Great museum and views! We visited Liberty Island on a Monday morning, and we encountered hundreds of people during our hour and a half visit. The museum provided some great information about the construction and maintenance of the State of Liberty although it didn't have many artifacts. The views of New York City and the surrounding area are fantastic, especially on clear days like we had. Overall, I highly recommend a visit to Liberty Island when touring NYC. read more

My wife and I visited Liberty Island (site of the iconic Statue of Liberty), located in Upper New York Bay. It is technically in the waters of Jersey City, NJ, but legally part of the borough of Manhattan, due to a 1834 agreement between the states of NY and NJ. It is owned by the U.S. federal government, and is managed by the National Park Service. It has a total land area of 14.7 acres. The island was originally named Bedloe's Island in 1667, named after the original Dutch owner. It was chosen by the Statue of Liberty's creator as the perfect place for his monument, since every ship coming into New York city would pass by it. The name was formally changed to 'Liberty Island' in 1956 by an act of Congress. The most common way to get to the island is by ferry via a private concessionaire like Statue Cruises. It is about a 10 minute ride (getting underway and docking) from NYC (Battery Park). read more

Liberty Island - aerial view (statueofliberty.org) - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

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A wonderful NYC experience that everyone should do at least once in their life. The ferry ride over already sets the tone - breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, the harbor, and of course, the first glimpse of Lady Liberty herself. Once you arrive, the island is clean, well-maintained, and easy to navigate. The statue is absolutely awe-inspiring up close - photos don't even come close to capturing the scale and presence of it. The museum on the island is excellent too - it's modern, interactive, and gives so much history behind the statue's creation, symbolism, and restoration. It really adds to the appreciation of what the Statue of Liberty represents. Plenty of spots around the island to relax, take photos, or just soak in the atmosphere. Even with crowds, it feels special and moving. A true landmark not just for New York, but for the entire country. read more

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Home to the Statue of Liberty and its museum. The ferries from Liberty state park and Battery park arrive here. In addition to the statue there's a gift shop, a station to pick up an audio guide for your visit to the museum, and they also have a cafeteria with basic food like burgers, hotdogs, and chicken strips priced at what you'd pay at an amusement park. There's also lockers to rent where you can store you bags if you plan on going to the statue crown or pedestal since bags aren't allowed through the security check point. read more

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I try to visit the Statue of Liberty whenever I can on my visits to New York City. I enjoy seeing the statue in person and learning about our nation's past. They recently added the Statue of Liberty Museum in 2019 to this island. Liberty Island was once known as Bedloe's Island and can only be accessed by ferry. It is federally owned and is pretty small. It probably takes about 30 minutes to walk around the whole island. The island is home to both the Statue of Liberty and the museum. Both Liberty Island and Ellis Island make up the Statue of Liberty National Monument that was signed by FDR in 1937. The ferry takes you to both islands from either Battery Park in NYC or from New Jersey. Also on Liberty Island are gift shops, snack shops and coin-operated binoculars for viewing the New York harbor. I love going up to the pedestal and looking at the New York City skyline and the ships in the harbor. You can't take bags into the Statue of Liberty. But they do have affordable lockers near the pedestal with a security guard on hand. The Statue of Liberty was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and dedicated in 1886. It was a gift from France to commemorate the 1876 centennial of United States independence. Both New York and New Jersey retain exclusive jurisdiction of both Liberty and Ellis Islands. read more

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I've been before... but never get tired of seeing our beautiful Statue of Liberty!.... Beautiful day clear, no wind... and not crazy busy..... read more

Liberty Island - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

The island where the Statue of Liberty stands. It's a beautiful little island that also features a museum, a place to eat and ferry docks. read more

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First time that I have visited Liberty Island in the 48 years that I have lived in the NY or NJ Decided to take a tour with the family on our forced family fun day. We went up to the pedestal once we arrived from the ferry ride from Ellis Island. The walk up the steps can be a challenge. There is an elevator however the lines are long. The views were outstanding, there are clean bathrooms, and concession stands. Highly recommend! read more

Liberty Island - From the pedestal - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

