When you think of New York, one of the first things that comes to mind is the Statue of Liberty. Iconic, monumental, and for many people a symbol of America itself. Of course, we couldn't miss it – we just had no idea that instead of a conventional visit, it would turn us into the main characters in what is probably New York's best-known tourist scam.
And believe it or not – despite everything, it ended up being a fantastic experience.
From One World Center straight to the subway
Our visit to the Statue of Liberty was scheduled right after touring One World Center and the 9/11 Memorial. From Lower Manhattan, we headed to the subway, specifically the World Trade Center station, from where we planned to travel just a few stops toward the ferry terminal.
The official ferries to the Statue of Liberty depart from Battery Park, located at the very southern tip of Manhattan. That's where you'll find the historic Castle Clinton – a former circular fort and now a landmark that houses the official ticket office. The only authorized operator that will take you to Liberty Island is Statue City Cruises. No one else. And that is a crucial detail for today's entire story.
A standard round-trip cruise including visits to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island costs around 25 dollars per adult (children pay less). Admission to the island itself is included in the price – there are no additional fees. If you want to climb up to the pedestal or even the crown, you need to book your ticket in advance (and for the crown, possibly several months ahead because availability is limited).
I had often read online that you could also see the Statue of Liberty completely for free – but that's only half true. The Staten Island Ferry is free, running from Manhattan to Staten Island every few minutes and passing by the Statue of Liberty. However, it does not go directly to it, so you can only take photos from a distance.
We wanted to take the official route – through Battery Park, onto the ferry, and to the island.
And this is exactly where the problems began.
“Where are you going? To the Statue of Liberty? Then come with us!"
As soon as we came out of the subway, we were stopped by a very confident Black man who immediately asked us whether we were going to the Statue of Liberty.
“Of course, that's exactly where we're headed. We want to go to the ferry terminal," I replied.
“No problem, I'll take you there!" he said, promising to lead us there, show us everything along the way, and make sure everything went smoothly. He even took us past some museum on the way, explained what everything was, and acted like an official guide or park employee.
After a short walk through the park, he stopped us on the sidewalk, where several other tourists were already standing. “Wait here for a moment. A bus will arrive shortly and take you directly to the boat."
This should have set off alarm bells in my head. But when you're traveling with other people and a child, you're a little tired after spending half the day on your feet, and there's confusion all around you, you automatically go wherever someone leads you.
A payment terminal in hand, 200 dollars gone
While we were waiting, more “helpers" arrived with a mobile payment terminal and began collecting money from everyone waiting. They weren't exactly forceful, but they were confident enough to make us feel uncomfortable saying no. I no longer remember the exact amount, but it was around 200 dollars for two adults and one child.
The whole thing was set up so that before you had time to figure out what was actually happening, you had already paid. And once you paid, you heard it loud and clear: “No refunds."
We waited for about an hour. By then, I was pretty annoyed – we had other plans, wanted to make it to Central Park, and were also flying to Florida the next day. I would have preferred to leave, but knowing that we had just thrown 200 dollars out the window made that difficult.
At least we had a hot dog in the meantime.
And then it happened.
Instead of Battery Park, a bus to West 39th Street
Instead of a proper bus, some old wreck arrived (meaning a very worn-out bus), they crammed us inside, and off we went. Except – and this was the main surprise – we weren't going to Battery Park, where the official ferries depart. We were heading in the exact opposite direction, roughly to West 39th Street in Midtown, to one of the piers on the Hudson River.
At this point, I should mention one crucial thing I didn't know at the time: this is exactly the scam that thousands of tourists fall for in New York every year. So-called “runners" (often wearing shirts with the word runner or guide) wait near subway stations around Battery Park, World Trade Center, or Bowling Green and convince tourists that they can take them to the Statue of Liberty “better, faster, and cheaper." In reality, they take you to a completely different, unofficial ferry that does not “dock” at Liberty Island at all – it merely turns around nearby and heads back. And it costs much more than the official ferry.
When I looked it up afterward, I discovered that even the NYPD describes this scam as the biggest tourist scam in all of New York. Apparently, even actor Alec Baldwin once fell for it.
But… in the end, it was surprisingly great
And now comes the positive twist – because this is the kind of story where, despite a bad start, everything works out in the end.
The ferry departed from Midtown, and instead of heading directly to Liberty Island, we sailed around all of Lower Manhattan. We passed the Financial District with its iconic skyscrapers and even went beneath the Brooklyn Bridge – we saw it from below, something you can't experience from the standard official ferry. Suddenly, we had a completely different perspective on all of New York.
