How long does it take to go to the Statue of Liberty and back?

Queues to the ferry can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. The Statue of Liberty and museum take approximately 90 minutes to see and Ellis Island is another one hour to 90 minutes. If you follow our advice, you won't have to wait for long and can make the most of your time visiting the Statue of Liberty.



People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

You can take an elevator to the pedestal level of the Statue, but beyond that, there are just steps. Depending on your pace, it will take about 15-20 minutes to climb to the top of the crown and back, but you might want to spend some time on the pedestal level before or after your ascent.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

I don't think people realize just how steep and tight the stairway up is! The statue museum is amazing and it was just surreal to see it up close! The views from the ferry are better... but it is so worth it to plan ahead and book tickets to climb to the crown at least once in your life!

MORE DETAILS

The absolute best time of day to see the statue is first thing in the morning. In the summer, the first ferry leaves at 8:30 and you should definitely try and be on it. Security will usually open around 8:15 so it's best to be in line before then.

MORE DETAILS

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).

MORE DETAILS

Entrance Passes The cost of the ferry ticket is not an entrance fee but a transportation fee. There is no additional charge to visit the museum on Liberty Island and Ellis Island. General Admission tickets are our most widely available ticket.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Anyone visiting the crown must be able to walk up at least 162 steps on a confined spiral staircase. There is not an minimum age for the crown access but instead a minimum height requirement. Children must be at least four (4) feet (1.2 meters) tall to visit the crown.

MORE DETAILS

Just take your time and do not feel rushed. It is a steep and narrow staircase so use caution and hold on to the handrails. Plan to spend 4 - 5 hours with the security, ferry, the climb plus extra time for walking all around the outside of the statue. Also, don't miss the Statue of Liberty Museum right by the statue.

MORE DETAILS

Water fountains are located in the lobby of the Statue of Liberty near the restrooms. Speaking of restrooms, the lobby facilities are the only ones located inside as well. So plan accordingly before you climb!

MORE DETAILS

Visiting Liberty Island is one of the most rewarding experiences of any trip to New York City. However, visitors who wish to enter the pedestal and visit the crown must secure reservations through Statue City Cruises, the ONLY AUTHORIZED ticket seller for Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

MORE DETAILS

Staten Island Ferry The 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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Visitors arrive and depart Liberty Island and Ellis Island, located in New York Harbor, via ferries operated by Statue City Cruises. These ferries leave from two locations: The Battery, at the southern tip of Manhattan in New York City, and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey.

MORE DETAILS

NYC DOT operates the Staten Island Ferry, providing free service between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan every day of the week, year-round.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

You don't need a ticket to enter the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, but you do need a ticket to ride the ferry to get there. Here's a very important part: the vendor authorized to sell tickets to Liberty and Ellis Islands is City Experiences.

MORE DETAILS