VISITING THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AND ELLIS ISLAND IN NEW YORK CITY

One of the most recognizable statues in the world, the Statue of Liberty is the global symbol of freedom. A visit to New York City, one of the world’s most popular cities, is not complete without visiting its top tourist destination. A visit to Lady Liberty also includes a stop at Ellis Island, the US’ main immigration center for over 60 years. Visiting both of these iconic spots can easily be done in half a day and should be on every tourists’ bucket list.

Tickets can be purchased here. Below is what you need to know about visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Ferry to the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty Ferry, New York City

As you arrive at Statue City Cruises in Battery Park, you will have to show your entrance ticket and then you will line up to pass through a security check. Arriving at about 12:15pm on a summer Thursday, I was through security and on the boat within 15 minutes.

There is airport-style security where you put belongings through an x-ray machine and walk through one yourself. It only took me about 5 minutes to get through security and then you have to line up for the ferry to Liberty Island.

There was a line of people waiting for the ferry. As the ferry was approaching, employees encouraged everyone to move forward and fill in all the spaces - even next to the people who were in the front of the line. It’s basically a free for all. So if you want to ensure a spot on the ferry, just walk as close to the front of the line as you can.

The ferry from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty is only about 15-20 minutes. The right hand side of the boat has the views of the Statue of Liberty as you are approaching from Battery Park. I arrived at Liberty Island at 12:55pm, so from arrival at the ferry entrance to getting on Liberty Island only took me about 40 minutes total.

Tip: Once the ferry passes the statue and the ferry pulls up to dock, head downstairs towards the exit to beat the crowds off the boat. There isn’t a view of the statue anymore and most people stay up on top of the boat until everyone starts exiting. You will exit before half of the boat.

This ferry continues on to Ellis Island after the Statue of Liberty stop. So in theory, if you wanted to go straight to Ellis Island and skip the Statue of Liberty, you could just stay on the ferry and get off on the next stop. But once you are at Ellis Island, you can only go back to Battery Park (or New Jersey if that’s your final destination).

Visiting the Statue of Liberty

Liberty Island itself is quite small, and you will see the massive statue as soon as you exit the ferry. It only takes about 15 minutes to walk around the perimeter of the statue and take photos. If you are unable to score admission to the Crown or Pedestal (like me), there are still very good views of the statue from the general entrance admission. As you take a stroll around the statue you will also get great views of the Manhattan skyline.

The Statue of Liberty Museum is small but interesting. It includes some of the original parts of the sculpture and shows you how it was created. A visit can last 15-30 mins or more, depending how much you want to read about the history and construction of the statue.

The Statue of Liberty Museum, New York City

My whole experience on Liberty Island took about 40 minutes. The line was suuuper long for the ferry to Ellis Island - granted I was catching it midday on a summer day. Although I did not make it on the first ferry, I made it on the second ferry that came 25 minutes later. Don’t be discouraged by the long lines as these boats can pack a lot of people on them.

Should I Get a Tour Guide?

This is a question I was really looking into before booking my ticket. I generally prefer to visit things on my own unless it feels like a place where having a guide or tour group would enhance the experience. Being from America, and having visited New York City many times, I did not feel out of my element or that I needed a guide to help me get around, so I was initially leaning towards just buying a ferry ticket without a guide.

Getting a guide would be worth it if you want to learn more about the history, want the security of having someone help you get to the boat, or if you need translation.

However, if you go with a guide or a tour group or guide, you will not be able to have access to the Crown or Pedestal. Guides are also not allowed to give tours on Liberty Island itself (or on Ellis Island) so they will tell you all the information before getting on the ferry. I found this detail to be a big enough reason to just visit solo.

Ultimately I did not book a tour or a guide and was very happy with my experience. It’s very easy to navigate and I personally didn’t think having a guide was necessary - if you want to learn more about the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the information is all there for you to do so.

If you want some sort of guide but don’t want to go on a tour, there is a kiosk just near the ferry exit on Liberty Island that offers free audio tour guides. Ellis Island has the same.

Crown, Pedestal, or General Admission?

There are three levels of tickets you can purchase when visiting the Statue of Liberty. The general admission gets you basic access to Liberty Island where you can walk around the base of the statue and visit the museum.

