Photo: AskALotl, CC0
Crown tickets are limited, sold only in advance, four to an order, and general admission does not go inside. The authorized ferry, the height rule, the climb.
Last checked 13 Sep 2026. Source: National Park Service (home.nps.gov).
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Crown access must be reserved long before the trip
Crown tickets are extremely limited and must be reserved in advance. They are not sold at the Liberty Island ticket office, and a maximum of four can be booked per order.
What to do: Reserve through Statue City Cruises before you travel.
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Only one ferry operator actually lands on the islands
NPS identifies Statue City Cruises as the authorized vendor for crown reservations and ferry transportation.
What to do: Avoid sellers offering "statue tours" on boats that never dock.
- Worth knowing
General admission does not get you inside the statue
General Admission covers the islands and museums, not the pedestal or crown. Pedestal tickets are online-only through the authorized vendor, and same-day inventory is extremely limited.
What to do: Pick the pedestal or crown ticket at booking if interior access matters.
- Worth knowing
The crown is 377 steps, with a 42-inch height minimum
Children must be at least 42 inches tall for the crown, which is 162 steps above the pedestal and 377 above ground level.
What to do: Measure children, and weigh the climb, before booking.
- Good to know
Both islands in one day means the early ferry
NPS recommends an early ferry departure if visiting Liberty Island and Ellis Island on the same day. Crown holders check in at Castle Clinton (NYC) or Liberty State Park (NJ) before boarding.
What to do: Schedule the ferry as the first activity of the day.
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Rules like these change, sometimes at short notice. Confirm with the source before you book — RTour plans trips and does not sell tickets.