Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: Guided Tour + Ferry
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About this tour
Cross New York Harbor by reserve-line ferry with a guide who handles the tickets and walks you through both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. You'll hear the story behind the statue and the millions of immigrants who passed through the old inspection station. After the guided portion, you're free to explore the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration with an audio guide and stop into the Statue of Liberty Museum at your own pace. Your guide can also share tips for the rest of the day or snap a photo for you.
Highlights
- Reserve-line ferry across New York Harbor with views of the Manhattan skyline and the statue
- Option to climb to the statue's crown for panoramic views over the harbor and city
- Statue of Liberty Museum, where the monument's origins and symbolism are laid out
- Time to walk Liberty Island with open views toward Manhattan and Ellis Island
- The story of why the statue endures as a symbol of freedom and new beginnings
- A copper figure of a robed woman holding a torch and tablet, stepping over a broken chain
- A gift from France dedicated in 1886, with an iron framework engineered by Gustave Eiffel
- The first sight of America for millions of immigrants arriving by ship over a century ago
Places You Will Visit
Included / Excluded
- Roundtrip reserve-line ferry ticket
- Guided tour of Liberty Island
- Guided tour of Ellis Island
- Statue of Liberty Museum visit
Good to Know: Access, Hours, and Getting There
The tour begins at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, where your guide sorts out reserve-line ferry tickets and boards with you for the roughly 15 to 20 minute crossing to Liberty Island. There's no bridge or land access, so the ferry is genuinely the only way out there. Once on the island you'll see the statue up close, and depending on your ticket type there are different levels of access: the grounds at the base, the pedestal with its outdoor balcony, and the crown reached by a narrow spiral staircase. Crown tickets are extremely limited and have to be arranged well in advance, so plan ahead if that matters to you.
The statue is typically open 09:00 to 17:00, with last entry to the monument around 15:30, and it closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Hours and ferry schedules shift by season, so it's worth checking before you go. Dress for the harbor, it runs noticeably cooler and windier out on the water than on the Manhattan streets, and leave buffer time for security screening and ferry queues, which slow down in summer. Both departure points, Battery Park and Liberty State Park in New Jersey, are served by subway and bus, so public transit saves you the parking hassle.
Weather in New York
Local time 8:44 PM, UTC-04:00
Available Days / Times
- Monday : 09:00
- Tuesday : 09:00
- Wednesday : 09:00
- Thursday : 09:00
- Friday : 09:00
- Saturday : 09:00
- Sunday : 09:00
Last updated: Oct 22, 2026
Important Information
- Ferry tickets land on Liberty Island and usually Ellis Island; sightseeing cruises circle the harbor for close-up views but don't dock.
- There's no bridge or land route to the island; the only way in is by ferry from Manhattan or New Jersey.
- Crown access needs a separate reservation and often sells out months ahead.
- Plan on 3 to 5 hours total once you factor in ferry transfers, security, and both islands.
- A city pass or combo ticket can save time and money if you're seeing several NYC attractions.
- Guided options include narration and often priority ferry boarding.
- Morning departures beat the heavier midday and weekend crowds.
- Both islands are wheelchair accessible, but the crown's narrow staircase is not suitable for limited mobility.
- On sightseeing cruises, infants usually sit on a parent's lap unless a separate seat is booked.
- Security screening is required before boarding the ferry.
- Large bags and some items may be restricted at screening.
- No eating, drinking, or smoking inside the statue.
- Photography is fine, but tripods and commercial filming need permission.
- No pets on the monument or islands, except service animals.
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