Best "route" to Statue of Liberty

Old Apr 21st, 2007, 03:42 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Best "route" to Statue of Liberty

My husband & I have an upcoming one-day trip to NYC. We will be dropped off at Radio City at 9:00/9:30 am. What is the best way to get to the Statue from there? Thanks.
lanord is offline  
Old Apr 21st, 2007, 04:13 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 523
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We just took the subway to get there - traffic was way too crazy. We just got a subway map and ask a few times for help - sorry I don't have more specifics but it was last year.
adnil1962 is offline  
Old Apr 21st, 2007, 05:47 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The subway didn't fill up with water?

Seriously, walk to 7th Ave, either 50th or Times Sq. Take the 1 train to South Ferry and the Ferry from there.
BarryK is offline  
Old Apr 21st, 2007, 05:50 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Be aware that lines are VERY long - to get tickets for the ferry, then for security, then to wait to get into the statue (assuming you want to go inside - most is blocked off for safety reasons). Get advance tickets if you can.
nytraveler is offline  
Old Apr 21st, 2007, 05:56 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,199
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't wait until the end of the day to visit the Statue of Liberty. The last ferry out is at 3:40 and by this time tickets may be sold out to enter the base. Be mindful that this last ferry gets you to the SOL at around 4pm and the last ferry back to Manhattan is at 5pm.

Also the security is worse than the airport, lol. You must remove your watch, belt, wallet, jacket, and change. It's crazy.

Have fun!
seetheworld is offline  
Old Apr 21st, 2007, 07:30 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Earlier this week, we again tested out the regular Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry experience and the news is not good.

The bad news is that more than any other touristy thing to do in New York City, during a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island you will be herded like animals in and out of cramped quarters, forced to stand in long lines with people with differing standards of courtesy and personal space, and be fed conflicting information, or sometimes none at all.

That said, if you're coming to New York, it's still worth the hassle. But you probably need to allocate a full day to visiting these two bedrocks of Americana.

There are a few ways to ace the system, however, rules seem to change at random so even your best laid plans may leave you tired and huddling with the masses.
You have very few choices: only one ferry company goes to the islands (Circle Line all food is sold by one company (Aramark,) and the museums are operated solely by the National Parks Service. The immigrants had it just about the same way and they got scammed too, so at least consider it historically accurate.

At least a week before your trip, be certain to buy your tickets in advance. On Tuesday morning, those who had ordered online and had a printed confirmation got priority over those who ordered by phone.

When you buy your ticket make sure you select the box for a free monument access pass. Unless you have one of these, you may as well stay on the boat because you won't be able to get inside the museum or the statue. There are a limited number of these time-coded passes available each day, (3,200 according to one ranger.) Some are available online, by phone, and some are available at the ticket booth every morning, but the whole day's worth of the walk-up ones are usually gone within five to 10 minutes. And judging by the foolishness of the line management system and opening time, (as witnessed Tuesday morning,) just showing up early may not guarantee you a pass.

Super-clever us knew to get the earliest pass available because otherwise you won't have time to see much of Ellis Island if you waste it in all the ferry and statue lines. Time-wise we also knew that by getting on the first boat of the day you're only required to show up 45 minutes before your tour rather than two hours early.

Wrong.

"We changed our hours yesterday," the snippy woman said after quietly announcing the first boat wouldn't depart until 9:30. This came just a few minutes after she separated out reservations from the long line around Castle Clinton, leaving the first people in line still standing there what they'd done wrong.

Sure, they had changed their hours and boat schedule on Monday, but despite that the ticket envelope she handed over proved that the Circle Line ticketing system still had sold tickets for the earlier time. (See picture below where manila envelope indicates 8:45 a.m. tour, but actual time pass says 9:45 a.m.) Also, if you go online now, four days after the hours changed, they're still offering passes for next week with the old, earlier time. Do note that the hours will go back the earlier time for summer.

Most people didn't hear the announcement about the delay so went over to stand in the line for the security tent, unaware the boat wouldn't depart for 90 minutes.
Before boarding the boat, you will go through airport-style security (operated by Wackenhut.) As on previous occasions, the security workers here were found to be polite and thorough and repeatedly checked to make sure people removed their coats, belts, watches and other items before they got right up to the machine. Everyone got to keep their shoes on.

But once through security, an entire boatload of passengers are jammed into the ante-tent until the ferry arrives. It's a tight uncomfortable fit that lasts about 10 to 25 minutes.

