Best Places to See the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is the emblem of the United States and its most representative monument. If it's not on your list of things to see and do in New York, it should be! Therefore, it is not surprising that in New York there are so many places from which to contemplate it to the delight of New Yorkers and tourists eager to immortalize it with their camera 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. In addition, you will be able to contemplate it in an almost unique way from several points of the city, not only from Manhattan or Brooklyn. You won't be able to stop taking pictures!

From the pedestrian lane 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 favorite times, as the contrast between the color of the sky and the water will give you some great pictures.

When crossing the Brooklyn Bridge I recommend you to do it in the direction of Manhattan because you will enjoy the views of its skyline all the way. The ride will take you about 45 minutes, but if you stop to take pictures you will be there much longer.

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

As in the case of the Brooklyn Bridge, I also recommend you to contemplate it at sunset while the sun sets, a very special moment. You will get some great photos and, if you sit on one of its benches facing the water, you can enjoy unobstructed views of:

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

Undoubtedly, this is one of the best viewpoints to the Statue of Liberty that New York has. And if you are not satisfied with 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 is an experience you will not forget!

In case you want to see the Statue of Liberty up close but without disembarking at Liberty Island another very interesting option is to take the Staten Island Ferry, which is free, connects this borough with Manhattan and passes so close to the Statue of Liberty that it will offer you great views of the monument and the Manhattan skyline.

The Staten Island ferry ride takes about half an hour, runs every day, 24 hours a day, and the frequency of passage is every 30 minutes. However, I advise you to check the schedule before boarding. Here is a guide to using the New York ferry.

But if you are a hopeless romantic, the view from the water that will make you fall in love is the one that this express cruise to the Statue of Liberty will leave you with.

At 541 meters 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 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 know what budget you will need I advise you to take a look at the post Ticket prices and discounts for the One World Observatory.

If instead, you prefer (literally) to 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. It is 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 would like to see "Lady Liberty" from another 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 because of its excellent high-altitude location.

During a tour of Green-Wood Cemetery you will not only have the chance to observe this monument and the island of Manhattan from a different perspective but you will stroll among 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 store, Frederick August Otto Schwarz.
• The inventor of Morse code Samuel F. B. Morse.

Green-Wood Cemetery is not a crowded place so you will be able to see the Statue of Liberty without crowds. In addition, 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 from which you can get a close-up view of the Statue of Liberty is the neighboring island of Ellis Island, located just 10 minutes away by ferry.

It is a place that I recommend you visit not only because you will have a beautiful view of "Lady Liberty" but 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 in 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 to 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 since 2021, this island located in New York Bay is open year-round.

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

It is a fantastic place to see "Lady Liberty" up close and the Manhattan skyline (a must to go to The Hills) but also to disconnect a little from the hustle and bustle of the trip and do 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 fantastic spot in Brooklyn to pencil into your schedule for unobstructed views of iconic landmarks such as:

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

Some time ago it was not a very convenient place to go but fortunately that changed and nowadays it is one of the most frequented places by New Yorkers to disconnect and most recommended to watch the sunset over the water with "Lady Liberty" in front of you in the background while enjoying a delicious picnic.

In Louis Valentino Jr. Park & Pier there are many green spaces where you can lie down to eat, sunbathe and relax after an intense day of sightseeing in New York.

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

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

Since Brooklyn Heights is very close to DUMBO and the Brooklyn Bridge, I recommend you to take a tour of the area to get to know it better and wait for sunset to go see the views of the Statue of Liberty, when the New York landscape becomes more beautiful as the sun goes down and the city lights come on.