The Pedestal admission lets you walk up to the pedestal where the statue rests on. From here, you have great views of the Manhattan skyline and can get a closer view of the statue. The Crown admission lets you walk all the way up to the top of Lady Liberty’s crown. To get Crown admission you will have to book months in advance to ensure a spot during peak tourist season. From what I have heard, the Crown level is a bit overrated and you will have to battle single file lines of people barely moving all the way up the stairs. If you are taking a guide or tour you will not be allowed to get the Crown or Pedestal admission.

I decided to visit at the last minute so I was only able to get the General admission, and I was very happy with that option. I had great views and photos of Lady Liberty just from walking around the statue and I don't think you need to have Pedestal or Crown access to have a great experience. If you have the time and don’t mind even more crowds, I think the Pedestal or Crown admissions would offer a unique perspective, and they don’t cost much more, but if you only have General admission you will be more than happy with that ticket.

Getting from Liberty Island to Ellis Island

The ferries on Liberty Island depart for Ellis Island every 25 minutes. Expect to wait in a long line to get to Ellis Island. The earlier in the day you go the better off you will be with lines. I waited about 25 minutes to get on the ferry from Liberty Island to Ellis Island.

Much like the line from Battery Park, the ferry line at Liberty Island was a bit of a free for all.

As you leave Liberty Island en route to Ellis Island, the left side of the ferry has the best views of the Statue. The ride is only about 10 minutes before you pull into Ellis Island.

After your view of the Statue of Liberty goes away, head downstairs right away to get off the boat faster for Ellis Island to beat the crowd.

Visiting Ellis Island

After Liberty Island, you will arrive at Ellis Island, where over 12 million immigrants were processed and admitted into the United States until 1954. Once you exit the ferry you will enter the immigration building, where there are three floors of exhibits.

The First Floor

The first floor was the original baggage center - has a large museum exhibit.\ It also has bathrooms, a gift store, and the counter where you can pick up your free audio guides.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the first floor is an area where you can look up people who traveled through Ellis Island. For $10 you can search their database for 30 minutes and find records of people who immigrated to the US via Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. You can search for relatives by adding first and last names, birth years, sex, country of origin, the year they immigrated to the US, and other specific search categories.

You can buy certificates for $29 but they seemed pretty generic and not very special - I just took a photo of the computer screen with my phone - but the experience is worth the $10 if you are looking up ancestors (I found my grandfather’s records from when he came over from Greece in 1952).

The Second Floor

The second floor is the main floor and where you will most likely spend a majority of your visit. First you will enter the Registration Hall, which is a large room where all the immigrants had to pass through inspections to be admitted into the country. It is the main hall of the immigration building and your audio guide will walk you through its different uses and give first hand accounts of what it was like to travel through Ellis Island.

The rest of the second floor is filled with display rooms containing photos, information, and items from immigrants that help paint a vivid picture of Ellis Island when it was the center of US immigration. Learn what immigrants had to go through to be accepted, from health inspections to mental evaluations, and see what the process was like for many looking to start a new life in the free world.

The Third Floor

The third floor has views over the main hall and a dorm room on display with original bunk beds to see how immigrants that had to spend the night lived.

There is another exhibit on the third floor with Treasures from Ellis Island. These include many fascinating things, but it was easily the least busy of all the areas on the island. Items on display include many outfits, jewelry, bags, and belongings of immigrants from all different countries. One section talks about the history of the island and what happened to it after it went out of use, and one section contains original items and equipment that were used by staff on Ellis Island.

My visit took me about 2 hours (including 30 minutes searching the database) and I could have spent more time there - I rushed through the museum exhibit section.

The ferry line to leave Ellis Island back to Battery Park was the longest of the lines I had to wait in (took about 35 minutes). This line, similar to the other lines, was essentially a free for all.

The ferry ride back to Battery park is only about 15 minutes and then you are off on your way. In total my visit took about 5 hours.

Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close is a bucket list experience for travelers all over the world. I personally loved seeing the Statue of Liberty up close and finally getting some good photos of it (almost all mine before this had been from very far away). My experience at Ellis Island was fascinating and greatly underrated. I enjoyed my time there even more than at Liberty Island, so I would encourage you to make sure you leave time for both islands.

The downside is definitely the lines, crowded ferries, and masses of people, but it comes with the territory when you are seeing one of the most recognizable statues in the world. It’s a must do while visiting the Big Apple, so make sure you factor a visit into your trip to New York City!