New York City’s skyline is the best in the world. No other city even comes close to this iconic skyline. But where are the best viewing platforms to take it all in?
There are five main observation decks and I’ve broken down each one with the facts, pros and cons for you.
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If you’d like to experience New York visually, you can also catch up with my New York vlogs on my YouTube channel. I’ve added one in below where we visit Top of the Rock:
1. Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Height: 850 feet
Outside Deck: Yes
360 Degree View: Yes
Positives: Top of the Rock has the most iconic view of New York, with the Empire State Building. There are three outside floors to view, so is a lot more spacious than some of the others. This viewing platform also has the iconic window frame photo opportunity, as seen below.
Drawbacks: Top of the Rock isn’t the highest viewing platform in the city. Nor does it have any experiential elements. The main attraction of coming here is the view at the top, so you’re shuttled swiftly along to the top floor.
You can purchase tickets for Top of the Rock here!
2. Empire State Building
Height: 1050 feet
Outside Deck: Yes
360 Degree View: Yes
Positives: At the Empire State Building, you’re able to learn a lot about the history of the building and New York City in general. There are many photo opportunities on the way up. Including a movie section where you see all of the films the building has been included in. You can even sit inside King Kong’s giant fist for a photo. We opted to go for sunset during the summer and were blown away by the sight before us (photo below).
Drawbacks: The most obvious drawback is that you can’t see the Empire State Building in the skyline view of New York, since you’re on top of it. It’s also one of the most popular viewing platforms, so can get very crowded, especially if you visit at peak times.
You can purchase tickets for the Empire State Building here!
3. The Edge
Height: 1130 feet
Outside Deck: Yes
360 Degree View: No
Positives: The Edge is the largest viewing platform in New York, and one of the newest. This opened the year I was living in New York, a few weeks before the global pandemic hit. Once it reopened in the summer, we headed up to see what it had to offer. It has a now-iconic corner with glass on the floor, so you can see the city below you (if you’re not scared of heights).
Drawbacks: However, with the now-iconic corner comes a long line of people waiting to get the same shot. The platform itself is very large, but only gives a glimpse of lower and East Manhattan, over to Brooklyn. As it doesn’t have a 360-degree view.
You can purchase tickets for The Edge here!
4. One World Observatory
Height: 1265 feet
Outside Deck: No
360 Degree View: No
Positives: One World Trade Centre is the tallest building in New York, offering panoramic views of upper Manhattan. With its location in the Financial District (FiDi), you’ll get a great view of the rest of Manhattan.
Drawbacks: The One World viewing platform is indoors, meaning your pictures may be reflected in the glass or on wet days, rain may cover the windows.
You can purchase tickets for One World Observatory here!
5. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Height: 1000 feet
Outside Deck: Yes
360 Degree View: No
Positives: If you have children, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt might be the best of the viewing platforms to visit. This is the newest viewing platform to open, and we visited on Christmas Day, back in 2021. It’s immersive with different rooms offering sensory experiences and photo opps, but they do make you wear plastic bags on your feet since the floor is reflected. Not so Insta-worthy.
Drawbacks: The weather can play a factor here as a lot of the view is behind glass windows. For us, it happened to be a foggy and wet morning so we couldn’t see anything. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt also has an outdoor elevator-of-sorts that you can pay a little extra for. But again, if it’s bad weather, this won’t be operating. We felt this viewing platform was quite gimmicky and more of an Instagram photo experience, rather than being there to see the views of New York.
You can purchase tickets for SUMMIT One Vanderbilt here!
So, which viewing platforms should you visit?
They all have their own unique selling points and they aren’t exactly cheap. So which one should you prioritise?
As we’ve been to all five viewing platforms, we can safely say that in our opinion, Top of the Rock is the best and the others don’t even really come close.
The Empire State Building is worth a visit to learn all about the history of it being built as well as discovering the movies that were filmed there or feature the building, but the problem with this viewing platform is that you can’t see the Empire State Building in the skyline in front of you. Since you’re already on the roof of it.
And I would say the Empire State Building is what makes the New York skyline so iconic. So you’re going to want that in your photo, right?
Trust us when we say, the best viewing platform is Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Centre). The view is iconic and you are able to walk around the full platform to have a 360 view of Manhattan, New Jersey, and Brooklyn.
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