On the boat with us was a Black guide named Michael, who was absolutely amazing. He told us stories, cracked jokes, spoke about the Statue of Liberty as “our mother," and occasionally sang to us. He had that classic New York energy people know from movies. The music, atmosphere, and photos – suddenly, our fear and nervousness disappeared, and we began to enjoy ourselves.
We then reached the Statue of Liberty and circled it at close range (no, we didn't dock; we just sailed around it), which gave us plenty of opportunities to take photos from every angle. Honestly, we still saw a lot – the Downtown skyscrapers, Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island in the distance, and Lady Liberty herself.
Despite the overcast weather, the chilly late-October temperatures, and the wind, it turned out to be a great experience.
Who is the lady with the torch, anyway? The history of the Statue of Liberty
As we stood on the deck near her and listened to Michael's stories, I realized how little most people (myself included) actually know about the Statue of Liberty. So here are a few interesting facts if you're planning to visit.
The Statue of Liberty (officially “Liberty Enlightening the World") was a gift from France to the United States. The idea originated as early as 1865, when French politician and abolitionist Édouard de Laboulaye proposed that France give America a monument to mark the 100th anniversary of its independence and to celebrate the abolition of slavery in the United States.
It was designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and – here's an amazing fact that not many people know – the internal steel structure was created by Gustave Eiffel. Yes, the same Eiffel who built the Eiffel Tower in Paris a few years later. So when you're looking at the Statue of Liberty, you're essentially looking at the Eiffel Tower dressed as a woman.
The statue was entirely manufactured in Paris, then dismantled into 350 pieces, packed into 214 crates, and transported across the ocean aboard the ship Isère, arriving in New York in June 1885. Assembly took more than a year. President Grover Cleveland officially unveiled it on October 28, 1886.
A few final interesting facts:
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The entire statue weighs about 225 tons and stands 46 meters tall (93 meters including the pedestal).
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It is made from copper sheets as thin as coins, with 300 pieces in total.
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Its green color is caused by copper oxidation – originally, it was brown like a penny.
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The tablet in her left hand bears the date July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals – the day the United States declared independence.
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The seven rays of the crown symbolize the seven continents and seven seas.
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At her feet lie broken shackles and a chain – a symbol of the end of slavery.
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According to historical accounts, Bartholdi's mother was the model for the face.
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The island where the statue stands (formerly Bedloe's Island, now Liberty Island) was once home to Fort Wood – its star-shaped layout now forms the base of the pedestal.
And yes, you can climb all the way to the top. The pedestal is accessible by 215 steps or an elevator, while reaching the crown requires climbing another 162 narrow spiral steps – 393 steps in total, roughly equivalent to a 27-story building. However, tickets for the crown (Crown Reserve) must be booked several months in advance through the official Statue City Cruises website. Children must be at least 107 cm tall and must be able to climb the stairs on their own. We didn't have time for it on this occasion, but it would certainly be tempting next time.
How to visit the Statue of Liberty properly (and avoid getting scammed)
If you want to take anything useful away from our experience, let it be this:
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The official ferries depart only from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan (with the ticket office in Castle Clinton) or from Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Nowhere else.
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The only operator is Statue City Cruises. Tickets can be purchased either at the ticket office or in advance at cityexperiences.com.
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Do not listen to anyone on the street. If someone stops you near the subway and claims they will “take you there" or “sell you a cheaper ticket," ignore them. Official vendors never approach people on the street.
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The Staten Island Ferry is free, and you can see the Statue of Liberty from it, but only from a distance – it does not dock at Liberty Island.
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If you want to climb the pedestal or enter the crown, book your ticket in advance – potentially several months ahead.
In conclusion – is the Statue of Liberty worth visiting?
Definitely. It's simply one of those New York experiences you can't pass up. Even though I ultimately got there by a roundabout route (and with 200 dollars missing from my account), it was an experience we'll remember for a very long time – perhaps even more than if we had taken the normal route. Sailing around Lower Manhattan, seeing Brooklyn Bridge from below, and having the entire cruise brought to life by a funny guide named Michael – you won't get that on the official ferry.
Personally, I think it's perfectly sufficient to see the Statue of Liberty from the boat. The photos turn out well, the atmosphere is great, and if I ever visit again, I'd rather climb up to the crown than spend another hour taking photos from below.
But the biggest lesson from the entire trip was ultimately something else: because we returned late, we ended up having an amazing late visit to Central Park – but that's a story for another article.
And as Michael said: “Statue of Liberty is our mother – she welcomes everyone."
Even fools like us who let someone charge them 200 dollars for a trip that is otherwise free. 🗽
