August 16, 2021

Our latest adventures left off with us negotiating our way to downtown Jersey City as the sun began to paint a backdrop of oranges and pinks, contrasting the steel frames and mirrored windows of nearby skyscrapers. The New York City skyline twinkled with the bustle of endless traffic and Lady Liberty illuminated the harbor as the darkness of night slowly crept in.

First thing the next morning, we headed over to Liberty National Park, a convenient 6-minute drive from where we were staying. Arriving early, we were the first in line for the 8:30 a.m. ferry. By the time we boarded, the line behind us wrapped around the building and looped towards the parking lot, easily containing a few hundred people.

***Travel Note: While you don’t need a ticket to enter The Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island, you do have to purchase tickets for the ferry. Statue Cruises is the only vendor authorized to transport to Liberty and Ellis Islands. Ticket prices are currently about $24 per person and include a round trip ferry cruise, stops at both islands, entrance to Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and Statue of Liberty Museum. Make sure if you want to go into the pedestal that you select the ”pedestal ticket”as entrance is by reservation only. Unfortunately, the crown remains closed at this time.***

Picking rooftop seats, we enjoyed unobstructed views of both NYC and the quickly approaching Lady Liberty as we clipped across the bay. While we had the option to stop at Ellis Island and tour the Immigration Museum, we still had lots of other plans for the day, so we opted to head straight to Liberty Island. As the ferry docked, I found myself surprised that the Statue of Liberty wasn’t taller. She always seems so large in pictures and movies, but surprisingly she only stands 305 ft. from ground to torch.

With lines still reasonably short, we made a beeline to the famous lady and opted to tour the pedestal first. Climbing 215 stairs, roughly 10 flights, we stepped out onto the stone balcony, taking in sweeping views of the city and a unique angle of her green copper robe. Once back inside we were delighted to mosey through the small museum dedicated to the history of her origins and construction.

Fun Facts

• Official Name: Liberty Enlightening the World
• Shoe Size: 879
• Built in France, she was then disassembled and shipped in crates to the U.S.
• Engineer Gustave Eiffel, who would later design the Eiffel tower, designed the metal “spine” framework
• Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi is said to have modeled the face after his mother
• She sways up to 3 inches in the wind; the torch can sway up to 5 inches
• The skin is 2 pennies thick
• She is struck by lightening roughly 600 times every year
• The original torch is on display at the Statue of Liberty Museum

Climbing down from the pedestal, we took our time taking photo-ops with the lady of the hour. It was easy to marvel not only at the engineering feat she truly is, but also the freedom in which she stands for. She is known as the Mother of Exiles, having greeted millions of immigrants and symbolizing the opportunity for a better life in America.

While accepting the statue on behalf of the U.S. on October 28, 1886, President Grover Cleveland famously spoke these words:

“We will not forget that Liberty has here made her home;

nor shall her chosen altar be neglected.”

Over 130 years later, she is still one of our nation’s most recognized symbols of freedom, visited by an estimated 3.5 million people annually. A national treasure, she is truly a sight to behold!

By noon we were on the ferry cruising back to the dock. The rest of the day we spent exploring New York City. We paid our respects at the 9/11 Memorial, shopped the Harry Potter store, posed at the corner of Broadway Street, and bathed under the florescent lights of Times Square. We even tackled the subway system, which I might add, was a little intimidating at first. And while I wanted to bite into a savory slice of New York style pizza, I was outvoted by the kids, and we had Chick-Fil-A instead (which was still fun, being it was a 2-story restaurant).

While we barely scratched the surface of all there was to see and do in the “City That Never Sleeps,” we sure squeezed in a lot in one day. As a bonus, we didn’t get lost or turned around on the subway, not one time!