New York's Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty are re-opening on July 4, yet again. This time, we hope it's for good.
Sadly, the island and/or the monument have been closed more often than not since the 9/11 attacks, either because of security or maintenance issues. The most recent culprit was Hurricane Sandy, which battered and flooded Liberty Island last October, cutting off access one day after the statue reopened following a year-long closure for safety and security upgrades.
Curiously, pent-up demand isn't much in evidence. The website of Statue Cruises, the National Park Service concessionaire, showed widespread availability for tickets to the pedestal and the crown for most dates in July.
Maybe the word's not getting out, so tell your friends and tell your guests and clients.
(And, for the record, it's 339 steps to the crown.)