It's awesome how everyone around the world can come here! Statue Of Liberty was awesome, good pics!! Walk around the whole thing was amazing!! The boat here was awesome, I also went with my family and it was windy and the boat had heat *that's good!!* I recommend coming here with friends and family to hang out and have fun!! read more

Liberty Island - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

Weather was nice today!April was a great time to visit. Not to crowded cool temperatures. read more

Liberty Island - Statue of Liberty - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

It's a very nice island, where the statue of stands. They even have a museum with history about the statue of liberty and a theater. Only downsides are that the restaurant there isn't that good and when it's hot, there might not be enough shade on a busy day. Its a nice island but you should probably go there on late may read more

The name says it all. Liberty Island is where the Statue of Liberty resides. If you want to go to the island, you will need to buy a ferry ticket to get here. The ferry ride costs $24 and if you want to go to the crown or go to the pedestals, it is $24.30. Another option, if you just want to pass by Statue Island but don't want to pay for the ferry ride and don't want to go to the island is to take the ferry to State Island. That ferry is free and does pass by Statue of Liberty/Statue Island. Or you can find alternatives such as cheap ferry tours/boat ride around Statue Island. The ones that come to mind are from Groupon (on certain days) for around $10 per person but those are mostly during night time. On Liberty Island there is also the Statue of Liberty Museum (admission is free). This is a great place for a close up photo with the Statue of Liberty. Also, you do get nice views of Manhattan and Ellis Island from here. This is a landmark or place that you must come to visit if you are visiting NYC. read more

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You can't go to New York City and not see the Statue of Liberty. We did not have tickets and bought them the same day. We did not have a problem getting tickets, but the pedestal tickets were sold out. You can buy the tickets online or you can buy them on site. The ferry is big and accommodates many people. You can have a seat upstairs, where you can get a great view of Manhattan, and then of the Statue of Liberty. If you are facing the front of the ferry, sit on the right side. Once you get off at Liberty island, you can walk around, take pics, go to the museum. They have a snack bar. Ellis island is also in route and it is the second stop on the ferry. You can definitely spend a few hours combined. If you don't want to pay or get off on Liberty island, I hear you can take the Staten Island ferry for free and have a close up of the Statue of Liberty. read more

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A New York must attraction. This was included in our city pass and a must to visit as it was my boyfriend's first time in NYC. The crowd was small for a Friday afternoon. First ferry stop is to liberty island. There is a small cafe and gift shop. There is a splash area on one side of the island where the water rises, so be careful. Ferries run every 15 minutes. read more

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Used an educational museum day from work for a Mother Daughter time visit to the Statue of Liberty in August. Being a New Yorker all my life, this was a special occasion and was wondering when I would make the time to do this. Wow was this quite the trip. There's only one way to get to Liberty Island and it's through boat and ferry. Lots of patience is needed for this. Not too hard to get to the island as the main ferry is from Battery Park if you're coming from New York City. Keep in mind you'll have to go through a security check before boarding the boat so arrive at least 20 minutes early. The boat ride was fantastic and they ensure we get the scenic view as we approach Lady Liberty herself in sight just like how many immigrants came to start their life in America and New York City. Lots to see once we landed in Liberty Island - home to the Statue of Liberty. Ranging from the souvenir shops, piers, and the statue itself with different views range: the pedestal, the crown and the torch. Even the food options have changed and there's more pitstops for hungry travelers. Keep in mind the statue herself was made a long time ago so the walkways are narrow when coming on a crowded day. Especially if you were to take lots of pictures. The same goes for the elevators reaching the top levels of the statue if spent on the extensive levels. The whole island itself was gorgeous and we got so many photos in from the views looking into Manhattan. Lots of places to travel and not having any cars on here does make the scenery so peaceful. Arrive early if you want to make the most out of your trip, even Ellis Island if you were to visit that next along the way. Because the ferry ride out can be a long wait if making multiple stops. Overall an enjoyable trip because both my mom and I are sea types people. read more

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The restaurant here is not very good. Very similar to the food you would get at an amusement park. A totally disappointing all the way around. read more

