We continue completing our New York guide and today we bring you something that you have asked us a lot, How to climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty? We will make a video about them soon but while we leave you step by step how to do it.
Climbing to the crown of the statue of Liberty video
How to climb the crown of the Statue of Liberty?
It's an iconic New York landmark that we're going to explore today! With over 4 million visitors a year, the Statue of Liberty is a must-see for anyone visiting the Big Apple. Located on a small island off the coast of Manhattan, the statue is accessible thanks to numerous boats that provide daily shuttles. But what's even more spectacular than visiting the island of the Statue of Liberty? Go inside the statue and climb up to the crown! If the majority of tourists are content with a walk on the island around the statue, be aware that it is also possible to enter it. Today, I am going to explain everything to you about this extraordinary visit. Where to find the tickets? How to book? Tips for visiting… You will know everything about this activity really like no other 🙂
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Climbing into the crown of the statue, is it worth it? My opinion
Without suspense, I answer a big YES! I had been waiting for a long time to be able to climb to the top of the statue and this experience will truly go down as one of the most memorable of all my trips to New York! And even if all visits to the statue leave unforgettable memories, do not miss the opportunity to climb to the statue of Liberty.
Statue of Liberty inside image source: Flickr/Rob Young |
Today there are 3 types of visits for the Statue of Liberty:
- The "Reserve Ticket": which allows access to the island of the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Island) and to walk there. ($18.50)
- The "Pedestal Reserve Ticket" : which allows access to the island of the Statue of Liberty, to walk there and also to access the pedestal of the statue. ($18.50)
- The "Crown Reserve Ticket": which allows access to the island of the Statue of Liberty, to walk there and also to access the pedestal as well as the crown. ($21.50)
But what really tips the scales is that the pedestal + crown ticket only costs a few dollars more than the single ticket. For only 3 small additional dollars, you can afford the chance to climb to the top of the statue and admire the entire New York skyline from this point of view as unusual as it is breathtaking. With such an affordable price, it would be wrong not to take advantage of it!
Good to know: All these tickets also include the visit to the island and the Ellis Island museum as well as audio guides on Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Round-trip transfer by boat completes the service.
Good to know 2: The tickets included in the various passes (New York City Pass, Explorer Pass, New York Pass, etc.) do not allow access to the crown and the pedestal. The ticket included in these passes is always the "Reserve Ticket" which allows free access to the island of the statue and to Ellis Island.
Where to make the reservation to ride in the crown of the statue of liberty?
All tickets to access the Statue of Liberty are sold on the official Statue Cruises website here.
⚠️ ATTENTION: TO CLIMB THE CROWN OF THE STATUE, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO BOOK THE TICKETS ONLINE IN ADVANCE ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE. THE "CROWN RESERVE TICKETS" WHICH ALLOW ACCESS TO THE CROWN ARE NOT SOLD ON SITE ⚠️
As access to the crown is extremely restricted (due to the limited space inside the statue), it is essential to plan well in advance to reserve entrance tickets. Very few tickets are on sale, so they all go very quickly! Here are the overall booking deadlines to be respected:
- During low tourist season (generally between November and March), a month in advance may be sufficient. But 2 or 3 months in advance are even more recommended to be sure to have all the dates available!
- During high season, between April and October, it is necessary to reserve entry tickets at least 3 months in advance.
To give an idea, at the time of writing this article (March 20), the first tickets available to climb to the crown are offered on July 25. If your visit is scheduled for the critical July/August period, you can start looking at bookings around 4-5 months before the deadline. You will then be asked to choose a day and a specific time of passage. Yes, climbing into the crown of the statue is anticipated and deserved!
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How is the visit to the crown?
Once the online reservation has been made, a reservation confirmation is sent by email. Please note that this booking confirmation does not constitute an electronic ticket. On the day of the tour, it is necessary to go to the Statue Cruises ticket offices located at Castle Clinton (at Battery Park). At the entrance to Castle Clinton, a notice board indicates the counters corresponding to reservations made in advance online. Be careful not to get in the wrong line, there are a lot of people and I saw a lot of people forced to queue twice because they weren't at the right counter.
It is then sufficient to present the booking confirmation received by email as well as the identity documents of all visitors to be authorised to enter. We were able to access at this time a much faster queue to access the ferry. Once on Liberty Island, it is necessary to go through a locker because backpacks are not allowed inside the statue. After all these steps, we can finally access the interior of the statue!
First step: the pedestal
The crown ticket gives first access to the pedestal of the statue. We do not necessarily know it, but the base of the statue constitutes in itself a very beautiful observatory (magnificent view of the New York skyline!) but also allows you to enjoy new points of view on Lady Liberty. It is very easily accessible by elevator.
Second step: the crown
The second part of the ascent is done this time by stairs: 162 steps to climb in the narrow space of the statue. At the beginning of the afternoon of May, the weather is splendid and it is not cold inside the statue! I take advantage of the climb to take my time and observe all the little details invisible from the outside: the structure, the assembly of the statue but also the contours of the silhouette and the face.
We are very lucky because we are alone when we arrive on the crown platform. Only the two rangers in charge of surveillance accompany us. I keep an incredible memory of this moment, admiring New York from the crown of the statue, like two privileged people exchanging anecdotes with the rangers. They ask us nicely if we want to be photographed, which we accept. Besides, my camera no longer knows where to turn because there are so many extra photos to take from up there! Incredible views from the torch or the book the statue is holding, not to mention the absolutely stunning view of the New York skyline itself. In short, a great moment that will remain in our memories for a long time!
Inside the crown of the Statue of Liberty image source: Flickr/Kristina D.C. Hoeppner |
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Frequently asked question about the time of climbing the statue
One of the questions that you send us the most through the contact form, once you have bought your tickets to go up to the statue, is about the timetable. Is the ticket time the time you have to be there to get on the boat to the island? Or is it time to climb the statue? Well, what you see below was the response given to one of our website followers:
Thank you for contacting Statue Cruises, the official licensee of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. I apologize for the confusion. The time on your ticket is your security appointment before boarding a ship. The Statue We recommend that you arrive at least 30 minutes before your security appointment, as you will need to pick up your tickets at the box office Once the security screening process, you can take the first available boat to Liberty Island, and we do have boats to go Every 20 minutes. However, you do not have a confirmed entry time to the Crown, for your convenience and enjoyment we advise you to proceed directly to the Statue and make your Crown visit immediately once inside.
We hope that this post on “How to climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty” has been useful to you. You know, if you have any questions about organizing your trip, write to us through our “contact Travelerlifes” section.
More interesting articles about Statue of Liberty:
• Statue of Liberty: Curious facts about the Statue of Liberty
• Statue of Liberty | history of the construction and Attractions around the Statue of Liberty
• Statue of liberty original color | Why is the Statue of Liberty green?