I see you already have SOL tickets so you know that only Statue Cruises can actually dock and let you off on the islands; all the other "SOL tours" are actually just a drive-by. You aren't missing much by not going to the crown. It's a strenuous climb up a narrow, short spiral stairway to get into the crown. DH (distance runner) and DD (dancer) said they wouldn't repeat the experience. I did it in my early 20s- didn't find the view all that amazing, and had to sit for almost a half-hour after until my legs didn't feel like jelly! OH- there is a bag check and security check, and they are pretty serious about this, so heed the directions on the statue cruises webpage.
The pedestal has a very interesting museum inside, all about the Statue, its history, etc., as well as some "life size" example of the size of the Statue's features. Ellis Island is a favorite of ours; it's hard to imagine what those immigrants endured, just to get into our country. Make sure to plan a couple of hours here.
We don't do the city buses for getting around- we use the subway for efficiency and convenience. Traffic is traffic, and on a bus we found ourselves sitting in traffic when we wanted to be exploring. Same thing for the HOHO (hop on/hop off) buses and tours; you spend most of your time sitting in traffic. Having said that, one of our favorite things to do in NYC (well, any city, actually), is to take the Grey Line Night Tour bus (not a HOHO) on our first night in town (weather permitting, of course). We try to leave the Times Square location about 30 minutes before sunset, and sit outside on the top deck of the bus (bring warm clothes, even in summer). It is SO MUCH FUN to be up among the lights of Times Square, listening to the tour guide describe everything. We enjoy the overview of the city, riding by sites we hadn't thought of, and maybe making a change to our itinerary based on something we see. The tour we like best goes over the bridge into Brooklyn; fabulous viewing of Manhattan after dark, all lit up! Traffic isn't as bad at night, as well as not wanting to go exploring as much after dark, so we don't mind the Night Tour bus- it's fun!
Shows- If you don't want to drop mega-bucks to see BOM, just go to TKTS and see what's discounted. Actually, you can check them online (tdf.org) to see what's at the booths today. Might help you decide what to do. We have also been successful at getting rush tickets at the box offices on the morning-of, for several shows. You can check online (try broadwaybox.com) to find out the different theaters' restrictions/cost/time, etc. for rush tickets.
