Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous monuments in the world. A symbol of independence, The Statue of Liberty inspired hope for the immigrants from the Old World. Just imagine their emotions when their ships entered the port of New York, and a welcome symbol of the new life appeared on the horizon.

The Statue of Liberty was designed by the sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. Gustave Eiffel helped Bartholdi with the engineering component of the design (this is the same Eiffel who later created the tower named after him). It was a gift from the French for the centenary of the American War of Independence, however, the statue opened only ten years later than planned, in 1886.

The Statue of Liberty Ferry

The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island. There is only one ferry service that stops on Liberty Island, Statue Cruises. This same ferry makes one more stop, on Ellis Island, home to National Museum of Immigration. The ferry ticket includes a visit to Liberty Island and Ellis Island.

The base ticket includes only the ferry service and does not include a visit to the Statue's pedestal or the crown. These tickets need to be booked separately, weeks or sometimes months in advance. Please book your tickets to crown and pedestal on the Statue Cruises website.

What is the departure location for The Statue of Liberty Ferry?

There are two: Battery Park in Manhattan and Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The wait time is usually less in NJ. If you have a car and your hotel is in New Jersey, consider choosing Liberty State Park as your departure point.

How many steps are to the top of pedestal and to the crown?

If access is open to the public, you can climb 192 steps to the top of the pedestal or 365 steps to the crown.

How much time should I plan for a visit?

At least 3-4 hours. There is usually a quite long security line.

Is there a skip-the-line option?

Some tickets and passes allow skipping the boarding line, but please note skipping the security line is not possible.

Ferry ticket as a part of savings passes

New York Pass

New York Explorer Pass

CityPASS

Super New York

Freestyle Pass

I don't want to go to Liberty Island. Are there other ways to see The Statue of Liberty?

Yes, there are several ways to see Statue of Liberty.

There is a free ferry that connects Manhattan and Staten Island that leaves from Lower Manhattan from the Whitehall Terminal (you need the South Ferry or Whitehall subway stop; look at the bottom of the map of Manhattan). It is called the Staten Island Ferry. The trip takes 30 minutes one way, offering stunning views of the Statue of Liberty, Lower Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Verrazano Bridge.

There are many great river cruises, and you will be able to see the Statue of Liberty from all of them. The cruise does not stop on Liberty Island, but comes close enough so that you could see The Statue of Liberty and take photos. The cruise companies are Bateaux New York, Spirit Cruises, Hornblower, CitySightseeing ferry, Circle Line. They all have different types of cruises, including sightseeing, dinner and lunch.

Helicopter tours are a great way to see The Statue of Liberty. We recommend Liberty Helicopters and their tours New York, New York or The Big Apple.

See The Statue of Liberty from Battery Park. Get there by subway or hop off at one of the sightseeing buses such as CitySightseeing New York.