Ellis Island NYC
 

What else is there to do at Ellis Island besides see the Statue of Liberty other than the Immigration Center? If you have to wait on others are there things to do or do you just see the Statue and leave? May be a dumb question...

The Statue of Liberty is not on Ellis Island. It's a separate stop. As for Ellis Island, I can assure there is plenty to see there, enough to keep your interest for several hours.

Loved the Statue, but if I had to pick between the two, I would go to Ellis Island.

I am not particularly sensitive to "vibes" at all, but that is one of the few places in the world where I have physically felt the people of the past. There is some kind of frenetic energy or angst left over there, just as if it was poured into a bottle.

Labor or death camps have that depth of feeling that is present, but this to me, was different. I got some after effects of terror/grief with those- but also a deeper or wiser peace/eventual triumph of martyrdom as well, not Ellis. I'm explaining it badly, but the past is palitable.

My guy is a veteran of two wars and he didn't believe in any "vibe" aspect, until he visited Ellis. It made the hair stand up on his arms.
Some people get this also at the site of the Arizona in Hawaii and in some other numerous ancient places.

You can just feel what many people left behind.

I found it far, far more interesting than the Statue tour.

The same ferry from Battery Park goes to both Liberty Island (Statue of Liberty) and Ellis Island (Immigration Museum).

Get off at Liberty Island only if you want to wait on long lines to see the display and the base - you can no longer go up into the statue for security reasons. There have been requests to reopen it and rumors they would do it by this 4th of July - but no news so far. (You used to be able to climb all the way to the top of the torch - if you were in good shape and didn;t have a problem with heights).

Ellis Island, which has the immigration museum, is where a huge number of immigrants entred the US between the 1890s and I beleive 1920s. There you can research any ancestor who entered there at that time (mine unfortunately were a couple of decades too early to be in the records) and there are several floors of displays of and about the various peoples who arrived, their cultures, and the part they played in building New York and the US. An incredible celebration of our diversity as a nation and worth the several hours it takes to tour the museum - esp if you have kids.

I will agree with JJ regarding Ellis ISland. If I could do it again, I would skip the Statue and spend the day at Ellis Island. The Statue was fine, but it is time consuming and over-crowded. I would also try to take the first boat out before it gets crowded.

It wasn't just a problem w/heights for climbing the Statue of Liberty- it was also claustrophobia, because as you went further up, the stairs got incredibly narrow and they twisted at a very high degree curve. There was barely room for two people to pass each other if they both truend sideways! But it was wonderful and I am glad I did it when it could be done.

There is a lot to do and see at Ellis Island. The audio tour is very good, takes you through many of the rooms and what happened in them.

This post has made up my mind- I took my daughter to NYC last yr but didn't go to Ellis Island (my Mom went through there to get into the USA) and I am taking her back to go there.

another vote for Ellis Island. We did both stops when we were there, but if I had to choose I would recommend staying on the boat and getting off at Ellis. Take the Audio tour. And take your time.

My favorite exhibit was the walls of immigrant pictures. So many different faces, BEFORE the world became a melting pot. Beautifully done. The display of treasures the immigrants came with, too.

Thanks. Can you get off at one stop, ride to the next, then come back to the city? Or is it strictly one or the other?

I think it was 3 way triangle when I went in early 2001, before 9/11.

Reread nytraveler's description, as I think they were not going to Statue at all for awhile, and then started to do the 3 way thing triangular ferry route again- but with limited access. I know at times they didn't go to the Statue at all.

My husband's grandmother,father and aunt came thru Ellis Island. Just a few months ago I looked up their records at; http://www.ellisisland.org/
It is so cool, they list name, ethnicity,last place of residence,date of arrival,age of arrival,ship of travel,port of departure,and manifest line number. You can then order an Official Certificate of Registration in The American Immigrant Wall of Honor with your family's name and what country they came from. You get the certificate and by 2008 your family's name will be ingraved on the Wall of Honor. My husband, children and grandchildren love this record of their father and grandmother.

We were there 3/05. At the time you the boat took you to Stature of Liberty, then Ellis island, then back to shore. You can stay on at SoL, and just disembark at Ellis. When you are done, you queue up for the next boat to shore.

I suggest you go online and book your tickets early. They are timed to spread the crowds out. You can pick up your tickets at a Will Call window. Security is tight, and thorough.

Enjoy.