NYC: Empire State, Statue of Liberty, & Hop-on Hop-off (Save 25%)

New York sightseeing rarely suffers from a shortage of things to see. The problem is fitting them together. This package links the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry, plus two hop-on hop-off bus routes in one booking. I like the simple coverage and the chance to use the bus as both a sightseeing ride and a way to cross Manhattan.

I especially like the Downtown and Uptown loops, since they reach very different parts of the city, and I like that the Empire State Building and ferry are included rather than left as separate purchases. The catch is organization: you must redeem vouchers and reserve an Empire State Building time, and several poor experiences came from unclear directions, missed timing, or missing tickets.

Key points before you book

• Three major experiences in one package: The bus, Empire State Building observation deck, and Liberty and Ellis Islands ferry cover a lot of ground.
• Two routes, two versions of New York: The Downtown loop reaches SoHo, Chinatown, Wall Street, the World Trade Center, Hudson Yards, and the waterfront. The Uptown loop reaches Rockefeller Center, the Met, Central Park Zoo, Columbus Circle, and Carnegie Hall.
• Plan the ferry first: Ferry service from Battery Park operates during daytime hours, and you must redeem the voucher with Big Bus staff before entering the terminal.
• Reserve the Empire State Building in advance: The QR code alone may not get you through the attraction. Use the booking link on your voucher or ask staff at Stop 1.
• Open-top buses are weather dependent: They offer excellent views, but the buses may be hot, cold, wet, or windy. Do not expect standard air conditioning.
• Best for first-time visitors with a clear plan: The package can save money and walking, but it is not a carefree, show-up-and-wing-it tour.

What this New York package actually includes

At $135 per person, this is not simply a bus ride. You receive a 48-hour Big Bus hop-on hop-off ticket for the Downtown and Uptown routes, admission to the Empire State Building observation deck, and round-trip ferry service to Liberty Island and Ellis Island if that option is selected.

You also get audio commentary in several languages and an audio tour for Liberty and Ellis Islands. A bike rental offer gives you one free hour when you rent one hour, which may be useful if you want a short ride rather than another bus loop.

The full circuit of either route takes about 90 minutes without getting off. That makes the bus a useful orientation tool on your first day. You can stay aboard for the whole circuit, note the places you want to revisit, then get off later. Traffic can stretch the ride, and buses do not always arrive exactly when you hope, so keep important reservations separate from tight bus connections.

The product information describes the bus ticket as 48 hours, while the FAQ refers to a three-day version. Check the exact validity printed on your voucher before planning your days. The package also has a rating of 3.4 from 209 reviews, which tells you something important: the attractions themselves are appealing, but the practical handling of tickets and directions can make or break the day.

Downtown route: skyscrapers, neighborhoods, and harbor views

The Downtown loop begins at Stop 1 outside M&M’S New York on Seventh Avenue and West 48th Street. This is a central starting point near Times Square, though the crowds and traffic can make it less obvious than it sounds. Arrive with your mobile ticket ready and confirm where the bus is loading.

Stop 2 is Times Square, at West 42nd Street and Broadway in front of the Knickerbocker Hotel. This is the city’s famous wall of screens, theaters, crowds, and noise. It is a good place to begin if you want the classic New York introduction, but it is not an efficient place to linger while watching the bus lane.

At Stop 3, the Empire State Building and Koreatown, you are close to the package’s observation deck visit. The stop is in front of CVS Pharmacy. This is the attraction that needs the most careful planning. You must pre-book a date and time through the Big Bus booking management link provided with your voucher, or arrange it with staff at Stop 1.

I would handle this before doing much sightseeing. One particularly useful piece of advice from the supplied information is to ask a staff member to print or confirm the attraction tickets early. Several people had trouble when they waited until late afternoon, found no representative, or arrived at the Empire State Building with a QR code that could not be redeemed directly.

Stop 4 brings you to the Flatiron District, in front of Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop. The Flatiron Building area offers a change of pace from Midtown towers, with a recognizable wedge-shaped landmark and a neighborhood feel. The stop is useful for a short walk and lunch, but this is one place where you should watch the clock if you also have the ferry or Empire State Building booked.

The bus then reaches SoHo at West Broadway and Spring Street. Here, the appeal is the cast-iron architecture, galleries, shops, and streets that feel very different from the office towers farther north. Stop 6, at 100 Lafayette Street, serves Chinatown and Little Italy. These districts are close enough to combine on foot, though you should allow time for food and wandering rather than treating them as quick photo stops.

