Statue Of Liberty Ferry And Ellis Island Immigration Museum

How To Go On A Statue Of Liberty Ferry

To board the ferry, you need a Statue of Liberty ferry ticket.

All ferry tickets include the following:

Since the Statue of Liberty is the biggest attraction, visitors also refer to these ferry tickets as the Statue of Liberty ticket.

*You can pick up the audio guide tour at the Audio Guide booth on Liberty and Ellis Islands. The audio tour is available in 12 languages.

Tip: Backpackers and tourists on a tight budget prefer to view the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island ferry. However, you wont be able to land on Liberty Island and explore the massive monument.

Visit Statue Of Liberty Or Take A Cruise

Depending on your time in New York, you will need to make the decision of visiting Liberty Island itself or simply taking one of the many statue cruises offered to get a view of her from the water. Whatever you decide, you are going to love it. The Statue of Liberty is the most iconic statue in the world and is not to be missed!

You can book this 90 Minute Cruise of New York City If you dont have time to visit the Statue of Liberty, take this cruise to see the iconic sites of midtown and lower Manhattan on a Semi-Circle Cruise. See Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. Sail down the Hudson, cruising around the Battery, and up the East River. Youll pass under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges to the United Nations and then head back to Pier 83

How Long Does The Liberty Ferry Ride Last

Wherever you start from Battery Park or Liberty State Park, the ferry ride to Liberty Island usually takes 15 minutes or less.

However, during peak times, you may have to wait your turn and maybe even let go of a ferry because it was full.

But it is not much of a hassle because a Statue Cruises ferry boat sails out every 20-25 minutes.

The ferry ride from Liberty Island to Ellis Island also takes 15 minutes or less.

Note: During peak seasons you may have to wait for up to 60 minutes in the lines to board a ferry.

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Visiting The Crown Of The Statue Of Liberty

To visit the crown of the Statue of Liberty tickets cost an extra $3. You should also book ahead of time at the website as times are designated on a first come first serve basis as well. Reservations will also put you ahead of the line to go through security when entering the Statue of Liberty ferry terminal.

Ferry Tickets With Crown Access

Because of the pandemic, Statue of Libertys Crown tickets arent being sold.

The Crown Access ferry ticket gets you to the top of the Statue of Liberty, and you get to spend around ten minutes inside its crown.

You also get to explore the Pedestal and the Museum.

These tickets are ultra-premium during the peak summer months, only around 500 Crown tickets get sold per day.

These tickets are difficult to get, and during the summer months, they get booked six months in advance.

After all, only 0.4% of the days tickets sold are Crown tickets.

Because of this lack of availability, many visitors feel the Reserve tickets are better than Crown tickets.

If you really want to go up the Libertys Crown, we recommend reading up on how to score last minute Statue of Liberty Crown tickets.

And depending on the schedule, you may board any one of these to get to the Statue of Liberty.

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Statue Cruises Ticket Options

Purchase tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty National Monument and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Reserve your tickets to guarantee access to the Statue of Liberty Pedestal. The only way to guarantee access to the interior of the Statue of Liberty National Monument is to book in advance.

Choose the Departure Location for Reserve Ticket

• New Jersey

  Ample parking for cars and buses. Easy access from the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 78.

• New York

  Easy access via public transportation, including major subway lines and bus routes.

NOTE:

How To Get To The Ferries

There is only one way to visit the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Museum and that is by ferries operated by Statue Cruises and there are two locations where you can take the ferry.

The vast majority of visitors to New York City will take the ferry from Lower Manhattan , but you can also leave from New Jersey.

The closest subway stations are Bowling Green, which is accessed by the 4 and 5 trains, and South Ferry Station, which is accessed by the 1 train.

You can also reach the ferry landing via Rector Street Station on the N and R Train, Wall Street Station on the 2 and 3 train, and Broad Street Station J and Z trains.

TIP: The Staten Island Ferry cruises past the Statue of Liberty for free.

