Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Made in the likeness of a crowned lady holding a torch high in one hand, the bronze statue is 151 feet, 5 inches tall. It was built in France in parts, then shipped over to New York where it was assembled on the 154-foot base which America had built for it. There are seven rays in its crown, representative of the seven continents of the world.
Your day will begin by waiting in line at one of two departure points for the Liberty Island ferry: Liberty State Park in New Jersey, or Battery Park in New York. The ferry will take you to the island, where you may tour the grounds and, if you have tickets, gain access to the monument. Food is available there, but you are also free to pack a lunch and picnic on the grounds.
The Statue of Liberty is an extremely popular tourist attraction. Due to the high volume of visitors it experiences, it is not unusual to have to wait for more than two hours to board the ferry or to purchase a ticket. You will also have to pass though security screenings before entering the ferry and the monument. To get the shortest lines, go on a weekday between November and March. Even then, waits are often 90 minutes or more.
If you want to enter the statue itself, rather than just walking around the island, you have to make reservations. They limit the number of visitors to the pedestal to 3,000 a day and the number of visitors to the crown to 240 each day. To make reservations, call 1-877-LADY-TIX, or visit statuecruises.com. Plan ahead to complete your security screenings no later than 3:30 p.m. to gain admittance.
Visiting Lady Liberty requires a lot of time outside. Besides the long lines, you will ride over the water and stroll about the grounds. The weather in New York City is highly variable; you could find yourself standing in zero degrees or a hundred degrees. Don't forget to take your comfort level into account when you decide what time of year and what day to visit.