The city that never sleeps? You bet! Day or night there’s always something going on in New York City. But for a whole new perspective – or when you tire of the crowded sidewalks – one of the best ways to take in all that action is from above. You’ll be dizzy with delight gazing down on the blocks and the buildings, the toytown taxis, and people scurrying around like so many teeny-tiny ants.
Each of NYC’s sky decks promises a different view and a different experience from a different height. But which of these titans of the Manhattan skyline should you go for? We’ve got the lowdown (sorry, had to be done) on four of the city’s high spots, including…
- Empire State Building
- Top of the Rock
- Edge
- One World Observatory
Empire State Building
Empire State Building
Where: Midtown Manhattan.
When: Opened 1931.
Height of building: 1,454ft (443m).
Height of observation deck: The main outdoor deck on the 86th floor is 1,050ft (320m) up; there’s also an enclosed deck way up on the 102nd floor at 1,250ft (381m).
Included with Go City’s New York attractions pass? Entry to the main deck is included; you’ll need to pay for an upgrade in the Go City app to go all the way to the top.
Time to get yourself in an Empire state of mind… at New York’s most Instagrammed landmark! Constructed in just 14 months as a soaring symbol of hope and prosperity during the Great Depression, the Empire State Building held the title of world’s tallest building for four fabulous decades. Even though it's not even in the top 20 these days, the ESB remains one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks and guarantees spectacular 360-degree views of New York City. You’ll find not one but two observation decks - the outdoor one on the 86th floor and (at an extra cost) the indoor one on the very top (102nd) floor.
Start your visit in the restored Art Deco lobby and check out the interactive museum to learn about the building’s rich history. Maybe even grab a selfie with King Kong? Then zoom up to the 86th floor and drink in a view so impressive that, on a clear day, you can see five states. Telescopes give you an even closer look at other looming landmarks including the Chrysler Building, One Vanderbilt and the Rockefeller Center, plus Central Park, Brooklyn, the Statue of Liberty and more.
Pro-tip: Download the official Empire State Building multi-media tour to get details of the view from every vantage point. There are even heaters to keep you cosy whatever the time of year.
What’s the best time to visit the Empire State Building? Find out here.
Other nearby attractions included with the Go City NYC pass:
Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock
Where: Midtown Manhattan.
When: Opened 1933 (observation deck: 2005).
Height of observation deck: 850ft (260m) at its highest point on the uppermost (open-air) deck (there are decks on floors 67, 69 and 70).
Height of building: 850ft (260m). The top-floor observation platform really is right at the Top of the Rock as advertised.
Included with Go City’s New York attractions pass? Yes, entry to all three observation platforms is included. You’ll need extra tickets to ride the 70th-floor Skylift and Beam attractions.
The only problem with being up the Empire State Building? You can’t see the Empire State Building! To capture the O.G. Art Deco icon in your photos you could instead consider taking the elevator to one of three – yes three – observation decks at the Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock. The views of the Empire State Building up here are about the finest you’ll find anywhere, short of scaling its exterior King Kong style yourself (not recommended).
Hold tight as you’re whisked up 67 floors in just 42 seconds, to an indoor deck with views of the Empire State. Or choose floor 69 for an outdoor platform with glass walls and 270-degree views. From the 70th floor you have full Manhattan panoramas without having to shoot through glass.
Once you’ve seen some of the best sights in New York from above - you can see them again from below, since the Rockefeller Center is just a hop and a skip away from Times Square, 5th Avenue, Central Park and plenty more NYC hotspots.
Best times to visit Top of the Rock? Right here.
Other nearby attractions included with the Go City NYC pass:
One World Observatory
One World Observatory
Where: Lower Manhattan.
When: Opened 2014 (observation deck: 2015).
Height of Observation deck: 1,268ft (386m) (102nd floor)
Height of building: 1,776ft (541m) – a neat reference to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Included with Go City’s New York attractions pass? Yes, spend as much time as you like drinking in those dizzying 102nd-floor panoramas.
Does the One World Observatory have the best birds-eye views of New York City? It’s quite possible that, yes, it does. It’s a bit of a cheat though; after all, the One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and its breathtaking observation deck is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the city’s highest.
You’ll be enthralled from the off by an super-speedy elevator with digital screens that fill all four walls. There’s more impressive tech as you ascend to the 102nd floor, with a time-lapse transformation of New York from the 17th Century to the present day, plus more footage of NYC past and present in the See Forever Theater. But you’ll find the main event up top, where soaring glass windows promise crystal clear views for up to 50 miles (!) in every direction. Zoom in for Insta-perfect snaps across Manhattan’s jungle of skyscrapers; you’ll also get great shots of New Jersey and the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as hands-down the best view of Lady Liberty from any observation deck in town, thanks to the One World Trade Center’s location at Manhattan’s southern tip.
Here’s when to visit One World Observatory to make the most of your experience.
Other nearby attractions included with the Go City NYC pass:
Edge
Edge
Where: Hudson Yards.
When: Opened 2019 (observation deck: 2020).
Height of Observation deck: 1,131ft (345m) (100th floor)
Height of building: 1,296ft (395m).
Included with Go City’s New York attractions pass? General entry to the Edge observation deck is included, but premium add-on experiences like City Climb cost extra.
Take it to the top! Sure, One World Observatory might hold the monopoly on height overall, but Edge claims the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. Opened in 2020, Edge is still considered a bit of a new kid on the block – but super cool since, if you dare, you can grab the most extraordinary Manhattan views by looking straight down between your feet and through its triangular glass floor.
You’ll find Edge right in the heart of Hudson Yards, jutting shard-like from the 100th floor of no.30. As well as that stomach-churning sensation of walking on air, brave souls can also lean into Edge’s angled walls. That’s right: the transparent nine-foot balcony that surrounds this cantilevered terrace has a jaunty outward angle of 6.6 degrees, allowing tourists with nerves of steel (that’s you) to lean out over the rooftops below. Expect glittering Hudson vistas and fine sightlines to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
Pro-tip: Keep things on a high by tacking on visits to a couple of Edge’s near neighbors. The Vessel in Hudson Yards is a 150ft bronze honeycomb of staircases, promising new perspectives on the city at each ascending level. Meanwhile the High Line is a stunning elevated garden walkway that follows the course of a former railroad for 2km from Hudson Yards south to the Meatpacking District.
Other nearby attractions included with the Go City NYC pass:
Want more details on Go City's New York passes? Take a deeper dive into how each of the three NYC options work and find out how many attractions you should pick when choosing the Explorer pass.
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