
Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour
Traveler rating
3.3/5
Based on 33 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour worth booking?
Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour is a 4-hour experience in New York, United States, from $50 per person. It scores 46 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 3.3/5 rating across 33 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 46 / 100
- Rating
- 3.3/5 (33)
- Duration
- 4 hours
- From
- $50 per person
Start your adventure with a 30-minute guided tour of historic Battery Park, where your expert guide will also give you insider tips on making the most of your visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. With priority boarding, skip the long lines and enjoy a scenic ferry ride. At Liberty Island, explore at your own pace with a multilingual audio guide. Learn about Lady Liberty’s history and visit the new Statue of Liberty Museum. Next, take the ferry to Ellis Island, the gateway for millions of immigrants. Walk in their footsteps and hear their stories with a self-guided audio tour of the Immigration Museum. 40% of Americans can trace their roots to Ellis Island! Upgrade to a fully guided tour for a more immersive experience. Your expert guide will bring the history of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty to life. Make your trip to New York unforgettable with this iconic experience.
What you get
About this experience
Start your adventure with a 30-minute guided tour of historic Battery Park, where your expert guide will also give you insider tips on making the most of your visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. With priority boarding, skip the long lines and enjoy a scenic ferry ride. At Liberty Island, explore at your own pace with a multilingual audio guide. Learn about Lady Liberty’s history and visit the new Statue of Liberty Museum. Next, take the ferry to Ellis Island, the gateway for millions of immigrants. Walk in their footsteps and hear their stories with a self-guided audio tour of the Immigration Museum. 40% of Americans can trace their roots to Ellis Island! Upgrade to a fully guided tour for a more immersive experience. Your expert guide will bring the history of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty to life. Make your trip to New York unforgettable with this iconic experience.
What's included
Included
- Multilingual audio tour headsets for Ellis Island
- Entry to the Ellis Island National Immigration Museum
- Ferry tickets to Ellis Island
- Ferry tickets to Liberty Island
- Entry to Statue of Liberty Museum
- Priority Boarding to the ferry
- Multilingual audio tour headsets for the Statue of Liberty National Monument
- 30-minute Statue of Liberty and Battery Park Orientation Tour
- Live tour guide on Liberty Island and Ellis Island (if Guided Tour option chosen)
Not included
- Live tour guide inside Statue of Liberty Museum
- Live tour guide inside the Ellis Island Museum
- Access to the pedestal or crown of the Statue of Liberty
- Gratuities
What you'll see and do
Battery Park
Guided tour of Battery Park & historic Castle Clinton, along with orientation to make the most of your time on Ellis Island - especially if choosing the option with Self-Guided Audio Tours. This portion of the day is with English speaking guide.
30 minutes here
Liberty Island
Go through TSA and board the ferry to Liberty Island. If the pre-ferry tour option was chosen, you pick up your multilingual audio guide for Liberty Island at the kiosk once you get off the ferry & spend time touring the island with the audio guide. If the guided tour was chosen, the guide will give you a guided tour of the island in English, show you the best spots to take photos of the Statue of Liberty and give you some free time to explore.
90 minutes here
Statue of Liberty
Take close-up photos of the Statue of Liberty and learn about its history. (Paid Admission is for Liberty Island - not access to the crown or pedestal)
15 minutes here · Admission included
Statue of Liberty Museum
Visit the new Statue of Liberty Museum which holds the original torch and learn more about the building of the monument and its history. On the Guided Tour - this portion is self-guided as guided tours are not allowed in the Museum.
15 minutes here · Admission included
Ellis Island
Take the ferry to Ellis Island and enjoy the grounds of Ellis Island and visit the Wall of Hero's. Look to see if you can discover your families name. This portion is guided on the guided tour.
30 minutes here
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Spend time at the Museum and visit the massive Great Hall where immigrants were processed. If the pre-ferry tour option was chosen, you pick up your Multilingual Audio Guide for the Museum as you enter the Museum. If the guided tour was chosen, your guide cannot go inside the Museum with you, but will brief you on where to go once inside.
30 minutes here · Admission included
New York Harbor
Take the ferry back from Ellis Island to Battery Park. On the way enjoy panoramic views of New York Harbor including the Manhattan Skyline and the Freedom Tower - the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
New York
Meet Tour guide in front of Starbucks 15 minutes before the tour
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Meet Tour guide in front of Starbucks 15 minutes before the tour
Options you can book
Fully Guided Tour in English
Duration: 4 hours Description: Guided tour with English-Speaking Guide of Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, with Priority Boarding.
Pre-Ferry (English) +Ticket
Duration: 4 hours Description: Guided Pre-ferry Orientation Tour in English and self-guided multilingual audio tours of Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- hi, ar, de, ru, ko, pt, cmn, ja, en, it, fr, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Attractions4us LLC
Know before you go
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Audio tours are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Russian and Arabic.
