Laura the explora: the blog

Imagine you are from another country and looking to build an entirely new life for yourself in a land where your prosperity and freedom are “promised” (so long as you are willing to work for it). As you gather your favorite heirlooms and most important belongings, you dream about the opportunities that could be waiting for you on the other side of a treacherous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean… Will you be able to communicate with the people there? Where, exactly, will you go once you arrive? What will you do for money? Will you be able to support your family? There are so many variables, and yet, seeking these answers is still preferable to your current life’s existence… it is the “American Dream…”

For a number of long days and nights, you float across a seemingly endless deep blue sea through storms and sunshine. Everyone around you is also as overwhelmed with emotions as you are… anxious, excited, scared, nervous, optimistic, and so many other feelings. There are so many unknowns, yet the one thing you all do know is that you want a better future for yourself and your loved ones.

Finally, you see land in the distance. As the water carries you past the iconic Lady Liberty in all her glory, your nerves are simultaneously calmed and heightened as you mentally prepare yourself for the next part of your journey. You have arrived, to the land of the free and the home of the brave, and now you are about to become one of them (…or so you think.)

This is only the beginning.

Okay, okay, I know this is supposed to be a guide to traveling to these two popular tourist destinations, but as a visitor to any new place, your imagination can add a level of context that will infinitely expand your experience when coming to explore it. So many immigrants passed through Ellis Island and their decedents form a significant chunk of today’s population in the USA. For roughly half a century, Ellis Island was America’s front door and the Statue of Liberty its greeting committee, as millions of people were first welcomed into the country through this very port.

Visiting today is very different, and while the Statue of Liberty still does seem to hold much of its symbolic value and excitement (depending who you ask), Ellis Island is no longer in functioning operation, and today is instead a museum carrying over the history and stories from those who once set foot on American soil for the first time at this very location.

These two destinations are best visited in tandem with one another in a single day at any point during the year, although on days with inclement weather you may choose not to make the sea voyage to get there. On the worst days, the ferry won’t run at all, although this is not common.

The weather can vary throughout the day regardless of the time of year, so it is suggested that you check the forecast and wear appropriate layers so you can change with it.

How much time you spend here will depend on your preferences of what you want to do and see. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your trip–

• If you just want to go get the basic museum information and take some close up photos of Lady Liberty, you could probably plan for half a day total with quick visits to both islands.
• If you are able to secure a tour of the Pedestal or the Crown, I would plan to spend a half-day at Liberty Island.
• If you are a museum-lover, history fanatic, or are just really interested in learning about immigration, you could easily spend an entire day at Ellis Island alone.

I would suggest getting started in the morning, which will give you the most time at either destination depending how you’d like to spend your time. You are expected to arrive 30-45 minutes prior to your departure time if you book in advance (although they won’t likely deny you entry if you are a bit late or early unless the boats are no longer operating).

Where to stay

You have two options as there are two departure points: Battery Park in New York City, New York or Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey.

While it is not necessary to stay in either of these cities, I would recommend staying somewhere close enough to arrive to either departure point early in the morning. As I have visited from both NJ and NY, I would say they offer two very different travel experiences so it depends what is most important to you and the purpose of your overall trip.

How to get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Your admission to both Ellis Island and Liberty Island where Lady Liberty lives are included in your single ferry ticket, which as of March 2025 is $25 and change for one adult (exact price varies on ticket type, prices are lower for children, military, and seniors).

This is an incredibly scenic journey with epic views of New York’s Manhattan area and Lady Liberty herself. Be sure to set yourself up near a window or somewhere on the deck of the boat and have your camera handy as you will be able to take some beautiful photos as you drift across the water!

While it is not necessary to reserve your ticket in advance, I would highly recommend it:

*** Linked here: official website of Statue City Cruises, the only authorized concessioner for booking your ticket ***

There are other companies that sell tickets, but they will likely up-charge you or they may not actually take you to the islands. I would not recommend purchasing a ticket from any vendor other than Statue City Cruises.

There are two ferry departure points: one in New York City, NY and the other from Jersey City, NJ.

Note that from either departure point, you will be required to go through a thorough airport-like security screening, which may take up to an hour to pass through on the busiest days, especially from the NYC side.

From the New York side

The ferry departs from Battery Park at the southern end of Manhattan in NYC (operates year-round). Tickets are available for sale in person at the Box Office in the nearby Castle Clinton National Monument, which is about a 10-minute walk away from the departure point. Please be aware that you are required to check in and have your ticket/wristband from Castle Clinton prior to passing through security at the departure location even if you reserved your spot online.

NYC is definitely the more popular departure point for visiting the Statue of Liberty due to the fact that the city itself is simply a major tourist destination. Keep in mind that parking is wildly expensive and in general very difficult to find anywhere in NYC, and you can easily get to the departure point in Battery Park using the city’s underground metro system. For a *potentially* quicker but more expensive option, you can always hire a taxi to get you there instead.

From the New Jersey side

The ferry departs from Liberty State Park on the coast of Jersey City (for the most part, this ferry does not run during the winter season, early January to early March, so be sure to check the dates on the official website before finalizing your plans). Tickets are available for sale in person from the Box Office at Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, which is located directly next to the departure point.

Far fewer people make the trek from the New Jersey side (likely because Jersey City is just… a random city in New Jersey, not a particularly famous tourist destination like NYC.) If you are driving your own car, parking is far cheaper when embarking from this side at only $7 for a full-day at Jersey City’s Liberty State Park. If you are only planning to stay for a couple hours, parking may be free in this nearby lot, although your visit will probably at minimum take about half a day unless you are just taking the ferry ride for fun by itself. If you are driving your own car to visit this destination, I would highly recommend visiting from NJ instead of NY.

