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Statue of Liberty
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Mon-Sun. 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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102 reviews for Statue of Liberty
Every American should visit the Statue of Liberty at least once in their lifetime. First, it is the thing to do on a first visit to NYC, and second, you really learn a lot about the history of our great country at this site.
I went over the weekend, and after not being there in almost almost 20 years, I was a bit surprised and saddened by all of the security. When I was a kid, you just jumped on the boat, but now there are metal detectors before you get on the ferry, and again when you go into the Statue itself. That really adds a substantial amount of time to the entire visit. But, once you get through that, it is fabulous!
The museum is very interesting, and the statue itself is a work of art. I also enjoyed viewing the Manhattan skyline from the Statue - so beautiful! My only regret is not booking Crown tickets several months in advance - they sell out fast! Guess I have a reason to go back! :)
Another touristy place, but the thing you have to do while in NY. Of course we've all seen pictures of the Statue of Liberty, but it seemed so surreal to see it in person. It was definitely beautiful. Also, during the ferry ride you get to see the skyline of NYC which also takes your breath away.
The process of getting there can be really annoying: long lines, crowded ferry, $12.00 (no monument access), but it's really worth a trip when you are visiting.
Did you know the Statue of Liberty was originally made of copper but because of oxidation, it caused the statue to turn green? Don't quote me on this because I skimmed through the blurb in a hurry. I apologize if this is old information for you but I slept through most of school.
You pay $12.00 to take a ferry to both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. They sell out of their crown tickets fast so if you want a spot definitely go early in the morning. As you ride the ferry to Liberty Island, you have probably one of the most amazing views of the Manhattan skyline. I imagine that it must be absolutely priceless at night.
Miss Liberty was such a great experience. I'm so happy I had the opportunity to see this landmark. Just thinking about all the history this statue has gone through made me all warm and tingly inside. It's worth the pain in the arse ferry ride.
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the statue itself was great...i had some small issues however.
1) the air port style security to get on the ferry to the statue is understandable. i mean the SOL is a national monument and represents what we stand for. it's a high value target. But making us go through another more thorough search once we got there, which took 45 minutes was redundant. i mean, if we didn't have weapons, knives, guns, or bombs when we got on the ferry, we're probably not gonna somehow get them on the ferry while on the boat.
2) they have these high tech lockers to place our bags in as we weren't allowed to carry any bags into the Statue museum itself. the lockers cost a dollar, were so high tech that it swiped your fingerprint to open the locker. amazing...but it kinda defeated the purpose when a worker stood outside the lockers, asking what box is yours and manually opens it for you when you leave so you can grab your things. i really could have said i was Box "so and so" and took off with someones purse. seriously?
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If you rate this under FIVE*STARS then the Communists have won.
_C$
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My friend moo'd as we were pushed into the ferry boat along with the bajillion other tourists.
Lady Liberty is a sight to see.
The annoying tourists are not. Imagine waiting 20 minutes in terrible heat to purchase a water. A dorky kid in front of you sticks his scabby hand into the bucket of ice water holding the drinks to cool himself down. Yeah, that's gross.
I THOUGHT SHE'D BE BIGGER IN REAL LIFE!
I LOVE Lady Liberty! Such a great attraction you have to go to if you get the chance to go to NY or NJ. It's a must! You have seen her in photos and TV but it's a way different experience when she is right in front of your face! It's very inspiring and surreal all at the same time!
Words of advice, YOU MUST order your tickets online. Especially if you want to go inside of her (that's what he said!) and now they have reopened the crown so I would buy tickets now! If you don't buy the inside Liberty tickets, no worries, just get the ferry ride ticket and enjoy her view!
Also, with your ticket to Liberty Island you also get to go to Ellis Island! You need to see this place. It's a HUGE museum and definitely worth the trip! There is so much history there that you will find yourself there forever!
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Nice to do at least once. Very touristy.
If you go, definitely buy your tickets before hand. If you do, you'll line up in a separate (shorter/faster) line to get in (to the ferry building, etc)
You'll have to climb up many sets of steps to get up to the observation deck. There is a elevator, but I think people only take that down. The view from the deck is nice. Too bad they no longer allow people to go up to the top (crown).
Security is pretty harsh. You can rent lockers on the island for $2 to put stuff in.
