She's Big, She's Green and She Didn't Get Voted Off the Island!
Written: Aug 12 '03 (Updated Nov 08 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A meaningful piece of American history; beautiful view of Manhattan skyline.
Cons: You can no longer go in the statue because of security concerns.
The Bottom Line: The Statue of Liberty is awesome to see in person and a nice day trip from New York or New Jersey.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Statue of Liberty |
The Statue of Liberty is an incredibly meaningful landmark to most Americans. As you approach on the ferry, you can imagine what millions of immigrants felt as they got their first glimpse of America. You can also feel pride in the liberty and freedom we have in the United States.
Lady Liberty is situated on Liberty Island. DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS, YOU CAN NO LONGER GO IN THE STATUE! A visit in these days of terrorism entails merely a walk around the grounds at the Lady's feet. However, that does not diminish the first site of the statue or the feeling of being up close to enjoy the history and symbolism of the famous statue.
Quick fact: The inside structure of the Statue of Liberty was designed by the same man that designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris (back in the days when we weren't mad at the French).
Plan on spending about half an hour to an hour walking around the grounds. There is a rather extensive gift shop selling a pretty good range of overpriced goods. Tours are also available from Rangers on the Island.
GETTING THERE
We took the ferry from New Jersey. This is the easier way if you have a car but you can also leave from NYC. In New Jersey, ferries depart from Liberty State Park, just outside New York City and about a 10 minute drive from the Holland Tunnel.
The only downside to driving to Liberty State Park is that once you enter the park, you must drive down a lengthy cobblestone road that is probably horrible for your car's tires and suspension. Parking is a flat $5 fee for the day in a paved outdoor lot. From the parking lot, you have to walk about 10 minutes to the Ferry terminal. From the New Jersey docks, you have a wonderful view of the Manhattan skyline.
There are bathrooms near the parking lot and also inside the terminal. The bathrooms near the parking lot were filthy. The ones near the terminal were somewhat cleaner.
The ferry schedule is at www.circlelineferry.com and it changes with the seasons. In my experience, the ferry leave on time or close to on time.
Ferry tickets cost:
Adults (ages 13 years & older) $10.00
Senior Citizens (ages 62 & over) $8.00
Children (ages 4 through 12) $4.00
Children 3 and under Free
The tickets are good for a round trip and include admission to Ellis Island and Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty stands. The ferry makes a stop at Ellis Island, then the Statue of Liberty and then goes back to the terminal. You can get on and get off as you want, just don't miss the last ferry back. I thought we could do the whole trip in about 2-3 hours. However, it takes closer to 4, even if you hurry, because it takes time to wait for the ferry and at least 20 minutes at each stop to load and unload the ferry. More time is spent traveling between the Islands. If you never got off the ferry, it would take an hour to do the trip. Plan on spending at least half an hour at Liberty Island, however you could more time enjoying the grounds and visiting the gift shop.
FOOD
There are a couple of hot dog vendors in and around the New Jersey terminal charging high prices to a captive audience. Hot Dogs go for $2.50. There is also a cafeteria on Liberty Island serving up another tribute to American culture: greasy, overpriced, supersized fast food. The menu is similar to McDonalds, although they have a few more offerings. My suggestion is to eat before you go. We were allowed to bring water bottles with us but guards told us we couldn't bring food.
SECURITY
The security is, understandably, very tight. You have to remove all metal from your body including watches and belt buckles. On a crowded summer day, it took us 20 minutes to go through security. Plan ahead and leave plenty of time for security when trying to make the ferry.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
A visit to the Statue of Liberty is a great excursion from New York or New Jersey. The Statue is really awesome to see in person and the grounds and Manhattan skyline add to the trip. Try to go in nice weather to enjoy the ferry ride. The trip takes longer than you think so plan on spending at least 4 hours on the trip.
MY MINI-GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY
Things to Do:
The Metropolitan Museum
Ellis Island
Places to Eat:
Lucky Cheng’s has Chinese food for adults.
Ruby Foo’s has Chinese food for families.
Pipa is next to Manhattan Mecca ABC Carpet & Home.
Starlight Diner is where singing servers bring your burgers.
Rue 57 fuses French and Japanese cuisine in Midtown.
Places to Stay:
The Roosevelt Hotel
The Hudson
The W on Lexington
Sheraton Manhattan
Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
New York Hilton
Broadway:
TKTS sells half-price tickets to Broadway shows.
Gypsy is Broadway at its best.
Rent is an unusual Broadway rock musical legend.
Wicked is a prequel to the Wizard of Oz.
Chicago is a classic.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
modernmarvel
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Location: Basking in the Sun
Reviews written: 504
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About Me:
Can anyone recommend a western family dude ranch for a vacation this summer?
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