Visiting the Statue of Liberty - Know Before You Go!

Lady Liberty! This symbolic site is a meaningful place for both children and adults to visit. And yet, even as I grew up outside of, and then LIVED in NYC, I had never gone to Liberty Island until last month. My eldest daughter requested a trip there as part of her 10th birthday NYC weekend, and I couldn’t say no. Here are some tips and things to know before you make the trip yourself.

1. Free to visit…kind of. While there’s no charge to be on Liberty Island and for the museum onsite, you have to pay to get there. This means paying for a ferry service. Statue City Cruises is the only authorized ferry with service to Liberty Island (and also Ellis Island!). Additionally, there are separate fees for going UP inside the statue. If you want to climb to either the pedestal or crown levels, expect to pay more (price is rolled in with the ferry price so it’s just one ticket). Don’t want to pay or don’t have the time? Simply take the free Staten Island Ferry and do a drive, err, sail-by.

2. You can go from New Jersey OR Manhattan. Cruises from Manhattan leave from Battery Park, and those from New Jersey leave from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Since we were driving from DC to NYC, we decided to take the ferry from Jersey City since it was on the way, and then drove into NYC afterwards. We also opted for this because, as we had a car, parking at Liberty State Park is abundant and inexpensive ($7), whereas it is much more difficult near Battery Park. However, not everyone feels comfortable driving in NYC! If you are taking the train to the city or coming from a different direction, it probably would make more sense for you to take the ferry from Manhattan.

3. Go as early as possible. I was so thankful my daughter and I took a morning ferry (11 am — we left DC around 6:30, got in at 10 am, which gave us enough time for a snack and bathroom break before going through security and waiting in line). It was crowded in the morning, but even more so when we left a few hours later. Also, even though the sailing only takes about 15 minutes, be prepared to spend a lot of time waiting in line for security and boarding beforehand. Plan to arrive at your selected terminal at least 45 minutes in advance.

4. Items inside the Statue are highly restricted - bring a quarter! We were surprised that we weren’t allowed to bring our stainless steel water bottles with us for the climb up to the pedestal level, and were told to rent a locker. These are 25¢ each. Bring a quarter - we experienced the change machines to all be broken, and had to rely on the kindness of a stranger! (Other restricted items include food, all drinks except in clear water bottles, backpacks, and strollers).

5. It’s a National Park Site. This means, for kids, that it is also a place where they can take part in the Junior Ranger program and earn a badge. The activities are best for kids ages 5+.

6. It’s not ideal for very young children. Not going to sugar coat it - this is a place where you really need to watch young ones. The ferry can be tight and crowded, and difficult to use a stroller, so if you are bringing a little one, baby-wearing is the way to go. While I want all my children to experience the Statue of Liberty, I felt much more at ease not making this a trip where I’d have to worry about my highly energetic toddler!

7. Don’t miss the museum! I’m so glad we didn’t rush things and went into the museum. My daughter loved soaking up the history of the construction of Lady Liberty and seeing the original torch, inspiration for the statue, replicas of the face and feet, etc. The visitor center is also inside the museum.

Confessions From A Reformed Over-scheduler

I get it. You’re on a long-awaited vacation with your kids. There is SO much you want to see and experience in this new place. You’re itinerary is perfect, you have all the maps and local information you need, and nothing can get in your way! Except…for that one little variable you brought along. Your children.

As much as we’d like to think otherwise, bringing kids on vacation changes things. It makes the experience different and brings so many opportunities to learn together, see new interests blossom, and create lifelong memories as a family. In my mind, there’s nothing better! But as someone who loves to plan, I’ve also learned that sometimes you need to put that schedule aside.

The most vivid example of this was our last big vacation as a family to Croatia in August 2023. This was a trip planned for 2020 (womp, womp), and to say I was excited to finally be there was an understatement. My husband gave me full authority to plan our 15 days adventure and I did so with gusto. Towards the end of our trip, we were staying in Dubrovnik in the southern tip of the country. Just an hour’s drive south (plus summer traffic, plus border crossings) was the glorious Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, a place that had been on my bucket list for a while. In my mind, this was an obvious day trip.

In the morning, I was up early to pack snacks and make sure everyone had a change of clothes and necessary things for the day. As my husband and I put together a quick breakfast, our children came out of their room all bleary-eyed and decidedly NOT enthusiastic about getting in the car and driving again. To put this in perspective, we had already driven quite a lot. We’d taken the kids down the entire Dalmatian coast, across the island Bol, in and around eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina…and the next day we were going to spend the whole day driving back north.

“Mom…”, my 9-year old started, “I really don’t want to take another day trip.”

“What?! But this place is going to be so beautiful! I really think you’ll love it!”

My 7-year old chimed in next. “Yeah but I like this place. Can’t we just go to the beach?”

By the time my 2 year old made his opinions known, it was clear that no child wanted to go anywhere other than the beach and out for gelato.

I was shocked. My heart sank and I felt my whole body deflate a little. And then I realized that while this was my vacation, it was also theirs. And I had tried to squeeze every bit of magic out of every beach, fortress, castle, or vineyard we visited, without stopping often enough to assess what it was my kids needed.

My husband and I looked at each other and knew that today, we were going to have to throw out my perfectly crafted schedule. Not because it was bad but because in some moments you need to be flexible enough to adjust course and listen to the needs of your tiny travelers.

And you know what? The day ended up being blissfully near-perfect. We ate fresh goodies from a bakery, played for hours on the beach, strolled amongst the throngs of tourists inside the Old City walls, and ate gelato all at the pace our kids needed. The kids had so much fun that day and I knew we made the right call.

