Statue of Liberty National Monument: Plan Your Visit
The Statue of Liberty stands majestically off the coast of New York City. It’s iconic to the Big Apple and something everyone should get the chance to see – either from the coast of Manhattan, riding across the water on the Staten Island Ferry or cruising to tour the statue up close and personal.
Here’s a rundown of what you need to know so you can include the Statue of Liberty in your New York City itinerary.
Check out my daughter’s list of the 12 Best Things to Do in New York City.
See Lady Liberty from a Distance; Ride the Staten Island Ferry
During my daughter’s visit to New York City, we heard the line to ride the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty was about an hour long. We didn’t want to spend that long in line, so we went a different direction that was still pretty fun.
We hopped on the Staten Island Ferry. It’s free, and takes you past the Statue of Liberty on its way over to Staten Island. Once we arrived at Staten Island, we turned around and got a second view of Lady Liberty on the boat ride back to Manhattan.
As you can tell from the photo above, the island was jam-packed with people – so we think we made a pretty good choice.
Cruise Over to Liberty Island on Statue Cruises
If you want to explore the Statue of Liberty up close and personal, you’d better start your day with the ferry ride over to Liberty Island. You can purchase tickets in advance, or use your New York CityPASS if you’re planning to visit other popular locations.
If you’ve got your New York CityPASS, check in at the Castle Clinton National Monument and they’ll print out your ticket to get on the ferry. You can also board from the Railroad Terminal in New Jersey’s Liberty State Park. You can upgrade your ticket to visit the pedestal, museum or crown – but it’s got limited availability. If you aren’t there first thing in the morning, your chances are slim to none.
After getting your ticket, get in line to board the ferry. You’ll need to go through security, where they’ll make sure you aren’t bringing any weapons with you. Once through that, hop aboard your Statue Cruise and enjoy the ride over to Liberty Island.
Ferry’s depart Battery Park about every 25 minutes. From Liberty State Park, they depart every 45 minutes.
What to Expect at the Statue of Liberty
When you arrive at Liberty Island, disembark from the ferry and grab your audio tour guide at the little booth. You can also download the app (Apple or Google) and use your phone to learn the history and facts of the Statue of Liberty.
As you make your way around the island, take the time to listen to or read the history. You’ll learn cool facts like:
- The Statue of Liberty is made of copper plating. When it first arrived, it was the color of a new penny. It took 20 years for it to become the greenish-blue hue it has today.
- There is a structure inside the statue, and the copper plating that makes up the statue is as thick as roughly two US pennies.
- The original name for the work of art was “Liberty Enlightening the World.”
As you make your way around the grounds, take a moment to enjoy the fun binocular stands to check out the Manhattan skyline.
As you complete your trip around the pedestal, drop off your audio tour device (if you grabbed one) and visit the gift shop or grab a bite to eat in the cafe.
When your tour is done, climb aboard the next ferry and wave goodbye to Lady Liberty. Just be sure you board the correct ferry and don’t end up in New Jersey when you meant to go to Manhattan.
Pedestal, Museum and Crown Tickets
Add-ons to your tickets are available to take you to the pedestal and museum, and/or the crown. Those add-ons must be done in advance, because it’s on a first-come, first-served basis. Often times, those tours are “sold out” before the first ferry leaves port.
The pedestal and museum add-on is at no additional cost. The crown is an additional $3 per person.
Once on the island, if you have tickets to the pedestal/museum or crown, make sure you’re there for the noted time. You can learn even more about Lady Liberty inside the pedestal. You’ll also find the original torch of the statue, which was removed in 1984, inside the museum.
If you’re going up to the crown, just note there is no elevator and it’s roughly 350 steps (that’s about 20 floors of a building). Tours are no longer available up to the torch – although that would’ve been pretty cool to stand on.
The Details
Address: Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004
How Long: Plan on anywhere from 2-3 hours. Tickets to Liberty Island also include a visit to Ellis Island, so if you plan to do both, allow yourself around 3 hours. If it’s peak tourist season (May-October), you may want to allow yourself extra time or start your day here so you don’t waste time waiting in line.
Hours: The first ferry departs the mainland at either 8:30 or 9:30 a.m. (depending on the time of year). The last ferry departs the mainland at 3:30 p.m. with the last ferry departing Liberty Island at 5 p.m.
Cost: $18.50 for adults (13+). $9 for kids ages 4-12. 4 and under are free. Seniors (62+) are $14. Tickets include access to the grounds on both Liberty Island and Ellis Island, the ferry ride to and from the islands. Crown tickets are an additional $3 and advanced reservations are required. The ferry ride and access to the grounds is included in the New York CityPASS.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/index.htm
Phone: (212) 363-3200
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