Stop 7 is near the Brooklyn Bridge at Park Row and Beekman Street. This is a handy point for seeing the bridge from the Manhattan side. The bus does not replace walking across the bridge, but it saves you from making every neighborhood connection on foot.

Stop 8 is at Wall Street, while Stop 9 is listed near Trinity Church on Trinity Place and Cedar Street for the Statue of Liberty connection. The stop descriptions can seem confusing, so ask a Big Bus representative exactly where to redeem the ferry voucher and which direction to walk. That small step matters. Several complaints involved being dropped some distance from the Battery Park ferry line without clear instructions.

The ferry itself leaves from Battery Park and visits both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. This is ferry access, not monument entry. The package does not include the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal, crown, interior monument, or museum. You can see the statue and explore the islands, but do not expect the package to provide an inside visit.

The supplied details list different ferry operating hours in different places, including roughly 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Treat the hours on your voucher or the current instructions from Big Bus staff as the authority. Departures are regular, but the ferry, security, and walking time can consume much of a day.

Stop 10 is the World Trade Center area, at Church Street and Vesey Street across from the post office. This is a useful stop for the memorial and surrounding Lower Manhattan sights. Stop 11 at Pier 57 takes you to the Hudson River waterfront, and Stop 12 serves Hudson Yards at Twelfth Avenue and West 30th Street. These stops show the city’s newer architecture and riverfront development.

The Downtown route also reaches Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises at Twelfth Avenue and West 40th Street. The cruise company is listed as a stop, but a Circle Line cruise is not included in this package. Stop 14, called the Hope Sculpture stop, returns you toward Midtown at Seventh Avenue and West 53rd Street.

Uptown route: museums, Central Park, and Fifth Avenue

The Uptown loop uses the same Times Square stop, again in front of the Knickerbocker Hotel, then heads toward Rockefeller Center at West 49th Street and Fifth Avenue. This is the route to choose when you want Midtown’s polished plazas, Fifth Avenue shops, and famous cultural buildings.

Stop 16 serves the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Fifth Avenue and East 83rd Street. The stop is outside the museum near East 83rd Street. The museum admission is not included, so plan this as a bus drop-off for a separate visit. If you are entering the Met, give yourself far more time than the bus schedule alone suggests.

Stop 17 serves Central Park Zoo at Fifth Avenue and East 66th Street. Stop 18 is at Columbus Circle, on the southwest corner of Central Park beside the main monument. These stops work well for a park walk, a meal, or a break from the bus. Central Park is large, and the stop names do not mean every attraction is right at the curb, so use the route app and map before getting off.

Stop 19 is near Carnegie Hall at Seventh Avenue and West 57th Street. This is a convenient final Midtown stop and a good place to end the Uptown circuit if you are heading back toward Times Square.

The bus commentary uses digital audio, and the supplied information also refers to live guides. Do not assume the ride will feel like a fully guided walking tour. The quality of information can vary, and some people found the sound system poor or the commentary too light on facts. The free app can help with live bus tracking, stop locations, route details, and things to do nearby. I would use it rather than relying only on announcements, since stops may not always be clearly called out.

Empire State Building: reserve the view, then protect your time

The Empire State Building is the easiest attraction in this package to mishandle. Your pass does not mean you can simply walk to the entrance whenever you like. You need a scheduled time and date, arranged through the link in your confirmation or with staff at Stop 1.

The observation deck is the main payoff: you get a classic high-level view over Manhattan and the surrounding city. To make the visit work, schedule it before filling your day with bus rides and the ferry. Traffic can be slow, and late afternoon staff availability has been a problem for some bookings.

My practical rule is simple: redeem or confirm the Empire State ticket early, even if you hope to visit at sunset or after dark. A staff member named Wanda was specifically praised for helping arrange both the Empire State Building and ferry dates. Another staff member, Ibrahim, was praised for printing tickets and explaining the ferry process. Those examples show why an in-person check can be worth more than wrestling with the online booking tool.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: a separate half-day plan

The ferry portion deserves its own block of time. You must first redeem your voucher with Big Bus staff, then proceed to the Battery Park terminal. The ferry visits Liberty Island and Ellis Island, with an audio tour included for both.

Do not schedule the ferry too late in the day. Listed operating times end in the afternoon, and the ferry ride includes boarding, security, island time, and the return journey. It is not a quick harbor photo stop.

The most important limitation is access. The ticket does not include the interior monument, pedestal, crown, or museum. If those are essential to your plans, you will need a different ticket arrangement. For a straightforward visit to the islands and a view of the statue from the water, this package covers the basics.