- Family friendly audio tours designed for children ages 6-10 are also available in the same languages.
- A mandatory airport grade security screening is conducted prior to boarding the ferry. This means no alcohol, weapons or large bags are allowed.
- Depending on the queues, and time of year, any tour departing from 1pm onwards may not make it to Ellis Island before it closes for the day,
- Minors (17 or under) must be accompanied by an adult (25+)
- Due to local regulations, the Statue of Liberty Museum, Ellis Island, and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum may not be open on the date of your visit
- February 2025 – Due to construction, priority boarding is temporarily suspended
- If there are only a few French-speaking or Spanish-speaking guests on the tour, you will be in a tour group with English speakers as well, and will have a bi-lingual guide who will give commentary in either both French and English, or both English and Spanish
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 33 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
5 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
5 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Traveler reviews
33 verified traveler reviews for Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Pre-Ferry tour
This pre-ferry tour consisted of meeting a "tour guide" who we stood with for about an hour while he talked about the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, . We met up with him at 12:45 PM and he told us that we were going to be getting on the 1:00 PM Ferry, and then he kept us standing there while he talked for over an hour. I was tired of standing and part way through his talk, I told him that I thought that we were getting on the 1:00 PM Ferry and he said that the Ferry went every 20 minutes and it didn't matter which one we got on. I really wanted to move on to actually touring the sights. He finally sent us toward the Ferry that we boarded and we were on our own to figure out everything during the actual tour. I wasn't really looking for a history lesson. I had been to Ellis Island before with a tour guide who was fabulous, and was wanting to share that same experience with my niece. I was extremely disappointed. We would have gotten just as much out of just getting a Ferry out to the islands and touring ourselves (which is actually what we ended up doing), but it would not have cost as much. I would not recommend this Pre-Ferry tour for the price ($60 each). Just pay for a Ferry out to the Statue and Ellis Island. I have taken many Viator excursions and have found most to be worthwhile, but not this one.
via Viator
Not worth the price
Long wait for both ferries in the hot sun. Tour guide disappeared and hard to understand when he was speaking. No access to the state of liberty building, especially when I specifically asked. Nor do they tell me you have to book entry to the statue a month in advance. Spent more time waiting in line then touring Ellis island or the Statue of Liberty. Way over priced for what you got. Do not recommend this tour.
via Viator
Great tour guide
Meeting place was easy to find and tour was on time as well. Nina was an excellent tour guide, she was very knowledgeable.
via Viator
Greta Trip
Our guide was so informative and friendly, i can''t remember his name but he was Belgium/bronx . I think you should put meeting point outside starbucks as we found it hard to meet with the address given
via Tripadvisor
Due to a Tickertape...
Due to a Tickertape parade in NY I was unable to make it to the pickup spot. No transport available. I called and and was told to explain my situation and I would get a refund. I did as ask and was denied refund or credit. No consideration for circumstances out of my control.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $50 to $90
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 12
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Attractions4us LLC, who run 145 experiences we rank across 17 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 47.0.
See everything Attractions4us LLC runsWhy this scores 46
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for New York.
How much does Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour cost?
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Prices start at $50 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in New York usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour take?
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Plan for about 4 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in New York is not rushed.
Is Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 46 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3.3/5 across 33 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in New York, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 4-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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Around 12 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in New York can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in New York and add a light layer if any part of the 4-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central New York within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in New York?
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New York has more bookable experiences than any other city on Outty, and the quality spread is brutal. Observation decks are commoditised, so we score them on timed-entry reliability and sunset slots. Food tours and borough walks are where the ranking really separates operators, and the top scores in the city all come from small-group guides. On Outty we rank every New York experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include NYC Bus Tour of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens: Art, Food & Sports, Half-Day Bus Tour of NYC Top Highlights, SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown Walking Tour in New York. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit New York?
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September to early November, and late April through June. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in New York?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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Included: Multilingual audio tour headsets for Ellis Island; Entry to the Ellis Island National Immigration Museum; Ferry tickets to Ellis Island; Ferry tickets to Liberty Island; and Entry to Statue of Liberty Museum. Not included: Live tour guide inside Statue of Liberty Museum; Live tour guide inside the Ellis Island Museum; Access to the pedestal or crown of the Statue of Liberty; and Gratuities. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Where is the meeting point for Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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Meet Tour guide in front of Starbucks 15 minutes before the tour Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.
What languages is Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour offered in?
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It is offered in Hindi, Arabic, German, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, English, Italian, French and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Wheelchair accessible; and Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in New York. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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Across 33 reviews averaging 3.3 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for Statue of Liberty Ellis Island with Pre-Ferry Tour?
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There are 2 options to choose from, including Fully Guided Tour in English, Pre-Ferry (English) +Ticket. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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