The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island combination field trip ranks among the most-booked NYC class trips for U.S. history and social studies curriculum. Class groups depart by ferry from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan or from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The peak booking window runs from late April through mid-June. Charter Bus New York City runs Statue of Liberty field trip transportation across the five boroughs and the metro area. Common groups include school administrators, PTAs, day camp directors, and immigration-history group coordinators.
Call 646-601-0230 to lock in a Statue of Liberty date, or request a free quote.
The Run from NYC and Suburbs to the Statue of Liberty Ferry
From Manhattan, the coach runs south on the FDR Drive or West Side Highway to the Battery Place curb. From Brooklyn, the BQE to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (Hugh L. Carey Tunnel) feeds directly to Battery Park. From Queens, the BQE west to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel is the standard route. From the Bronx, the FDR Drive south runs the length of Manhattan. From Long Island, the LIE to the Queens Midtown Tunnel or the BQE feeds the southern route.
For Liberty State Park (Jersey City) ferry departures, the route from Manhattan runs through the Holland Tunnel to the New Jersey Turnpike south, exit 14B to Liberty State Park. From northern New Jersey, the NJ Turnpike south to exit 14B feeds directly. Liberty State Park has dedicated bus parking lots.
Where the Coach Drops at the Statue of Liberty Ferry
Statue City Cruises at Battery Park
1 Battery Place, New York, NY 10004
cityexperiences.com
The Battery Park ferry departure is at the south end of Battery Park, with the security screening tent immediately before the ferry queue. Coaches drop on State Street or Battery Place curb space and re-stage. Curb space in Lower Manhattan is competitive on peak field trip mornings, so the driver coordinates the drop window with the school’s group ticket time.
Liberty State Park Ferry Terminal
1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305
libertystatepark.com
The Liberty State Park ferry has dedicated bus parking lots. The drop-off point is at the ferry terminal, and the coach parks in the bus lot during the visit. The driver coordinates with the park’s group services office on the assigned lot during booking.
Who Books Statue of Liberty Field Trip Charter Bus Runs
- Elementary school administrators booking U.S. history and immigration class field trips.
- Middle school administrators booking 5th through 8th-grade social studies trips.
- High school administrators booking U.S. history class trips.
- PTAs and parents associations coordinating year-end class trip transportation.
- Day camp directors running weekly summer excursions.
- Parochial school and religious-school field trip coordinators.
- Scout troop leaders organizing Saturday outings.
- Immigrant-heritage family-group coordinators organizing visits to Ellis Island.
Which Bus Fits a Statue of Liberty Field Trip
| Vehicle | Seats | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Sprinter van | Up to 14 | Small homeschool group, family-heritage visit. |
| 28-passenger minibus | Up to 28 | One full classroom plus chaperones, scout troop outing. |
| 35-passenger minibus | Up to 35 | Two-classroom field trip. |
| 56-passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Full-grade field trip with multiple classes plus chaperones. |
Family and kid amenity note. The 56-passenger coach has overhead bins for backpacks and snacks, a luggage bay for coolers, USB power for tablets, A/C and heat, and an onboard restroom. Smaller minibuses skip the restroom, so the driver builds in a stop on multi-hour routes.
Compare every size on our buses page, or open the school event bus rental service for field trip planning.
A 5th-Grade Statue of Liberty Field Trip Timeline
- 7:00 AM Driver checks in at the dispatch yard, pretrips the coach.
- 7:30 AM Pickup at a Queens elementary school parking lot.
- 7:45 AM Coach enters the BQE westbound.
- 8:45 AM Drop at the Battery Place curb. Class proceeds to security screening.
- 8:50 AM Coach repositions to a Lower Manhattan coach staging zone.
- 9:30 AM Class boards the ferry to Liberty Island.
- 12:00 PM Class transfers to Ellis Island ferry for the immigration museum.
- 1:00 PM Class lunch in the Ellis Island dining area.
- 2:00 PM Return ferry to Battery Park.
