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The Empire State Building has been shorthand for the New York skyline since it opened in 1931, and more than 2.5 million visitors a year still ride up to its observatories. That popularity is exactly why the visit rewards a little planning: which of its two decks you want, which hour you go, and whether one of the city's other observation decks might suit you better.
We at Travelmyth, the hotel search engine that ranks stays by your interests and needs across 60 stay categories, put this guide together to make the choice simple: the difference between the two decks, how the tickets work, when to go to skip the worst of the crowd, and how the old classic stacks up against the city’s other major observation decks. It is a companion to our wider guide to things to do in New York City.
The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper, and it has two separate observation levels. The main one is the 86th floor, which has both an enclosed viewing gallery and an open-air outdoor deck.
This is the classic Empire State experience: out in the wind, with the city spread far below. The 102nd floor observatory sits higher still, near the top of the building, but it is completely enclosed and much smaller.
For most visitors the open-air 86th floor is enough. Add the 102nd floor only if you want the building's highest enclosed view.
For the two observation levels, the main choices are the Main Deck and Top Deck tickets. When we checked, Main Deck tickets started at $44 and got you to the 86th-floor observation deck; Top Deck tickets started at $79 and added the enclosed 102nd floor while also including the 86th. A $5 booking charge was added per transaction when we checked, so confirm the current total before you book.
Because more than 2.5 million people a year come through these observatories, the queue is the thing to plan around. Reservations are required for entry, and standard tickets are booked for a selected date and time. Booking online in advance is the most reliable way to secure your preferred slot and avoid long waits or potential sellouts.
For the view itself, a clear day beats a hazy one, and the hour around sunset is the most spectacular but also one of the most crowded. The first two hours after opening and the period around sunset tend to be busiest, while holidays and summer weekends can also draw heavier crowds.
For a calmer visit, come between 12 PM and 2 PM once the morning rush eases, or later in the evening after the sunset crowd has thinned. A visit beginning around golden hour can give you daylight, sunset and city lights, but it is worth booking well ahead.
Late spring and early fall often bring milder conditions on the open-air deck, although visibility and crowd levels still depend on the day. Summer brings longer daylight hours but also more heat, haze and visitors. Winter can produce crisp long-distance views, although the open-air 86th-floor deck may be extremely cold and windy.
Whatever the season, check the forecast before booking so you are not paying for a view obscured by cloud, rain or heavy haze.
The Empire State Building is no longer the tallest thing you can go up. It was the world's tallest building until 1970 and New York's tallest again after 2001, until One World Trade Center passed it in 2012.
Today it shares the skyline with other major observation experiences: Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, One World Observatory in Lower Manhattan, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt near Grand Central and Edge at Hudson Yards.
Each offers a different vantage point; the Empire State's own draw is the building itself and its open-air 86th-floor deck. Our guide to things to do in New York walks through all five observation experiences side by side: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and Edge.
From the 86th-floor deck the view is genuinely 360 degrees, reaching up to six states on a clear day, with Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and Times Square all in view. Before you even go up, the lobby is worth a look: it is finished with marble and Art Deco details, and its restored ceiling mural evokes a celestial sky with gold stars, sunbursts and gears. Give it a minute on your way to the elevators.
Midtown puts you within walking distance of the Empire State Building and many of the city’s other headline sights, which is why it is the busiest and best-connected base in the city. On Travelmyth you can filter New York stays by the features that matter to you, such as a rooftop pool, a boutique-style property, family-friendly facilities or a stay taking steps toward sustainability, and combine two of those filters at once to narrow the long list to the handful that fit how you travel.