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The Empire State Building. It stands more than 1,450 feet and is recognized around the world as a symbol of hope, success and dreams realized. From its observation deck on the 102nd floor, you can see the lush greenery of Central Park, the neon glow of Times Square and five different states. It’s a must-see attraction during any New York City visit. Day and night, everything about this iconic skyscraper is worth exploring! From its construction to its history, to its vaunted observation decks; it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience you won’t want to miss.
Here are three things you need to know about visiting the Empire State Building on your next New York City visit:
From TripAdvisor to Thrillist to every blog ever written on the topic of planning a New York City visit, the Empire State Building always makes the list. So, it’s almost always busy, especially when skies are clear and you can see for 80 miles in every direction from either of the observation decks. Experienced sightseers will tell you the best times to avoid the crowds are 8:00 a.m., when it opens; or about 3:00 p.m., when the masses of tourists seem to dissipate. But there’s never really a bad time to be there. The Empire State Building is open from 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. daily. And you can buy passes that allow you to visit twice/day, so you can see it during the day and again at night.
The story of how the Empire State Building came to be is nearly as impressive as its breathtaking views. It’s a story of prosperity, brashness, and a race to the heights of the construction world. It required:
…to finish. When it was completed in 1930, it was the tallest building in the world and remained so for more than 40 years. Today, the Dare to Dream exhibit on the 86th floor tells the Empire State Building story. It is an inspiring story of a big, bold idea…engineering… sacrifice…achievement.
Learn more about the Dare to Dream exhibit.
There are many ways to tour the Empire State Building during your New York City visit. You can see it on your own and enjoy the lobby restaurants and shops before or after ascending to the top. You can purchase the AM/PM pass and view the city during the day and at night, when the lights illuminate the city that never sleeps. Or you can be a VIP. The Empire State Building Premium Experience is a guided tour with a knowledgeable expert. It includes VIP priority access to everything everyone else is waiting in line to see. It also comes with a commemorative souvenir photograph.