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I've been here 3 times. The first time was for myself, and the other times were to entertain relatives. Only the first time was pleasant. The other times were a hassle. I spent 10 minutes max there because it was way too crowded for my liking.
It's fun to walk the hundreds of stairs up to the to but it's narrow and hot and you're looking at someone's but for like an hour all the way up. But it's a great view out and then you go on back down. Definitely recommend.
come on .. its the statue of liberty.
actually its pretty impressive in real life.
I have such a crush on Lady Liberty! I bet she was sooooo sexy when she was brown! *sighs* Talk about being born in the wrong century...She makes french sexy!
I didn't understand the appeal of the cougar until I met you...
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When I was little, I went to New York on a family vacation. I remember visiting the Statue of Liberty, climbing up the cramped stairwell to the statue's crown, and trying to count the number of steps all the way up with my brothers.
Fast forward about a decade to a New York trip with the wife. This time when visiting the Statue of Liberty, we could only go up to the pedestal observation level and not all the way up to the crown... but some things never change as I still tried to count the number of steps!
The whole trip went smoothly as we bought our tickets ahead of time on the ferry website (http://www.statuecruis...). We made sure to add the free Monument Access option that gave access to the statue's base building (there are a limited number of people allowed per day).
We jumped on the ferry from Battery Park and enjoyed the views of the city on the trip to the island. As we approached the island, the first closeup glimpses of the statue were amazing. We disembarked and walked around the island to get different views of the statue and then headed inside with our Monument Access tickets. In addition to the observation level, the statue's base houses the museum gallery with displays showing the history of the statue and life-size replicas are various portions of the statue. The displays and the observation level are definitely must-sees!
Even though there were lines and crowds for the ferry, the visit was well worth it for the history, the symbolism, and the view of New York City.
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"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
HEY LAY-DEEE!! We gave Jerry Lewis to the French, I assume, in exchange for this. No wonder they hate us. I mean, like "The Nutty Professor" was pretty funny with Buddy Love and all. But we are talking about the indisputable symbol for freedom and democracy after all. It's been decapitated in "Cloverfield", frozen like a popsicle in "The Day After Tomorrow", drowned in "A.I.", and washed ashore in "Planet of the Apes". David Copperfield made it disappear (much like he did with Claudia Schiffer), and Barbra Streisand sang to it to avoid having rain on her parade in "Funny Girl" only to blow it up with a group of terrorists in "Up the Sandbox" four years later.
I never took the boat cruise to Liberty Island until last month when Jamie W. and I decided to take the combo Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island trip. The procedure is not particularly clear once you get to Battery Park. You find out you get the tickets inside Castle Clinton (which I don't believe is the senator's residence but perhaps her S&M dungeon). I highly recommend going for the $20 ticket which includes getting comprehensive audio tours of both islands. If you're lucky, you may be able to swing a Monument Pass, which allows you access to the museum and pedestal, but they only hand out 3,000 per day or roughly one-fifth of their daily visitor volume.
Then you make your way through a line that goes through an airport-style security check at which point you make it onto an already sardine-packed boat. Taking photos of Lady Liberty from the boat is more challenging than you think as selfish tourists mount themselves in camera-ready position and don't budge for anyone for the entire ride. Talk about your huddled masses. I say deport them to Disney World where they belong. Once you get off, it's a stampede toward the statue once you get past the gift shop and museum. She's beautiful still. And yes, all that.
In short, this piece of wretched refuse can tolerate the excessive elbowing of aggressive Europeans, the head butts of equally aggressive albeit height-challenged Asians, and the intrusiveness of Americans hellbent on pinching the torch in their digital photos. Forget about lifting your lamp for these folks, Miss Liberty...how about a swift kick in their behinds?
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Worth going if you are in NYC. They just re-opened the crown so if you plan on going up buy tickets WAY IN ADVANCE.
It was a beautiful weekend in NYC accompanied by amazing weather. Our visit to Liberty Island allowed us a closer look of Lady Liberty. I agree, without going up in the monument, some of the luster is gone, however to see something that has weathered this long, and so iconic, made it worth it. A quick 10 minute ferry ride over made it worth the time and energy.
Amazing to experience to see something that for over a century persons coming to US saw first hand.
Initially, I was just going to take the free Staten Island Ferry to get some nice cruise-by shots of Lady Liberty. However, I'm glad I decided to actually take the ferry to Liberty Island. If you are in NYC and have the time, it is certainly a must-do. The Statue of Liberty is such an iconic landmark, you should at least visit it once in your life.