On the ferry, there is limited seating inside for the 15-minute ride to Liberty Island (always the first stop if you take the ferry from Battery Park.) There are more benches on the top deck, which will fill up fast on a sunny day. You get great views of Manhattan shrinking from view and then a great photo op of Lady Liberty from the water.

Once you land on Liberty Island, walk straight ahead, then turn right at the massive flagpole toward the next
security tent. Here, a ranger will make sure you have a timed-entry pass and mention there are lockers inside the adjacent gift shop tent. You will need to use the lockers if you have a backpack, laptop, DVD player or even food -- you can't even take water into the Statue of Liberty. Lockers cost $1 for two hours and accept dollar bills and credit cards.

At this security tent, you'll stand in yet another switchback line, again leading to more airport-style security. There is nothing here to entertain you or inform you about the statue, except one stand-alone item about Emma Lazarus in one corner. The videos up front only display security information, and even then, they do not indicate that food and even water are prohibited. There are hand-written signs saying no food or drink -- but they're all in English, just like the announcements made by security personnel despite the fact this is a big draw for foreign tourists.
There is one more addition to security here: the puffer machine that checks for explosives and chemicals. Each person stands in the machine and puffs of air are shot at you. About 10 seconds later, a green light comes on and you've passed. Now it gets easy.

As you walk out of the security tent, you're at the base of the statue. As you go inside, you'll find Liberty's original torch.

This is also the meeting point for the free ranger-led tour. You can take the tour if you want, or just continue on to the museum at your own pace. The museum is fairly small but filled with great stuff, including full-size replica's of Lady Liberty's face and a foot, the plaque with Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus" ("Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free, ...") and lots of pictures, model forms, news clippings and other items about the statue's construction, opening and operation.

After the museum, follow the arrows to get as close as you can to the statue itself. (There was no line on Tuesday, but last time we tested it out, there was a long line at this point.) You have a choice of taking an elevator or 156 steps up to the observation level.
The highest you can get is to the statue's toes. (The torch closed to public access in 1916 and the crown was last open to the public on Sept. 10, 2001.) You can take as much time as you like here, craning your neck up, looking at the inside of the statue through a plastic screen. You can see the double-helix stairwell going up - one up, one down -- along with the beams holding the statue in place and all the curves and corners of the statues gown, toes, knee and other bits the rangers will point out. You can also see the dismantled portion of the public stairwell that used to lead to the double-helix stairwell.

From here, you walk through a door and out to the top observation deck, putting you about 150 feet in the sky. You'll get a stellar (probably windy) view of the harbor and its abundant boats, Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge, Brooklyn, Governors Island, the East River, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan, the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, Ellis Island and New Jersey.
From here, you go back into the statue's base and head down for views from two more levels, including one with several markers explaining sights in the harbor. At one spot, a sign points out the pre-Sept. 11 skyscrapers in Manhattan, with the Twin Towers still standing.
Back on solid ground, you can walk around the island itself, where you can spend a quarter to see Manhattan close-up, or check out some metal sculptures of some of the famous figures of the statue's past, including Lazarus, (right,) fundraiser Joseph Pulitzer and sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. There is an audio tour you can buy to guide you on your walk.

There are two gift shops - one by the lockers, the other closer to the ferry dock where you'll also find the fast-food style restaurant. (The menu at the left is actually from the Ellis Island food court.)

When you head to the ferry dock, make sure you get on the boat to Ellis Island (unless you really want to go to New Jersey.)

"Do we have to disrobe again," a woman was heard to say as she waited to board the ferry to Ellis. No, the security checkpoints are over at this point. Ellis is easier to navigate, with the main thing to know is that if you're planning on looking up your family's history you should start online before you go. (You can search the records free online from home, and that also allows you to call Aunt Carol and get all your dates and names in order. You'll make better use of your time there if you don't waste it sorting through the basics.) While you should be able to find every Ellis Island immigrant in that computerized database, do know that they're not all listed on a wall there (you have to make a donation for that.)
On Ellis, there are also free ranger-led tours, and starting April 24, 2007 the public can also tour the first "new" building to open on Ellis since it opened as a museum in 1990. The Depression-era ferry building was just restored and reopened and (until fall,) offers a great view of the sunken Ellis Island ferry that would take successful immigrants to Manhattan to start their new lives.

We skipped the main Ellis tour on Tuesday, and only made a quick walk-through of the SOL museum, and still didn't get back to Manhattan until 2:45 p.m. so assume that this journey will eat up almost all of your day, probably leaving you tired and hungry and on a boat with the masses, huddling , climbing on ferry furniture, or otherwise.)
kayeen is offline  
Old Apr 21st, 2007, 08:35 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,199
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wow, kayeen! I now realize how lucky we have been to be able to climb the SOL.

