How long ellis island take

The Statue of Liberty and museum take approximately 90 minutes to see and Ellis Island is another one hour to 90 minutes. Ferry wait times for security at Battery Park and ferries to and from Liberty and Ellis Island take time and with lines, you may have to wait for two ferries to go by before getting one. So the entire experience of visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island could easily be 5 — 6 hours. Many people book months in advance and if you are visiting during high season, we recommend doing so.

Especially when making reservations for the crown and pedestal. Depending on your time in New York, you will need to make the decision of visiting Liberty Island itself or simply taking one of the many statue cruises offered to get a view of her from the water.

Whatever you decide, you are going to love it. The Statue of Liberty is the most iconic statue in the world and is not to be missed! See Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. Sail down the Hudson, cruising around the Battery, and up the East River. The statue of Liberty ferry and ticket office is located at Battery Park in Manhattan.

Ferries open at am and we suggest getting there as early as possible to be at the front of the line. You can buy a MetroPass at machines in entrances to the Subway. Machines take cash or credit and you can load your pass as needed. When you walk out of the subway, there will be several people standing to offer information. Some are selling tours, but others are there to help. If someone tries to sell you a tour, politely decline and go directly to the ticket office. We told them we had a New York Pass already and they left us alone while kindly offering directions.

If you want to go up to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, you need to book in advance for your time. It is no extra cost, but times are booked on a first-come-first-served basis. So if you arrive at with a bunch of other people, they may already have their reserved time and you will have to wait even longer. When booking directly from the Government Website, you will receive skip the line tickets through security which can save time. You should also book ahead of time we have read up to three months in advance at the website as times are designated on a first come first serve basis as well.

Reservations will also put you ahead of the line to go through security when entering the Statue of Liberty ferry terminal. Or if you are there early in the morning, you can purchase directly from the ticket office inside the Clinton Castle. Viator offers guided tours of Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Reserve Line Access boarding on the ferry to Liberty Island. Going through security to board the ferry is similar to going on a plane. Open bottles of water are not allowed.

We had to drink our water before going through security. Either, keep your bottle sealed until after you go through security or bring a reusable bottle that has no liquid in it and fill it up afterward. If you are unsure about what to bring leave it in the hotel room. If it is confiscated at security, you will not get it back! If you want the best view on the way out to Liberty Island, stand on the right-hand side facing the dock.

Most people go to the left looking out at the water, but once the boat moves, the best views are from the right. Outside, upstairs or at the back is best for views of the New York skyline on the way out to the Statue of Liberty. There is a snack bar on the ferry where you can buy snacks and drinks. The toilets on the ferry are clean and in good working condition. When you arrive at Liberty Island, be sure to check the ferry times as you walk out for your trip onward.

We planned for 90 minutes at the statue so we kept an eye out for the ferry that was scheduled 2 hours after our visit. That way we could have a minute cushion should the line be too long which it always is. It was a pleasant stroll walking around Liberty Island seeing the views of Lady Liberty from every possible angle.

She really is an impressive sight. The views of the Manhattan skyline are outstanding from here so be sure to take it in from every angle. The Statue of Liberty Museum opened in May and your ticket does include access to this museum for free. Inside there are interactive displays, a minute multimedia display, and a gallery showcasing the history of how it was made and what Lady Liberty represents. The inspiration gallery where the original torch is on display was our favorite.

Between the years of and , over 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island on the way to a better life here in America—the land where the buffaloes roam, the deer and the antelope play, and people drink sodas out of cups the size of oil drums. Visiting Ellis Island is a lesson in where these people came from, who they were, to where they spread out, and how our country changed because of them.

Sorry about that. You know who you are, lady holding up her hairbrush like a torch. When you purchase your tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty, visiting Ellis Island is included, and vice-versa. One way they like to word it is: admission to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is free, you just have to pay for the ferry to get you there.

Like how you can sometimes get two whoppers for just five bucks. There are many types of tickets available for the Statue of Liberty and every single one of them includes visiting Ellis Island. I use these any time I visit a participating city. Because of this, tickets sell out faster than cronuts and reality competition contestants. However, all tickets will give you the same admission to Ellis Island , regardless of which one you choose.

That said, if visiting Ellis Island is your priority here, just choose the Reserve ticket—which happens to be the cheapest one. They are the only officially authorized provider of tickets for these two attractions.

Despite what our beloved rom-coms would have you believe, New York City is not full of random people who want to help you out of the goodness of their hearts. It is full of people trying to take advantage of you though.

Though statuecruises. So, should you decide to purchase some New York CityPASSes, you can rest assured your hard-earned money is still being put towards the operation and upkeep of these important historical sites.

You know the drill—please, God, tell me you know the drill—so prepare accordingly to save yourself and the other millions of people as much precious time as possible. There will be wands and metal detectors and bins and people shouting instructions at you and that one person who wants to argue about the whole thing. Check out my rundown of the best observation decks in NYC to help you choose which one s to visit.

However, in our case, you should know that the Ellis Island audio guide contains over hours of content. Do you have an entire month to dedicate to visiting Ellis Island? They are led by official National Park Service Rangers and last about 40 minutes total. Through these tours you will learn all about Ellis Island during the years of — its busiest time.

They will cover what the 7 to day trip overseas was like and the inspection process upon arriving at Ellis Island as an immigrant. The ranger guided tours of Ellis Island leave on the hour and to join one you just need to head to the information desk on the first floor. Do they tell you that up front? The Wall of Honor, upon first inspection, looks like a memorial to the more than 12 million people who came through Ellis Island on their way to a new life in America.

While many of the names are of people who came through Ellis Island, it also contains the names of people who immigrated during all years throughout history even present day , who came through all points of entry around the U. This exhibit, on the east side of the second floor, explores the reasons people had for immigrating, where they came from, how they got here, and the challenges they encountered in America.

You'll probably be able to enjoy most, if not all, of the activities listed above, including a Ranger-Guided Tour and the documentary, "Island of Hope, Island of Tears". Many visitors begin on the third floor and work their way down through the exhibits, making sure not to miss a visit to the Registry Room. Explore This Park. Info Alerts Maps Calendar Reserve. Alerts In Effect Dismiss.

Dismiss View all alerts. Other activities include: Park Ranger tour free, 30 minutes Audio Tour free, minimum 45 minutes "Island of Hope, Island of Tears" documentary free, minute program. You can supplement any of the above activities by visiting our third-floor exhibit galleries.