Incidentally, I also did the Staten Island Ferry round trip later during my NYC visit. While that is a nice and free alternative, it was definitely nice to actually visit and walk around the island.
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Indeed, a true symbol of our fundamental values and freedoms.
Hip, hip, horay!
I actually visited this statue long before I even moved to New York more than 12 years ago...I guess you could say as a tourist, but technically I was visiting my sister at the time. I can officially say I did it once (all the way to the top), but never again. It's another one of those tourist traps I'd rather stay clear from. Luckily the statue is tall and open enough to be viewed from my neck of Brooklyn.
To admire from afar is enough for me...and indeed a gorgeous site to see at night.
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Yep, its much bigger in real life than I thought.
Thats what she said.
Its fun to take the ferry here and get a view of all the skyscrapers. Then to actually walk up close to the statue itself is a pretty amazing experience. After seeing it on TV and in pictures so many times, its one of those things you have to see at some point in your life.
Be sure that if you visit toward the end of visiting hours, that you board the last ferry. I think it closed around 5ish and it must suck to be left behind for the evening. Oh, and Liberty Island apparently has more walking space than I thought too.
I need to travel more often.
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It warmed my heart, definitely, to make a young boy's dreams come true. (Get your mind out of the gutter, I am talking about my son!)
My 5YO, J, has been madly (read: inexplicably) in love with Statue of Liberty ever since my sister introduced him to the Great French Lady via schoolbook about a year ago. He would stare at any picture of her on TV or in a book with an admiration and love that was previously only reserved for his Star Wars toys. (Has a thing for green Frenchwomen, for sure.)
Well, when Little Mister found out that we were actually going to SEE, to MEET, to maybe even CLIMB IN (strange statement alert) his dream woman, ah! I wish I had a camera capture the moment. From the moment we hit the streets of NYC, it was "Mommy, when are we going to visit THE STATUE OF LIBERTY? When Mommy, WHENWHENWHENWHEN?!" all the day and all the night. Like to drive me insane my own self. By the time I saw the SOL, I was going to smack her for bewitching my son.
And so, on our last full-day in NYC we took the 1 train to the South Ferry station and made our way through the vendors hawking fake Prada and Coach purses to the ferry station. We already purchased our tickets via the NYC City Pass (remember this for later), so we moved fairly quickly through the airport-security-type line and then into the main line to get onto the ferry to Liberty Island. This was all punctuated by J yelling, "I SEE HER! I SEE HER! THERE SHE IS DADDY!" right into my ear. I smiled, because it was pretty cute to see him all excited, E (The Husband) took loads of photos like the tourist he is, and the line-dwellers were terribly amused.
We got to Liberty Island, which was terribly crowded all over. Views all around the statue were crowded, the souvenir store was Ridiculous-Crowded, and the line to get into The Lady herself seemed to stretch for miles. E and I were cross about the crowds (lots of jostling and stepping-on-feet action going on), but J was just taking in his dream woman and didn't notice. Our little group was getting ready to get into the line to go into the SOL, but were informed by one of the folks in the back of the line that a) you needed a separate ticket for access inside the SOL, b) they give those separately at the ticket office, and c) there was no ticket office on Liberty Island - you had to get the pass(es) onshore at the Battery Park box office. E and I were a tad annoyed, but figured it could've been worse: we could've been told this after we waited 1.5 hours and gotten to the front of the line.
J was a little disappointed, but after we told him that he could get something from the souvenir shop, he forgot all about it. He got some SOL gear, fell out of love with her (she was "too big" for him, he said), decided that he would be her brother, and spent the rest of the time posing for everyone. "I'M THE STATUE OF LIBERTY'S BROTHER! SEE?!" But I still think he has a thing for Frenchwomen. He was flirting with some of them on the ferry like mad. Allez-y!
All-in-all? A good time was had by all. Crowds galore, a lot of people, but it is very worth-it to see this symbol of freedom and grace. Go, and don't forget to pose with your torch in the front of Miss Lady.
PS-For those toying with purchasing the NYC City Pass, the information about getting those separate entrance tickets to the SOL monument is NOT listed anywhere in the ticket packet/accompanying book. If you would like entrance, get your passes at the Battery Park box office ahead of time. There is no additional fee for this, but you cannot do it at the Island itself. You have been warned!
