Sailing across the New York Harbor to visit the Statue of Liberty is not just an iconic New York experience, but an American one as well. But with 3.7 million visitors going to see Lady Liberty last year, the logistics of getting to Liberty Island, where she’s stood since 1886, can be a challenge. 

One of the first New York City travel hacks I learned when I moved to the city in 2003 was the Staten Island Ferry — a completely free service run by the city. With departures around the clock seven days a week, guests can board at Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and enjoy a 25-minute ride across to St. George Terminal in Staten Island. 

In between, the view of the 305-foot copper statue comes into view between the two city boroughs. While the route doesn’t quite get you close enough to that perfect selfie, you still get to glide past her in the distance, as well as take in a spectacular viewpoint of the New York City skyline.

In fact, the ride on the golden orange ferries is just as much a quintessential city experience, with the 5.2-mile route operating since 1905. Serving 15 million passengers a year, most weekdays see about five of its giant vessels, which can each hold at least 4,400 riders, making 117 trips carrying 45,000 riders. 

Though many people stay on board for a round-trip to enjoy the ride, Staten Island is also worth a day trip of its own with attractions like Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, the Staten Island Zoo, Fort Wadsworth, and the National Lighthouse Museum. During our interview earlier this year with Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost, who is a Staten Island native, he also said to “explore all the beautiful parks we have,” adding that the often-forgotten borough also has “great hikes, Italian food, and Sri Lankan food.” (His top restaurant pick is Denino’s for pizza.) 

But the ferry isn’t the only way to get close to the Statue of Liberty for free. In fact, the closest landmass to Liberty Island is actually on the New Jersey side at the 1,212-acre Liberty State Park. 

During the pandemic, I adopted the waterfront space as my pseudo backyard, enjoying runs and walks along its boardwalk and river pathway at every hour of the day, especially stunning at sunset. Though the view is of Lady Liberty’s backside, the vantage point with the city backdrop offers yet another quick, easy, and free way to experience the popular landmark. 

That said, when time and money are more flexible, visiting the Statue of Liberty — and the included visit to Ellis Island — is well worth the $25 ferry fee ($22 for those 62 and older, $16 for children 4 to 12). For an even more immersive way to take in the historic site, one of my favorite New York City experiences ever is the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour of the former hospital complex where artwork by JR provides a dramatic and thought-inducing juxtaposition to the ruins.