Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Visiting the Harbor Islands
The only way to get to any of the Harbor Islands is by ferry. Take the #1 train to South
Ferry or the #4 or #5 trains to Bowling Green, then walk to the boat pier in Battery Park.
From the pier, Statue Cruises go to Liberty Island, then on to Ellis Island (daily, every
30-45min, 9.30am-3.30pm; last ferry departs Liberty Island at 5pm and Ellis Island at
5.15pm; round-trip $18, audio guide included). Note that you must be at security 30
minutes before departure. You can buy tickets at Castle Clinton (in the park), or buy
them in advance (recommended) at 877 523 9849 or
www.statuecruises.com
. Lines
can be extremely long at any time of year (45min or more), but they're especially bad in
the summer; you must line up to buy tickets, and then join another line to clear security
before boarding the ferry. Start out early: keep in mind that if you take the last ferry of
the day to Liberty Island, you won't be able to see Ellis. Ferries to Governors Island
(May-Sept; hourly: Mon-Fri 10am-3pm; last ferry back 5pm; Sat & Sun 10am-5pm;
last ferry back 7pm; $2; free Sat & Sun before noon) depart from the Battery Maritime
Building just northeast of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal and Battery Park.
To simply get a closer view of the islands, catch the Staten Island Ferry (every 30min;
free; 212 639 9675;
www.siferry.com
), which departs from the terminal north of Bat-
tery Park. The 25-minute ride across to Staten Island provides a beautiful panorama of
the harbour and downtown skyline.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
Liberty Island 212 363 3200,
www.nps.gov/stli
.
Daily 9am-5.15pm. Free (with ferry ticket).
MAP
Standing tall and proud in the middle of New York Harbor, the
Statue of Liberty
has served
as a symbol of the American Dream since its dedication in 1886. The monument was the
creation of the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a gift of France in recognition of
the fraternity between the French and American people. The 151ft statue (305ft with pedes-
tal), which consists of thin copper sheets bolted together and supported by an iron frame-
work designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), was built in Paris between 1874
and 1884.
The basic ferry ticket (see
Visiting the Harbor Islands
)
allows entry to Liberty Island
grounds only. To access the interior of the statue, the museum inside and the pedestal obser-
vation deck (168 steps up) you must buy a special ticket in advance (no extra charge). To
enjoy the spectacular views from the crown of the statue, you'll need to book a Crown Tick-
et ($21; includes ferry) and climb 354 steps. You must pass another security screening at the
statue.
ELLIS ISLAND
212 363 3200,
www.ellisisland.org
.
Museum open daily 9am-5.15pm. Free.
MAP
