Lower Manhattan
Statue of Liberty & Battery Park
Battery Park is the downtown loop's harbor stop — Statue of Liberty views from the shoreline, and the ferry terminal for visitors going out to Liberty Island.
Why visit
It's the only place a bus loop touches New York Harbor. Even without a ferry ticket, the shoreline view of the statue anchors the downtown circuit.
Getting there by tour bus
Downtown loops typically stop at or near Battery Park. Note: buses do NOT go to Liberty Island — that requires the separate official ferry, booked on its own.
Loops that reach it: Downtown Manhattan Loop
Hop-off tips
- If you want to actually visit the statue, book the official ferry separately and budget a half day.
- Harbor views are free from the Battery Park shoreline — a solid 20-minute hop-off.
- Staten Island Ferry (free) passes the statue if you want the view without a tour.
Related guides
A One-Day NYC Bus Tour Itinerary That Actually Works
Board early and ride the full downtown loop first for orientation (roughly two hours), then spend the afternoon hopping off at two or three chosen stops — not more. Finish with Times Square on foot after dark. The plan fails when people try to hop off everywhere; the loop's value is seeing everything, the hop-offs' value is depth at a few places.
Are NYC Bus Tours Worth It? An Honest Assessment
For a first visit of two to four days, a hop-on hop-off bus tour is usually worth it — it compresses orientation, landmark viewing and transport between sights into one purchase. For repeat visitors, visitors staying a week or more, or anyone comfortable with the subway, the money is often better spent on one or two specific experiences instead.