Love the island. It has so much information around, and a wide variety of language audio guides. The restaurant there is meh, but the rest of the island is pretty cool. I got a coin from the gift shop - only $5, good price for a golden commemoration coin. I'll come back when I revisit NYC again. read more

So it took some research, backing into release dates, etc, but the time spent getting the crown tickets were well worth it! We arrived at Battery park to get the ready for the ferry around 8:15. If you have tickets to the crown, you have to go get a wrist band that indicates you got the crown tickets BEFORE you get in line for security for the ferry. Once you have your write band and your paper ticket, get in line for security. Once you get through security, you line up for the ferry. We got on the first ferry, and as soon as we landed on Liberty Island, we headed straight for the lockers to put our things away before lining up for the pedestal and crown stairs. And if you do have crown tickets, you really do need to put everything way except what is listed as acceptable (we just took our cell phones). The lockers are easy to use - deposit a quarter, turn the key and make sure to keep the key safe. At that point, line up where the rangers are and they will guide you through. After you climb up to the top of the pedestal, only those with wrist bands are allowed past another check point where you show your tickets and take off your wristbands before heading up. That's where the spiral stair case starts. Since we were on the first ferry out and went straight to the pedestal/crown stairs, we actually ended up being the first group up to the top so we didn't have to wait. We took our picture, enjoyed the top, and once we started going down (there were 3 of us and another party of 3 in "the crown" along with 2 rangers), the next group was allowed up to the platform. Once we got past the spiral staircase and got back down to the top of the pedestal, we went all around that level for more photos. It was a great experience to go up to the crown! We then went to the Statue of Liberty Museum, where we learned about the beginnings of the statue and my son did the Jr Ranger program and took the pledge. After Liberty Island, you get on the ferry and head towards Ellis Island. read more

Liberty Island - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

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We've all seen it.....we all know the story..... If you're coming out here your coming for the same reasons I did.... You want to see one of the most iconic and recognizable landmarks in our country..... What makes or breaks a review like this place? Cleanliness? Easy to move around? Staff helpful? Ferry's on time? The staff was great, the park was clean and everything ran like clockwork. New York has been a great host and I look forward to my next visit. read more

Liberty Island - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

Everyone knows of the great Lady Liberty, but I wanted to shine little light on Liberty Island. The views that you'll witness from this island are simply incredible. The New York City skyline shines bright even during overcast weather. The only way that you can reach Liberty Island as a tourist is by tour boat. If you're planning on visiting Liberty Island, you should definitely give yourself enough time to visit nearby Ellis Island as well. I took a boat tour from Battery Park to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. When you reach the island, you can walk around and read about the history of the Statue of Liberty. There's a small café with a few food options if you're hungry. They also have a gift shop, restrooms, and a few spots to charge your phone (it'll cost you if you have to use the charging station). They have several people on the island who will take professional pictures of you, but beware of the high prices. It might be best to just have someone take your pictures for you. As you traverse the island, you'll be met with the beauty of Lady Liberty herself. If you're planning on climbing to the pedestal or the top of the Statue of Liberty, you'll need to plan FAR ahead and get your tickets months in advance. Those babies sell out quickly! But don't worry if you aren't able to secure those types of tickets as the view of Lady Liberty right from the island is enough to last you a lifetime. Aside from Lady Liberty, what struck me so much about this island were the beautiful views of New York. You could just sit there forever and just look out at the stunning big city behind you. Depending on the time of year that you go, it may get pretty chilly. If you're coming during the winter time, don't forget to bring a warm coat! Liberty Island such definitely be on your list if you're touring NY, especially if it's your first time visiting the city. read more

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The island is fairly big and you can easily spend a full morning/afternoon on it. There's plenty of city views either down low or upstairs, on top of the museum or even Lady Liberty's Pedestal. They have a nice cafe you can grab breakfast/lunch from and sweet treats for a snack too! My husband and I grabbed bagels before arriving on the island and were very happy to find a TON of seating available. We were able to eat our breakfast and enjoy the view. An easy must when in NYC. read more