I’m a reformed over-scheduler, and I’m so grateful for my kids helping me to embrace the more leisurely pace of vacation.

My night sleeping like royalty

(Oh! Did you think this was going to be a blog post about how to beat jet lag and have your little prince and princess sleeping like a dream? Reach out to us here; we would love to share all our tips and tricks with you!)

There’s just something about castles that grabs our imaginations. My two sons, from a very early age, loved to dress up as knights and pretend they were defending their castle from the “bad guy” raiders (the oldest once dressed our middle child up as a dragon and then tried to “defeat him,” but that’s another story for another day). Princes and princesses, knights, lords and ladies… something about all of it enthralls us.

Historians (castleologists?) estimate that Germany has between 12 and 25 THOUSAND castles and many- or their ruins- can still be toured. Some are even now available for weddings, events and- like Arenfels castle where my family stayed last summer- great places to spend a few nights of your family vacation.

So how do you go about finding a castle to stay in for a whole or part of your next family trip? As simple as it sounds, it helps to know the word for “castle” in the national language (in German it’s schloss) to help in your search, especially to find the smaller castles that often provide an amazing experience at a fraction of the price. Quite a few countries have associations of castles that will contain good information, including ways to book. Airbnb, Booking.com and VRBO all have filters to search for “unique properties” like a castle or estate. And don’t worry, you don’t necessarily have to book the whole place: Schloss Arenfels, for example, offers a variety of rooms to potential guests.

A castle is more than just a place to lay your head, though. Many castles are still family- or small business-owned and operated, and will most likely love to share more about the castle and the surrounding region with you. And, of course, take advantage of any tours and other programs the castle may have available; many castles in Germany, for example, offer a tour in English a few times a week. We also recommend choosing the “bed and breakfast” option when it's available; who doesn’t want to eat a delicious European breakfast in a 14th century dungeon or wine cellar?!

Even with jet lag, picky eaters, mishaps and unknowns, family travel is fun. Staying in a castle for all or part of your family vacation is a great way to get to know more about the peoples and cultures of your host country and a unique experience your family won’t soon forget.

Successfully Packing Light

Kids come with a lot of…extras. Toys, safety equipment, strollers, feeding tools, and all the gear. You seemingly can’t leave the house without a diaper or tote bag busting at the seams, so how are you going to holiday in a different country while traveling light? Believe me, it’s possible! Whether out of desire or necessity, you can have a successful trip while packing light.

Your Luggage Matters

My husband and I can approach certain purchases quite differently. I’m usually looking to save money, while he focuses on the long-term investment. After 13 years of marriage and a whole lot of travel under our belts, I’ve come to see his approach as the wisest one. Investing in high quality, durable, and lightweight luggage is something I advise everyone to do. In the days when airlines are really pinching their pennies and issuing tight restrictions on luggage weight, it’s important that your luggage is as light as possible in order to maximize how much you can bring (and also, bring back home with you!).

Have A List

Before every trip, I make an itemized list of what I am packing for each member of the family. Seeing it written down helps to keep me organized and to make sure that I stick to a plan instead of throwing in a lot of extra outfits at the last minute. It also helps for packing up on the return trip, too! I try to keep the same rules for every member of the household (for example, everyone brings 2 swimsuits, 2 pairs of shoes, and 7 outfits). In terms of clothing, plan in terms of multifunctional, mix - and - match pieces. This way you can get the most mileage out of your clothing while still keeping your wardrobe feeling fresh during your travels.

Plan To Do Laundry

One of the reasons why we usually opt for staying at apartment rentals is for the convenience of doing laundry. That way, we only have to pack clothes for half the number of days if we do laundry mid-trip. (And let’s be honest, when traveling with kids, things are bound to get messy and dirty and need a good clean sooner than you anticipate) If you opt for a hotel rather than an AirBNB or VRBO rental, check to see if your hotel offers laundry services.

Make The Most of Your Space

I was first introduced to packing cubes when I backpacked around Europe with friends after graduating college (cliche, I know). That was my first time having to be extremely mindful of what I was packing, as I was literally carrying everything on my back. My friend told me that packing cubes were a non-negotiable and after using them for that trip, I’ve never looked back. Packing cubes serve multiple purposes that are helpful when traveling with a family. For one, they allow you to fit more into a space as the clothes get (slightly) compacted. Secondly, it’s easier to keep clothes wrinkle-free when packed in cubes (although the debate rages on whether to fold or roll clothes…I prefer to roll!). Lastly, it’s a great method for separating peoples’ clothes. This is especially helpful if you are sharing suitcases! When my family of 5 went to Croatia for 15 days last summer, we packed carry-on only. Packing cubes were a tremendous help in being able to do this. I assigned each person one packing cube, put all our swimsuits in another, and our beach towels in yet another. And that was that!

Purchase At Your Destination

Think about what you absolutely need to bring versus what will be available to purchase (or rent) at your destination. Things like diapers, wipes, sunscreen, and general toiletries are easy to find in grocery stores or pharmacies in most places. Also, if you are renting a car and trying to travel light, consider renting a car seat through your rental company. This is of course an extra charge, but some people find this convenience worth every penny.

Test Run! Weigh Your Luggage

This is one step many people overlook! Weighing your luggage is especially important if you are flying a budget airline or if you just can’t cut back on what you plan to bring for your family trip. And don’t forget to take into account space (and weight) for souvineers you might plan to bring home (wine from France? Leather shoes from Milan? German beer? Bulky Norweigan wool sweaters?).

Try these tips above for your next family adventure and let us know about your success in traveling light!