Food and money

For the most part, this is a pretty reasonably priced tourist destination. Your ~$25 cruise ticket includes admission to both Ellis Island and Liberty Island, and you could easily pack a lunch and not spend any other money during your visit. With that said, it is not necessary to pack food, as there are light snacks and beverages available for sale on the ferries, as well as cafes with full meals available for sale on both the island with the Statue of Liberty and on Ellis Island.

Gift shops with plenty of souvenirs exist on both islands. Note that the selection is larger for basically everything on Liberty Island (rather than Ellis Island).

What to do at the Statue of Liberty

Ways to see Lady Liberty:

• Walking around her on the Liberty Island grounds, included with all ferry tickets.
• Pedestal Tour (reservations are limited and typically required in advance, they do sell out daily) – this allows you to enter the statue’s base level where there is a museum, and to walk around the Observation Deck just below her feet. There is an elevator to reach the top of the pedestal for those unable to climb the 10-stories of stairs up to the viewing area.
• Crown Tour (reservations required, sold out months in advance) – a very small, limited number of guests per day get to climb the tiny spiral staircase into her head, which resides about 20-stories of stairs up in the air. There is no elevator and the staircase is extremely narrow and steep. It can get very hot inside this part of the statue, especially on warm days, as it is made out of metal and there is no inner climate control. (Proper footwear is required and no bags allowed.) This option also gives you access to everything included in the Pedestal Tour.

The price for all three of the above is basically the same, the primary difference is the quota of per-day visitors that Miss Liberty can host within; hence why reservations are required to enter her in most cases.

Coin-operated lockers are available for $0.25 outside the base of the statue. You are not allowed to bring any bags inside the statue, but you may carry a water bottle and any highly important items that fit inside your pockets (like your phone/camera and ID). When you go back to the lockers to retrieve your belongings, you get your quarter back.

There is also a Statue of Liberty Museum here (separate from Lady Liberty) with three “interactive galleries” and a viewing deck up top.

What to do on Ellis Island

The Museum of Ellis Island has three levels. The staff told me that the museum is best explored beginning on the second floor, then the top level, and lastly the bottom floor (I ran out of time on my visit and wasn’t able to make it back down to the floor level after seeing the upper two).

The ground level floor includes basic museum information, a cafe, gift shop, as well as the exhibits covering pre- and post-Ellis Island immigration into the land we know today as the USA. The entrance counter is where visitors can pick up their complementary audio tour device in their desired spoken language. This device is used like a handheld phone, and as you walk through the exhibits, you type in the corresponding number (#) and a pre-recorded auditory excerpt will play which explains what you are looking at in that moment.

The second floor takes visitors through the same doorways immigrants once walked through, and breaks down the processes by which these individuals underwent to successfully be admitted to the mainland. It also offers a window into what the culture of the times was like during peak immigration years.

The third and top floor provides an epic view of the Registry Hall/Great Room below. On this level, guests can learn about the history of Ellis Island itself, and a look into the perspectives and experiences of some immigrants that came through, along with some insights into what their lives looked like before they decided to make their life-changing journey (including heirlooms and items donated from the families of these immigrants).

Moving between levels can be done by elevator or staircase, and you are free to maneuver yourself around the museum at your own pace (no need to hire a private tour guide).

Some volunteer-led and ranger-guided tours are available if you would prefer not to go on a self-guided tour using the electronic handheld device. These quick tours are typically less than 45-minutes and do not explore the entire museum, visiting only a few of the major areas.

Ellis Island’s Hard Hat Tour: This side quest option usually needs to be booked in advance, but exactly how far in advance I do not know. This is a 90-minute tour that brings guests into Ellis Island’s Hospital Complex, which is partially restored and includes an art exhibit. Proceeds from this tour are currently being used to restore the remaining parts of the hospital as all of Ellis Island was not in use for decades after it was closed during President Eisenhower’s tenure. Price is $75.50 as of 2025. (Proper footwear required.)

Much of Ellis Island was still going through restoration as of 2024.

My thoughts

WOW, I was so in awe of this place and the emotional effect it had on me. This is such a unique piece of American history, and perhaps it is even cooler as it is a family history thing for me since I have ancestors that passed though Ellis Island during the height of the European immigration years. I thoroughly enjoyed letting my imagination carry me into the shoes of those relatives, albeit nowhere near as emotional for me as it likely was for them.

For years I tried to book my ticket to climb up into Lady Liberty’s crown and time and time again, I was left disappointed as it was always booked up months in advance. When I finally landed my reservation, I selected a time that was too late in the afternoon and didn’t leave myself enough time to explore Ellis Island, and had to book a second ferry ride/admission the following day just to visit that island as well, which is why I would recommend going first thing in the morning and making sure you have enough time to spend inside the museum. I only had a half-day on each island and honestly, could have spent a full day at Ellis Island alone. There is SO MUCH to read, hear, see and so on. I still need to return again for a third visit to finish the top level and explore the entire first floor of the museum! Perhaps I’ll have to do so in conjunction with the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour… and the interactive exhibits on Liberty Island, which I didn’t even know about until writing this post… *sigh*

Have you ever been to the Statue of Liberty? What did you think? Would you go back? What do you think it would be like to have Lady Liberty welcome you to this place over a century ago?

Happy traveling! 😊 

(And always remember to follow #leavenotrace principles!)

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