Is it worth going to 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.



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Statue Cruises is the authorized concession for the park. How long do I need to visit Ellis Island? It will depend upon what you want to do while visiting. Generally, two to three hours is ample time to visit.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Overview: Opened on January 1, 1892, Ellis Island became the nation's premier federal immigration station. In operation until 1954, the station processed over 12 million immigrant steamship passengers.

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Overall, almost everyone who came through Ellis Island (around 98% by some counts) was admitted. By contrast, 60% of the immigrants who arrived at Angel Island—most of whom were Chinese—were detained, and it took weeks or months to be released; the longest detention Lee found was 756 days.

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Then you will take a ferry to Ellis Island, again restrooms are aboard the ferries. Finally you will land on Ellis Island where there are restrooms inside the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

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Far away from Ellis Island, in every sense, lies Angel Island. The immigration station there was built on the exclusion of one national group, those originating in China, and prejudice and racism against Asian people generally. Detainment and detention rates were far higher than for those who arrived via Ellis Island.

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Ellis Island
  • Location: New York Harbor.
  • Immigrants processed: 19 million.
  • Number rejected: 1.2 million.
  • Percentage rejected: 6%
  • Average length of stay: 1 day.


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There is a variety of food options on Ellis Island including salads, wraps, and sandwiches. Dining: The Ellis Café has a variety of snacks available such as organic fruit, chips, ice cream, and cold beverages.

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If you are going to be at Ellis or Liberty Island after 4 PM, make sure that you understand when the last ferry leaves. If you miss the last boat you must swim back, and the water is really cold even in the summer. Once on the islands, the schedule is posted on a bulletin board at the ferry dock.

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For the best land views of Lady Liberty, head to the southern tip of Lower Manhattan, to an area known as the Battery. Downtown Tour Loop Hop off at: Battery Park/Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty Ferry or Subway to South Ferry or Bowling Green).

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Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are only accessible by ferry.

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