The Immigrant Experience: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, & Downtown Food Tour in New York City booking from $179.00

The Immigrant Experience: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, & Downtown Food Tour

Overview

Come along with us as we explore New York City’s rich immigrant history from past to present! Part of the reason that NYC is known for being one of the most diverse and colorful cities on the planet is the robust immigration communities throughout the city, some having established themselves many decades ago and some more recent. You’ll enjoy 3 different ferry rides through New York Harbor as you visit 2 of the most well-known immigration icons in the world: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (where you may be able to look up your own immigrant ancestors in their registry records!). After exploring the immigrant experience of the past, your guide will lead you on a modern foodie adventure through the Financial District. You’ll hear stories of modern immigrants and taste a variety of dishes. At the end of your tour, you’ll be full of inspiration and delicious treats!

City: New York City

Tue 31 Dec

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Starting at $179.00

Make a reservation

Tue 31 Dec

Starting at $179.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Ferry tickets to and from Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

A variety of food samples from immigrant-owned businesses or of immigrant-inspired foods. Food options and portion sizes vary - total amount of food equals a full meal.

Local, English-speaking guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
We are unable to make accommodations for gluten and lactose-intolerant diets at this time, as some of our food inclusions are baked goods.
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
Our organization has created a comprehensive strategy to ensure the safety of our guests, guides, partners, vendors, and the wider local community. All staff members are trained in these new safety procedures and we will continue to follow local government guidance.

What To Expect

United States Custom House

Your tour begins at the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House. Named after one of the most well-known founding fathers and where immigrants have historically come to “get the job done.”

Battery Park

We’ll start our tour with a stroll through Battery Park. On the southern tip of Manhattan, this park was the original destination for immigrants before the more well-known Ellis Island facility opened in the 1890’s.

Statue of Liberty

We’ll hop on a ferry and make our way over to the icon of the United States: the Statue of Liberty. While on the island, we’ll have the opportunity to explore the National Monument and marvel at Lady Liberty - a sight that incoming immigrants anticipated seeing from their ships for decades.

Ellis Island

After visiting Lady Liberty, we’ll hop on another ferry and head over to Ellis Island. From 1892 - 1954 this was the destination for incoming immigrants from around the world. With a variety of restored buildings to explore (including a hospital and dormitory), you’ll really be able to set the sense of what it was like for those entering the United States in years gone by (perhaps even some of your own ancestors).

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Inside the island’s Main Building, this museum explores the immigration experience from the 1800’s to the mid-1900’s. You’ll be able to learn more about the process of getting to the United States, the process and procedures for entering the country, and what was awaiting immigrants once they started their new lives in America.

Wall Street

After our 3rd boat ride, back to Manhattan from Ellis Island, your guide will take you on a modern-immigrant foodie tour through the Financial District and along Wall Street. Not often associated with New York’s food scene, this area is filled with immigrant-owned restaurants, bakeries, and more. You’ll taste your way through the neighborhood while hearing stories of the modern immigrant experience and their impact on the city’s culinary landscape.

Show 3 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (16)

lesliemW1164FS

Nov 2022

Jessie was awesome!! I was the only one on her tour and it was such a great experience. She was very engaging and full of information. We took the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and got to walk around while she filled me in on amazing facts and tidbits. I’d been to NY a few times but never visited the statue so I was glad I got to check that box.. We then took a short ferry ride to Ellis Island and she shared more info with me and gave me great insights as to the best way to tour the buildings and walls… she even had some pictures of how things would have looked “back in the day” which helped add to the experience. After touring the island, which was so amazing, and so informative we took a ferry back to Manhattan and began the food part of our tour which I really enjoyed. I had my first hand rolled bagel with sun dried tomato cream cheese (sooooooo good) we then walked to a pizza place and grabbed a slice…. And then on to a bakery and had a delicious croissant and finally out last stop was falafel and hummus…. All of the restaurants we went to were all immigrant, owned, and ran… Jessie had amazing stories and history about each place we went to… All the food was delicious… And because it was just me, I was able to take a little bit from each place back to my room and enjoyed it later on that afternoon… I would definitely recommend The immigration experience and food tour to anyone looking for something a little bit different… Thanks Jessie for an amazing day!!

Response from Host

Nov 2022

Hello there! Thank you so much for writing such a kind review. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Jessie as well as the yummy food. Happy travels!

CindyF_13

Apr 2022

The tour and tour guide were truly excellent. Chock full of history of both The Statue of Liberty complete with a 3 room movie of the statue’s beginning, to building her in France and then rebuilding her in NYC harbor and the remaking of the original immigrant experience at Ellis Island over 100 years ago to what the modern day experience is. Our guide was equipped with pictures of the past to help us visualize what the experiences were and her history knowledge was extensive. The food the food the food! All food baked fresh featuring Jewish, Italian, Chinese and Middle Eastern treats. I highly recommend this tour and plan on treating my 3 sisters to this WeVenture in June when they visit

Response from Host

Jul 2022

So happy to hear you enjoyed the tour! We aim to create great, immersive experiences that include immigrant stories and delicious food. Glad it lived up to your expectations.

R8016YWlaurak

Feb 2022

This was an enjoyable immigration history tour. I particularly liked the history portion of the tour where the guide talked about the history of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and some of the people who came through there. Our guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, which added a lot to the experience. The food was good (particularly the pizza at the first stop), but I wish that we had gotten to learn more about the restaurants themselves since they were run by immigrants. Besides that, though, it was a fun experience that I would recommend to anyone interested in history and food!

Response from Host

Jul 2022

Hello and thank you for this thorough review. We appreciate the feedback and will offer more insight into these restaurants during future tours

The Immigrant Experience: Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, & Downtown Food Tour

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