Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour
Especially for New York newbies, the Statue of Liberty is a must-see. Most visitors decide to jump on the Staten Island Ferry for a quick picture and others want to experience Miss Liberty a bit longer and more intimately compared to a short ferry trip. We have found the best tour for those of you who are looking for a full experience of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum. Access to the pedestal is included!
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour: Our Experience
It was a cold Wednesday morning when we met up with our tour guide Clara at Castle Clinton in Lower Manhattan. The tour started at 9:30 AM sharp with a short intro on what to expect during the tour. We have tested a decent amount of tours in the city and there is one thing that makes or breaks a tour experience: the tour guide. Clara was amazing and made the four hours super exciting and fun. Her knowledge about New York, the Statue of Liberty and the history of the immigration here in the city was impressive.
After a relaxing 15-minute ferry ride, our first time was Liberty Island. Did you know that there is an actual museum on Liberty Island? We had no clue. Clara guided us through the Statue of Liberty Museum where we learned everything from the construction to the shipping of the Statue of Liberty and how she survived the massive Hurricane Sandy several years ago. After the museum, we took the stairs up to the pedestal of the Statue where we had amazing views of the city. It was definitely worth the walk up the stairs and one of the many highlights of the tour.
Right after we met outside of the statue again to take great shots with Miss Liberty in the background. Our tour guide Clara was laying on the floor taking them for the group. Amazing!
Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum
After a quick lunch break, we met back on the ferry that took us to Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum. Some of us have been to the museum before but without a tour guide. Now we had Clara next to us who told us everything about the immigrants in the past and the barriers they had to overcome to enter the country. A few people from our group actually have family who came to the US through Ellis Island and were able to do some research on them at the museum which was very exciting for all of us.
Around 1:30 pm our tour ended outside the museum with breathtaking views of the city. Clara offered to stay on the island as long as we wanted. There was no need for us to leave right away.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour: A must-do
If you are interested in more than just taking a picture of the Statue of Liberty, this tour is just right for you. You’ll leave the experience with a lot more knowledge about one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States. As locals, we’ve never been really interested in a tour like that, to be honest, but now since we’ve done it, we are happy that we were able to experience it and learn so much about the history of the Statue of Liberty.
The tours get sold out quickly which is why I recommend booking the tour in advance to make sure you can experience on the day you wish.
