Ready to visit The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island? I have the perfect, easy trip planned for you. Liberty State Park (right here in New Jersey!) is the gateway to two of America’s most iconic landmarks: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Liberty State Park in Jersey City serves as the perfect destination for families in the tri-state area and beyond looking for a fun-filled day trip and with a new, free pilot shuttle service running on weekends through the end of September, the Park and all of its amenities are more accessible than ever. We took a fun and very stress-free trip from Liberty State Park to The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island thanks to Statue City Cruises. Read on for more details, and see how to plan an exciting trip of your own.
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Disclosure: Statue City Cruises provided me with general admission passes in exchange for an honest review. We paid for our own meals, parking, gas, tolls, souvenirs, and snacks. I would never recommend something to you if I didn't totally love it myself!
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Getting There with Statue City Cruises
I think one of the reasons I never visited the Statue of Liberty was because I wasn't sure how to do it. So if you're a little anxious about traveling or you're not sure how you'd get to this iconic location, let me make it simple for you. Statue City Cruises is the official and only authorized concessioner for ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. You can easily reach them at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. They have their own gated parking lot (there is a fee to park, but when we visited, it was under $10 for all of the hours we were there). A ticket with Statue City Cruises can take you from Liberty State Park to both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, and back. It was easy to board, and wait times were minimal, as they have boats running consistently between the islands and New Jersey. You can also take Statue City Cruises from Battery Park in New York City. Our experience was from the New Jersey side, so I cannot attest to the NY experience, sorry!
Tickets and Check-In for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
I recommend purchasing your tickets in advance online from Statue City Cruises and going early to avoid crowds (there will always be crowds - this is a national monument and popular tourist attraction, but arriving early is your best bet and allows you plenty of time to visit). We actually arrived at 8:30am for the security check and prompt boat departure at 9:00am. Statue City Cruises sells various types of tickets. For instance, you can visit the crown and/or the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty with separate admission tickets, but this must be booked well in advance as those types of tickets sell out quickly. We did not visit the crown or pedestal, but that gives us incentive to return someday to see those special parts of the statue. A general admission ticket is what you're looking for if you just want to see the statue, walk around outside of it, visit the Statue of Liberty Museum and gift shops, etc. This general admission ticket also allows you to visit Ellis Island and all its floors of artifacts, information and memorabilia. And, of course, the ticket is for round trip transportation back to New Jersey. I especially liked that you didn't have to keep showing your ticket each time you boarded the boat to go between islands. Once you check-in and board during your initial arrival, you're good to go!
This is where you begin with security and where you'll hand them your ticket:
A note about security: the security line will not open until exactly 8:30am, so if that's your assigned time, getting there much earlier than 8:30 won't make much difference. The security line moved quickly (be sure to read what items are prohibited here). You won't have to take off your shoes- but you will move through airport-type security where you have to xray your bag, removed jackets, watches and other personal belongings. No one here was overly friendly. The ticket attendant never even looked at us, said good morning or acknowledged anyone on line. He shouted instructions and that was about it. You will not have to go through security like that again at each island (they do have security, but not a screening process like your initial arrival).
This is where you walk to your boat, which takes you to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty:
Statue City Boat Ride
The ride itself was quick and enjoyable. Statue City Boat attendants were friendly and greeted you with 'watch your step,' 'enjoy your visit,' as well as verbal reminders of where the boat was headed. Boats took off and arrived promptly. Interior was clean and they had a snack/food stand inside as well as restrooms. There was plenty of room and plenty of opportunities to see the gorgeous sights that passed. The trip was enjoyable (even during our initial departure, which was rainy). Make sure to have your camera ready for all of the scenery! The boats have several floors and you can move about as you wish so don't worry about not being able to see something or sitting on the wrong side of the boat. You can stand, you can sit, you can walk around. The boat is stroller and wheelchair accessible. Your ride is rain or shine, so dress for whatever weather you're going to be traveling in.
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Ellis Island
You'll be able to explore Ellis Island at your own pace. There are several floors to wander, and each has various sights to see, artifacts, photos, and information. There is a record room if you'd like to look up your ancestors, but more on that in a minute. You can also use their free audio tour, which looks like a little telephone that you hold up to your ear. Truthfully, I couldn't listen to that and walk around at the same time- it was like information overload for me. But my husband used it and liked it, so to each their own! I really enjoyed the third floor, which contained real possessions and items from immigrants and families. It was very emotional to walk through the same areas that our own relatives had passed through at some point.
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is glorious. Need I say more? Watching her come into view while riding on your Statue City Cruise is really amazing. Sounds corny, but you can imagine what it was like for the immigrants who came here searching for a better life, and what it must have felt like for them to set eyes on that incredible statue for the first time. I had seen the Statue of Liberty from afar many times in my life (as most New Jersey residents have). We had even taken a Carnival Cruise that sailed past her many years ago. But this was the first time we were able to visit the island and see her up close and it was really special. I should clarify, though, you don't get to walk up and touch her with your general admission ticket. But you can walk close enough to get some amazing photos.
I even enjoyed seeing the back of her and her bare bent foot.
