10 Best Ways To See The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

Last Updated on 7th May 2025

This post about the best ways to see the Statue of Liberty contains affiliate links.

Are you planning a trip to New York and wondering where to find all the best Statue of Liberty view points? This post includes how to get to the Statue of Liberty from Manhattan, how to see the Statue of Liberty for free, as well as all the best ways to see the Statue of Liberty without even leaving Manhattan island!

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous landmarks in New York City and perhaps even in the entire world, so it’s definitely worth adding to your bucket list when visiting NYC!

There are so many different ways to see the SOL and in my ultimate guide below, I’m sharing everything you need to know about how to see the Statue of Liberty by ferry, advice on getting to the Statue of Liberty from Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey, as well as the best way to see the Statue of Liberty for free!

If you’re planning to visit the incredibly iconic New York monument on your next visit to the city, keep reading this post to find out how to go to the Statue of Liberty!

Do you still need some help planning your trip to NYC? Check out my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide Ebook which includes more than 230 pages of helpful information! You can also join my New York Facebook Group for more free tips, advice and inspiration!

How to see the Statue of Liberty – tour options at a glance

Below, you can find all the best Statue of Liberty tickets and tour options, in order from the cheapest to most expensive!

• Staten Island Ferry – free
• Statue of Liberty Express Skip-the-Box-Office Cruise – from £20
• Circle Line Statue of Liberty Cruise Skip-The-Line – from £23
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island with Statue City Cruises – from £24
• Statue of Liberty Tour and Ellis Island Guided Tour – from £30
• Statue of Liberty & Brooklyn Bridge Cruise – from £31
• One World Observatory – from £34
• Skyline and Statue of Liberty Night Cruise – from £35
• Bonus: Manhattan Helicopter Tour – from £180

Please note that the prices of the cruises featured above and throughout this guide are subject to change. Please check all the links featured throughout the post for the most up-to-date prices.

Best way to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (from the water)

The section below includes all the best ways to see the Statue of Liberty from New York Harbor, without actually going to Liberty Island or Ellis Island.

These tour options are for people who want to see the Statue of Liberty up close, without physically going onto the islands themselves.

Statue of Liberty Express Skip-the-Box-Office Cruise – from £20

This Statue of Liberty Express Skip-the-Box-Office Cruise departs from The Battery in Downtown Manhattan and it’s one of the best, quickest and cheapest ways to see the Statue of Liberty up close, without actually going onto the island itself.

The cruise also includes live commentary so you can learn more about the history of the SOL while enjoying stunning vistas of Lower Manhattan’s skyline, as well as Lady Liberty herself.

You’ll also sail past Ellis Island where the on-board commentary will give you a brief insight into the island’s fascinating immigration history, as well as the former military base of Governors Island before heading back to The Battery.

This tour includes:

• A 50-minute tour of New York Harbor
• Views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Governors Island
• Live commentary on-board
• Local taxes and fees

*It’s important to remember that the tours featured in this section don’t include access to Liberty Island or Ellis Island. Head to the section below titled “Best way to get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (with islands and museums)” for tickets and tour options to visit the actual islands.*

1-Hour Cruise around the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island – from £26

This 1-Hour cruise around the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island starts and finishes at the Majestic Harbor Cruise terminal on the East River, meaning that the tour takes you past top New York landmarks such as the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and the One World Trade Center.

The boat cruises within 100ft of Liberty Island, so you get an incredibly close vantage point of the super famous landmark, allowing you to take some truly epic pictures! As you cruise along the East River and into New York Harbor, the live commentary guide will point out some of the top sights and landmarks, all the while giving you a brief insight into the city’s fascinating history.

This tour includes:

• A 60-minute sightseeing cruise past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Viewpoints of Lower Manhattan as you cruise
• Choice of both outdoor and indoor seating
• Live commentary guide
• Bar available on board

*This tour does not include access to Liberty Island or Ellis Island.*

Skyline and Statue of Liberty Night Cruise – from £35

If you’re looking for a fun and alternative way of seeing Liberty Lady, you should consider this Skyline and Statue of Liberty Night Cruise which departs from Pier 36 in Lower Manhattan.

