Best Places to See the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is the emblem of the United States and its most iconic landmark. If it's not on your list of things to see and do in New York, it should be! So it's no wonder that there are so many places in New York City from which to view it to the delight of New Yorkers and tourists eager to immortalise it with their cameras from every possible corner of the city.

If you are one of them, in this post I show you 10 fantastic places where you will have the best views of the Statue of Liberty. What's more, you'll be able to see it in an almost unique way from various points in the city, not just from Manhattan or Brooklyn, and you won't be able to stop taking pictures!

From the pedestrian walkway of the famous Brooklyn Bridge you will have one of the most beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty without spending a penny.

Early in the morning is a good time to cross it and take some pictures of the bridge and the statue without too many tourists around you, although sunset is one of my favourite times as the contrast between the colour of the sky and the water will give you some great pictures.

When it comes to crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, I recommend heading towards Manhattan because you'll enjoy the views of the skyline the whole way. The walk will take you about 45 minutes, but if you stop to take pictures you're sure to be there much longer.

Another of the best places to see the Statue of Liberty for free is from the Battery Park boardwalk.

As with the Brooklyn Bridge, I also recommend viewing the Statue of Liberty at sunset, a very special moment. You'll get some great photos and, if you sit on one of the benches facing the water, you'll be able to enjoy unobstructed views of the water:

• New York Harbor.
• The Statue of Liberty.
• Ellis Island.
• Verrazano Bridge.
• Governor's Island.
• New Jersey Shore.
• Brooklyn.

This is undoubtedly one of the best viewpoints overlooking the Statue of Liberty in New York. And if you're not satisfied with just seeing it from afar, you can always take one of the ferries that sail from Battery Park to Liberty Island to see it up close, inside and in detail. It's an experience you won't forget!

In case you want to see the Statue of Liberty up close but not disembark on Liberty Island, another great option is to take the free Staten Island Ferry, which connects Staten Island with Manhattan and passes so close to the Statue of Liberty that you'll get great views of the monument and the Manhattan skyline.

The Staten Island Ferry takes about half an hour, runs every day, 24 hours a day, and runs every 30 minutes. However, I advise you to check the timetable before boarding. Here's a guide to using the New York ferry.

But if you're a hopeless romantic, the view from the water that will make you fall in love with the Statue of Liberty is the one you'll get on this express cruise.

At 541 metres high, One World Trade Center has one of the most spectacular observation decks in New York and is the closest to the Statue of Liberty as it is located in Lower Manhattan, giving you the most beautiful and intimate views of "Lady Liberty" from Manhattan, as well as other popular tourist attractions such as the Empire State Building:

• The Empire State Building.
• The Brooklyn Bridge.
• The Hudson River.
• The Manhattan Bridge.
• The East River.
• Ground Zero.
• The Financial District.

In case you want to see New York from the One World Observatory, to find out what budget you'll need, I advise you to take a look at the post Ticket prices and discounts for the One World Observatory.

If you'd rather (literally) fly over the city and see the Crown of the Statue from the top, you can always join a helicopter ride over New York. I assure you it's an amazing experience!

In addition to learning about the history of Jewish immigrants who came to New York in search of a better life and paying tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, a visit to the Museum of Jewish Heritage will also give you a great view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the building's large windows.

You'll find this interesting museum just west of Battery Park as you stroll through the area. Open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM and is located just 9 minutes from the Staten Island Ferry dock in case you'd like to see "Lady Liberty" from a different perspective on the water.

Not many tourists who come to the Big Apple know this, but Green-Wood Cemetery (in Sunset Park, Brooklyn) is a great vantage point for viewing the Statue of Liberty and for enjoying clear views of New York Harbor due to its excellent high-altitude location.

A tour of Green-Wood Cemetery will not only give you a chance to see this landmark and Manhattan Island from a different perspective, but you'll also stroll past century-old trees, beautiful sculptures and the graves of famous people such as:

• Composer Leonard Bernstein.
• Mobster Joey Gallo.
• The founder of the FAO Schwarz toy shop, Frederick August Otto Schwarz.
• Morse code inventor Samuel F. B. Morse.

Green-Wood Cemetery is not a crowded place so you can see the Statue of Liberty without the crowds. Also, this site is very close to other tourist attractions in Brooklyn that you can go to after this visit such as:

• Prospect Park.
• The Brooklyn Museum.
• The Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

In addition to Liberty Island, another place where you can get a close-up view of the Statue of Liberty is the neighbouring island of Ellis Island, located just 10 minutes away by ferry.

It is a place I recommend you visit not only because you will have a beautiful view of "Lady Liberty" but also because like her, Ellis Island is also a symbol of hope and freedom and represents an important chapter in the history of the United States as it was the gateway to the country that millions of immigrants crossed in search of their dreams for America. In fact, it was known as "the island of hope".

If you want to know more about this island next to Liberty Island and everything you can see there, I recommend you read the post Visit Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum.

In the past, you could only enjoy views of the Statue of Liberty from the Governor's Island observation decks between May and October, but as of 2021, this island in New York Bay is open year-round.

Now any time is a good time to board one of the ferries from Manhattan or Brooklyn to Governor's Island and enjoy the surrounding scenery.

It's a great place to see Lady Liberty and the Manhattan skyline up close (a must-see is The Hills) but it's also a great place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of travel and do some outdoor activities such as:

• Walking.
• Riding a bike.
• Sunbathing in the hammocks at Hammocks Grove.
• Kayak for free at Pier 101 with The Downtown Boathouse.

The Louis Valentino Jr. Park & Pier overlook is another great place in Brooklyn to put on your calendar for unobstructed views of iconic landmarks such as:

• The Statue of Liberty.
• Hudson River.
• Staten Island.
• Ellis Island.
• The Lower Manhattan skyline.

Once upon a time it was not a very convenient place to go but fortunately that has changed and nowadays it is one of the most popular places for New Yorkers to unwind and one of the best places to watch the sun set over the water with "Lady Liberty" in the background while enjoying a delicious picnic.

At Louis Valentino Jr. Park & Pier there are plenty of green spaces where you can lie down to eat, sunbathe and relax after a busy day of sightseeing in New York.

Another enclave in Brooklyn from which to view the Statue of Liberty is the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, an elegant residential neighbourhood with wonderful views of the Statue:

• "Lady Liberty".
• Ellis Island.
• Governor's Island.
• Lower Manhattan.

Since Brooklyn Heights is in close proximity to DUMBO and the Brooklyn Bridge, I recommend taking a walking tour of the area to get to know it better and waiting until sunset to see the view of the Statue of Liberty, when the New York landscape becomes more beautiful as the sun goes down and the city lights come on.