Best views of WTC and Statue of Liberty

In my last post, I mentioned about the best places to see Empire State Building and WTC.

For WTC, there is an even better spot – Exchange Place in Jersey City! Though the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway crosses Exchange Place, but rather than walking from the Pier C/A Parks in Hoboken (mentioned in the last post), I would suggest you drive to the exchange place…it would take you about 20 minutes though it is only about 3 miles (approx. 5 kilometers). Exchange Place is a congested area because it is a major hub for many financial companies, so be sure to give yourself enough time if you are on a schedule. If you are coming by public transport, there are many NJ Transit buses and trains that stop there.

I have been there a few times, and there is this small parking just alongside the waterfront which I have been lucky to get. Else, you can also park at the private (paid) parking lots close by.

The place has one of the best boardwalks I’ve ever seen, and you can even spend a whole day in the area. I was recently there in the night and got lucky to capture the Moon and WTC in one frame.When you think of New York, another prominent structure that one can enjoy from the distance is Statue of Liberty. Situated on the Liberty Island, there are many places from where you can see the iconic structure. The best is to be next to the statue itself – you can take a ferry from Ellis Island or even Battery Park in New York. I’ve taken both of them at different times in over a decade.

However, if you wish to see it from a short distance whilst also treating yourself to the beautiful skyline of NY, head to the Liberty State Park in New Jersey. It is about a 15-minute drive from the Exchange Place (just over 4 miles).

The park is quite scenic and brings you close to the Statue (on the back side of it, though). If you continue on the walkway alongside the Hudson, there is this small stretch where it is actually over the river also. As you walk a bit, you get close to the Ellis Island, with WTC visible right in the background – the walkway, the Island, and WTC are all visible in the shot below.The park is so huge that you can drive around and halt at different stops to enjoy the scenic views.Just about a 5-minute drive within the park itself, there is the Empty Sky, the official New Jersey September 11 Memorial. The twin walls of the memorial are directed towards Ground Zero (with the new structure visible right in between them) and the passage is made of Granite. The names of the victims of attacks are etched in Stainless Steel.There is no entry fee to any of the locations I’ve mentioned in this or the earlier post. You might just have to pay the nominal parking fee depending upon where you park!