This cruise is very similar to the two other cruise options featured above, but this tour usually departs at 4.30 PM in the winter months and between 6 PM and 7.30 PM during the summer months (double-check departure times before booking), so that you can enjoy views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty at night.

The nighttime sightseeing skyline cruise also offers on-board food and drink options, including happy hour beer, wine and cocktails, as well as hot dogs, burgers, nachos and more!

As you drink, eat and cruise, you’ll enjoy vistas of the Freedom Tower (One World Trade), the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge and, of course, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

This tour includes:

• A 90-minute sightseeing cruise around New York Harbor
• A route that takes you within 100ft of the SOL and Ellis Island
• On-board music
• Both indoor and outdoor seating
• Commentary that points out iconic landmarks
• Cash bar available on board to purchase food and drinks

Best way to get to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (with islands and museums)

The section below includes tour options to not only cruise past the Statue of Liberty, but to also go onto Liberty Island and Ellis Island as part of your excursion.

There are several ways to visit these islands, all of which I’ve outlined in detail below!

Read more: 30 Best Museums In New York City

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry with Statue City Cruises

If you’re looking for the best way to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and actually explore both islands themselves, you will need to book a tour with Statue City Cruises.

Statue City Cruises are the only official licensed tour provider that physically take you to both islands, so when you’re booking this tour, be sure to check that the provider is legit. You can book tickets to visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island with Statue City Cruises via Get Your Guide as I often find them to offer cheaper tickets and they’re an official ticket partner of Statue City Cruises.

This tour includes the choice of departing from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan or from Liberty State Park in New Jersey, so be sure to choose the right option when booking your ticket!

Regardless of whether you board the ferry in New York or New Jersey, you’ll make the journey to Liberty Island where you can visit the Statue of Liberty Museum which is included in the price of your ticket. Here you can learn about the history of the statue, as well as see unique collections and artefacts relating to the monument.

Once you’ve explored the museum and admired Lady Liberty up close (you can choose to purchase Crown Reserve and Pedestal access tickets as optional extras from the ticket office in Battery Park before you depart), jump on the next available ferry to Ellis Island.

The ferries usually run approximately every 20-30 minutes depending on exactly when they depart Battery Park/each of the islands. You can check the proposed ferry schedule online here and there will also be an up-to-date timetable on each island during your visit.

Once you arrive on Ellis Island, you can pick up an audio guide to explore the remarkable Immigration Museum. Ellis Island was the busiest immigration station in America for over 62 years and the museum provides an incredible insight into the lives of the millions of people who arrived in America via Ellis Island and New York City.

Ellis Island is one of my top recommendations when visiting NYC, so I would highly suggest choosing this tour option if you want to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

There is no time limit on how long you can spend on each of the islands, as long as you make sure to catch the last return ferry back to Manhattan or New Jersey (usually departing Liberty Island at 5 PM and Ellis Island at 5.15 PM)!

This tour includes:

• Round-trip ferry service to Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Self-guided audio tour of Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Entrance to the Statue of Liberty Museum
• Entrance to the Ellis Island National Immigration Museum
• Booking fee

*This option doesn’t include tickets to the Crown, Pedestal or access inside the statue. You can book tickets as optional extras via the Statue City Cruises authorised concessioner website.*

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Guided Tour

This Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Guided Tour is pretty much exactly the same as the tour option listed above, but this tour comes with a live guided tour of both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The tour begins and ends at 1 Bowling Green, just in front of the National Museum of the American Indian where an expert tour guide will be waiting for you. From there, you’ll depart The Battery on the ferry that will first take you to see the infamous Lady Liberty up close on the island itself.

If you choose the 4-hour tour option, the tour guide will provide an exciting insight into the history of the statue while you take in her impressive stature and admire the astonishing views of the world-renowned New York skyline. You can also wander through the Statue of Liberty Museum to learn more about Lady Liberty and to see intriguing artefacts such as the original statue’s torch!

