It is deemed almost unthinkable to visit New York without paying a visit to see Lady Liberty. But if you are only in New York for a short amount of time, how can you decide when to go, what options are available, and how much you will see? Of course, this is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the United States and the world, let alone New York, so how can you ensure that your trip remains stress-free?
Planning the trip is key, and in this article you will be guided through how to successfully visit this famous part of New York.
The Length of the Trip
When you are visiting the Statue of Liberty, you need to be prepared for it to be a rather long day. The ferry itself can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to get onto. The statue itself and the museum take around 90 minutes to see if you are looking at the entirety of Ellis Island, which is an additional one hour to 90 minutes. For many people, the entire experience of catching 2 ferries and having to look around the statue itself and the museum can take between 5 to 6 hours minimum, so try to book this in when there are fewer tourists. If that’s possible, that is!
Book In Advance
This statue is an incredibly popular tourist attraction and to ensure that you get to see it, you will probably need to book it many months in advance, especially if you are making reservations to see the crown and pedestal of the statue. But if you haven’t made a reservation, it is still possible to see the statue without much hassle, you will just need to be prepared for a longer day.
Cruise?
You may not be aware, but there is more than one way to see the statue and, depending on how long you were in New York, you may also be able to take a statue-based cruise which allows you to see her from the water.
This will certainly allow for much clearer images of your trip and if you are lucky enough to be able to fit in both, you will have an all-around experience. Plus, the cruise is usually less subscribed than visiting the statue itself, thus reducing your stress.
Semi-Cruise?
The full cruise of seeing the statue takes around 2 hours, but you can even know book a semi-circle cruise which will show you the iconic scene of lower Manhattan, and midtown and of course will allow you to see Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. You will be able to sail around the Hudson and up the East River, which packs a lot more than a simple cruise based around the statue.
Get The Timing Right
As mentioned before, to get to see the statue and the island, you will need between 5 to 6 hours. So, it is advised that you get to the ferry as early as possible to be at the front of the queue, as the ferries open at 8:30 AM. This will help to reduce waiting time which can be a boon if you have kids who are eager to see the sites.
Leave a Comment