Visit The Symbol Of FreedomNow That Youre Really Free Of Covid-19 – Forbes

A view from the Brooklyn Bridge.

A symbol of New Yorkyou could say, even Americais drawing people once again as the country continues to open.

Were talking about the Statue of Liberty, of course.

So many grand events are attracting tourists and residents in the Big Apple. Its as if a plug on the city has been popped out.

And so what had been limited ferry service to the iconic lady with the torch is now back to 100 percent with additional boats leaving from the Battery Park terminal in lower Manhattan as well as from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Its not only the Statue, but also Ellis Island.

The two are entwined. Weve all seen the grainy black-and-white films of tourists gawking at the Statue as they arrived from Europe in their exodus to the States. First, though, they went to Ellie Island, where they were checked for proper credentials, inspected for disease, and admitted to this country.

The Statue is a looming majestic figure, unchanged since her arrival in 1886 (well, maybe a face-cleaning or two). Before Covid-19, you could walk inside her, all the way up to her crown, and look down on the world below. Now, you can see her only from the outside, but up close. And there is a new Statue of Liberty Museum that will fascinate you with its history of the Lady in the Harbor.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

It includes a look at the immense warehouse in France where the sculptor and painter Frederic Bartholdi designed Liberty Enlightening the Worldthe official name he gave her. There are glimpses of the original torch, a virtual tour of the innards of the statue, bits of Americana.

A major part of the experience is simply the boat ride. Here you are in New York harbor, seeing the skyscrapers, and there, on this little island, the Statue rises.

But wait, theres more. The extension to Ellis Island is also a special New York/American experience. Expert guides take you through the place where 12 million people passed through on their way to becoming citizens. There is a hospital, too, where you learn about the techniques doctors used to determine who was fit mentally and physically to become an American.

The man who designed the Statue.

Prices for the excursion, which includes the sailings and admission to both Ellis Island and the Statue Museum, are $23.50 for adults, $18 for seniors, $12 for children (those 3 years and under go for free). Best bet is to check the website at: statuecitycruises.com.

Worried about health and safety measures on the boat? Dont be. After every trip the ferry is sanitizedcountertops, railings, anything youd touch.

Ultimately, this is a wonderfully symbolic excursionat once, you are leaving the confines of your apartment, or home, or hotel, shrugging off the burden of worrying about health and safety, and reconnecting with a part of the United States story. It is a tale that you become a part of, re-living the experience of those millions who came here looking for a new sense of freedom. And now that the pandemic is waning, that freedom can be yours, too.

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Visit The Symbol Of FreedomNow That Youre Really Free Of Covid-19 - Forbes