The experience of actually getting up close to thi...

The experience of actually getting up close to this iconic landmark is hard to explain. You get a sense of awe thinking about how many have seen her from ships -- either coming to America as immigrants or leaving our shores as soldiers. The crown tour books very far in advance but you can often get pedestal tickets easier depending on the time of year. If you can, go for it. We did just the pedestal and there is plenty to see in there about the design and building of the statue, plus it's nice to get higher up for the view of the harbor and to see the statue even closer than from the ground. There's a new museum being built, which means you'll get to see a lot of the history and memorabilia even if you can't snag a pedestal ticket, which is a great idea. Watch for it to open in 2019.