An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with illumination light via a projection optical system and via liquid, the apparatus comprising: a measurement system configured to obtain positional information by irradiating the substrate with a measurement beam; a base member located below the projection optical system and the measurement system; a first stage supported above the base member and having an upper surface and a holder, the upper surface being arrangable to be in contact with an immersion area formed below the projection optical system with the liquid, the holder being provided in an opening of the upper surface, the first stage being configured such that the substrate is held within the opening; a second stage supported above the base member and having an upper surface that is arrangable to be in contact with the immersion area, the second stage being configured to move relative to the first stage; a carrier system configured to carry a substrate to a substrate exchange position, such that a substrate held by the first stage is able to be exchanged for the substrate at the substrate exchange position; a drive system (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87) having a motor for driving the first and second stages while the stages are supported by levitation above the base member; and a controller configured to control the drive system, wherein: the controller is configured to control the drive system to execute a relative movement between the first and second stages while one stage of the first and second stages is arranged facing the projection optical system so that the other stage is close to the one stage, and to move the close first and second stages relative to the projection optical system in a predetermined direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection optical system so that the other stage is arranged facing the projection optical system in place of the one stage while the immersion area is substantially maintained below the projection optical system, the second stage has a plurality of sensors, surfaces of each of which are arranged at the upper surface of the second stage, and is configured to move so that each of the plurality of sensors is able to detect the illumination light via the projection optical system and via the liquid of the immersion area, and one sensor of the plurality of sensors is used for aerial image measurement. a measurement system configured to obtain positional information by irradiating the substrate with a measurement beam; a base member located below the projection optical system and the measurement system; a first stage supported above the base member and having an upper surface and a holder, the upper surface being arrangable to be in contact with an immersion area formed below the projection optical system with the liquid, the holder being provided in an opening of the upper surface, the first stage being configured such that the substrate is held within the opening; a second stage supported above the base member and having an upper surface that is arrangable to be in contact with the immersion area, the second stage being configured to move relative to the first stage; a carrier system configured to carry a substrate to a substrate exchange position, such that a substrate held by the first stage is able to be exchanged for the substrate at the substrate exchange position; a drive system (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87) having a motor for driving the first and second stages while the stages are supported by levitation above the base member; and a controller configured to control the drive system, wherein: the controller is configured to control the drive system to execute a relative movement between the first and second stages while one stage of the first and second stages is arranged facing the projection optical system so that the other stage is close to the one stage, and to move the close first and second stages relative to the projection optical system in a predetermined direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection optical system so that the other stage is arranged facing the projection optical system in place of the one stage while the immersion area is substantially maintained below the projection optical system, the second stage has a plurality of sensors, surfaces of each of which are arranged at the upper surface of the second stage, and is configured to move so that each of the plurality of sensors is able to detect the illumination light via the projection optical system and via the liquid of the immersion area, and one sensor of the plurality of sensors is used for aerial image measurement. the controller is configured to control the drive system to execute a relative movement between the first and second stages while one stage of the first and second stages is arranged facing the projection optical system so that the other stage is close to the one stage, and to move the close first and second stages relative to the projection optical system in a predetermined direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection optical system so that the other stage is arranged facing the projection optical system in place of the one stage while the immersion area is substantially maintained below the projection optical system, the second stage has a plurality of sensors, surfaces of each of which are arranged at the upper surface of the second stage, and is configured to move so that each of the plurality of sensors is able to detect the illumination light via the projection optical system and via the liquid of the immersion area, and one sensor of the plurality of sensors is used for aerial image measurement.