We will have 4 1/2 days in New York City. There is so much on our list of "must-see". Everything I have read said that you need 5-6 hours for the ferry ride, Statue and Ellis Island. I am not sure that I want to devote 1/2 day to this, yet I really do want to see Ellis Island. Can this be accomplished in a shorter time period? How frequent are the ferry departures from Ellis Island? I am a "torn" woman! Learning about my immigrant forefathers or shopping on Canal street. Decisions- decisions!

You can get on the Ferry to SOL and Ellis Island, just stay on the ferry at the SOL and head to Ellis Island.

When you get back to Manhattan, take the #1 train up to Canal St and walk over toward Chinatown, Little Italy, that's where the better shopping is on Canal St, east of Broadway.

Another suggestion if you are up for walking would be to walk up Broadway to Canal St. and see some of the sites along the Way like Trinity Church, Wall St., World Trade Center, St. Paul's Chapel (with an exhibit in memory of the World Trade Center), City Hall, Woolworth Building, Pace University, a bit of shopping and a few blocks up is Canal St.

If you want to maximize your time on Ellis Island, catch the earliest ferry over so be inline around 8am, maybe earlier on a weekend, since the line gets very long. Later in the day you will be waiting in line a long time for the next ferry.

Have a great time while you are here.

Agree it's a good idea to save time by skipping the Statue of Liberty. You will get great views from the ferry (and once on the Island all you can see is the base - the rest is closed) giving you more time to spend at the Ellis Island Museum - which is fascinating.

Totally agree.
M (SMdA, Gto.)

An alternative would be to take the Staten Island Ferry RT from lower Manhattan to SI. Takes about one hour, goes past the SOL both ways, and it's free!