Tips for Visiting The Statue of Liberty

Come along as our family of four visits the historic Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. From transportation tips to ticket types, learn about our experience visiting these two national parks located in the New York Harbor.

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As a NJ family with a tween and teen, we try to squeeze in some educational trips along with the normal family travels. We booked this visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in September with a November visit on a perfect overcast day. Learn more about our experience and some tips when traveling to these locations.

Transportation to the Statue of Liberty

To get to these two national parks, you must book ferry boat tickets through Statue City Cruises, the official transportation for these national parks. There are two locations, one from Liberty Park in Jersey City and the second from Battery Park in New York. If you’re visiting from NJ like us, you take the ferry to Ellis Island first then Liberty Island, the location the Statue of Liberty then a third ferry back to Jersey City. It does NOT stop back to Ellis Island from the Liberty Island.

Book your tickets well in advance! When buying tickets for this trip, you’ll need to decide which tour type you’ll want to do. We opted to visit the Crown, the highest level of the statue, but it does require you to walk up 168 physical steps through a winding staircase. If that doesn’t sound like your fancy, you can opt for Pedestal tickets, of which you can take an elevator to get to that level. At the time of our booking they were $17 for kids and $26 for adults. Note: We visited during the teacher’s break the first week of November and I booked our tickets in September, with limited options of times to climb to the Crown. They suggest at least a 90 day booking!

Be prepared for Airport Style Security. Before boarding the ferry you’ll need to put your items through airport style security, including take off any jackets, but not removing shoes. Note: you’ll need to do this again if you plan to climb any part of the statue on Liberty Island.

Tips for Visiting Ellis Island

Take the Complimentary Audio Tour. At the front desk, you can opt to picked up a free audio tour where you get a receiver that is about the side of a smart phone on a lanyard. Throughout the exhibits, there are plaques that tell you the number to press and you can then put it to your ear to hear a story narration on the exhibit in that room and additional stories not told on the written plaques. My 11 and 13 year olds LOVED having this, especially my oldest who is an audio learner. It’s not a continuous audio tour so you can choose to do whichever ones you want. I believe I read that they estimate it’s about 45 minutes if you do the whole thing in order.

Pick up the Junior Ranger packets – You can also ask the park rangers for Junior Ranger booklets that engage the kids to think about what they’re seeing in the national park and draw or write in answers with a provided pencil. Upon returning back to the desk after completion, the park ranger will “swear you in” as a junior ranger, you’ll get to stamp your booklet and they give you souvenir pin badge. Note: this is common of most national parks, as we just did this when we went to Zion in April and they love this!

Tips for Visiting The Statue of Liberty

Choose your tour type – Crown vs Pedestal. You can visit the pedestal via an elevator or stairs like we did. But after that, you’re only option to the pedestal is 168 steps through a winding staircase. The stairs to the pedestal or the crown are tiring! Even though it was early November it was actual hot climbing to the top and they had fans there to circulate the air.

You’ll need to store your items in nearby lockers in order to climb. You’re allowed to keep things like your phone, wallet or water bottle, but all other items will need to be stores in these large lockers near the statue’s base. They require a quarter to work and there is a change machine nearby so make sure to bring at least some quarters or a dollar bill with you.

You’ll go through a 2nd airport security to visit the Statue of Liberty. Not sure what they think is different from your first security review to get on the ferry but be aware you’ll need to do a second one on this island.

Visit the museum for a short video about it’s construction and dedication. Note: there’s also an option of an audio tour at this museum.

Get the Junior Ranger Booklet and badge. This is technically a different national park so you have another chance to fill out the booklet and get another souvenir pin.

Grab lunch at the Cafe on Liberty Island. By this time of our day, we were hungry! We grabbed lunch at this cafeteria style cafe to refuel. Note: you’ll likely sit outside where there are LOTS of birds.