Ellis Island Travel Guide

 
by grandmaR
 
  •   Things to Do
    by grandmaR
  • Immigration restrictions
      Immigration restrictions
    by grandmaR
  • Ellis Island, USA
      Ellis Island, USA
    by jumpingnorman
  •   Ellis Island
    by Yaqui
  •   Things to Do
    by grandmaR
 

Explore Ellis Island

Things to Do  

Flag of Faces

Flag of Faces, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  Just one of those neat exhibits they have with the main building. As you shift your position then you can see the many different wonderful faces. So make sure you wonder around to catch all the great things to see. 

Take advantage of the free tours!

Take advantage of the free tours!, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  FREE Ranger-Guided Tours by the National Park Service Ranger. These tours are approximately 45 minutes and are accessible for handicapped visitors. You will see the inforamtion center desk in the main hall. If we had more time, I would had certainly taken advantage of this.... 

Free Genealogy Workshops

Free Genealogy Workshops, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  The National Park Service and the National Archives provides a workshop for visitors who are researching their family immigration history. The workshop is offered on a monthly basis (March - October) and provides instruction about how to gather, interpret and use historical... 

Ellis Island - The Island of Tears and Hopes

Ellis Island - The Island of Tears and Hopes, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  This has been another dream of mine to be able to visit a place where many got there start as Americans. We have to be so thankful for those who crossed those dangerous waters in God knows what conditions to get here. I guess I am probably very sensitive, but I could sense... 

American Family Immigration History Center

American Family Immigration History Center, Ellis Island

 grandmaR Says:  under constructionIf you get a ticket you can use the computers here to look your family up.We found Exact Matches (2) for my grandson's great grandmother's on his mom's father's side.Name of Passenger Residence Arrived Age on Arrival1. Alois Zirngibl ... 1908 242. Georg... 

Island of Hope/Island of Tears

Island of Hope/Island of Tears, Ellis Island

 icunme Says:  This is a half-hour film, produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim. Immigrants tell stories of pulling up roots and coming to America. The Film is shown in two separate theaters with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.The museum also houses a reference... 

Peak Immigration Years

Peak Immigration Years, Ellis Island

 icunme Says:  An extraordinary 10-room exhibit that tells the larger story of immigrants, regardless of their port of entry. Displays explore the immigrant experience: leaving their homelands, journeying to America, traveling across the new country, establishing communities, working,... 

Restaurants  

The Ellis Island Cafe: The immigrants had nothing like this

The Ellis Island Cafe: The immigrants had nothing like this, Ellis Island

 icunme Says:  A very limited menu here - American and ethnic food, coffee bar and smoothies. The cafe has indoor seating and an outdoor deck that overlooks the Statue of Liberty, American Immigrant Wall of Honor, and lower Manhattan. Smoothies 

Expensive cafeteria!!

Expensive cafeteria!!, Ellis Island

 Allikatac Says:  The cafeteria at Ellis Island has very pricey food. Most of the selections are fast food (their value meals were $9). They did have a coffee/bakery cart and a fudge cart(which did have some really good fudge). I would suggest eating a big breakfast and bringing a pack of... 

Transportation  

Ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island

Ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island, Ellis Island

 Allikatac Says:  In order to get to Ellis Island it is necessary to purchase a ferry ticket at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The $11.50 ticket will cover your ferry ride to Ellis and Liberty Islands and there are no entrance fees at either place. I suggest getting there early because we... 

Statue Cruises

Statue Cruises, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  You can access Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty National Monument either from Battery Park, New York or Liberty State Park, New Jersey. Status cruises has a excellent web site with all the information you need to get tickets to these marvelous treasures. Tickets &... 

Battery Park to Ellis Island

Battery Park to Ellis Island, Ellis Island

 grandmaR Says:  We walked across Battery Park to where the boats were, and I sat down on a bench while my sister went into Fort Clinton to get the tickets.Then we had to go through security. We had to take off belts and watches (although not shoes or jewelry), and all the cameras and coats... 

Shopping  

Ellis Island Immigration Museum Gift Shop: under construction
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1.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

grandmaR 6477 reviews
Part of the gift shop
4 more images

We went to the gift shop and my grandson bought some more film (he was out). He found that the digital camera had gotten turned on in the backpack and it had run the batteries (AAA) down

Business Hours
Monday – Friday
11 A.M. to 5 P.M EST.

What to buy: Apparel
Ladies
Tee Shirts
Headwear
Sweat Shirts
Library
History Books
Scrapbooks
DVD'S
Childern's Books
Posters
Souvenirs
Collectibles
Magnets
Ornaments
Table top
Toys
Games
Historical Research
Names
Jewelry
Bracelets
Charms
Earrings
Pins
Rings

Updated Apr 4, 2011

Phone: (212) 344-0996

Related to:
 Historical Travel
 Museum Visits
 Family Travel

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Off The Beaten Path  

Sister Museum in ROME

Sister Museum in ROME, Ellis Island

 icunme Says:  If your family migrated from Italy to America - it is likely that you have been to Ellis Island. There is now an extraordinary exhibit in Rome which I think of as the Sister to Ellis Island - The National Museum of Italian Emigration in the Vittoriano Complex, Gipsoteca Room... 

Take a walk outside!

Take a walk outside!, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  Make sure you take the walk outside. The view outside is so beautiful and a place to take and to get away from the crowds. This place does get crowded during the summer months. It was refreshing and inviting to walk along the path to get away from the feelings I was sensing... 

Favorites  

Great Hall~Registry Room 1900

Great Hall~Registry Room 1900, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  This wonderful great hall was lovingly restored. It served as the main hall that so many wonderful souls passed through here to begin their new life to hopefully a better world. Now the main part of the museum. It was the first step to being a United States... 

Dormitory Building

Dormitory Building, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  When are you here and listen to some of the tours guides you will learn so much. I learned a lot just from the web site the National Park Services has. A interesting fact: Although most immigrants processed at Ellis Island stayed between three and five hours, about 20%... 

Accessible for the Disable

Accessible for the Disable, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  For the most part, these parks are wheelchair accessible. They have wide sidewalks to stroll the grouns and to enjoy the scenery. Make sure to check the areas that are not. Contact the either the National Park Ranger or U.S. Park Police Officer. Statue... 

So much more!

So much more!, Ellis Island

 Yaqui Says:  There is so much more to this historic island. Ellis Island's contains nearly 30 buildings that are unrestored. These structures included hospitals, quarantine and psychopathic facilities for immigrants needing treatment or isolation. The U.S. Public Health Service used... 

Art Exhibits

Art Exhibits, Ellis Island

 nicolettart Says:  Among the exhibits at Ellis Island you will find modern interpretations of the immigrant experience, such as the sculptures pictured here. At the time of my visit, there was a show by the painter Ralph Fasanella, whose work reminds me of Grandma Moses' artwork. 

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Map of Ellis Island