Twisted Statue Tour: The Original, Unconventional Storytelling Tour

Public hangings, angry flocks of seagulls, Elvis doppelgangers, and drunken Frenchmen - all of these make an appearance in the stories you'll hear on this unique experience. No, it's certainly not your grandma's Statue of Liberty tour.

You'll start with a ferry ride out to Liberty Island, as your fun, local guide regales you with the legends about the harbor. Whether or not they all actually happened is a matter of debate, but separating fact from fiction is half the fun.

Once on Liberty Island you'll use your special-access tickets to get all the way up to the statue pedestal, giving you stunning views of New York Harbor, a visit to the Statue Museum housed inside the pedestal, and a glimpse at the inner workings of Lady Liberty (see - you really will get under her skirt). As you walk, you'll learn the improbable story of a statue that one man wanted to build and no one wanted to keep; a statue that has been used to hawk all sorts of questionable products, but still remains a marvel of modern engineering.

Your Statue of Liberty Tour ends on Liberty Island, but your guide will leave you with ferry passes and tickets to the Ellis Island Museum, which we highly recommend seeing for its poignant exhibits on the history of European immigration to America. It's an extremely well-curated space with interactive displays and lots of reading material, so you'll get a lot from your visit even without a guide.