You can also reach the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the New Jersey side of the Hudson River at Liberty State Park in Jersey City .

This is the only way to get to the island, as private vessels will not be permitted to dock at either site.

Tip: If you visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in the morning from Manhattan, you should consider our 2 pm Lower Manhattan Walking Tour, or consider our audio tour version of this tour.

Will call and walk-up tickets are available at the ticket booths inside of Castle Clinton .

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At The Statue Of Liberty

When you arrive at Liberty Island, be sure to check the ferry times as you walk out for your trip onward. We planned for 90 minutes at the statue so we kept an eye out for the ferry that was scheduled 2 hours after our visit. That way we could have a 30-minute cushion should the line be too long .

It was a pleasant stroll walking around Liberty Island seeing the views of Lady Liberty from every possible angle. She really is an impressive sight. The views of the Manhattan skyline are outstanding from here so be sure to take it in from every angle.

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Statue Of Liberty Pedestal Tickets

The actual pedestal that was designed for the Statue is an amazing design feature. Designed specifically to show off Lady Liberty herself, it is approximately half the size of the statue.

From the pedestal level, you’ll have some incredible views of Ellis Island, New York, New Jersey, and the New York Harbor altogether.

While the visit to the pedestal is free, advanced reservations are strongly suggested.

There are a limited number of people that will have access to the pedestal at any given time so if you don’t make reservations ahead of time you may not be granted access.

View from Statue of Liberty Pedestal

• $23.80 – Adult | $18.30 – Senior 62+ | $12.30 – Child 4-12 | Free – Child under 4.
• Purchase advanced pedestal tickets here.

You could also book through Get Your Guide. For an extra $6/ticket, you will also get onsite concierge service to guide you upon arrival at Battery Park, a service that some seem to like based on the reviews.

If you take a guided tour, pedestal tickets are guaranteed.

The National Park Service does have some access restrictions:

• No food, drinks, or backpacks permitted.
• No strollers.

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Sections Of The Immigration Museum

• In the first section is the Journeys: the Peopling of America 1550-1890 exhibit that addresses immigration from colonial times to Ellis Island Customs House.

• In the second section through The Ellis Island Experience 1890- 1954 is the stage of the great waves of immigration to the country through the exhibitions “Peak Immigration Years” and “Through America’s Gate”. You will see what the admission process was like, the requirements to be met and their role in the construction of what is now America.

• In the last section Journeys: New Eras of Immigration 1945-Present, the phenomenon of immigration in recent times is addressed and it is very curious to compare it with the old method seeing the enormous differences in the process.

• There is also a room dedicated to the Restoring a Landmark exhibit that tells the story of the building itself.

Ferry Route From Liberty State Park

All Statue of Liberty boats sailing from Liberty State Park in New Jersey first go to Ellis Island, which has the Immigration Museum.

Then they sail to Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty monument is on display, and finally back to Liberty State Park.

If you start early during the summer months, this order may not be as comfortable because you will be exploring the Statue of Liberty monument when the temperatures are high.

Lets say if you start at 10 am, you are likely to be done with the Immigration Museum by 12 or so, and you may be at the Statue of Liberty when the sun is at its peak.

You cant change the order, but you can change the time you start your tour.

During the peak summer months, if you board the ferry around 1 pm, you will be done with the Ellis Island Museum by 3 pm and be at the Statue of Liberty by 3.30 pm.

And since during these months, the Liberty Island grounds close at 6.20 pm, you will have around three hours to explore the Statue of Liberty.

Check out the video to see how your trip to the Statue of Liberty pans out when you start from Liberty State Park, New York.

The Big Apple Pass includes tickets to a 60-minute Statue of Liberty cruise, the Empire State Building, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You also get a 10% discount code, which you can use to get discounts on future purchases.

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Warning: Beware Third Party Ticket Vendors

There are many aggressive, unauthorized ticket sellers who will try to sell tickets to the Statue of Liberty near The Battery in NYC. These individuals will often try to scam people through misrepresentation and over-charging. We highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance. The only on-site location to purchase authorized tickets is the Statue City Cruises ticket office inside Castle Clinton in The Battery. Plan ahead if possible, and avoid these scammers selling overpriced and/or fake tickets.