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Such a marvelous amazon woman!
She's so gorgeous from way down here. I loved being able to hang out and picnic on the grounds after touring the inside of her. ooooh lala
Only wish I could've made it up to her crown for a brilliant view of the NY skyline. Sigh
This is only worth it if you have access onto the monument otherwise you're just walking around Liberty Island and taking a close picture of Statue of Liberty which would've cost you dearly from the tickets for the ferry ride.
My FI had done his research and purchased tickets (with audio tours, only get this if you have access to the monument, otherwise it's a waste of money) at least 1 week in advance, but didn't know that our tickets state "no monument access" until it was printed after purchasing them online. Apparently we learned about this from speaking to the information center on Liberty Island. The information center told us that the monument access can be sold out at least a week in advance, so when he purchased it online it was already sold out, but it didn't mention that ahead of time before the purchase. Thus my recommendation would be to purchase the tickets ahead of time by calling the place instead of online to ensure and clarify that you have access to the monument. Otherwise it feels like you paid $20 a person just to take photos with the monument since that is the cost for the ferry ride.
Also another confusing part is that even if you purchase ahead of time online, you still have to exchange them out across from the long line of "flex ticket buyers" then be able to walk into the reserved tickets line.
I felt the way this system set up was more of a tourist trap that teased you in thinking that you had access into the monument despite buying tickets....
my family and i had a blast, for a mere 12 bucks you can ride the ferry back and forth between manhattan/ellis island/statue of liberty...we spent the whole day there! it was exhausting, but wholesome. we are cheapos so we did the free tours with the park rangers throughout the day, no need to pay extra $ for the tours they offer there.
the food was not that expensive but it SUCKED!! i got the burger and fries and it was SO DRY IT WAS HORRIBLE. worse than cafeteria food. i would suggest you bring your own lunch or eat before/after you go.
a lot of new yorkers have never gone to the statue of liberty...which is a shame...this is a must do.
Cause I'm proud to be an American!!!!!!!
i laugh, i cried, it was the WORLD!!
You havent Lived until you see her!!!!
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Hmmm for whatever reason, I was a little disappointed. I guess too many Hollywood movies for me going through New York on this very popular monument which made it larger than life for me than it really was.
Granted the day I went it was very cold windy AND rainy and I had forgone the umbrella option so overall I was already miserable. The statue was very worn down looking, a lot more than I expected it to be with all of the restoration that I suspect must happen for this treasure of a monument. There was a ton of fading and many different colored panels on her lady's body. She looked onto New York with a dreary glance. The line to get inside was so long and inefficiently so that after waiting about 30 minutes in the cold drenching rain I gave up. I heard due to terrorist activities nowadays you cannot go to the top anymore but can only go to the 3rd floor ... which is not even half way up.
The store in itself was also only ok and for what I HONESTLY wanted from there ... they had none. Umbrellas! KEY for New York.
Be sure to reserve your ticket and print it out beforehand - otherwise, you will wait one hour and a half to even buy a ticket to stand in line through security and wait another hour to get on the damn ferry! If you get a reserve ticket (you have to know the names of the people though), then you can bypass buying the tickets that oversell and cut in line too! And it's the same price - $12. We reserved for the 11a ferry and we a little late, but it was fine. They refunded me one ticket too since one person didn't show up b/c he had a hangover.
We didn't get the Monument Pass b/c it was sold out. But after going to the Statue and Ellis Island we were so tired - so I was glad we didn't go into the Statue. Bring sunglasses, gloves and a thick coat in the spring! Lots of great photos of the views so bring plenty of battery packs.
If you don't care for getting that up close, then you can go on the Staten Island Ferry that is free. It is next to the South Ferry subway station.
Do not eat the churros they sell at Battery Park. They are nasty! The Wall Street Bull is a short walk from Battery Park so don't miss it!
Avoid in winter. Man it was cold. Soooo cold.
Got to walk around the base and try to warm up in the cafe. Took lots of pictures and stayed there for a good while.
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I have always wanted to see her up close and finally I get the chance! Fun ferry ride over, about 20 minutes. The Lady was shining bright in the morning sun. If you get a much later than 9:30am ferry you don't get to see the sun shining on her which makes the torch a brilliant gold and her whole green body glows an entirely different color. So beautiful. We have amazing pictures of her now!