If you opt for the 30-minute guided tour option, your guide will give you a brief insight into the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island while still in Battery Park, before guiding you to the ferry terminal and leaving you to explore both islands at your own pace.

I personally wouldn’t opt for this particular Statue of Liberty exploration option as I think it’s just as easy to book the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry with Statue City Cruises tour option and then explore both islands in your own time, rather than opting for a tour guide for just 30 minutes.

However, if you want to gain a more knowledgable and local insight into the history of the islands, the guided tour makes for a great option.

This tour includes:

• Option to choose a 30-minute introductory tour or 4-hour in-depth tour
• Ticket to Liberty Island, Ellis Island & Immigration Museum
• Audio guided tour on Ellis Island and Liberty Island (option to choose longer guided tour)
• Local English-speaking tour guide

*This tour doesn’t include tickets to the Crown, Pedestal or access inside the statue. You can book tickets for those as an optional extra via the Statue City Cruises authorised concessioner website.*

New York Passes

As well as booking a Statue of Liberty tour directly with an individual tour company, you can also use the three main New York City passes to enjoy a visit to the SOL and Ellis Island.

Go City Passes – All-Inclusive & Explorer Pass

The Go City New York Passes are my number one NYC Pass recommendation as I usually find them to offer the best value for money if you want to experience as many sights and attractions as possible.

This cruise/tour included with the Go City Pass is exactly the same as the one provided by Statue City Cruises, but if you’re already thinking of purchasing a Go City Pass, then you can visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for free with this pass, instead of purchasing tickets separately.

This option includes:

• Round-trip ticket on the Statue City Cruises ferry to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Admission to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and the Statue of Liberty National Monument
• Self-guided audio tours of both islands

How to visit: You must present your pass at the ‘Reserve Ticket’ entrance at your chosen departure point (New York or New Jersey). You will then proceed through the security screening facility before boarding the ferry. In order to use your Go City All-Inclusive or Explorer Pass to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you must also redeem your tickets online in advance.

New York Sightseeing DAY Pass (not FLEX Pass)

As well as the Go City Pass, the New York Sightseeing DAY Pass also has the option to visit the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island on a round-trip ferry tour departing from Battery Park.

The tour is exactly the same as the Statue City Cruises option, but this tour is automatically included in the price of your DAY Pass.

This option includes:

• Round-trip ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Grounds ticket to see the Statue of Liberty (NOT the museum, crown or pedestal)
• Entrance to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum

How to visit: Present your Sightseeing DAY Pass at the Castle Clinton ticket window in Battery Park for Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island round trip ferry tour; no need to book in advance.

NOTE – The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry Tour is NOT available on the New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass.

New York CityPASS

The New York CityPASS also includes ferry access to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island Immigration Museum, but not to the crown or pedestal.

This option includes:

• Round-trip ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• A visit to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
• Access to the grounds of both islands with an audio tour
• Learn about the history of the statue at the Statue of Liberty Museum

How to visit: Head to the My CityPASS app to make a reservation for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island cruise.

Read more: NYC Pass Comparison – Which New York Pass Is The Best?

Pedestal access

Unfortunately, if you want to visit the Statue of Liberty Pedestal, you will have to purchase tickets separately as the regular ferry tours to both islands do not include pedestal or crown access.

You must ensure to purchase tickets directly from the Statue City Cruises Experiences website as they are the only official licensed provider of tickets. It may be possible to obtain tickets for both the pedestal and crown on the day of your visit at the Battery Park ticket offices, but it is not possible to purchase pedestal or crown tickets on Liberty Island itself.

This option includes:

• Priority entry into the Screening Facility Queue
• Round-trip ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Access to the Fort Wood section of the pedestal the SOL
• Access to the grounds of both Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Access to the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum
• Audio tours of both islands

Statue of Liberty Crown access

Similarly to the pedestal access, you must purchase tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty Crown directly from Statue City Cruises. It is not possible to purchase these tickets on the day of your visit from any of the ticket offices, so be sure to reserve them in advance if it’s something you really want to experience as they get booked up very quickly!