Okay- so don't get me wrong. Seeing the Statue of Liberty in person was pretty neat. Would I put it high on my list of "must-do" activities in NYC? Nah. Does that make me less patriotic? Probably. If you make frequent trips to NYC, have children in your group currently learning about it in school, or history buffs- okay definitely move this one up on your list. I skipped it my first few times visiting NYC, but when I went with a friend who had this high on their NYC bucket list experiences, I planned it into the trip. We booked through Statue Cruises, the only ferry company that takes trips to the islands. I did not book early enough to go up in the crown. So, I got the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour. We booked the 12 pm loading time and knew it would be a semi-rushed experience. Thankfully the hard hat tour gave us priority boarding- worth it! That line was nuts! We did Ellis Island first. Maybe doing the behind the scenes tour plus immersing myself into the history of Ellis Island made the Lady less of a show-stopper. I enjoyed riding past her on the ferry more than I enjoyed getting up close and looking from the Island. I thought it was cool getting to see her up close, but I didn't have a "wow" moment like I have seeing other landmarks. I enjoyed walking the Brooklyn Bridge more. As a statue, she is excellent. Symbol of our nation... rich in history.... all those rad things- 5 star. As an activity that takes you out of the city for an entire day- I'll probably pass next time. Just take a ferry that gets you close to the Statue of Liberty or a helicopter ride. Seeing her on the actual island didn't really enhance the experience for me. Maybe it is better with the crown or pedestal ticket. read more

If you go to see Lady Liberty to absolutely must take the time to go up into the pedestal and see the Hudson and East Branch from above. Next time I go I will plan ahead and purchase tickets to ascend into the body; those tickets must be purchased 4-5 months prior to your arrival. This is a spectacular monument and story of a friendship between two countries. A MUST see in my book! read more

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If you have the chance to go, don't miss out!!!! So glad we took this tour and saw all we did. Amazing and worth every penny :) read more

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Liberty Island is home of one of the most famous statues. If you want to know more about the Statue of Liberty see the separate reviews. The island itself is a nice stroll. It does get crowded on the path around it. The island is nicer in the summer when it's not freezing and you get out of the statue after all the stairs and can relax. If you go here, know that Statue Cruises is the only ferry to actually stop here. Other ones only go past the island. This ferry also goes to Ellis Island, so you get to see that. As for the island itself, there isn't much going on besides the Statue. There is a garden, but it's not that much to go through. In a while there will be a museum. There will be an expanded history of the museum currently in the Statue. It sounds like fun for history buffs. Until then it's really only the Statue to see there. If you're taking the ferry you have two choices. It can be taken from Manhattan in The Battery. The quicker security lines are from the New Jersey side. read more

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How can this not get 5-stars? This is one of the world's most famous landmarks and it's just amazing to be in the presence and up close with Lady Liberty. read more

So it's obvious this island is home to our beautiful Statue of Liberty! It is so awesome to see her so up close! The one thing I loved besides seeing our Ms Liberty up close was all the awesome views of the city from this island! If you ever get to come here, do not miss your chance! read more

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Liberty Island is a beautiful island that's full of history and character. I visited on a cold and rainy day which was great because there wasn't a line for anything! The island is clean and litter-free (quite a change from Manhattan). The staff are all friendly and helpful. There are two gift shops and one cafeteria on the island as well. Take your time here. Boats are always running and you're not scheduled at a specific time to come back (until closing, of course). Restrooms are clean, food is decent, and there's plenty of walking so be prepared! read more