- 2:30 PM Coach pre-stages at the Battery Place curb.
- 3:15 PM Drop at the school for late dismissal.
What a Statue of Liberty Field Trip Charter Bus Costs
A 56-passenger charter bus for a Statue of Liberty field trip with a 8 to 10-hour minimum runs $1,400 to $2,000. The longer day reflects the ferry and security screening timing. A 35-passenger minibus for the same trip lands in $1,100 to $1,700. A 28-passenger minibus runs $1,000 to $1,500.
May and June Tuesday through Thursday school field trip days carry the highest demand. The Statue City Cruises group ticket cost is separate from the charter bus cost. Schools that pre-arrange group ferry tickets receive priority boarding windows. Our charter bus prices page shows ballpark numbers.
Planning Ahead for May-June Statue of Liberty Field Trip Peak Season
End-of-year May and June Statue of Liberty field trips fill 90 to 150 days out due to the ferry ticket reservation timing. Schools typically book in January and February for May-June dates. September back-to-school immigration-history field trips fill 30 to 60 days out. Day camp summer excursions for July and August book 30 to 60 days ahead. Multi-school combined trips book 120 to 180 days out.
Best Statue of Liberty Field Trip Themes for Charter Bus Groups
The trip types that fill our Statue of Liberty calendar most weeks:
5th and 6th-grade U.S. history class trips. Year-end social studies trips covering immigration history.
High school AP U.S. History class trips. Ellis Island immigration museum visits paired with social studies curriculum.
Multi-class combined field trips. Two or three classes traveling together on a 56-passenger coach.
Day camp summer excursions. July and August day camp Liberty Island visits.
Heritage-month family group visits. Italian, Irish, and Jewish heritage family groups visiting Ellis Island during heritage months.
Scout troop and Catholic Youth Organization outings. Saturday troop visits.
Homeschool group field trips. Recurring homeschool field trip blocks.
Named Drop Zones and Statue of Liberty Group Logistics
- Battery Place curb, the standard Lower Manhattan ferry drop.
- State Street curb, alternate Lower Manhattan ferry drop.
- Liberty State Park bus lot, the NJ-side dedicated bus parking.
- Lower Manhattan coach staging, the driver re-stages during the visit.
- Ellis Island dining area, the on-site lunch coordination point.
Common Statue of Liberty Group Profiles
- 5th-grade U.S. history trip, 50 students plus chaperones. A 56-passenger coach handles two classes plus chaperones with luggage bay for lunches.
- High school AP class trip, 30 students plus chaperones. A 35-passenger minibus.
- Day camp summer excursion, 30 to 45 campers plus counselors. A 35 or 56-passenger coach.
- Scout troop weekend outing, 18 to 25 scouts plus leaders. A 28-passenger minibus.
- Multi-family heritage visit, 14 to 20 riders. A 28-passenger minibus or sprinter van.
Group Booking Tips for Statue of Liberty Field Trips
Ferry ticket reservation required. Statue City Cruises requires group ferry tickets in advance. Schools coordinate the group ticket order before the trip.
Security screening timing. The Battery Park security screening tent processes passengers before boarding. Build buffer time into the ferry boarding window.
Lunch storage. The coach’s luggage bay holds lunch coolers during the ferry portion.
Weather contingency. Ferry service can be impacted by weather. Most schools build a rain-date contingency into the booking.
Tip and gratuity. Driver gratuity is not included in the base quote. The standard range is 15 to 20 percent of the trip total, paid in cash or added to the final invoice.
Coordinating across the school year field trip calendar? See our NYC field trip coordinator guide, Liberty Science Center NJ-side field trip, and Bronx Zoo class trip charter for the next group on the schedule.
Book a Statue of Liberty Field Trip Charter Bus
A 5th-grade U.S. history trip from a Queens elementary school. A high school AP class trip from a Bronx high school. A day camp summer excursion. Call Charter Bus New York City at 646-601-0230 to speak with a live representative, or request a free quote.
