New York

How to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

The Statue of Liberty is the greatest symbol of New York and the United States.

It is located on Liberty Island, south of Manhattan, and is 46 meters high, 93 if we count the height from the base.

Nearby is Ellis Island, a small island where the Immigration Museum is located and which we include in this article since the visit to both monuments is usually combined.

Visit the Statue of Liberty

New York - Statue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty was inaugurated in 1884 and was a gift from France to commemorate 100 years of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The construction of the most famous monument in New York of the base was carried out by the American country while that of the statue was built in France.

Various engineers participated in its design and construction, including Gustave Eiffel, who designed the internal copper structure.

The Statue of Liberty, which was used as a lighthouse until 1902, receives 3.5 million visitors each year who can climb to the top where there is a viewpoint from which to observe Manhattan.

To get to the Statue of Liberty you must take a ferry in Battery Park that leaves you on the island.

It must be said that visits are very limited and there are usually long queues, so it is recommended to go first thing in the morning.

That same ferry also stops at Ellis Island.

Ellis Island

New York-Ellis IslandEllis Island was the gateway to the United States for all immigrants arriving by boat between 1892 and 1954.

There they were inspected and if they were considered fit they could enter the country. Only a small part was deported after the inspections.

In the main building of the island, where inspections were formerly carried out and there was a hospital, there is now the Immigration Museum where you can see photographs, different objects from the time and even how health checks were carried out.

To get to Ellis Island you must use the ferry that takes you to the Statue of Liberty and departs from Battery Park. It is considered an essential visit to understand the current multiculturalism of the United States, where we can find people with roots in all the countries of the world.

The Ferry to Staten Island to see the Statue of Liberty

New York - Statue of Liberty from ferryIf you want to save the price of the ferry tour to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, there is another option to see the statue up close. And it’s also free.

This is the ferry that takes you from Manhattan to Staten Island and that passes very close to the Statue of Liberty.

In this way you will be able to take all the photographs you want and you will also have unbeatable views of the skyline of southern Manhattan.

The Ferry is taken next to the South Ferry tube station. It is free and therefore you do not have to get any type of ticket. You just have to go to the door and wait for it to open to access the ferry.

On the way out, the Statue of Liberty will be on your right, so the seats in that area are the most popular. You can also go out on deck if the weather permits.

When you get to Staten Island, you can visit the area or do what almost all tourists do: get off the ferry and catch the next one that takes you back to Manhattan.

You can find more information on the official page of the Statue of Liberty.

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