New York: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour in Spanish

3.13

(8 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the way the sunlight bounced off the copper-green statue as our ferry pulled up to Liberty Island — it almost looked unreal, like something out of an old movie. Our guide, Marta, waved us closer and started telling stories in Spanish about the people who built Lady Liberty. It was windy enough that my hair kept blowing into my mouth (not pictured on Instagram), but I could hear her perfectly. She pointed out Ellis Island across the water and said her own grandparents came through there. That hit me harder than I expected.

Walking around the base of the statue, you can smell salt from the harbor mixed with hot pretzels from a cart nearby. The museum inside is quieter than I thought it’d be — there’s this hush, like everyone’s trying to listen for echoes of old voices. Marta explained how immigrants would see this view after weeks at sea. I tried to imagine it, but honestly, it’s impossible to really get unless you’ve lived it. Still, standing there with our little group felt heavy and hopeful at once.

Ellis Island itself is only a short ferry ride away (the wind gets colder out there — bring a jacket). Inside the Immigration Museum, we wandered past suitcases and faded photos. There’s a wall of names; Marta found one that matched her family and laughed when I tried to read it aloud in Spanish — probably butchered it. We finished at Battery Park and walked over to the 9/11 Memorial pools together. The city noise faded for a second while we stood by the water. I still think about that silence sometimes.