If you plan on visiting the Family History Center, do it well before 4 pm because that is when they close.
seetheworld is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 06:03 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,597
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i clearly remember being carried (lucky me!) up that narrow spiral staircase to the crown when I was 4 years old. I went again when I was a teenager. I lived in NYC for 19 years.

Personally, if you only have one day, I would not spend it all on a trip to the Statue of Liberty. You can take a Circle Line trip around (or partially around) the island of Manhattan, or the free ferry to and from Staten Island (which gives a great view of both Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty), maybe go up the Empire State Building, walk in Central Park, etc.
Postal is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 06:06 AM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks everyone for your advice, especially kayeen! It sounds as if you had QUITE a day! We are planning to go to Statue first thing after we get to NYC. (If we still decide to do it -- your comments have made me wonder if it would be worth it). We live in PA and will be moving south next year, so this may be the last time we are in NYC, (we've been once before) thus trying to see the Statue on this trip. We weren't really planning on seeing Ellis Island -- is it separate from the Statue tour? We will be in NYC until about 6:30 pm (when the bus picks us up once again at Radio City), so I think we have time to do it, if we don't chicken out! I would definitely get advance tickets.

BarryK, thanks for the explicit subway directions. Knowing which train to take and from what stop is exactly what I was looking for. What train would we take on the return from the Statue to get back to Radio City area?

Again, thanks so much for your comments/suggestions! Actually, we are scheduled to do this 2 weeks from today, so I better decide soon, so we can get advance tickets.
lanord is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 06:32 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,869
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We bypassed the Statue of Liberty and got off at Ellis Island: way less crowded in the AM and amazing, especially if family came through (SO is a first gen Italiana).
M
mikemo is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 10:10 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
" We weren't really planning on seeing Ellis Island -- is it separate from the Statue tour?"

The same ferry goes to both Liberty Island where the statue is and Ellis Island for the immigration museum. From Manhattan, the first stop is Liberty Island and then the boat continues on to Ellis Island. Many people feel that now that the access to the statue is somewhat limited, the visit to the statue is not as worthwhile as the visit to Ellis Island. If the Statue is what you really want to see, make SURE to prebook passes for a tour so you can go inside. Otherwise, you may not be able to get inside in which case the trip may be even less worthwhile. At least inside you get to see the museum and the insides.

Given how long this visit takes, are you sure this is the way you want to spend your time? You could also take some other boat ride that doesn't go TO the statue but passes by it and you wouldn't have as much security and waiting time. The Circle Line 2 hr. ride takes you past the Statue. There's also a shorter 75 min. ride.
http://www.circleline42.com/index.ih...ge=sightseeing
Either of those leave from midtown which is closer to Radio City.

Here's another boat option from Chelsea Piers. http://sail-nyc.com/
mclaurie is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 10:20 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Highly reco that you just look at the Statue from the ferry (good photo ops) and go on to Ellis Island Museum, which is absolutely brilliant - and doesn;t involve all the extra lines, waits and security that you find on Liberty Island. But - do get advance tickets for the ferry to make the wait as short as possible.
nytraveler is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 11:05 AM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm thinking that a tour "around" the Statue may be just as good/better as actually going "in" it, after everyone's comments, plus not so time consuming. We have seen it from the water (but not up close) when we left from NYC 2 summers ago on a cruise. Seeing it up close, even from the water, would probably meet our needs. Mclaurie, thanks for the tour options. And thanks to everyone for your comments -- getting opinions on this is exactly why I asked the question.
lanord is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 02:24 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Same train to get back - the 1 line.

It's a lot easier going back, as it's the only line at S. Ferry. There are other lines running from the station you'll take downtown (several more at T Sq than 50th St.)
BarryK is offline  
Old Apr 22nd, 2007, 05:29 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I definitely agree that you should just stick with the ferry and not spend the whole day going out to the statue. The view from the water is amazing and there's so much else to do while in NYC that day!
nycgirl1 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RJames
United States
7
Feb 11th, 2011 08:23 AM
Gina_M
United States
3
Mar 3rd, 2010 04:23 PM
swiss_tourist
United States
13
Jun 23rd, 2008 09:00 AM
S_S
United States
4
Jan 23rd, 2007 03:18 AM
jeanne
United States
13
Oct 15th, 2002 06:42 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -