Climbing The Statue of Liberty

Climbing all the way to the Crown

Going to the top of the Statue of liberty has always been one of my dreams. Even after multiple trips to the city that never sleeps, it remained on the top of my bucket list. I finally decided to take some action and cross it off the list by going all they way to the top! Here is my entire experience of the day trip to the Statue of Liberty’s Crown.

Reserving tickets

The Statue of Liberty is one of the New York’s most famous icons (sorry Jersey). This makes it a huge tourist spot so making reservations to climb up to the top is a must. Liberty Island is possible to reach on a day’s notice, but only far advanced planning will get you to the crown. Expect to reserve a spot at least a couple months in advance. Book your tickets online on State Cruises website.

Getting to Liberty Island

Once your tickets are reserved, all that’s left is to pick up your tickets. With your printed reservation, present it to the box office to claim your ticket. You can access it from either Battery Park, NY or Liberty State Park, New Jersey. Your purchase includes a  ferry ride which will take you to Liberty Island, Ellis Island, and return you to either NY or NJ. It can be a bit chilly outside of the summer months, but you can take advantage of the indoor seating. The ferry offers refreshments and snacks to buy on your voyage. 

Liberty Island

The Ferry leaving from Liberty State Park briefly stops at Ellis Island before reaching the statue. This is a free museum on the history of immigration through New York city. Or you can head straight to Liberty Island, Home of Lady Liberty herself. Upon arrival at the main gate, you can borrow an audio guide free of charge. Walking around to the front of the Island will offer the best view of the Statue of Liberty, in all its majestic glory.

Climbing to the Crown

Now the epic moment you’ve been waiting for. With your special ticket reservations, you can make your way up inside and reach the top of the Statue of Liberty. The first stop is the pedestal, where you can look up and get a glimpse of whats to come. Once you’ve mentally prepared yourself, start the 162 stair climb to gain Crown Access. This path is a narrow and steep winding staircase that seems to extend into the clouds above.

Top of the Statue of Liberty

Now after an eternity of stairs, you’ve finally made it! Rejoice with the magnificent view of the New York city skyline. The crown is a small room with windows in which you can peer down and see the World from Lady Liberty’s perspective. From here you can see all kinds of intricate details that went into creating the Structure. Arriving a bit later in the day will reward you with a tranquil room to gaze at the City and reflect. It truly is a great view and an experience only a minority of people get to enjoy. Hope you have as much fun as I did 🙂 If you’re planning on visiting New York City on a budget, check out this post. Thanks for reading and Keep Leveling up!

*Unfortunately you have to walk all the way back down the stairs, so enjoy your moment of reprieve!

Check out my vlog for the entire trip to the Statue of Liberty!