Though visible from miles around, your trip to the iconic Statue of Liberty would begin by the ferry port at Lower Manhattan busing loads of tourists daily to the blip of land across known as Liberty Island. From here, you embark on a 93m journey exploring the world’s largest expression of peace. The first stop is the Statue of Liberty Exhibit on the Second Floor of the simple pedestal where the tarnished copper of the Lady’s original torch is placed on display for all to see. A dozen perspectives and interpretations of this icon are framed across the stark walls through photographs, written excerpts and tabloid clips. Continuing, you reach the Pedestal observatory and are now halfway through your climb. With the winds rushing against your hair, take the time to appreciate how you’re standing atop the pennies and dollars chipped in by the American public to construct a fitting platform for this gift of peace. The glittering skyscrapers of Manhattan, the adjacent patch of floating green known as Ellis Island and the vista of blue that is Brooklyn Bay come together in a magnificent collage as seen from the observatory. The Torch Exhibit is a mark of your progress, located at the second floor balcony and dedicated purely to the torch’s evolving symbolism in society over the years. And finally, 363 stairs and a climb rivaling a 20-story climb later you would have reached the inner sanctum of the Lady’s Crown. There is little to be said about the view but the quite literally heady experience of being at the top of one of the World’s 7 greatest wonders is a treat of its own.

All that’s left now is to descend back down to the island’s well-tended lawns for a much awaited picnic before your little ones can earn their badges of honor as Junior Rangers at the counter. More than just a sight to experience, the Statue of Liberty engages the mind for an intriguing trip down memory lane to learn about the making of a country.