Liberty Island, a 14-acre uninhabited island in New York Harbor, falls within the geographic boundaries of Jersey City, New Jersey though it is officially under the jurisdiction of the state of New York. As of 2011, visitors can access the island for $12 round trip from Manhattan or $10 round trip from New Jersey to through Statue Cruises (statuecruises.com). Discounts are available for children and senior citizens. The cost of your ferry ride includes admission to both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Other ferry companies provide private services to the statue for individuals or groups. While the gift shops, museums and monuments of Liberty Island are fully open to the public, the statue's observation deck is only open at limited times as of 2010 due to temporary renovations.
If you plan to visit the Statue of Liberty while in New York City, you will need to get to lower Manhattan. Nearly every subway line that runs through Manhattan connects to the southern tip of the island, though some trains take you closer to the ferry than others. Take the No. 1 train to the South Ferry stop or the No. 4 or 5 train to Bowling Green and walk south toward the waterfront for quickest access to a ferry. You can also take the Manhattan No. 5, 6 or 15 bus to the Battery Park stop and walk toward the waterfront to catch a ferry.
The closest New York City neighborhood to the Statue of Liberty is the financial district. Before or after visiting the statue, you can stroll across Wall Street to tour the New York Stock Exchange and historic sites like Federal Hall, where George Washington took his inaugural oath.The financial district is also home to some of the oldest buildings in Manhattan, such as Trinity Church on Wall Street and Fraunces Tavern on neighboring Pearl Street. Monuments and museums on the former site of the World Trade Center towers are also open for public viewing. The financial district is the southernmost neighborhood of Manhattan and extends to the waterfront at Battery Park.
Ferries traveling to the Statue of Liberty from the New York side of the harbor leave from the docks of Battery Park. With plenty of walking paths, benches and gardens along the waterfront, you can spend some time relaxing in the park before or after your visit to the Statue of Liberty. Battery Park hosts outdoor concerts and festivals throughout the summer months, and street performers and vendors year-round. From here, you can also catch a ferry to Ellis Island, the port of entry for more than 20 million immigrants to the United States between 1892 and 1924. The nearby Staten Island Ferry terminal provides free service between Manhattan and the borough of Staten Island.
