Verdict
Destinations
Attraction · New York

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

The ferry, the crown (if you booked months ago), and the genuinely moving Ellis Island museum.

Independent — no pay-to-rank Graded for who you are Verified 2026-06-06How we grade →
The verdict

Who it's worth it for

Great for
  • Travellers on a budget
  • Families with kids
  • Couples
  • Solo travellers
  • The genuinely curious
  • History & culture buffs
Depends
  • If you've only got a day
  • Photographers
Not for
  • Romantics

Worth it for travellers on a budget, families with kids and couples; not for romantics.

Why we say this

Insider secrets & local vibes

The crown is reached by 162 stairs up a double-helix spiral staircase with no elevator — a strenuous, claustrophobic climb that pays off with a view through Lady Liberty's windows.
nps.gov
There's no entrance fee to the islands or museums — you only pay for the ferry, which is the single most cost-effective iconic experience in the harbor.
nps.gov
The same ferry ticket includes Ellis Island, turning a photo stop into a genuine half-day on American immigration history.
nps.gov
Crown tickets are limited, must be reserved in advance through the one authorized vendor, and visits are capped at 10 minutes at the top.
nps.gov
The Park Service explicitly warns visitors to avoid scammers selling overpriced and/or fake tickets, since only one ferry operator is permitted to dock at the islands.
nps.gov
What it feels like

Reading the room, traveller by traveller

  • First-timers

    Even a grounds-only visit delivers the close-up and the skyline view back at Manhattan; reserve pedestal or crown access if you want to go inside.

  • With kids

    Workable with kids, but the crown has a hard floor: children must be at least 42 inches tall, can't be carried, and the climb is strenuous.

    “Children must be at least 42 inches (1.1 meters) tall and cannot be carried.”

    nps.gov
  • On a budget

    The monument itself is free — an adult ferry ticket is $26 and that's the whole cost, including Ellis Island.

    “The National Park Service does not charge an entrance fee to visit the museums on Liberty Island and Ellis Island, but a ticket for ferry transportation by Statue City Cruises is required to visit the islands.”

    nps.gov
  • For photos

    The ferry ride itself is the shot — the statue head-on from the water and the Lower Manhattan skyline on the return leg.

What people say

Straight from the reviews

“There is no elevator service to the Crown.”

nps.gov

“Statue City Cruises is the ONLY NPS-authorized ferry transportation provider to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and is the ONLY ferry permitted to dock and discharge passengers at the islands.”

nps.gov
Good to know

Before you go

Cost
$25 ferry (crown +$1, books out months ahead)
Time
Half day
Last verified
2026-06-06
Best time
First morning ferry to beat lines and crowds on the islands.
Getting there
Statue City Cruises ferry from Battery Park (Manhattan) or Liberty State Park (NJ); it's the only authorized boat that docks at the islands.
Booking
Adult ferry $26 (kids 4–12 $17, seniors $23); crown/pedestal access adds a small surcharge and must be reserved well in advance through Statue City Cruises.
Accessibility
Grounds and pedestal are wheelchair accessible; the crown is not — 162 stairs, no elevator.
Alternatives

If it's not your thing, try

free, passes the Statue with no queue if the lady is all you want
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Independent — no pay-to-rank Graded for who you are Verified 2026-06-06How we grade →