How Crowded Is Governors Island National Monument in December?

December runs about 0× Governors Island National Monument's average month, which makes it a very quiet month here — roughly 0% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 70 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 2003 to 2025.

It is the quietest month of the year at Governors Island; by contrast August, the busiest, runs about 3.2× the average — so December is the easiest time to have the place largely to yourself.

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 76/100 ("Excellent"), versus the top-rated April at 90/100 — the best overall balance of crowds and daylight.

Because June, July and August together draw about 73% of annual visitors, choosing December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 9.1 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2016 drew 522,859 recreation visits, up 19.2% from 438,613 in 2015.

Across the past decade overall visitation has risen about 70.6%, so a December visit is likely to feel busier than it did a few years ago.