Does it cost money to ride the ferry to the Statue of Liberty?
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 (map).
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Take the Staten Island FerryIf you want to see the Statue of Liberty for free, this is the best way to do it. This public ferry will take you to the borough of Staten Island, passing by the Statue of Liberty along the way. To get there, head to the Staten Island Ferry terminal next to Battery Park.
Staten Island FerryThe Staten Island Ferry is a free transportation service provided between Manhattan and Staten Island. Each boat is quite large, carrying over 4,000 people. But the route across New York harbor takes you directly in front of the statue.
STATEN ISLAND FERRYThis free commuter ferry travels very close to the Statue of Liberty. You will want to have your camera out and ready to go, as the ferry passes Lady Liberty at a fairly fast speed. Still, without a doubt, this is the best view of the Statue of Liberty you can get for free.
Without proper planning, many people end their visit much later than expected, so make sure to leave plenty of time to see everything without feeling rushed. At a minimum, you should budget two hours for the Statue of Liberty and an additional hour if you plan to visit Ellis Island as well.
How long is the entire trip? Sailing time to each island is approximately 15 minutes. If you remain on boat for ride only without visiting either monument, it will be one hour and fifteen minutes. If you visit both islands the time depends on the time you spend on both islands.
Yes, you can visit Ellis Island by taking a ferry. Ellis Island is free to visit, though there is a fee for the ferry ticket. Only one company has the authorization to provide Ellis Island tickets – Statue City Cruises.
BUDGET FRIENDLY: For an ease on the wallet water view of the Statue of Liberty, hop on the Staten Island Ferry. You won't get as close as you would with a paid cruise, but this FREE ride across New York Harbor runs 24 hours a day.
The names of those in your party must be provided at the time of purchase. Each ticket holder will be required to show photo ID (except minors without ID) matching the name printed on the ticket prior to entering the Statue of Liberty.
Being on the 9:00 am slot means there will be less crowds on the grounds of the Statue of Liberty, the Pedestal and even Ellis Island, and your visit will be much smoother. Alternatively, opt for an early afternoon visit – though at that time of day there will definitely be more people than in the early morning.
Depending on which way you are going, if you just missed a boat, you have a 20 to 40 minute wait for the next one. The New York ferry runs from Battery Park to Liberty Island to Ellis Island and back to Battery Park.
As a tour guide, a question I hear a lot is: “Is it worth it to see Ellis Island?” For those who have no familial connection or relation to the people who passed through, its importance and influence can often be overlooked. Which is why I am here to tell you that it is absolutely, 100% worth it.
Those with reservations to the pedestal, the stone base that the Statue of Liberty sits on top of, must secure the following items in a locker: ALL FOOD & DRINKS (except water in a clear plastic bottle) ALL BACKPACK-STYLE BAGS (including over-sized bags, drawstring bags, and backpack purses) Strollers.
Visitors climb 354 steps to reach the crown and 192 steps in order to reach the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown which symbolize 25 gemstones found on the earth. The seven rays of the Statue's crown represent the seven seas and continents of the world.
Make sure to keep your visit to the statue shorter, so it's closer to 2 1/2 hours, and you can save some time for Ellis Island. To see all of Ellis Island would take a few hours. But if you're in a rush and don't want to skip it, I'd say 1 hour to see the highlights.
BEST VIEW: Hands down, the best view on land is from atop One World Observatory. Located in the southern most part of Manhattan, it's the closest observation deck to the Statue of Liberty, giving you the most intimate view possible from land.
Staten Island is worth visiting if one has the time in New York City; a 10-day itinerary for NYC is enough time to see all five boroughs. But if one only has a weekend in NYC, and it's one's first time in the Big Apple, then perhaps one is best focusing on the key highlights in Manhattan.