How Much Time To Devote

How much time you will need will depend much on what time of the year you are there and what time of day you choose. It also depends on whether you have pedestal and crown tickets.

The ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island depart every 15-20 minutes.

The first ferry departs at 8:30 am in the high season and 9:00 am in the low season and the last ferry departs at 4:00 pm in the high season and 3:30 pm in the low season.

The last ferry from Liberty Island departs at 5:00 pm in the low season and 5:45 pm in the high season. The same goes for ferries from Ellis Island.

We can’t stress this enough. Plan to get here as early as possible, preferably by 8:00 am.

As you can see in the Google popular times image below, crowds are significantly smaller in the early morning hours.

If you plan to visit both islands and take in all the sites you need to allow yourself enough time to see everything without having to rush through your day.

Expect to spend 4-5 hours for security, ferry rides, and visiting both islands if you only have general admission.

The earlier you are here, the shorter the amount of time you will spend.

According to Statue Cruises, tickets for 2:00 pm or later will only afford you adequate time to visit either Liberty Island or Ellis Island, not both.

You need to allow for a minimum of 5-6 hours in order for you to see everything, especially if you have pedestal or crown tickets.

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Statue Of Liberty Tips

• Plan more of your New York City travels:

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Last Ferry Departing Liberty Island

Timings of the last Statue Cruises ferry departing the Statue of Liberty Island also depends on the season.

Liberty Island starts closing thirty minutes before the last ferry back to the Mainland to allow the visitors to get to the dock.

Need more details? Check out the detailed schedule.

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Visit The Pedestal Of The Statue Of Liberty

If you want to go up to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, you need to book in advance for your time. It is no extra cost, but times are booked on a first-come-first-served basis. So if you arrive at 8:30 with a bunch of other people, they may already have their reserved time and you will have to wait even longer.

When booking directly from the Government Website, you will receive skip-the-line tickets through security which can save time.

Reserve Vs Flex Tickets

The first thing to consider is whether you want or need a reserve or flex-ticket.

A reserve ticket is for a specified time on a specified day. Holders of a reserve-ticket get to enter the security line and board the ferries at that specified time.

Reserve tickets are available for general admission and are the only type of ticket available for pedestal or crown access.

They can be purchased in advance on the website of Statue Cruises or purchased on-site .

If they are sold out or your preferred time isn’t available there, you can also get reserved tickets for both general admission and pedestal from Get Your Guide, which also provides onsite concierge service to help guide you and reduce potential stress.

One advantage of a reserved-ticket is that reserved-ticket holders are given priority access to the security screening and ferries.

But the disadvantage is you are set to a particular time and thus reduces flexibility.

Flex-tickets are also available for general admission, which means access to both Liberty and Ellis Islands, but no access to the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal or crown.

Flex-tickets allow you to come whenever the ferries are running within a certain time frame.

Flex-tickets are what you will get if you get your tickets through a tourist pass or through a bus tour package.

Statue Cruises does not sell flex-tickets.

The clear advantage of a flex-ticket is flexibility. You don’t need your travel itinerary set in stone.

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Visit Statue Of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic monuments in the United States. When you are in New York it is a must-see on your to do list of things to do in the city. There are several ticket options you can book online in advance: Ticket + Grounds, Tickets with Pedestal Access, Hard Hat Tour Ticket. Each option grants you different accesses when you visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island, but all of them include the round trip ferry ride, entry to the Statue of Liberty Museum, and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

To have enough time to visit both Liberty Island and Ellis Island, we recommend that you book a departure time before 2 PM. You can also choose to leave from two different points, the Battery Park in the New York Ferry Terminal or in Liberty State Park in the New Jersey Ferry Terminal. Tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty from New Jersey usually have more availability than from New York, so you can take this into consideration when planning your visit.