For Sydney it is the Opera house, for Paris it is the Eiffel Tower and for New York City it is the Statue of Liberty - one of the world’s most recognised monument.

Symbolic of freedom and opportunity, the Statue of Liberty is a cruisey ferry ride off from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. You can buy pre-purchased tickets online at www.statuecruises.com making sure you buy the ‘reserve ticket WITH monument pass’ as this will allow you to take the ferry and go up to the Statue. 

As you board the ferry with a hundred or so other tourists eagerly waiting to see ‘The Lady’ up-close and personal, you’ll watch New York City inch further and further away. Soon, what were enormously tall buildings 15 minutes ago will be nothing but 2D outlines of city skyscrapers that overlap one another. Taking the ferry ride will give you the opportunity to see the city from afar, almost as if you were looking at a postcard.

Though the ferry ride isn’t a very long one, there is enough time for you to get the best pictures of the city before running to the other end of the boat as you watch yourself approach closer to the Statue of Liberty. And those who fall seasick easily will have nothing to worry about because the ride is a fairly calm one especially on a sunny day. 

Since 9/11, security on the island has been boosted up particularly when you’re about to enter up to the Statue so be prepared to go through a few security checks. This also means that some parts of the Statue have been closed off to the public including entry to the interior of the crown. But you won’t be left disappointed when you climb what can be an exhausting flight of stairs and arrive to the top of the base of the Statue. You’ll also go pass the museum inside which shows how the Statue of Liberty was built.

Coming down – the easier part of the walk – you’ll be drawn to the instant whiff of hotdog and fries coming from the cafe. Just to satisfy your craving why not treat yourself to a little something before popping into the souvenir store next door to play dress-ups with the rubber crowns and flame torch and imagine you were The Lady herself.