This option includes:

• Priority entry into the Screening Facility Queue
• Round-trip ferry to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
• Access to the Crown of the Statue of Liberty
• Access to the Fort Wood section of the Statue of Liberty Pedestal
• Access to the grounds of Liberty Island and Ellis Island
• Audio tours of Liberty Island and Ellis Island

Best ways to see the Statue of Liberty for free

If you’re planning a trip to New York City on a budget, you might be looking for the best ways to see the Statue of Liberty without actually paying for a tour and thankfully there are actually several ways you can see the famous Lady Liberty without spending a penny!

Read more: 25 Best Free Things To Do In NYC

Free Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry is probably the best way to see the Statue of Liberty for free as the ferry is completely free to ride and takes you directly past the world-famous statue.

The free ferry service transports around 70,000 passengers a day between Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan and St. George Terminal on Staten Island. Each journey takes around 25 minutes each way and you must disembark at the Staten Island ferry terminal before rejoining the queue to get on the ferry back to Manhattan.

From the Staten Island Ferry, you can enjoy tremendous views of the city’s towering skyscrapers, the bridges of Lower Manhattan, as well as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, all for free!

The Staten Island Ferry’s weekday schedule consists of four boats making a total of 117 trips a day and three boats making 96 trips a day at the weekend, so there are more than enough opportunities to take advantage of this free viewpoint of the Statue of Liberty!

There are both pros and cons to using the free Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty:

Battery Park – best place to see Statue of Liberty without ferry

If you’re wondering can you see Statue of Liberty from Battery Park, then the answer is absolutely yes! While it’s not necessarily the closest view of the iconic landmark, Battery Park does offer a great (and free!) vantage point of the Statue of Liberty if you don’t want to take to the water to see it.

New York observation decks – best ways to see the Statue of Liberty at night

One World Observatory is the best observation deck to visit if you want to see the Statue of Liberty as this is the closest tower to the landmark, therefore offering the best views of it.

However, as the observation deck at One World is 102 floors high, the viewpoint is actually a little too high to see the Statue of Liberty in great detail! It is another option to consider though if you want to enjoy views of the SOL from a great height!

Read more: 5 Best New York Observation Decks For Amazing Views

Brooklyn Bridge

The view of the Statue of Liberty from the Brooklyn Bridge isn’t exactly the best as it’s a bit blocked by the bridge structure itself, but it is another good free viewing option to consider if you’re hesitant to get a ferry.

It’s also just another cool thing to see while walking across the Brooklyn Bridge as you can enjoy viewpoints of many of Manhattan’s iconic landmarks from the bridge, including the One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building!

You can also see the Statue of Liberty for free from Brookfield Place, Governors Island and from Liberty State Park which is the best way to see Statue of Liberty from New Jersey.

These options aren’t quite as good as the other tours and ferries featured throughout this guide, however, as Brookfield Place’s viewpoint is a bit too far away and Governors Island and Liberty State Park are a little trickier to get to if you’re staying in Manhattan. However, if you want to see the SOL from as many vantage points as possible, then these places can definitely be considered!

BONUS: Helicopter tour – how to see the Statue of Liberty from the air

If you want to experience a truly unique way of seeing the Statue of Liberty, then a helicopter tour is a sure-fire way to enjoy epic views of the city!

Of course, this certainly isn’t a very cheap way to see the SOL, with most helicopter tours starting at around £180 per person, but it really is a remarkable experience and it will definitely be one of the most memorable experiences of seeing the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline!

Conclusion

I really hope you found this post about all the best ways to visit the Statue of Liberty useful! It’s undoubtedly one of the best and most famous landmarks in the United States, so it’s definitely worth seeing in some way or another during your trip to NYC!

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• 10 Best Pedicab Tours In Central Park
• 7 Best Ways To Get From LaGuardia To Manhattan
• How To Plan Your New York Itinerary With Google Maps
• 50 Fun Things To Do In NYC With Kids
• 40 Fun Things To Do In New York At Night
• 20 Family Friendly Places To Stay In New York City

Pin for later – best way to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

What do you think is the best way to visit the Statue of Liberty? Let me know in the comments or on my New York Facebook Group!