Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island, New York City

4 more images

Ellis Island is arguably the most important symbol of the positive benefits of immigration - even today. Official estimates indicate that 4 out of 10 Americans can trace their ancestry to at least one Ellis Island immigrant. That's 40% of 300+ million.

A tour of Ellis Island is essential to understanding - in my own peculiar way - why these immigrants were so successful in populating a massive expanse of land mass, and helping make it into a global superpower.

The stringent physical and mental examination done on these immigrants means that only the fittest get to start a new life in the new world (the island has a rejection rate of 2%, according to Wikipedia).

This "survival of the fittest theory" perhaps explains why so many Americans are descendants of Ellis Island immigrants? What do you think?

4 more images

Gone are the days when the Statue of Liberty welcomed immigrants - mainly from Europe - to this land of milk and honey. Today, a more modern version of the poet Emma Lazarus' famous line in her sonnet The New Colussus, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," would be more relevant to tourists visiting Liberty Island.

Tired and huddled? Yes, taking into account the amount of time one queues up for the tour.

But poor? Definitely no - at least relative to probably billions of other inhabitants in this planet - with the 13-dollar-per-person ferry ride.

Worth it? Definitely, if you're a first time visitor to NYC. No visit to NYC is complete without seeing this iconic statue.

4 more images

One of the most strategic vantage points for viewing the famous Manhattan skyline is Liberty Island. Having a pair binoculars would come handy - or if you have none of that, a good DSLR lens, which also allows you to take pictures of Manhattan's famous skyline.

It's a bonus when you're lucky with the weather - the skyline looks stunning against clear blue skies. If you have a bit flexibility with your schedule, it would be best to check the weather forecast to maximize photo opportunities.

4 more images

This tour was one of the highlights of my time in New York. I am so glad that I did it and urge you not to miss it out.
We got a ferry from Battery Park which stopped at Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
We didn't get off at Liberty Island as you had a fantastic view of 'The Staute of Liberty' or sometimes known as 'Lady Liberty' from the ferry. We also thought that with not being able to climb Lady Liberty at that time, we would spend more time on Ellis Island.
For a small cost, we hired an audio tour (an iPod) and it was the best few dollars we spent. You can take the tour at your own pace with the option to pause the tour when you want to spend more time in/at a particular feature. To get onto and into Ellis Island, there is no cost. If you wish to walk around the buildings yourself, you are very welcome to, again, without cost.

With not having any prior knowledge of what Ellis Island was I was fasinated as the tour began. Ellis Island was used as a way into New York City as an immigrant from 1892-1954. More than 12 million immigrants passed through the doors.
The audio tour explain how the immigrants were treated and what they had to go through before being able to start a new life in New York. For example, a medical had to be preformed. Adults and children were marked with huge crosses on their clothes in accordance to what the Doctors found, and families were separated.

There is a museum and cafe there also

4 more images

Hundreds, if not thousands, of articles - including here on VT - have been written on the Statue of Liberty. This is not unexpected considering this French gift to the American people is one of the most visited sites in America. Cliche as it sounds - it's a must-see for first time visitors to NYC.

Being my first time in NYC, I, too went to see Lady Liberty. I too, braved the long queue, the airport-like security at the port, and the chilly late-autumn weather. Was it worth it? It was!

Somehow, Lady Liberty brings out the funny side of people. While at the island, almost every other person seems to have their favorite pose in front of the statue. Some poses could give their counterparts in Pisa (Italy) a good run for their money. But nothing beats the "half-crazy" Korean tourist who took off his shirt in near-freezing temperature.

Ellis Island in New York harbour was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States.It was the nations busiest immigrant inpection station from 1892 to 1954.The Island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934.Before that the much smaller original island was the site of Fort Gibson and later a Naval Magazine.The Main building on the island is now a historic museum depicting the story of immigrant life in America in the early 1900's and tells the story of how modern America was shaped.The island lies North of Liberty island and the Liberty island ferry stops here on its way back to Manhattan.

1 more image

The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture located on Liberty Island in New York Harbour.It was designed by the French sculptor'Frederic Bartholdi'and dedicated on October 28th 1886.The statue,a gift to the United States from the people of France,is a robed female figure representing'Libertas',the Roman goddess of freedom,who bears a torch and 'Tabula Ansata'(a tablet evoking the law)upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independance,July 4th 1776.A broken chain lies at her feet.The statue has become an icon of freedom and of the United States.
The statue is an excact replica of a much smaller version which stands on the banks of the River Seine in Paris,another smaller version can be seen in Las Vegas.Millions of tourists flock to see the monument every year and the it was usually the first sight to see for so many immigrants who came to New York by boat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Ferries to Liberty island run all day till dusk,check websites for times and prices.

A trip to New York without seeing the Staue of Liberty is incomplete. You ahve to go and see the majestic lady in the harbour. The size of the Statue of Liberty is only fully appreciated when you get close to her on the island. The location is amazing and the views back to Manhattan are also pretty incredible. ALso visit Ellis Island with all of its history and the building on the islands are incredibly beautiful. Maybe my favourite thing about going to see these sites though was the ferry trip to both islands. It offers the best views of downtown Manhattan.

History of New York and all its personal, plus you can read about the people who emigrated to the U.S. from around the world and it was here they came by ferry the first time they came here. Very intresant and I really think you should take a trip there, by ferry from Manhattan.

a must for us who have friends and family here in New York and for us who come from Europe.

1 more image

Gifted by France to the United States in 1886 in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution, the mighty 111 feet tall Lady Liberty is an American icon and a symbol of freedom.