Duration
2 to 4 hours, by option selected
New York · experience
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: guided ferry tour
Reserved ferry access to both harbor islands with a guide, avoiding the queue for tickets and the wait for a crossing — Liberty Island’s statue and museum, then Ellis Island’s immigration story.
2 to 4 hours, by option selectedMaximum 25 travellersFrom €52
The experience
Reserved ferry access to Liberty and Ellis Islands, with a guide for the crossing and the history.
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island sit a short reserved ferry ride from Battery Park, and this is the version that removes the two hardest parts of visiting both in one day: the ticket queue and the wait for a crossing. A guide meets the group at Castle Clinton, narrates the harbor on the way out, and gives an introduction at each island before free time to explore.
Liberty Island comes first — the statue itself, its pedestal, and the Statue of Liberty Museum, all self-guided once the group arrives, since the National Park Service does not allow guided tours inside the museum or pedestal. Ellis Island follows, where the guide’s introduction to the immigration story sets up an unhurried visit to the National Museum of Immigration.
The tour runs a comprehensive four-hour version covering both islands, or a shorter two-hour option limited to Liberty Island for a tighter schedule.
Group
Maximum 25 travellers
Languages
English-speaking guide
Format
Round-trip reserved ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island
Meeting point
Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park
Pickup and drop-off
Returns to Battery Park by ferry
Who this suits
A good choice when it matches the way you want to use the city.
- A first visit to New York that wants the two harbor landmarks done properly, not rushed.
- Travellers tracing family immigration history through Ellis Island’s records.
- Anyone who would rather not queue for a same-day ferry ticket.
Itinerary
The route at a glance.
The guide and exact sequence are confirmed on the day. Times below are a useful indication of how this visit is normally structured.
- 120 minutes
Meet at Castle Clinton
Security screening, then boarding the reserved ferry in Battery Park.
- 2About 1 hour 45 minutes
Liberty Island
Guided introduction, then self-guided time at the statue, pedestal and museum.
- 315 minutes
Ferry to Ellis Island
- 4About 2 hours
Ellis Island
Guided introduction to the immigration story, then self-guided time in the National Museum of Immigration.
- 515 minutes
Return to Battery Park
What the visit includes
The practical detail before you choose a date.
Highlights
- Reserved ferry access, skipping the standard ticket line
- A guide’s introduction at both Liberty Island and Ellis Island
- Self-guided time inside the Statue of Liberty Museum
- Self-guided time inside the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
Included
- ✓ Round-trip reserved ferry tickets
- ✓ An English-speaking guide for the harbor crossing and both islands
- ✓ Statue of Liberty Museum entry
- ✓ Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration entry
Not included
- • Pedestal and crown access — not offered on guided tours; book separately, far in advance, for a self-guided pedestal or crown visit
- • Food and drink, available for purchase on the ferry and at both islands
- • Locker fees for bags too large to bring inside
Before you go
A few essentials for the day.
- Arrive 15 minutes before departure — the ferry leaves on time and latecomers cannot join.
- About 160 steps lead up to the statue’s pedestal for those with that access.
- Runs rain or shine; dress for the weather.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.