Private Statue of Liberty Express Tour

The quickest and easiest way to experience the Statue of Liberty
When
Multiple times daily
Duration
3 hours (2 hours guided)
Meeting Point
North entrance of Castle Clinton in Battery Park (entrance facing the park, not the water)
HighlightsGalleryItineraryMeeting PointFAQs
Private Statue of Liberty Express Tour
HighlightsGalleryItineraryMeeting PointFAQs

Highlights

  • Learn how Lady Liberty has changed over the decades.
  • Pick up practical tips from your guide on how to make the most of your time in NYC.
  • Take advantage of reserved-time ferry tickets so you avoid the crowds and save time.
  • Get access to Ellis Island, home to the Museum of Immigration, if you want to extend your trip.
  • Explore the Liberty Island grounds with your guide for beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline.
  • Visit the Statue of Liberty Museum to see “flames” from the statue’s torch, part of its structure, and more.

What you'll do

Explore Lady Liberty on a private tour designed to maximize your time in NYC. Start at Battery Park, where your guide will meet you by historic Castle Clinton, a former fort with its own fascinating past. Then it’s straight to the ferry with priority access, so you’ll skip the long lines and head right to Liberty Island.

On the way over, your guide will share stories about the statue’s creation, its evolving meaning as a symbol of freedom, and how it became one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. Once ashore, enjoy a guided walk around the grounds plus tips on what to see inside the free Statue of Liberty Museum, home to original pieces like the statue’s torch and structural elements that reveal how this colossal figure was built.

After the guided portion of our private Statue of Liberty tour, you’ll have free time to spend longer on Liberty Island or continue on to Ellis Island. There, you can visit the National Museum of Immigration inside the former processing center, where millions of newcomers first set foot in America. With a private guide by your side, this tour ensures a seamless, memorable visit to the Statue of Liberty — without wasting a moment of your trip.

Itinerary

  • Castle Clinton

    The sandstone fort that doubles as our meeting point and a national monument

  • Ferry

    With beautiful views along the way

  • Statue of Liberty

    Where can tour the grounds and visit the Statue of Liberty Museum

  • Ellis Island

    An optional stop if you want to extend your trip

What's included

  • Expert tour guide
  • Return ferry ticket to Manhattan

Not included

  • Ellis Island (you can make a stop on your own at Ellis Island before returning to Battery Park)

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Hassle-free cancellation

We understand plans change. You can always change your tour 24 hours or more before you tour. We offer a 100% refund up to 24 hours prior to your tour start time. Within 24 hours of your tour, we would have incurred hard costs and therefore cannot allow rescheduling or cancellation without costs.

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Meeting Point

North entrance of Castle Clinton in Battery Park (entrance facing the park, not the water)

Meet your guide outside the front entrance of Castle Clinton, the round brown brick building near the water in Battery Park. Your guide will be on the steps outside of the north entrance of the castle, wearing an orange hat. This is the entrance facing the buildings in Manhattan.

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Your questions, answered

We’ll be on our feet for most of the tour, and there are some stairs. The ferry ride over has some limited seating, and at Liberty Island, your guide will lead you on a walking tour of the grounds to point out the different sights. This can be modified if a private tour is booked.
This tour is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
The guided portion of the tour is about 2 hours. You can stay as long as you want after the tour ends at Liberty Island and return to Battery Park when ready. Total time should be about 3 hours, but allow an extra hour if you plan to visit Ellis Island on your own. Your ferry ticket back to Manhattan is included with this tour.
You should plan for security screenings before entering the ferry. Persons and property are subject to search. Prohibited items include weapons, locking blades, tools, non-folding umbrellas, tripods, laptops, tablet keyboards, coolers, luggage, drones, sewing kits, lighter fluid, and anything propelled by aerosol.
The National Park Service doesn’t allow any guiding inside the Statue of Liberty Museum. Your guide will give you a thorough introduction to the museum so you can explore it on your own and know what to look for. The guided portion of this tour doesn’t include Ellis Island, where the immigration museum is located, since this is an express trip, though you’re welcome to visit on your own. If you’d like to visit Ellis Island with our guide, we recommend our Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Guided Tour.
We understand plans change. You can always change your tour 24 hours or more before you tour. We offer a 100% refund up to 24 hours prior to your tour start time. Within 24 hours of your tour, we would have incurred hard costs and therefore cannot allow rescheduling or cancellation without costs.
Our tours run rain or shine, so please check the local forecast to plan. In rare cases when we have to cancel for extreme weather, we’ll offer you the chance to reschedule or give a full refund.
No, these are not included in your tour. Guided tours are not allowed in the pedestal or crown at the Statue of Liberty.
Plan to show up 15 minutes early. The tour starts promptly, and you may not be able to catch up if you arrive late.
Yes! This tour is available in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin, and Hindi. If you’re interested in taking this tour in another language, please email us at info@exp1.com.
Tips are always appreciated but never expected. They’re a great way to tell your guide they did an awesome job and show your appreciation.