How long does it take to visit Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty?
Generally, two to three hours is ample time to visit. Do I need a reservation to visit Ellis Island? No, however, reservations may be made to get priority entrance at our security screening points through Statue Cruises.
People Also Ask
Tickets are limited based on safety and security standards. To visit both islands in one day, the National Park Service recommends an early ferry departure. Tickets are purchased through Statue City Cruises, the official ferry service provider. Ferries provide transportation to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
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.
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.
There are many types of tickets available for the Statue of Liberty and every single one of them includes visiting Ellis Island. However, if you're not at all interested in visiting the Statue of Liberty and just want to visit Ellis Island, you'll want to purchase the “Reserve” ticket.
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!
Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are only accessible by ferry. The vessels depart at set times from locations in lower Manhattan and New Jersey and are easily accessible through a variety of travel options. Identify which ferry you'll take and plan how best to get there.
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.
Entrance PassesGeneral Admission tickets are our most widely available ticket. Visitors will have access to both islands, including entry to both the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. This is the only ticket available when crown and pedestal reservations are full.
Inevitably weekends are busier than mid-week, but it really is all relative and there is truly no quiet time to visit the statue. Our recommendation is to catch the first ferry departures Tuesday–Thursday if you really want to beat the crowds and get inside the museums ahead of anybody else.
Visiting the pedestal is a great addition to your trip to Liberty Island. There are 215 steps or approximately 10 stories to climb to the top of the pedestal. There is an elevator for those who cannot use the stairs. Tickets to the pedestal are limited and can sell out in advance.
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.
A trip up to the crown includes walking up a double-helix spiral staircase. The Statue's Crown can only be accessed by climbing 162 stairs. There is no elevator service to the Crown. The climb is strenuous.
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.
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.
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.
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.