Once on the island we didn't realize that you have to RESERVE tickets to go up into the crown...... they do give out 200 tickets a day, which will be taken by all the people on the first ferry over at 8:30am. So that part was a drag to get over there and anticipate going up into her crown just to be turned away. We didn't purchase anything in the concession or museum areas.
Our park ranger tour guide was a hoot though and had all kinds of interesting info to tell us. We walked the grounds and it took us about 20 minutes to see everything.
It was a bright and sunny day we were there so the views of Ellis Island and downtown NYC were great.
The ferry ride over to Ellis Island was about 15 minutes and we didn't have a wait to get on board. We were there on a Tue so do yourself a favor to avoid the crowds and go midweek. It took us about an hour total to get from downtown to Ellis Island. Not bad at all!
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I love the Statue of Liberty! This was such an awesome day with my mom! (even though it rained!) We had so much fun taking pictures and walking around. I think everyone should visit at least once!
Overall, I enjoyed the Statue, but why it doesn't get more stars is because of the security to get up into the monument itself. It was horrendous! We waited 40 minutes under a tent with 2 ceiling fans and sweltered half to death. We went in September and the temp outside was about 80, but under that tent it was at least 95. We almost gave up we were so hot standing there in a line forever, go early and go when it's cool.
The view on the ferry to the island are great as is the view from the monument itself. It was worth all the steps up.
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We went around New Years so perhaps this wasn't the best time of the year to go. The wait to get on the ferry was out of control! The line just kept looping around Battery Park. I think we finally got on the ferry at around 2pm so we didn't even have time to visit Ellis Island.
But wow. The view of NYC skyline as the ferry headed towards Statue of LIberty was absolutely breathtaking. I completely forgot about my two hour wait in line and I just stood in awe. It was just as beautiful to watch the sunset on the observation deck.
Symbol of the US and to many immigrants, it is an ingrained image. Everyone knows all about this monument, so I will just pass on some logistics.
1. Go early and avoid the lines. If you don't have pre-paid tickets, you have to stand in a line to get tickets. There is a ferry that leaves at 8:30am (most published books say 9:00am), but we got on one at 8:30am with no wait in line and no waiting for the security.
2. Ask for Monument Tickets as these will allow you to go up into the pedestal which has a history of the statue laid out, and you can see the inside of it, and view NYC from the top of the pedestal. If you don't have this Monument Ticket, you just get to walk around the Island.
3. Then you have to go through a security tent that has airport-like screening.
4. Then you wait for the next ferry.
5. First stop is the Statue, and the next is Ellis Island.
6. If you have a Monument Ticket, then you have to go through a security again.
I did enjoy going up to the pedestal. You get to see the inside of the statue and see how it is put together. Nice views also once you get to the top of the base.
Also, a walk around the island is enjoyable and you have many vantage points for taking pictures.
A national treasure not to be missed.
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Very fun. We took the Ferry from the New Jersey side. Well, actually the Statue of Liberty is in New Jersey. A lot of New Yorkers don't want you to know that. :)
In fact, here's a real eye-opener, something that most New Yorkers or New Jersians don't have a clue about, and probably would not mention even if they knew....
Does anyone know that there is another Statue of Liberty? Where you might ask? In Tokyo Japan, right on Tokyo Bay. It too was a gift from France. See the photos that we have just uploaded.
When visiting this one in New Jersey, we had fun, the ferry service was excellent and I had a phun almost prank phone call from the lobby, when calling my Dad and saying, "Hello, I am calling from the Statue of Liberty". Haha Something he most certainly remembers. They also have a post office inside and you can mail letters and greeting cards with a special Statue of Liberty postmark.
So how does this lady look? Oxidized. Which is why she is green. This would be magnificent to see in virgin copper. I think they need to strip her down to copper and glass her that way. And dump just a few bucks of the stimulus money to do it. Seriously.
Wow...
Just wow...
I've seen hundreds of images of the Statue in text books, coins, posters, but when I came here for the first time...
Speechless.
That, and I was alone, so I didn't really have anyone to talk to about it... That aside, it is quite impressive in person.
Just a few points to note:
- On the way there, turn around! there's such a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline as you're pulling away from the shore.
- The wait is worth it, but if you can, show up early; you'll save yourself from sun burns.