The museum is small but has some fun artifacts and photo ops (including a giant replica of her foot)
Food at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
There is a small cafeteria at Ellis Island. Food was mediocre and expensive but you have limited options on an island (you are not permitted to bring your own food). Food choices consist of hamburgers, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, yogurts, packaged sandwiches, etc. It cost us a little over $60 for lunch (four people). We did not eat at the Statue of Liberty so I can't attest to the food. I did see people carrying ice cream cones and lemonades, which seemed to be popular choices from the food stands. There were actually several food trucks and vendors at Liberty State Park when we returned and they were much better choices than we encountered on the islands.
Gift Shops
There are little souvenir shops where my sister purchased me an adorable plush Statue of Liberty. This little plushie was not actually sold at the Statue of Liberty (at least I didn't see it if it was) so I was glad we bought it on Ellis Island. There are areas to buy souvenirs at the Statue of Liberty, too, and we purchased some fun posters for our basement. They also carried books, stuffed animals, puzzles, postcards, magnets, and a lot more.
Tips for Looking Up Family Members at Ellis Island
Before I visited, I thought you could look up any immigrant family member in the Ellis Island history, or at least get to see an image of their signature in a book or something like that. But that's not exactly how it works. Here are a few tips:
-Sad to say, but you can actually do this at home for free. It might seem much more exciting to do this at Ellis Island, but it will cost you $10. If you search the same database online at home, it's free. If you opt to pay the $10, they will give you 30 minutes at one of their computers to search. If you find a passenger record or ship manifest that you want a copy of, they each cost about $29.00 (you can also purchase records at home, online).
-If you want to look up family members, it helps to gather as much info as possible- not just names but also country of origin, year they arrived, age at time of travel, country of departure, etc. If you just try to type in a name you can come up with hundreds if not thousands of random names.
-I recommend doing this at home- it's much less stressful and you can take your time looking up information.
Enjoying Liberty State Park
After your trip, there’s plenty of other activities and secrets to discover at Liberty State Park. The Liberty State Park Shuttle Pilot Program offers a free, convenient, and accessible way to explore the park’s highlights, connecting passengers to its most popular destinations, parking facilities, and public transportation. The shuttle operates across the entirety of Liberty State Park, operating along Audrey Zapp Drive and Freedom Way with stops at the Liberty Science Center, Light Rail Station, Statue of Liberty & NYC Ferries and Liberty Landing Marina, Statue of Liberty Ferry, North Picnic Area & Playground, Nature Center, South Picnic Area & Park Office and Parking & Hudson River Waterfront Walk.
Here's what else you can explore at Liberty State Park:
-trails for hiking, biking and exploring nature while soaking in all of the views.
-Liberty Science Center is right next to the harbor, and there's so much to see and do at this hands-on, family-friendly venue!
-Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium at Liberty Science Center is the largest planetarium in America and makes a great day trip nearby
-Visit the Empty Sky Memorial, which honors the New Jerseyans who perished on 9/11.
-There are a variety of waterfront dining options for stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and delicious coastal bites here. Liberty House, Nathan's Hot Dogs (for walk-up service), and even food trucks, seasonally.
-Guests can visit the Historic Rail Terminal at Liberty State Park to explore the preserved landmark and learn about the pivotal role it played in American transportation and immigration history.
-Visitors also have access to boating and canoeing activities on the Hudson, the Liberty National Golf Course, areas for fishing and crabbing, and so much more.
How to Get Tickets
Head to the Statue City Cruises website to book your Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island trips. You can book from Battery Park in New York City as well as Liberty State Park in New Jersey:
More Tips for Visiting
-Wear good walking shoes or sneakers. At the end of the day, my watch said I had walked 16,000 steps!
-Dress for the weather (rain or shine, cold/heat)
-Buy tickets online in advance and plan accordingly if you want to visit the crown or pedestal- those sell out months in advance
-Arrive early! Although you can choose many different departure times from Jersey City, I highly recommend going earlier. We had the first boat at 9am and it was significantly more crowded by the time we left.
-We spent at least 3 hours at Ellis Island, which surprised us. There was a lot to see at the museum, especially if you're really interested in the history of it and want to read and see all of the displays
-Of course you can bring babies and toddlers but I thin you get more for your money if your kids are old enough to enjoy and understand this trip. It was really special for our teenager, who loves history and learned about his great-great-grandfather.
-If you're going to look up family members at Ellis Island, remember that it's free to do it online at home and you should have as much information about the passengers as you can find.
-Lines were long to get back on the ferry from The Statue of Liberty to New Jersey, but they moved quickly, so don't let any sign of a line upset you (anxious people, I feel you!)
A Final Note from The Jersey Momma
I think everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island at least once in their lives. It was such a special experience for us and I'm glad we waited until our son was old enough to understand and remember this trip. We were able to look up information about my son's great-great-great-grandfather who came to America at the age of 16 (the same age my son is now). At some point during our trip, I turned to my son and we both kind of agreed out loud, "We're here because he was here." And not just my great-great grandfather, but all of the relatives who were brave enough to come here before us. That sense of gratitude and unconditional love was nothing I could ever put into words.
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