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Cruise past the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry

Published by Paul Cowles, Editor

Country: United States

The Experience

The Staten Island Ferry shuttles commuters traveling between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan, providing one of the world's best free harbor cruises. Mingling with tourists and locals alike, going to and from work, the Staten Island Ferry is a truly authentic New York outing.

As you step off the boat in Manhattan, walk a couple blocks through battery park and get on another ferry - this time to go up the Statue of Liberty and into the Ellis Island Museum. You'll find that the statue is much bigger than you first imagine it, and also more popular.

Just beside the statue is Ellis Island. Over 12 million immigrants entered the United States via Ellis Island as it served as the main gateway to the country between 1892 and 1924. Currently, over 100 million Americans can trace their roots back through Ellis Island. Inside the museum are emotionally moving exhibits portraying what life was like back in the early twentieth century.

From the ferry ride to climbing up the statue and exploring the island museum, this morning or afternoon in New York City has something for every age and personality.

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Puzzle

When to Go to Staten Island Ferry

The breeze meets the heat during the summer months, between May and September, providing a relieving experience. The Staten Island ferry operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Other than rare exceptions, you'll never have to wait more than half an hour for the next departure. Avoid the rush hour traffic (M-F 7am-10am, 5pm-7pm) in order to have a crack at the best views on the deck.

Each Staten Island ferry crossing takes half an hour, so the round trip is a little over an hour.

For the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty trip admission to both is $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens, $3 for children, and free for babies. These ferries operate 7 days a week, from approximately 9:30am to 5:00pm.

Odds n' Ends

Remember that the Staten Island ferry is free but the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty trip comes with costs. If you are starting in Manhattan, try catching the 10am ferry to Staten Island. This has you on to the Ellis Island Ferry for 11:30ish - giving you a little more room to explore the museum while people have lunch. You'll be back by 2 or 3, still time for late afternoon shopping.

Want a Guide?

Ellis Island Tours
Tours with Tom Bernardin, former National Park Service Ellis Island tour guide, and author/publisher of The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook.
Downtown Tour & Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island
View the most famous neighborhoods, attractions and places of interest: Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Macy's, Empire State Building, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, Site of the World Trade Center, Wall Street, Financial District, Battery Park South Street Seaport, Lower East Side, United Nations, Rockefeller Center, Carnegie Hall, Broadway Theatre District and Ellis Island.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Escorted Tour
No trip to New York City is complete without visiting the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

More Experiences Nearby

Free Museums in NYC
Sometimes it seems that seeing all of the famous museums of New York City will cause the average tourist to declare bankruptcy, when faced with admission prices of $20 or higher. But don't let your lack of funds stop you from seeing once in a lifetime exhibits - there are many free museums in New York City or chances to see expensive museums for free or reduced admission. Let’s start with the free museums – many great New York museums are always $0 to get in, including: Carnegie Hall/Rose Museum, Dahesh Museum, the FIT Museum (Fashion Institute of Technology), the ...1 miles away.

Carpe Diem! Book to do this experience now!

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The New York Pass
Choose from 40 unique attractions, then let the New York Pass do the rest. You'll receive discounts and special offers on shopping, dining and activities, ...
Starting from $67.49 per person.

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Books and DVDs

Ellis Island DVD
Even the most hard-hearted will get misty eyes when the elderly Irish immigrant tells of his first view of Ellis Island and the "golden lady" in New York Harbor.
Island Of Hope: The Journey To America And The Ellis Island Experience
On January 1, 1892, a fifteen-year-old Irish girl named Annie Moore made history when she became the first person to be processed at a new immigrant station at Ellis Island in New York Harbor.
Ellis Island Images of America
Ellis Island leads the reader through the fascinating history of this small island in New York harbor from its pre-immigration days as one of the harborís oyster islands to its spectacular years as the flagship station of the U.S. Bureau of Immigration to its current incarnation as the National Park Serviceís largest museum.

Elsewhere on the Web

Wikipedia - Ellis Island
Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, is the location of what was from January 1, 1892, until November 12, 1954 the main entry facility for immigrants entering the United States; the facility replaced the state-run Castle Garden Immigration Depot (1855-1890) in Manhattan.
Staten Island Ferry Official Site
The Staten Island Ferry provides 20 million people a year (60,000 passengers a day not including weekend days) with ferry service between St. George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
This is the official ticketing and information site for the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
American Immigrant Wall of Honor
The American Immigrant Wall of Honor is a permanent exhibit of individual or family names featured at Ellis Island in New York Harbor. It is the only place in the United States where an individual can honor his or her family heritage at a National Monument.
Ellis Island Online Exhibit
As you move through this online exhibit, you'll experience Ellis Island as one of the over 12 million people who landed here, seeking to pass through this gateway to a life where hope replaced fear.

Media References

On the Staten Island Ferry, Illusory 'Free Ride' Is Reality (newspaper)
This boat ride is free now, Junior, and we don't got to pay double for the subway and the bus, either,'' he proclaimed yesterday morning.
Ellis Island - Golden Globe winning Television Mini-Series (television)
The story-line runs from just after the turn-of-the-century through World War I and it centers on a Jewish immigrant from Russia who becomes a successful Broadway songwriter, a handsome Italian who moves from gigolo to politician, and two young women from Ireland, one of whom becomes blind and one of whom has a dark secret in her past.
New York City Attractions - Staten Island Ferry (newspaper)
You, however, should go on deck and enjoy the harbor traffic. The old orange-and-green boats usually have open decks along the sides or at the bow and stern; try to catch one of these if you can, since the newer white boats don't have decks. Grab a seat on the right side of the boat for the best view.

Language Guides

French , Hindi , Indonesian , Italian , Japanese , Lao , Malay , Mandarin , Portugese , Russian , Spanish , Thai , Turkish , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in United States. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

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