Is $135 good value?

The price makes sense if you will use all three main parts: bus, Empire State Building, and ferry. Buying each activity separately may cost more, and one booking can reduce the work of coordinating several operators. The bus also gives you transportation between widely scattered areas that would otherwise mean subway rides, taxis, or long walks.

The value drops quickly if you use only the bus or miss one attraction. The bus commentary is recorded, not a personal guide throughout, and traffic can reduce the number of stops you manage in a day. The open-top design is also less comfortable in heat, rain, or cold. Reports of poor air circulation on hot days are worth taking seriously, since the operator states that these are open-top buses and does not promise air conditioning.

At $135, I see this as a convenience package, not a bargain for every visitor. It suits someone who wants a broad first look at Manhattan and plans to visit both paid attractions. If you already know the subway system, prefer independent sightseeing, or want more time inside museums and neighborhoods, buying individual tickets may give you better control.

Timing, comfort, and ticket mistakes to avoid

Start with the ferry and Empire State Building reservations, then fit the bus around them. The ferry runs only during daytime hours, while the bus routes have their own operating windows. The Uptown route may begin later than the Downtown route, and the final bus time is not always obvious from the basic schedule.

Some stops are not easy to spot. Keep the stop number and nearby landmark on your phone, and use the app’s Find a Stop feature. If you miss your stop, you may have to ride much of the loop again.

The buses are open-top double-deckers. Bring water in a screw-top bottle, sun protection, and a layer for wind. Food and alcohol are not permitted onboard, though nonalcoholic drinks in screw-top bottles are allowed. Luggage is not permitted, and pets cannot ride except for ADA service animals.

Wheelchair-accessible buses with lifts are available, accommodating up to 650 pounds. If you need one, state that in the special requirements field when booking. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and most people can participate.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Inside that window, changes and refunds are not accepted.

Should you book this New York sightseeing package?

Book it if you are visiting New York for the first time, want the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty in the same plan, and appreciate having a bus route connect Midtown, Lower Manhattan, Central Park, and the waterfront. It is especially useful for families or groups who prefer not to navigate every connection themselves.

I would skip it if you dislike fixed attraction times, want guaranteed indoor comfort, or expect a polished live guide. The package rewards careful planning. Redeem every ticket early, confirm the exact ferry hours, reserve the Empire State Building before boarding, and allow extra time for traffic.

Used that way, the package can cover a remarkable amount of New York in two days. Used casually, it can become an expensive lesson in queues, missing directions, and missed reservations.

FAQ

How long is the hop-on hop-off ticket valid?

The package information describes a 48-hour Big Bus ticket. The FAQ also refers to a three-day version, so check the exact validity shown on your voucher before planning your sightseeing.

What routes are included?

Both the Downtown Red route and Uptown Blue route are included. The Downtown route covers areas such as SoHo, Chinatown, Wall Street, the World Trade Center, Hudson Yards, and the waterfront. The Uptown route covers Rockefeller Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park Zoo, Columbus Circle, and Carnegie Hall.

How long does a full bus loop take?

A complete circuit of either route takes approximately 90 minutes without getting off. The actual time can change by season and traffic.

Do I need to reserve the Empire State Building?

Yes. You must pre-book a date and time through the Big Bus booking link provided with your voucher or arrange it with Big Bus staff at Stop 1.

Is Statue of Liberty entry included?

Round-trip ferry service to Liberty Island and Ellis Island is included if that option is selected. Entry to the statue’s pedestal, crown, interior monument, or museum is not included.

Do I need to redeem the Statue of Liberty ferry ticket?

Yes. Redeem the voucher with a Big Bus Tours staff member before going to the ferry terminal at Battery Park.

What are the ferry operating hours?

The supplied information lists daytime service with regular departures from Battery Park, but it gives differing hours in different sections. Confirm the current hours on your voucher or with Big Bus staff.

Can I use a mobile ticket?

Yes. A mobile ticket is offered, and you may redeem a printed or electronic ticket at listed bus stops. Attraction tickets may need to be printed or formally redeemed before you visit.

Are the buses wheelchair accessible?

Yes. Accessible vehicles with lifts are available, and the lifts can accommodate up to 650 pounds. Note your accessibility needs in the special requirements field when booking.

Can I bring food, luggage, or pets?

Food and alcohol are not allowed onboard. Nonalcoholic drinks in screw-top bottles are permitted. Luggage is not allowed, and pets are prohibited except for ADA service animals.