island as we made our way through the tour path...passing the castle, garden and museum. After the tour (about 30-40 minutes), visitors can explore the island on their own. There are a few areas that are accessible but not on the tour path, such as Wee Bay. I suggest exploring those areas as you will be rewarded with some amazing views! The museum is also small, but very informative...lots of little interesting facts about the island in there. Be sure to check it out. While the tour path itself is fairly flat, the other explorable areas are rocky and uneven. Its best to wear comfortable hiking/trail shoes if possible...otherwise, you will feel every sharp/uneven rock particalarly if wearing flat-bottomed shoes. There is a small shop there with snacks and some souvenirs. Bathrooms on the island. None on the boat. The group met up at the dock at around 11:30am to take the boat back to Beacon. A group was arriving at that time...likely the 11:00am tour. Overall I had a great time on the tour...learned a lot and captured some great views. Be sure to leave time afterward (or before) to explore other attractions in Beacon...such as the shop-filled Main Street.

What is known colloquially as Bannerman’s Castle is the brick facade of the Bannerman Arsenal as he called it, a military surplus storage facility built in 1901 on the north east corner of Pollepel Island in the Hudson River. In 1920 some of the munitions exploded in the building next to the large structure causing major damage. A fire in 1969 was the final straw, causing the floors and roof to collapse, leaving the shell we see today. Well the shell in fact has continued to collapse, and it is for that reason that no one is allowed to explore close to the structure. To access the island one needs to purchase tickets for a guided tour. Tours last a few hours and you are able to get within a hundred feet or so of the walls. There are other things to see on the island as well, which are not apparent from the shore. A house exists near the island’s high point and the remains of a garden and well exist down the south slope from the house. Also a bit of the harbor wall remains on the south and east side of the island in the river. Overall quite an interesting bit of history and definitely worth spending an afternoon exploring. There is so much written about this island and ruins that I will not duplicate here. The one fun fact I wondered about, why did they need to dig a well, which never produced water by the way, when they’re surrounded by a river. As it turns out the Hudson is tidal all the way up past Albany to the dam at Troy, and is brackish such that it is not drinkable north to Poughkeepsie.

Captain John and first mate Jen were professional and provided some great history on our voyage to the Island- our tour guide on the island was also so informative. Great history and a nice amount of time to explore on our own. Highly recommend!

The J boat team were great! Informative and lighthearted with a safe a calm journey to and from the island. Our young tour guide gave great details and insights into the islands history. The hiking trails were manageable; we did every path from top to bottom in the time allotted. The gardens are beautiful. Was a perfect day trip.

Wonderful historic Castle and tour about one and a half hours north of Manhattan. Excellent ferry captain and guide (the J team!) and lovely explanation by Tara O' Grady from Donegal, who sang a little jazz & blues song in front of the promontory for Wee Bay, in front of the Bannerman Residence, which you cannot see from the train...

What a neat historical experience! Book this tour it was great! We took the tour at 2pm in Sept. It takes about 30 min to island and 30 minutes back. The historical island tour was about 45 min and then you can tour the island by yourself for about 30-45 min. We loved the gardens and al the upkeep it takes. Help support the volunteers and give a garden donation. There were snacks available at the island with a small gift shop. Would love to comeback and watch a theatre performance.

One of the most interesting & special experiences. Truly a historic gem of the Hudson Valley! I loved how I received a 45 minute tour but then I had 45 minutes to explore on my own as well. The boat ride was so special. I loved going on Labor Day. I think it was such a great way to celebrate this holiday.

Having attended last night's theatrical production on the island, I can safely say it was one of the worst outings I've experienced. If you are attending anything on the island, do COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF RESEARCH ON THE BOAT SCHEDULES. Despite absolutely zero published information, the tickets and entry times correlate to when you can leave at the end of the night ... they have horrible customer service (after spending $80 on tickets ... hilariously corrupt) and the audience is essentially a hostage until the second boat returns at 11 PM. There isn't a single informed person in charge with a shred of experience, because this is a logistical and safety nightmare. There are definite liabilities and the island production team needs significant overhaul and/or state supervision. What an embarrassment. What a joke.