This was our first visit to both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Our tour guide, Russell, was knowledgeable about both and some other history he shared with us and the tour made a sometimes confusing experience easy. We met the tour of about 15 people at Battery Park and from there we were in Russell's competent hands. A ferry took us from Battery Park to the Statue where we spent about an hour viewing the Statue and hearing the background story. There is an additional charge for entering the structure of the Statue and also the crown but those things are not included on the tour and would need to be arranged separately. From there, another ferry took us to Ellis Island where we had a quick lunch and a chance to learn about the place. It has been recently renovated and it's full of wonderful artifacts and information about our ancestors and how they arrived in America. It is a stunning, emotional place and our one regret is that we had only about 2 hours to visit there. We will return and take in more but it will take at least a day in itself and the tour gave us only a sample although a good one. The ferry returns all to Battery Park.
Get to Battery Park early! You must buy tickets for the ferry there. New York traffic is famously horrific and the tour doesn't wait. In addition, a trip through airport-style security is required before embarking on the ferry and it takes an outrageous amount of time. Bring your patience and your sense of awe for this tour.