Plan for Day 4 in NYC:
• Take train or bus to Castle Clinton – 8:30 a.m. reporting time
• Statue City Cruise to Liberty Island
• One WTC – One World Observatory, 9/11 Memorial, Oculus
• NYSE & Wall Street Bull
Visiting the Statue of Liberty:
In 2021, when we visited the world’s tallest statue — the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, India — Yuven expressed his wish to see the Statue of Liberty someday. We never thought that wish would come true so soon, but here we were, ready to make it happen! He was super excited to visit Liberty Island, although I initially tried to convince him to just take a ferry ride and admire it from a distance. Eventually, we ended up visiting the island itself — and I’m glad we did.
After reading tips on several Facebook groups, I suggested to Mihir that we take the first ferry of the day to beat the crowd. We were a bit hesitant to book for Sunday, but pedestal-level early slots were available only on that day out of the six days of our visit, so we booked about three weeks in advance. You can also buy general entry tickets directly at Castle Clinton, but beware — there are many scammers in the area, so it’s best to purchase tickets online. If you want to visit the Crown, you’ll need to book at least six months in advance, as those tickets are limited and sell out quickly.
To arrive on time, instead of relying on public transport, we took a cab to Battery Park – the departure point for ferries to Liberty and Ellis Islands. We arrived at Battery Park around 8:15 a.m. for our 9:15 a.m. ferry. The park had clear signage directing visitors to the correct path. After ticket verification (pedestal and crown entries have separate lines from general admission), we went through an airport-style security check, which took just five minutes. Then, we joined the ferry boarding queue, with only about 30 people ahead of us. Within half an hour, over 200 people had lined up behind us!
Boarding was smooth, and most tourists followed the queue. Once on board, passengers could choose between the upper and lower decks. We chose seats on the right side of the lower deck, which offered fantastic views of Lady Liberty as we approached the island.
Instead of heading straight for the audio guide, we took a right turn after disembarking and walked towards the statue. The island map clearly displayed all the points of interest, and we took some great shots of both the Statue and the Manhattan skyline.
We had pedestal tickets, but since I didn’t want to climb, Yuven and Mihir went up while I explored the grounds. There’s a luggage storage facility (different sizes) available for a refundable fee of 25 cents, though storage units are limited.
Before heading up to the pedestal or crown, there’s another round of security screening. After that, Mihir and Yuven took the elevator to the pedestal level, though they still had to climb a short flight of stairs to reach the top. The area was quite cramped, but the views were stunning — although, due to the wall height, anyone under 4.5 feet tall might struggle to see outside.
Once they returned, we relaxed near the museum square, had a quick snack, and then visited the Statue of Liberty Museum, which turned out to be informative and well-curated. We also watched a short film detailing the statue’s history. After spending about 45–50 minutes there, we caught the ferry back to Battery Park. Washrooms and drinking water stations were easily available across the island, and the area also had a café, souvenir shops, and a National Park Visitor Center.
The ferry queue looked long but moved quickly — we boarded within 15 minutes. The ferry stops at Ellis Island before returning to Battery Park, but since we were running short on time, we decided to skip it and return to the mainland. We reached Battery Park around 1:30 p.m.
Exploring Lower Manhattan:
Next, we set out to explore Lower Manhattan. Our first stop was the Charging Bull, but seeing the long queue for photos, we decided to skip it and headed to Liberty Bagel for lunch instead. After eating, we did some souvenir shopping and followed this route for the rest of the afternoon — NYSE, Fearless Girl, Trinity Church, St. Nicholas National Shrine, 9/11 Memorial Pools, Oculus, and finally, the One World Observatory.
We loved the St. Nicholas National Shrine — it was calm, peaceful, and beautifully designed. The 9/11 Memorial Pools were deeply moving, stirring emotions we weren’t ready to relive, so we skipped the museum. The Oculus, located just across the street, is a strikingly designed shopping complex with subway and PATH access, luxury brand outlets, and plenty of eateries. The restrooms were clean and well-maintained. Our power bank stopped working, so we rented one from a kiosk for $10 per hour.
One World Observatory:
The One World Observatory entrance is also accessible from the Oculus. We checked for available time slots at the ticket kiosk; the earliest slot was an hour later unless we paid an extra fee for priority entry. We opted for the later slot but asked a staff member at the gate if early entry was possible — thankfully, he let us in. After a quick security check, we passed through an exhibit showcasing how the building was constructed. The elevator ride took just 47 seconds, displaying a time-lapse of New York’s skyline evolution — an impressive touch!
At the top, we were guided into a small room with 15–20 visitors where a short video ended with a dramatic reveal of the city’s breathtaking skyline. From there, we entered the lower observation area, where staff offered audio guides for $20 and took professional photos available for purchase later. To reach the upper observation deck, visitors typically take an escalator, but we requested elevator access since it wasn’t clearly marked.
The 360-degree views from the enclosed observatory were mesmerizing. There’s also a café where one can grab coffee and snacks. We spent about an hour soaking in the views, checking our photos, and resting in the seating area. The design prevents anyone from sitting right next to the glass, but they’ve displayed helpful tips on how to avoid glare while taking pictures.
We initially planned to stay for sunset, but were too tired after a long day of exploring. Around 7:15 p.m., we decided to head back. We caught the M55 bus from the Oculus, which conveniently dropped us right opposite our hotel.
After reaching the hotel, we cooked a simple Indian dinner, enjoyed it while watching TV, and fell asleep soon after, ending a day filled with some of New York City’s best experiences.
✨ Stay tuned for Day 5, where we continue ticking off our bucket list while trying to balance our energy after so much walking!
🗓️ Read how we spent our previous day exploring DUMBO and walking across the Brooklyn Bridge…
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