Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tips
The Statue of Liberty
A person cannot go to New York for the first time and not go to the Statue of Liberty and we are no exception.
The Statue of Liberty in NYC!
We were hoping to wake up early and make our way down to the Battery Park early to book our tickets to enter the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, two weeks of hard travel had taken its toll and we slept in.
We still had a chance, so we caught the Number 1 Red Line Subway to the end of the line.
the ferry to Liberty Island
Reserved line for City Pass Holders
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After we walked through the park and arrived at the ferry terminal, we were very disheartened to see the massive lineup. It would be hours until we would be boarding a ferry.
Lucky for us, we had our New York CityPass tickets and jumped right to the front of the line. We didn’t have to wait for even a minute and we were in the terminal going through security.
The crown and platform was sold out, but we found out you need to book a week in advance to be able to go into the Statue of Liberty. We are not that organized so we didn’t beat ourselves up too much.
The Stature of Liberty up close
A different angle of Lady Liberty.
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It was interesting to see the iconic structure up close. I had been to the Statue of Liberty as a teenager, but remember very little other than the crowds and the quick view out the top of the crown before being shuffled through as quickly as possible.
The New York Skyline
It was a pleasant stroll walking around Liberty Island seeing the views of Lady Liberty from every possible angle, but the most interesting site was a circular wall that contained etchings of the names of all the people that had immigrated from far off lands in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Corbeil and Bouskill weren’t on the list unfortunately, but there were certainly a lot of Capones and MacGreggors.
The entrance to Ellis Island
Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty tour also includes access to Ellis Island. This was a very interesting stop and we enjoyed it at Ellis better than our time at Liberty Island as contains a museum dedicated to the people that waited for access to the United States searching for a better way of life.
Make your way up to the second floor and there is an excellent collection of photos displaying the history of Ellis Island.
Great collection of photographs
Great hopes were placed on life in the new world, but the new immigrants faced many hardships from child labour, low wages and cramped quarters.
But it was here that many began their American Dream.
Up on the third floor you can see a recreation of the sleeping quarters. People were stacked 3 berths high on canvas cots that could be raised during the day. Life on Ellis Island was uncomfortable to say the least.
The Grand Hall on Ellis Island
The third floor also offers a great overhead view of the Grand Hall where people awaited their hearings regarding citizenship.
It is recommended to give yourself 5 hours to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Dave and I managed to see it all in two. However we didn’t have to stand in any lines thanks to our city pass and we didn’t get to walk up the Statue of Liberty because we didn’t book our Platform and Crown tickets early enough. If you are going up the statue and if you do have to stand in long lines, 5-hours will most likely be needed.
Tips.
- Stand on the Starboard side at the back of the ferry going out to the Statue of Liberty. It will give you the best views of the city and of the statue as you approach.
- Get a city pass to avoid all line ups if you are planning on seeing a few New York Sites like the Statue of Liberty, the Top of the Rock, The Empire State Building and the Museums – Metropolitan, Natural History and MOMA
- If you want to go up the crown of the Statue of Liberty, book your tour a week in advance at ….
- Make sure to go to the second floor of the Ellis Island Museum.
Back of the ferry for great views of New York City
Note: We receeived our New York City Pass through the Travel Blog Exchange that we attended in New York City. New York is not paying us or expecting us to endorse the pass. It came with our purchase of tickets to the conference. However, we found it to be an amazing deal and asset during our travels around New York so we wanted to share it with you all.
13 Responses to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tips
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I really wish that I’d had time to use the CityPass – it really is an amazing deal but I didn’t allow enough time – next time I’m in NYC I’ll know better.
Seeing Lady Liberty was also a highlight for me, although I only got to see her from the Ferry, it was still a moving sight. Good to know that you have to plan ahead if you want to visit the platform or crown – I also have distant memories of peeking out from the crown when I was a young child on a field trip in grade school that included Liberty & Ellis islands, the Empire State Building, and the UN.
.-= Trisha Miller´s last blog ..Know How To Do Something Enter This Contest- =-.
The good news is your CityPass doesn’t expire. You have 9 days from the first use to get it all in. It seems that we all have the distant memory of peaking out the crown. That sounds like an amazing school trip.
Oh, this is a really nice post! I just love your photos! I’ll keep this post in mind for future trip there
.-= Lifecruiser Travel Blog´s last blog ..The Farms Wild Cats =-.
Correction: if you want to go up to the crown you have to book MONTHS in advance (in the summer)! We booked about 5 weeks ahead and could only get into the base.
.-= Carlo Alcos´s last blog ..New York City Rules- Signs of Civilization =-.
Wow! Thanks for the tip. 5 Weeks is a long time in advance. Sorry you didn’t make it to the crown, but the base seemed like it was worth it too. The crowds seemed very light up there.
One more tip: If you’re going up the statue, do NOT bring a backpack. They will make you check it…they’ll let you in with a small bag like a purse. But the security is stricter than at an airport (they even have body scanning devices).
Carlo! Thanks for the great information. We didn’t bring a backpack so we didn’t even think of this advice. But you are absolutely right, I remember hearing announcements that you will have to check large bags and backpacks. Security is very strict at the Statue of Liberty. It is much better to go with less. Thanks again for the great tips!
Living uptown in NYC, I hardly ever even get a glimpse of the beautiful Statue of Liberty. It’s a shame because she’s so beautiful. Glad you got a chance to visit her.
My grandfather came through Ellis Island (from Poland at age 11) — I find it so exciting that he was part of such a momentous time in US history. His story could have been lifted out of a textbook. He really embodied the American Dream of that era.
.-= Travelogged´s last blog ..Celebrating July 4th in Cold Spring- NY =-.
Wow, that is amazing Liz. It was quite a monumental time in history. A whole country was being built on immigrants and what an amazing country it turned out to be.
Two years ago, with New York City Pass tickets, we had been to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, but we too couldn’t go upto the crown.
But still being near the famous Statue and strolling there was a great feeling. Visiting Ellis Island Museum was also a memorable experience.
Wow, things have really changed since I visited the Statue of Liberty! There were no special passes or several month waits to visit the crown. Now that I think of it, I visited in February of 2001, so it was cold and that was before 9/11. It’s sad to see the skyline without the Twin Towers.
.-= Jennifer Barry´s last blog ..Trains- Cars and Funiculars- Getting Around Santiago =-.
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