How do you visit the Statue of Liberty in New York, and when is the best time to go? You must take a ferry to Liberty Island, where the statue is located. Some tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty include the ferry and admission to the Immigration Museum. Alternatively, you can take a cruise around Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. In this post, we will see these different ways: here we go!
- Visit the Statue of Liberty ?
- See the statue from a ferry â›´
- Taking a cruise ?
- Flying by the Statue of Liberty ?
- Best time ?
- How long does it take ?
1. Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
A must-see. Visiting the Statue of Liberty is a must on a trip to New York. Many travelers visit Liberty Island to see the statue up close and visit the Immigration Museum.
National Museum of Immigration. The National Museum of Immigration is on Ellis Island, next to Liberty Island. Full of history and emotion, this museum is fascinating to visit to better understand the United States. Between 1892 and 1954, 14 million people immigrated through Ellis Island. Today, 30% of American citizens have an ancestor who went through the Ellis Island immigration center.
How to visit? The most sold tickets to see the Statue of Liberty include the ferry transfer and admission to the Immigration Museum. Some give access to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, while others do not. Here is an example of combined tickets.
Leave with the first ferry of the day. If you take the first ferry of the day, you will visit the Statue of Liberty and the Immigration Museum, avoiding the crowds (see prices).
CityPass! The New York City Pass is a good option if you visit at least 5 major New York must-sees: find out about the benefits of the pass here.
2. See the Statue of Liberty from a ferry
Another possible option! You can also avoid going to Liberty Island and see the Statue of Liberty from a boat without going down to the island. This is a good option if you’re short on time or if you’ve already visited the interior of the Statue of Liberty on a previous trip. The cruise takes just an hour. Here is an example of a cruise around.
Good to know. Free ferries run between Staten Island and New York every 30 minutes, sometimes every 15 minutes. Unfortunately, these ferries do pass quite far from the Statue of Liberty. The single journey takes 25 minutes.
3. Taking a cruise around Manhattan
By night. If you want to experience the Statue of Liberty but want to see the beautiful lights of New York City after dark, you can book this 2-hour Statue of Liberty cruise.
Brunch. Enjoy New York from a lovely luxury yacht! It’s an excellent activity in New York as a couple: brunch on a yacht.
Dinner. If you want an evening activity in New York, a dinner cruise is perfect! At dusk, you will see Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty (find out more about the dinner cruise).
4. Flying by the Statue of Liberty in a helicopter
An experience to live! Yet another way to visit New York and discover its Statue of Liberty. It is an activity that will make your trip to New York unforgettable. From the helicopter, you will discover all the beauty of New York, including the famous Empire State Building. Fares vary depending on flight time (find out more here).
5. Best time to visit the Statue of Liberty in New York
Days to avoid. Saturday is the busiest day. There are better days to visit the Statue of Liberty than this. The second most busy day is Sunday, with a little less crowd in the morning. If your visit’s day is flexible, avoid Saturday and Sunday after 11 am.
At what time? Visitors are the most numerous during the day, from 11 am to 2 pm. There are fewer people in the morning before 11 am and in the afternoon from 3 pm, except Saturday, the busiest day. That’s why the prices for the first ferries of the day are higher (book tickets here).
Good to know. April to September is the peak season for the New Year celebrations; many people visit the Statue of Liberty. If you are going to New York during this time of year, book your tickets in advance to avoid queues.
6. How long does it take to visit the Statue of Liberty?
Plan 3-4 hours to visit the Statue of Liberty. This is the time needed to take the ferry to Liberty Island, visit the island, and then go to Ellis Island.
If you visit the Statue of Liberty’s interior and the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island, add 1 or 2 hours more. You can alter the duration of the visit according to your wishes.
Generally, first-time travelers to New York plan at least half a day to visit the Statue of Liberty. This monument is one of the must-sees in New York. Read more awesome activities in our blog post, so you don’t miss a thing: TOP 40 to visit in New York.
In summary:
Here are the multiple options to visit the Statue of Liberty during your trip to New York.
- See the Statue of Liberty without going to Liberty Island or Ellis Island (for example, book cruise tickets to see the statue up close)
- Go to Liberty Island (without visiting the interior of the Statue of Liberty or the pedestal), then go to Ellis Island to visit the Immigration Museum (see photos, reviews, and prices)
- Go to Liberty Island to visit the interior of the Statue of Liberty, then go to Ellis Island to visit the Immigration Museum (see prices)
- Fly over New York and especially over the Statue of Liberty in a helicopter (book here)
Good to know. The New York City Pass is a good option if you visit at least five major New York must-sees: find out about the pass’s benefits here.
The visit of the Statue of Liberty in New York is one of the most emblematic monuments of the city, but also the United States. This visit is often combined with a visit to the Immigration Museum, which allows you to understand better the history of New York and America (find out more).
