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Liberty State Park is New Jersey’s roughly 1,200-acre state park on the Jersey City waterfront, open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with no entrance fee. It is the only place in New Jersey with ferry service to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and it pairs that with a two-mile riverfront promenade, the historic CRRNJ Terminal, the Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial, playgrounds and wide open lawns.
Our team built this guide around the questions visitors ask most: where to park, how the ferry works, where the kids can play, and what to see once you are there.
Location, Hours and Contact
- Address: CRRNJ Terminal Building, 1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305
- Hours: gates 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; park office 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
- Cost: no entrance fee
- Phone: 201-915-3400
- Website: NJ State Parks, Liberty State Park
Liberty State Park Parking
There is no fee to enter the park, but the lot by the ferry area is paid: Statue City Cruises lists parking at Liberty State Park at $7 per car. Coming in on Audrey Zapp Drive, the ferry lot is the first driveway on your right; park, then walk toward the water and the CRRNJ Terminal. The park also has a picnic pavilion lot with 88 regular and four ADA spaces, and the trailered boat launch is inside Parking Lot 2, with overflow in Lot 1. Drivers can take Exit 14B off the NJ Turnpike and follow the signs for Liberty State Park.
Statue City Cruises: Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Statue City Cruises runs ferries from Liberty State Park to Liberty Island and Ellis Island throughout the year. The ticket office and Will Call windows are inside the CRRNJ Terminal, and boats depart a short walk away. Every general admission ticket includes the round-trip ferry to both islands plus a self-guided audio tour; at press time, adult general admission was $26, seniors 62 and up $23, children 4 to 12 $17.30, and kids 3 and under ride free. Statue City Cruises notes the New Jersey side often moves faster through security than Battery Park. You can return to either side, but once you get off you cannot reboard to cross back.
- Departure: 1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City (CRRNJ Terminal)
- Tickets: 877-523-9849
- Website: Statue City Cruises
Want to cross to Manhattan instead? The separate Liberty Landing Ferry runs year round from the park to Warren Street in Jersey City and Brookfield Place in New York, with fares collected onboard.
Liberty Walk and the Waterfront
The two-mile Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, the promenade most locals call Liberty Walk, links the picnic and playground areas, the Nature Center and the CRRNJ Terminal, with sweeping views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Lower Manhattan. It is flat, wide and perfect for a sunset walk or bike ride.
The CRRNJ Terminal
The grand Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal anchors the north end of the park. From 1892 through 1954, immigrants processed at Ellis Island bought tickets and boarded trains here for new homes across the country. The terminal is open seven days a week; from November through December the hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and it is closed on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26.
Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial
Empty Sky is New Jersey’s official 9/11 memorial, honoring the 750 people who lived in or had ties to New Jersey and died on September 11, 2001. Designed by Jessica Jamroz and Frederic Schwartz and dedicated on September 11, 2011, it features twin brushed stainless steel walls 210 feet long and 30 feet high with the names engraved deep enough for rubbings.
Liberty State Park Playground and Picnic Areas
The state describes two picnic and playground areas connected by the promenade, so families can pair playtime with a skyline view. Small groups of 20 or fewer can use first-come picnic tables and nearby grills with no permit, and may bring their own charcoal grill. Groups over 20 need a reservation.
Nature Center, Fishing and Boating
The Nature Center on Freedom Way is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with exhibits on the Hudson River Estuary, next to the 36-acre Richard J. Sullivan Natural Area salt marsh and its self-guided paths. Fishing and crabbing follow NJ Fish and Wildlife rules, kayaks and canoes launch free from the East Jetty by Lot 4, and Liberty Landing Marina sits at the north end. The park’s western side is home to Liberty Science Center, which we cover in its own guide.
Light Rail Station and Getting There
The easiest car-free route is the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to Liberty State Park Station, which you can reach by transferring from PATH at Hoboken or Newport. From the station, it is about a mile along Audrey Zapp Drive to the terminal and ferry. Note that pets must stay on a six-foot leash, and drones, alcohol and swimming are not permitted.
Where to Eat Nearby
Inside the park, Maritime Parc and Liberty House sit by the marina. For more options, see our list of the best restaurants in Jersey City and our restaurants with NYC skyline views.
Planning more outings? Compare it with the other spots in our Hudson County waterfront parks guide or browse things to do in Jersey City this weekend.
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Featured photo: King of Hearts, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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