Around Battery Park
Downtown Manhattan - New York City
Battery Park
Description: Battery Park is one of the oldest parks in New York City. It is located at the southern tip of Manhattan. There are several boat docks from which boats depart for the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and ferries to Staten Island.
Our rating: A nice little oasis to rest your tired legs a bit. No top attraction but quite nice. You inevitably come here anyway if you want to go to the Statue of Liberty or Staten Island.
Statue of Liberty NM
Description: Standing in front of the tip of Manhattan on Liberty Island, the Statue of Liberty is the landmark and one of the top attractions of New York City. The statue was created by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and was a gift from the French people to the United States. Since 1924, the Statue of Liberty has been part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. You can admire the statue not only from the outside, you can also get inside. In the base is a museum in which you can learn everything worth knowing about the Statue of Liberty. There is also a viewing platform from which you have a great view. In addition, you can also get up to the crown of the statue via a spiral staircase.
If you want to visit Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty, you should order the Tickets in advance. Often you can't get tickets spontaneously on the spot. Especially if you want to get into the base of the statue or into the crown of the statue, it is necessary to reserve.
Our rating: A visit to the Statue of Liberty is simply part of every visit to New York. The landmark of the city is an absolute must see. If you don't want to go directly to Liberty Island, you can also see the statue by taking the free ferry to Staten Island.
During our visits in 2010 and 2013, we viewed the statue from the Staten Island Ferry. In 2016 we visited Liberty Island and were in the base of the statue in the museum. Both versions are great and very worth seeing.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- $19.25/person for the ferry - If you want to go inside the statue, it costs extra.
- Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Everything you need to know about visiting the Statue of Liberty can be found on the official webpage.
Best time to visit: Frühling, Sommer und Herbst
Our visits:
So far 2 visits: August 1992, May 2016
Ellis Island
Description: Ellis Island is a man-made island between New Jersey and Manhattan that served as a central immigration point for immigrants to the United States between 1892 and 1954. It has been part of Liberty Island National Monument since 1965. Since 1990 it has been open to the public as a museum. You can reach Ellis Island from Manhattan and from New Jersey by boat. Tickets kann man online zusammen mit dem Ticket zu Liberty Island reservieren.
Our rating: We have visited Ellis Island twice so far (1992 and 2016). Those who are a little interested in the immigration history of the USA will certainly have fun here. The museum is interesting and we can recommend a visit. The highlight for us were the huge name boards that are built in the garden around the museum. The names of all immigrants are listed here, who reached the USA via Ellis Island to start a new life in the new world. We also found our last names.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 19.25$/person for the ferry
- Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Everything you need to know about visiting the Statue of Liberty can be found on the official webpage.
Staten Island Ferry
Description: The Staten Island Ferry is a ferry service between Manhattan and Staten Island. The ferry terminal is located east of Battery Park. The crossing is 5mi long and takes 22 minutes. The ferry has been free since 1997. It is used by nearly 20 million passengers annually. This ferry service is also quite interesting for tourists. First, there really aren't many freebies in New York City, and second, you get great views of downtown and the Statue of Liberty during the ride. Once on Staten Island, you simply get off and get back on the next ferry. Within an hour you are back in Manhattan.
Our rating: Absolute recommendation. There's really nothing more to say about it. It's free and you get spectacular views of downtown Manhattan.
