this experience exceeded our expectations — the lovely boat ride leads into a tour that is the perfect length to be informative, but not to get boring. however to set your expectations, most of the ruins are off limits. the free time to roam the island is a lovely walk through gardens and lush greenery (bring a snack and wear your hiking shoes!) accompanied by gorgeous river views. the staff are friendly and knowledgable, and it's clear they have a passion for what they do. I hope to return soon!

My friend and I went on the 3:30pm cruise to the island. It was a beautiful day, couldn’t have been more perfect. We had a wonderful tour guide on the island, Elizabeth. If you have ever been curious about the “castle” in the Hudson River, this is a great way to see it.

Wonderful experience. Clean boat with good guide and captain. Tour on the island was perfect - lots of history and just the right time “on your own”. A unique history of the Hudson Valley that was well worth the trip.

Really enjoyed this day trip from New Jersey! I can’t really say anything new or different than the other reviews in here: nice people, nice overview, nice amount of time, beautiful everything! And I went on a rainy Sunday afternoon! Would do again! Would take friends! You should go!

I’ve been wanting to visit Bannerman Castle, since I passed it heading upstate on Amtrak. What a very cool place! The castle, the gardens, the views. The men on the ferry ride were very informative and what’s not to like about a ferry ride. I do have to give kudos to them. Before we were getting on the ferry, there was a 911 boating emergency a few hundred yards off the dock. They zipped out there and helped rescue a little sailboat that was sinking. Good guys. Our tour guide, Mary, was also wonderful. Very informative and knew all of the history of the castle and the area. It was a great day!

nice boat ride, great narrative on the way to the island, friendly staff, great narrative from Mary, wonderful views, great paths. wish we had packed a lunch, great place to have one. little disappointed that you can not get close to the ruins, but did understand why. Great short day trip.

Great trip , the boat dock is directly across from the Beacon train station , parking and access was fine . The boat trip is short but nice , includes a bit of information about places passed in Newburgh and surrounding areas. The island was small and easy to travel , yes, there are steps but they are regular steps with rails nothing to worry about. The tour guide Mary was really informative and interesting and clearly loves her job. The tour was well done, time was available for some self exploration and then the ride back . I did not know what to expect but was more then happily surprised with the day - hoping to see more of the castle preserved in the future - it’s a gem .

Highly recommend this excursion when in the Beacon area. The boat ride was lovely and the staff on board were not only knowledgeable but also fun! The staff giving the tour of Bannerman Castle were equally knowledgeable and gave an excellent tour. The amount of time to explore the island after the talk was perfect too!

Tour guide Mark was highly knowledgeable and friendly. The castle ruins and the story behind them were fascinating. The best part is, they give you about 45 minutes to explore the island along its trails.

Looking for something different to do? Go see Bannerman's Castle, you won't regret it. Once you get over the 72 steps it's smooth sailing. Most probably going to make the trip again since we took the tour and would like to explore on our own next time. Great job by the volunteers.