
SECURITY INSPECTION
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, and of course Ellis Island is an island, so a boat is required for a visit to Statue of Liberty National Monument. Since no private boats may land on either island, everyone must take the ferry run by Statue Cruises, the National Park Service’s authorized concessionaire that provides the transportation. Ferries depart from Battery Park in New York City and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey.
All visitors must pass through airport-style security before boarding the ferry. A security tent is located near the ferry dock at each departure location. Furthermore, just in case you manage to sneak your bomb past the guards at the ferry dock, those with Pedestal or Crown tickets to the Stature of Liberty must pass through security again once on Liberty Island.
If you purchased your ticket online, you have a reserve ticket with a stated departure date and time. Holders of such tickets are allowed to use the much shorter reserve-ticket security line (same concept as the timed-ticket entrance at amusement parks). Those who purchase tickets at the on-site ticket booths at Castle Clinton or Liberty State Park have what is called a flex ticket and can board at anytime within three days of purchase. Holders of such tickets must wait in the longer general admission security line. The time saved with a reserve ticket is substantial, so unless you plan on visiting the Statue of Liberty at the spur of the moment, get your tickets in advance online. Once on the islands, however, there is just one line for everyone when it comes to boarding the next boat out.
As the day progresses, the waiting times to go through security and get on the ferry get longer. During times of peak visitation, flex ticket holders at Battery Park could be waiting anywhere from one to three hours. During the summer it makes no difference if you visit during the week or on a weekend because on any given day there are millions of tourists in New York, so there’s bound to be a lot of people who want to see the Statue of Liberty. This is why I recommend getting a ticket for early in the morning, and use the New Jersey ferry if possible, as far less people depart from Liberty State Park than from Battery Park.
SCHEDULE
If you purchase a ticket online, the time you choose is the time that you are allowed to enter the security checkpoint at the ferry—technically. What the National Park Service and Statue Cruises doesn’t tell you is that the ticket times really don’t matter. You can get a ticket for 2 PM, show up at 9 AM, and still get in line. I was told this on three separate occasions by three Statue Cruises employees who were working the ticket lines. Essentially, they put times on the tickets in hopes that people will show up at these times and thus spread out the number of visitors throughout the day, but if you show up early they won’t make you wait. Again, that’s what I was told at Battery Park by Statue Cruises employees. I didn’t put it to the test, but if I had a late afternoon ticket and wanted to beat the crowd by showing up at 9 AM, I’d take my chances. If this information turns out to be false, it’s New York City. If you can’t find something to do to kill time in New York, you might as well cut your vacation short and go home.
If the time on your ticket is the time when you can get in line, you must factor in the time that you may have to spend standing in line just to get through security. A park Ranger told me that in the off season, arrive a half hour before the actual time you want to board a ferry. During the summer, one hour in advance should do. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, but there is one thing I can say with certainty: if the security line opens at 9 AM and you arrive at 8:30 AM, you’ll probably be one of the first in line. Even if there are people ahead of you, there won’t be enough to fill up the boat, so you should still get on the first ferry of the day. You can never go wrong by arriving first thing in the morning.
But what about people who purchase a ticket for the Hard Hat Tour on Ellis Island? The time on the ticket is the tour time, and you can’t be late. If you are leaving from Battery Park, it’s a 45-minute boat ride just to get there. Thus, arriving at the ferry dock an hour ahead of time certainly isn’t going to fly. I asked Statue Cruises about this and was told that Hard Hat Tour ticket holders should arrive at least three hours before tour time. Unless you are on the first boat of the day, I suggest four hours. I had a 1:30 PM tour time and arrived at the ferry dock at 10 AM, and I got to Ellis Island with only a half hour to spare. And that was in November. There is plenty to do on Ellis Island, so arriving an hour or more before your tour time is not going to leave you bored.
Travel times between the islands vary, but figure 20 minutes per ride, counting embarking and disembarking. During the summer, the New York ferry departs from Battery Park every 25 minutes (I believe there are a least two, if not three, New York boats) and the New Jersey ferry departs from Liberty State Park every 30 to 40 minutes. The last departure of the day depends on the season. You can get the latest schedule on Statue Cruises’ Departure Schedule web page. If you are going to be at Ellis or Liberty Island after 4 PM, make sure that you understand when the last ferry leaves. If you miss the last boat you must swim back, and the water is really cold even in the summer.
Once on the islands, the schedule is posted on a bulletin board at the ferry dock. Depending on which way you are going, if you just missed a boat, you have a 20 to 40 minute wait for the next one.
The New York ferry runs from Battery Park to Liberty Island to Ellis Island and back to Battery Park. The New Jersey ferry runs from Liberty State Park to Ellis Island to Liberty Island and back to Liberty State Park. Once on the islands, you can take either boat to get to your next destination, regardless from which location you departed. For example, if you begin your trip from Battery Park and decide to stop at Ellis Island first, when you are ready to depart for the Statue of Liberty, take the New Jersey ferry to Liberty Island. Do not get on the boat to Battery Park thinking that you can stay aboard and continue on to the Statue. Once back at Battery Park you must get off and cannot get back on without purchasing another ticket. Furthermore, even if you could take the New York ferry without having to get off, it’s an hour-long trip from Ellis Island back to Battery Park and then on to Liberty Island, whereas it’s only fifteen minutes between the two islands on the New Jersey ferry.
TIPS ON BOARDING THE FERRY
Of course everyone who visits Statue of Liberty National Monument wants to get a great photo of the statue, and the best photos will be from the boat as you approach. Once on the island you are too close to get a photo of the entire statue and base, though you can get some nice shots from various angles. If you are departing from Battery Park, when boarding, the statue is on the port side of the boat, which is the left side when looking towards the front of the boat. Those first on board will immediately head over to that side—which is exactly where you don’t want to be. You want to be on the starboard side, the side next to the dock. When departing, the ferry is going to make a U-turn, and those on the starboard side will then be the ones facing the Statue of Liberty when the boat approaches. While I did not travel from New Jersey, based on the map, the starboard side is also the side to be on. (When looking towards the front of the boat, starboard is the right side.)
All of the ferries have three decks, and if the weather is nice, those first boarding will head for the upper, open air deck. If you can’t get a spot along the railing on the starboard side of the upper deck, choose a lower deck. There will be so many people up there that if you are on the wrong side of the boat when passing the Statue, short of busting your way through the crowd, you will not be able to make your way to the starboard railing. Instead, opt for one of the lower levels and sit by an open window or stand on the open deck (the second level has an open-air deck as well). The statue is far enough away from the boat that being ten feet higher on the upper deck makes no difference in the viewing angle, and thus no difference in the quality of your Statue of Liberty photos.
The statue faces southeast, so the best photo opportunity is before noon when the sun is shining on Ms. Liberty’s face. Later in the day the sun will be behind it, which is another reason to take an early boat. Not only will the lines be shorter, but your photos will be better.
P. S. I was just kidding about having to swim back if you miss the last boat. I don’t know what will happen to you.
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Last updated on April 19, 2024