- And if you're one who can hit the snooze button blindfolded, bound, upside down and suspended from the ceiling, bring a large bottle of water and sunblock.
- You have to get reservations to walk inside the statue ahead of time.
- And bring spare batteries for your camera.
Go there! You might think it's touristy, and you might think 'I can go there anytime', but just take a few hours out of your weekend and visit one of the greatest symbols of freedom.
Pay your respects to Lady Liberty.
And be inspired.
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It had been awhile since I've last been up a woman's skirt other than my wife's, but I decided to make an exception for the gigantic lady in patina green while I was on my honeymoon in NY.
If you go, be prepared to spend half a day (couple hours more if you add Ellis Island to the tour) for the entire experience. Ever since 9/11, security has been amped up and is now tighter than my lips sucking on Ling Hing Mui Lemon Peels. The average wait in line just to enter the foundation is about 2 hours. You have to check through, not one, but TWO security/metal detection areas, one of them replete with bomb sniffing machines. The only thing missing, my derriere is happy to report, is a big hairy dude with rubber gloves and a flashlight.
Another casualty of 9/11 is that once inside, vistors are no longer allowed to climb the stairs past the statue base. What a shame. This fact is the most disappointing moment of the tour...a majestic view of the Manhattan skyline from hundreds of feet above the ground is no longer possible. %$@&* terrorists! They ruined it for everybody.
Once there on Liberty Island, some people, such as myself, may discover the Statue to be underwhelming. Lady Liberty didn't seem quite as big or tall as I had imagined...the statue base accounts for more than half her height.
But at least now I can say, "I've been there," to New York's shining symbol of hope.
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We made it on the last ferry out.So,had to do either Ellis island or Lady Liberty.
That's what she said :)
And the Statue of Liberty it was.It's exciting to be that close to something so magnificent and beautiful.Got some fantastic shots of the Sun right behind the statue's head.However the base of the pedestal was closed so didn't get a chance to go up there .Maybe next time.Also heard the crown will be open to public soon.That should warrant another trip.
The New Colossus
By Emma Lazarus, 1883
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Certainly, this is one of the central attractions for tourists - tickets for the ferry and entrance are timed and mandatory. I'd get tickets off-season, and early. Unfortunately unlike the past, you're unable to climb into the torch and crown (amazing sights, but the problem is the total number of stairs), but once past security, you can wander into the pedestal area and the island itself that the statue rests upon, to look out over the water to the main view of New York City. Particularly gorgeous from a-far, with the sun setting around her, you can get some great pictures from NJ and Battery Park in Manhattan.
The Statue of Liberty.
After almost 20 years since the last time I've been here, I decided to come back and bask in it's glory (That and my mother has never been there before). And everything is just as I remembered it back when I was 9. It's a pity that most of the inside of the statue is closed off now, I remember watching in awe when I was up in the crown and getting a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline. But even if you don't go inside the statue, it's still a sight to behold. And it's still relatively cheap (ticket gets you both visits to Ellis and Liberty Island). Just beware of the long lines for the ferries (especially on the hot days), but if you're an American, you gotta visit Lady Liberty at least once in your life.
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I lived in New Jersey growing up, spent countless days and nights in the city, visited it many times once I moved away and never, ever went to see this incredible landmark. So we did what any other parents would do - we took the kids. It's worth the trip - definitely reserve ahead of time to skip the lines. The audio tour was fine (a bit repetitive). We hit it on a rainy day and still waited for a long time. Unfortunately we were only able to climb to the top of the podium; the statue is supposed to open up to the top this summer so check first. It was interesting to hear about the history and see it all - I'm glad we went but I think Ellis Island was far more interesting.
Monument
Normally, I'm not a tourist. I can't stand doing the touristy things, like going to every single little thing listed specifically for tourists all the way down to wearing the shirts that say I LOVE NY. We had people asking us for directions!
However, my friend wanted to so I acquiesced.
Please remember, however, that you do need to reserve the "monument pass" a week in advance and although you could purchase a ticket to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, there was no going up the actual monument itself.
The Statue of Liberty island was so so. We must have gone on a school day, since busloads of children were screaming and squawking in every direction. In person, the monument does not seem as large as it does onscreen, but the sheer immensity of it all does not hit you until a bit later when you see the tiny heads of people already up there.
It did, however, afford me certain angles of awesome photograph shots that I'll have to put up soon :)
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