Take a Tour of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty without a doubt is one of Americas most recognizable landmarks in the USA. If you are ever in New York, and have never seen The Statue of Liberty, be sure to put a trip out to Liberty Island on your itinerary.

Do plan for a solid half day for the trip to Liberty Island. Plan for even more if you visit Ellis Island as well. Don't be forced away by the wait, and long line to the ferry that will take you across to the Island. The line does look a little like something you might see at Disneyland. Don't be fooled, its not, and is worth the wait. The pay off in the end is worth the wait.

A ticket to Liberty Island, and Ellis Island can be purchased at the ticket booth for only 15 dollars. The earlier you get there, the better, and the shorter the wait. Try to plan on being in line no later then 10 AM. Anything passed 10 the line is much longer.

If you want to take a tour up to the top, you must book in several days in advance as it will be sold out if you try to purchase tickets on the same day. So be warned, and book in advance to avoid being let down.

The ferry ride over can be chilly so be prepared to bundle up, especially if you are on the top deck and have the wind blowing against you. This of course is much more rewarding, and is worth the cool, crisp, arctic blast that you will endure. Don't fret! Its only about 15 minutes to Liberty Island. The ferry ride itself is quite amazing. You will be granted lots of beautiful Manhattan skyline photo ops, as well as Statue of Liberty shots.

When you finally arrive, be prepared to be awed. She is larger then she looks when you see her in Person. The flow of foot traffic will pull to the right, making a counter clockwise path around the island, and The Statue of Liberty herself. This is not a mandatory route, you are free to walk around which ever way you feel. Although it is the recommended path.

Its quite the surreal experience seeing the Statue of Liberty in person. Be prepared to take lots of photos. She is very photogenic. There are lots of good angles for composing some really nice shots.

About half way around the island is where you will take one of many Manhattan Skyline shots. If you continue onwards to the north side of the island, you can get some nicer shots of the Manhattan skyline. It works out better too, as there is less crowd there getting in the way.

Finish up your lap around Liberty Island with a gander at a huge flag pole with Old Glory blowing away in the wind. The whole experience is very patriotic.

The ferry comes around ever half hour. You are welcome to stay on the island for as long as you want. It is advisable to try to get in a line for the departing ferry a little bit early to avoid disappointment, and have to wait for the next one. This is rare, but it can happen.

The ferry's next stop is Ellis Island. Its a brisk 5 minute ride from Liberty Island. You are welcome to get off there, or return to the ferry terminal where you originally boarded.

In closing, as a tourist the trip to Liberty Island to see The Statue of Liberty is well worth it, and very affordable. It is a must do when visiting The Big Apple.

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest it ranks a 10. Hands down.