The Statue of Liberty

The peak season for the Statue of Liberty is not the same as for the city of NY. It sees the highest number of visitors from April to September, when there may easily be an hour or two of queuing to board the ferry.

The slowest period is from December to March, with an exception of Christmas and New Years holidays (which see the same number of people as during the busiest summer months -avoid if possible!).

Fall is the most popular time to see New York city, but visitors’ flow to the Statue of Liberty is quite moderate, so it’s a good time to discover one of the main symbols of the city.

If visiting in summer, remember that June is the best month with fewer crowds and nicer weather.

Weekdays are always less crowded than weekends. If you have no choice but to come on a weekend - we suggest Sunday morning as it usually sees less visitors.

To visit the Statue of Liberty it’s highly recommended that you book your tickets online well in advance, especially if you plan to visit the Crown: in summer and for christmal you need to book up to 3-4 months in advance to guarantee your place for a tour!

The best time slot to choose is early in the morning: this will allow you to avoid the crowds that tend to take over the ferry at about 10-11am. This trick may not be valid during the summer, since there is a limited number of reservations available for each day at the ticket office: those who try to get them - start queuing before the ticket office opens. For medium and low season however, this tip works very well.

You need to arrive at least half an hour before departure time, as boarding queues may take over 90 minutes during peak season. It’s essential to factor in extra time for security clearance, ferry boarding and ferry transportation when planning your trip.

Ferries stop rather early, so it’s crucial to plan the visit for the first half of the day: If you have 2:00pm tickets or later, you will only have enough time to go to one of the two islands. The last ferry from Liberty Island to Manhattan leaves at 5:15 pm.

The visit usually includes the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island and the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. Generally, one to two hours is enough to visit Ellis Island and we suggest you allow at least two hours for the Statue of Liberty.

Add ferry times while planning your trip: the ride itself to each island is about 15-20 minutes, same to travel from one to another. Ferries generally leave every 25 minutes, but check the schedule before going as there may be some seasonal modifications.

If time is a concern, it’s best to leave from Liberty State Park, New Jersey, for faster processing, boarding, convenient access and ample parking.

Photo credits to Eli Duke via Flickr

Groups of no more than 12-15 people are allowed to visit the crown at any time. About 6 groups will ascend to the crown per hour.

The climb to the crown is a strenuous journey that encompasses 393 steps (approximately the height of a 27-story building), in an enclosed area with high temperatures in the summer. If you’re not in the necessary condition - it’s better not to do it. There are 162 narrow and tight steps from the top of the pedestal to the crown. There is no elevator access from the top of pedestal to the crown platform.

When presenting the tickets to access the Statue on Liberty Island, each ticket holder will be required to show photo ID (except minors without ID) matching the name printed on the ticket.

Only four tickets will be allowed per household (or card holder). Names on the tickets are non-transferrable.

Liberty Island begins closing 30 minutes prior to the final ferry departure.

Ticket prices

Access with visit to the crown :

• Adult: $22.25
• Senior 62+: $17.00
• Children 4-12: $12.00

Access with visit to the pedestal :

• Adult: $19.25
• Senior 62+: $14.00
• Children 4-12: $9.00
• Children < 4: No tickets required

Ferry reservation :

• Adult: $19.25
• Senior 62+: $14.00
• Children 4-12: $9.00
• Children <4: No tickets required

Photo credits to Marko Kudjerski via Flickr