A visit to Lady Liberty

by Kelly, Services Manager

Everyone knows that New York City is full of history, landmarks, and cultural experiences.  However, as many New Yorkers will attest, those of us who live here don’t get the opportunity to take the time to visit these wonderful sights nearly as often as we’d like to.  A great “excuse” for us to take the time is when out of town friends stop by the city for a visit.

I was lucky enough to have this “excuse” this past weekend when my best friend from college and her boyfriend travelled to my fair city from Chicago.  We planned a truly whirlwind weekend of typical “must-see” New York City activities, and had a wonderful time.

Our second day of activities was my favorite day.  We began the day with a trip on the Statue Cruises ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands to visit the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.  I’m a bit ashamed to admit, as a transplant to New York City, I have lived here for almost 10 years now, and this was my first trip to these amazing landmarks.

My friends and I were lucky enough to have access to the pedestal on which Lady Liberty stands.  We opted to climb the numerous stairs (around 200 steps!) to the top of the pedestal, and got the opportunity to see inside the structure of the statue itself when we reached the top of the pedestal’s access.  Did you know that the statue is anchored by two massive crossbeams inside the pedestal?  These crossbeams are attached to 16 tension rods nearly 50 feet in length, which are secured by enormous nuts and bolts.  These tension rods act like metal “rubber bands” and pull the statue and her iron skeleton down onto the pedestal, which is what prevents her from collapsing.  My other favorite fact that I learned during my trip to the statue is that Lady Liberty’s green color is the result of natural weathering of her exterior copper covering – which is only 3/32 of an inch thick – less than the thickness of two pennies!

After saying goodbye to Lady Liberty, we took the ferry to Ellis Island and visited the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.  From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island.  My great-grandfather, Salvatore D’acquisto, was one of them.  At the Immigration Museum, I had the opportunity to look his record up in the Museum’s extensive archives.  Through the archives, I learned that Salvatore landed at Ellis Island on August 18, 1923, on the ship the Dante Alighieri from Palermo, Sicily.  The archives even confirmed that Salvatore moved on from Ellis Island to settle in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where my family is still located!

As a proud New Yorker, a travel professional, and the newest member of the New York Guest staff, I am very lucky to get the opportunity to experience all of the best that New York City has to offer…and also assist you in having the same opportunities!  I look forward to sharing my experiences and helping you to build your own experiences in the future.  I am an expert on all things Broadway, and well versed in group travel among other things.  Please contact me at kshoemaker@newyorkguest.com if you have any questions.

Come Sail Away!

There is nothing better then a warm sunny mid afternoon on the Hudson River in New York City!

I had a great opportunity to join one of our close hotel partnerships on a cruise down the Hudson River, past the Statue of Liberty and back up to midtown. If you have never done this it’s a must do on your bucket list!

Living in New York City, sometimes we take the fun, touristy type stuff for granted. I am so glad  that I got to experience this! The boat started off at 41st Street and12th Avenue and cruised south. Along the route you see the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, many pier’s with beautiful yachts docked, the popular outdoor bar & grill “The Frying Pan”, The Standard Hotel, the promenade all along the southern part of Manhattan that goes all the way down to Battery Park and last but not least – the Statue of Liberty!

There are so many boating options in New York City. New York Guest offers them all!

Contact us if you are looking for:

Dinner Cruise around Manhattan

Private Yacht/Sailboat Charters for all occassions

Public Sightseeing Tours

Private Sightseeing Tours

Boats over to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Attached Boat trips with Bus trips

Call us at (212) 302-4019 or email us at info@newyorkguest.com for more information. Come sail away! - Karissa

Do you want to know a secret? Did you know New York City has FREE kayaking along the Hudson River? Check it out!

Terra: Visit Ellis Island on Your Next Trip to New York City

Everyone has their favorite places to visit in New York City. For some, it’s a shady spot in Central Park or standing at the top of the Empire State Building. For others, it’s a favorite bench, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or perhaps a favorite museum. In my book, no visit is complete to New York City without a visit to Ellis Island.

Ellis Island

Between 1892 and 1954 over 12 Million immigrants entered the United States through the gateway of Ellis Island, a small island in New York harbor close to the Statue of Liberty. Included in that 12 million were several members of my family, such as Agostino Arado, my great-grandfather from Genoa, Italy who we believe arrived on the SS Karl Wilhelm II in 1900 at the age of 20.

Agostino Arado and Family - First Generation Americans

To get to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum you take the same ferry that goes to the Statue of Liberty. I recommend carving out at least a few hours to visit both islands. If you have school-aged children, this is a wonderful way to bring American History alive; walking the hallways of the old Main Building you get a real sense of what our ancestors went through to become American citizens. In my opinion, Ellis Island is one of the most important historical sites in the United States.

Ellis Island Registry Room

In more recent years, starting in 1984, Ellis Island underwent a major restoration, the largest historic restoration in U.S. history. The $160 million dollar project was funded by donations made to The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the National Park Service. The Main Building was reopened to the public on September 10, 1990 as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Today, the museum receives almost 2 million visitors annually.

Tickets to the museum are free though a 45-minute audio tour (available in several languages) costs $8.00 for adults (worth it!).  Free public tours of Ellis Island given daily by the National Park Service. Times are posted at the Information Desk.  Make sure to take time to visit the American Immigrant Wall of Honor where the names of over 700,000 immigrates are inscribed in a memorial overlooking the New York Harbor. 

**Tip: bring a blank sheet of paper and pencil/crayon and you can bring home an etching of meaningful family names– a wonderful souvenir!

American Immigrant Wall of Honor

Over half of today’s American population can trace back to ancestors who crossed through Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. is also a major genealogical center for research. While visiting the museum you can utilize the American Family Immigration History Center where you can further investigate immigration history, family documentation and genealogical exploration.  Alternatively, on their website there are a variety of free documents and records that can be obtained including passenger manifests for the ships that docked here.

Let me help you plan a New York sightseeing itinerary that includes plenty of time at my favorite place, Ellis Island. Feel free to call me at (212) 302-4019 or e-mail TMrkulic@newyorkguest.com for advice and assistance! Visit NewYorkGuest.com for more suggestions on must-do activities in New York City!

– Terra