Few landmarks carry as much symbolic weight as the Statue of Liberty, standing on her own island in New York Harbor since 1886. Whatever your reason for visiting, whether it’s the history, the architecture, or simply the view of Lady Liberty against the Manhattan skyline, getting there requires a short ferry ride that’s part of the experience itself.
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France gifted the statue to the United States to mark the centennial of American independence and the two nations’ shared democratic ideals, and sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi built it in Paris before shipping it across the Atlantic in more than three hundred individual pieces. Gustave Eiffel, who would later build his famous Paris tower, engineered the internal iron framework that still holds the copper skin in place well over a century later.
Top-Rated Statue of Liberty Tours & Tickets
Best Things to Do at the Statue of Liberty
Take the Ferry from Battery Park
The boat ride itself delivers some of the best skyline photography angles in the city, with Lower Manhattan’s skyscrapers receding behind you as the statue grows larger ahead. Grab a spot on the right side of the boat heading out for the clearest views.
Visit the Statue of Liberty Museum
Opened on the island’s grounds, the museum houses the original torch and walks through the statue’s design, construction in France, and shipment to New York in pieces. It’s included with general admission and worth a solid half hour.
Climb to the Pedestal or the Crown
Pedestal access gets you close to the statue’s base with sweeping harbor views, while crown access, which requires reservations booked well in advance, takes you up a narrow spiral staircase inside the statue itself for a genuinely rare perspective.
Combine with Ellis Island
The same ferry ticket typically includes a stop at Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants first set foot in America. Walking through the Great Hall after seeing the statue adds real historical depth to the day.
Join a Ranger-Led Tour
National Park Service rangers lead free walking talks around the island’s perimeter, covering construction details and the statue’s symbolism that you won’t get from a self-guided visit.
Best Time to Visit
The first ferry departure of the day is consistently the least crowded, and morning light tends to favor photos of the statue’s east-facing side. Weekday visits, especially outside summer, mean shorter security lines at the ferry terminal.
How to Get There
Ferries depart from Battery Park in Manhattan and Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Both are accessible by subway or PATH train, and parking is available near the New Jersey departure point if you’re arriving by car.
Good to Know
Security screening at the ferry terminal is similar to an airport, so arrive with time to spare and pack light. Crown access sells out months ahead during peak season, so book that specific ticket type early if it’s a priority. Plan for at least half a day if you want to see both islands without feeling rushed. Only a limited number of crown tickets are released each day, so if that specific access matters to your trip, treat it as the first thing you book rather than an afterthought. Lockers are available near the ferry terminal for bags that don’t meet the security screening requirements.
A trip to the Statue of Liberty rewards patience with logistics, but standing at her base looking up at the torch is a moment that photos alone don’t quite capture. Even visitors who’ve seen the statue in countless photos tend to be surprised by how the scale and detail change the closer the ferry gets, right up until you’re standing at her feet.
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