Empire State Building
4.7(128K)google
4.0(2.4K)yelp
Historic Building
Overview
The Empire State Building is an iconic 102-story Art Deco skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan that dominated the global skyline as the world's tallest building for nearly forty years. Completed in 1931, its timeless design and soaring spire make it an enduring international symbol of American ambition and engineering marvels. Travelers flock to its world-famous 86th and 102nd-floor open-air observation decks to experience breathtaking, 360-degree panoramic views of New York, New Jersey, and beyond, especially mesmerizing during sunset and when the building lights up in thematic colors at night.
Practical Info
Every day10:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Suggested DurationAbout 1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeBeautiful year-round. Arriving 45 minutes before sunset is highly recommended. The 86th or 102nd-floor observatories offer a spectacular vantage point to watch Manhattan transition from golden dusk to a shimmering, neon-lit night grid.
Getting ThereLocated in Midtown at 20 W 34th St. Take the B/D/F/M/N/Q/R/W subway lines to the 34th St-Herald Sq station, then walk about 2 minutes to the main entrance. No public on-site parking is available for visitors.
Travel Tips
- All observatory access requires a pre-booked, strict timed-entry reservation online; walk-up ticketing counters do not sell immediate-ascent vouchers, and late arrivals forfeit tickets.
- Avoid fraudulent street ticket touts dressed in faux uniforms near 34th Street selling fake express passes; legitimate VIP Express upgrades are sold exclusively via the verified web portal.
Photo Tips
Photo Rules
- Airport-style security checkpoints screen all entrants at the base; oversized camera tripods, extreme telephoto lenses, and rigid metal selfie monopods are barred and cannot be checked.
Reviews
Positive
- The timeless icon of NYC with an unmatched visual impact! Looking out from the 86th or 102nd-floor open-air observatory reveals the grand Manhattan grid at your feet. A bucket-list must.
- The newly renovated lower-floor historical exhibits are spectacular! Utilizing Hollywood-caliber immersive multimedia like a King Kong giant hand breaking walls, maximizing fun.
- The security and line management are strict (airport-caliber) but staff are highly trained and polite, backed by free official mobile app audio guides in fluent Chinese.
- Modern accessible elevators run incredibly fast and smooth; interior restrooms are abundant and kept as clean as star hotels, and high-tech safety steel netting gives peace of mind.
- The internal history museum is luxuriously maintained; high-speed accessible lifts are elite, audio guides detailed, and restrooms spotless.
- Ticketing and timed booking queues are efficiently well-regulated despite massive global crowds; bouncers ensure top-tier security.
- For first-timers, standing at the heart of America's premier historic skyline offers priceless core cultural value well worth the premium ticket.
Heads up
- Ticket pricing is exceptionally exorbitant! The base 86th-floor pass costs nearly $50, and accessing the ultimate 102nd floor requires a heavily marked-up package, offering low value.
- Queuing is a long, agonizing ordeal; during the peak sunset hour, even with a pre-booked timed pass, clearing security and taking three separate elevators takes over an hour.
- The observatory crowd density is insanely high, packed wall-to-wall with tour groups; everyone fights for a railing spot to take photos, leaving the air noisy and chaotic.
- The gift shop merchandise carries ridiculous markups with severe tourist premiums. Furthermore, summit winds are brutal; winter visits without heavy coats will leave you freezing.
- No matter your booking slot, security and lift lines are brutally long, often requiring over half an hour of standing in indoor labyrinthine lines.
- Reaching the 102nd-floor top glass deck requires separate secondary purchases, creating a clear commercial upsell and marketing trap feeling.
- Platform edges are permanently saturated with crowds, packed with selfie sticks and rowdy tour groups, burying high-altitude peace under photo hype.
- The Fifth Avenue streets are paralyzed with traffic, private lots are rare and charge expensive flat rates, making driving convenience zero.