How to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York?
You can't visit one without the other! The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island go hand in hand. Here's how it works in practice.
If you want to visit the Statue of Liberty and/or Ellis Island, you should know that both monuments are visited one after the other, in a fixed order. Here’s how it works:
1/ Departure from Castle Clinton
- To visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, present your ticket or pass at the ticket booth of Castle Clinton, a small fort in Battery Park. You won’t miss it—it’s clearly marked.
- Note that the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island count as a single visit in most passes, whether the New York City Pass, the Explorer Pass, or the New York Pass. Both monuments count as one attraction.
- Next, go through security screening—similar to an airport—then board the next ferry.
2/ Heading to the Statue of Liberty
- Ferries leaving Battery Park head directly to the Statue of Liberty. The crossing is quick and offers nice views of Manhattan and Liberty Island. The captain slows down as you approach the statue so everyone can take photos.
- The ferry docks slowly at Liberty Island, and passengers are invited to disembark or stay aboard. If you want to visit the Statue of Liberty, get off here—you won’t have another chance to return to Liberty Island.
- If you’ve already visited the Statue of Liberty and prefer to skip it, stay on the ferry. That said, it’s worth stopping to explore the island, see the statue, and enjoy the views of Manhattan. You’ve already paid for the ticket, so you might as well make the most of it.
3/ Ellis Island is always second
- After the Statue of Liberty, you can head to Ellis Island. Wait for the next ferry and board. All ferries stop at Ellis Island—there’s no choice involved.
- On the way, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty again, though the ferry won’t slow down this time. Within minutes, you’ll arrive at Ellis Island.
- Once at Ellis Island, you can disembark or stay on board to go directly to Manhattan.
- If you get off at Ellis Island, pay attention when returning: take the ferry heading to New York to get back to Manhattan. A separate ferry serves New Jersey. Make sure you board the right one, or you’ll end up on the wrong side of the Hudson.
