If you’re traveling in America, there are a few place in the country which may feel less like tourism and more like a pilgrimage.   Liberty Island of the National Park Service off of New York City is one of these places.  It’s strange that the country, at times, develops an attitude toward the French (such as when the Congress decided they were no longer going to eat French Fries but Freedom Fries), when the most American of symbols, the Statue of Liberty, was a gift from the French people, dedicated October 28, 1886.  One hundred and ten years after the fact, the statue is a tribute to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and is intended to represent the friendship of our two countries.  For the next one hundred and twenty-four years, the statue has continued to represent the highest ideals of a democratic nation.

As another sign of the times, security is tight around the Statue and so you have to go through two screenings if you want to enter the monument; you also must have a Monument Access ticket; this ticket allows you to visit the museum gallery and the pedestal observation levels.  You can find more information about these passes from the ferry that serves the Statue and Ellis Island.

If the Statue of Liberty is the symbol of the country, then Ellis Island is the physical embodiment of that symbol: The building opened in 1892 on January 1st, and was the main immigration station for America.  It operated for 63 years and processed over twelve million immigrants stepping off steamships and into the United States.  It was abandoned for decades after 1954, but refurbished and turned into a museum in 1990.  Amazingly, forty percent of the American people may track their ancestors through Ellis Island.

For those who have been there, they suggest you find the hotels in New York, boutique or otherwise, in which you want to stay, and then purchase a CityPass for Lady Liberty.  With the CityPass you don’t have to wait in line to purchase tickets, you can board the ferry quickly.  Once you arrive, head directly into the line for the Monument.  If you don’t, you’ll find yourself in a much greater line later; take a stroll around the perimeter of the statue and enjoy the view after you’ve been inside.  If the line is too long outside, then the next best bet is to skip the museum and head on over to the Ellis, which some travelers rate more highly as an experience.

Lady Liberty in New York City is a post from: T For Travel

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