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Rewarding experience The first time I set foot in New York I wanted to see Lady Liberty. That was in January 2012 and for reasons unknown, Liberty Island was closed. Bummer. We took a 2-hour ferry cruise which took us around the Hudson River and we could only get as close to the Statue of Liberty as the cruise boat could take us. Still I was happy to see her in real life even from a distance. Fast forward to our second visit to NYC and we were able to actually go on the island. Booking ahead of time and searching for package deals are the best way to go. Ferry cruises that take tourists to the island are separate fee and only visitors with pedestal and crown access tickets can visit the Statue of Liberty museum and have a chance to see the Statue's original torch. The grounds has a National Park Services Information Center and there were friendly and helpful Park Rangers there to assist and answer our questions. Inside was where I got my NP passport stamped. We picked up a couple of headsets for the self-guided audio tour and listened while exploring the island. This is available in multiple languages. There is a cafeteria-style Café on the grounds, nothing fancy but we enjoyed a couple of delicious cheeseburgers there. There is also a souvenir shop. This is where guests with tickets go to line up to visit the pedestal and/or crown. Wear comfy shoes and dress in layers. In our case I wished I dressed in more layers. Brrr! Cold November winds was a little too much for me. Be respectful to fellow travelers. Many visitors go to the Statue of Liberty for a meaningful experience. Some of them could be visiting to pay respect to the place where their family passed through as immigrants. Review #1222 read more

This is the island that surrounds the Statue of Liberty it's cool to walk around and see all the sites in the sceneries and be on the water like it is and of course looking up at Lady liberty and just seeing all the things I'm really taking in all the emotions to go along with what that statue represents it's definitely a cool thing read more

Nice boat ride over to liberty island. Very affordable. Make sure you have the right address for Uber as multiple people had address to science museum. Nice trip to Statue of Liberty read more

Pros: - Very nice area, a large island set as a park - Great view of the Statue & also the Manhattan skyline Cons: - None that I can think of :) Specifics: - Must have their lemonade! It's $5 but it's huge and really good & especially refreshing on hot days read more

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A must do, even if only for a short while. There isn't a LOT here, but it's still a must do, if only for a photo op and to see the majesty of the statue up close. From far away, it doesn't look to be much, but how different it is up close!! I wish they could have expanded the history section a bit more, of and an elevator would be nice! 200 steps up and 200 steps down after a long day was not fun. read more

The island was freezing when we went!! (Early April). Our tour guide recommended going late may/June and August/September to get warm weather. Please come and see! It's a great view of the city as well read more

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Many great things to see well worth the stop in. A lot of amazing facts on the deign and construction process. Also facts on the statue that I never knew. read more

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Liberty Island itself is the home of our beautiful Lady Liberty! Once you get off the ferry cruise, you have to walk through a mini terminal and then you are brought to circular area that has a giant flagpole with the US flag on it. The Statue of Liberty is to the right of the flag (orientation is if you took the ferry from Battery Island in New York), and then you are brought to the grounds of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is definitely a must see, so make sure to buy your tickets beforehand as you can NOT buy tickets on Liberty Island. Liberty Island does have self-guided audio tours that come in various languages and you can give yourself a tour of the island and the Statue of Liberty when you come to her. Liberty Island also has a gift shop and a small cafe to buy food, but both are overpriced, so I would eat beforehand and buy your souvenirs elsewhere. The island itself is nothing spectacular, but then again its sole existence is for the Statue of Liberty. My advice is to come to tour the Statue of Liberty, but don't stay to buy gifts or eat food from the overcrowded and overpriced gift shops and cafe. read more

Liberty Island - Statue of Liberty up close - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - New York, New York

What can you say that hasn't been said before. On my 8th trip to NYC I finally made it out. It's impressive up close and viewing it from lower Manhattan just doesn't do it justice. Not to mention the killer view you'll get of lower Manhattan from the island. Kids and adults both enjoyed it and it was a quick trip taking up less than 2 hours of our day. read more

Great Visit, with One Major Complaint Everything about Liberty Island was fun, from the green paces and plazas to visit up to the pedestal itself.  It is easy to spend a morning or an afternoon here.  The major complaint is the nearly non-stop presence of tourist helicopters.  Most of the morning there were four of them in the air, which spoiled what should have been a serene location. read more

Island that surrounds the Statue of Liberty. Very cool place with amazing views of the surrounding boroughs of NYC. Also the home of the world famous Statue of Liberty. read more

Ok I did it and I guess that's just fine, but it's better in a picture than climbing the 420 and going through not 1 but 2 medal detectors worth of security b/c evidently going into the Statue of Liberty is the cornerstone of violence in America. If it's on your list, then by all means do it, otherwise stick to the cruise and a picture from the boat. Everyone will be better off. read more

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