Which New York observation deck is worth it?
New York has five serious observation decks, and none of them are cheap. This guide puts SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Edge, and One World Observatory side by side on price, view, and what the ticket actually gets you, so you can pick the one or two worth your afternoon.
About This Experience
Five decks across Manhattan: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt by Grand Central, the Empire State Building on Fifth Avenue, Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, Edge at Hudson Yards, and One World Observatory downtown.
All five sit on major subway lines: SUMMIT is above Grand Central (4/5/6/7/S), the Empire State Building is near 34 St-Herald Square, Top of the Rock is at 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center, Edge is at 34 St-Hudson Yards (7), and One World is at the WTC hub.
All open from around 9:00 into the evening. The Empire State Building runs latest, with its last elevator near 1:15am. Sunset slots cost more and sell out first.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt from $48, the Empire State Building from $48, Top of the Rock from $46, Edge from $48, and One World Observatory from $30. Add-ons such as the Empire's 102nd floor, SUMMIT's Ascent elevator, and Edge's City Climb cost extra.
Five very different ways to get above the New York skyline, from a mirrored art installation to an open-air ledge over Hudson Yards.
SUMMIT's mirror-lined rooms and glass ledges, the Empire State's included two-floor history museum, Top of the Rock's view of both the Empire State Building and Central Park, Edge's open-air glass floor over Hudson Yards, and One World's time-lapse elevator ride to the top of the tallest building in the hemisphere. Sunset is the best light at every one of them.
Check Live Availability & Prices
Prices shift by time slot and season, so it is worth checking a live availability window for SUMMIT One Vanderbilt before you commit to a date.
Which New York Observation Deck Ticket to Pick
You do not need to book all five observation decks on one trip. One classic view and maybe one modern one is plenty, and each deck has a different personality once you are up there, so the right pick depends on whether you care more about the photo, the experience, or the price.
Top of the Rock, at $46, wins for photographs because it is the only deck that puts the Empire State Building and Central Park in the same frame. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, at $48, is built around the experience itself, a mirror-room installation as much as a skyline view, and it is the most reviewed of the five. Edge, also $48, is the outdoor thrill: it juts out over Hudson Yards with a glass floor for anyone brave enough to look down.
The Empire State Building, at $48, is the icon that stays open latest, close to 1:15am, and comes with a genuinely good museum on the way up. One World Observatory, at $30, is the cheapest and technically the tallest, though its views sit behind glass rather than open air. For more on the city's landmark museums and sights, browse the full guide to New York's museums before you pick your deck.
The Five New York Observation Decks
Each of these tickets gets you to the top a different way. Here is the full lineup before the side-by-side breakdown.
from $48Most reviewed SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
- Mirror-room installation
- Beside Grand Central
- 1,000+ ft up
from $48Icon Empire State Building Observatory & Museum
- 86th-floor deck
- Included history museum
- Open late
from $46 Top of the Rock Observation Deck
- Empire State in view
- Central Park panorama
- Rockefeller Center
from $48 
from $30 Side by Side
| Deck | Price | Rating | Book | Reviews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUMMIT One Vanderbilt | $48 | 4.7 | Check | 57,239 | The full experience |
| Empire State Building | $48 | 4.7 | Check | 28,186 | Classic first-timers |
| Top of the Rock | $46 | 4.6 | Check | 21,267 | Photographs |
| Edge | $48 | 4.6 | Check | 22,580 | Thrill seekers |
| One World Observatory | $30 | 4.6 | Check | 12,984 | Budget |
What You'll See
From all five decks you get the same basic ingredients: the Manhattan grid running north to the park, the rivers on either side, and the bridges stitching the boroughs together. What changes is the framing. Uptown decks put the park and the older skyline in view; downtown decks trade that for harbor and the newer glass towers of Lower Manhattan.
The differences show up in the details. SUMMIT's mirrored rooms turn the view into part of the installation rather than the whole point. The Empire State Building pairs its deck with a history museum most people skip and shouldn't.
Top of the Rock is the only spot where the Empire State Building itself becomes the subject of your photo. Edge and One World both lean on height and drama, one open to the air and one sealed behind glass.
How a Visit Flows
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Before you go
Book a timed slot
Reserve online for a specific window, and grab a sunset slot early if you want one, since those sell out first and cost more.
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On arrival
Security and check-in
Expect an airport-style bag check before the elevators. Building fast for the Empire State Building and SUMMIT, since those two draw the largest crowds.
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The ride up
Elevator or escalator
One World's elevator time-lapses 500 years of the city's growth in under a minute. Others move you up in stages with less show.
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On the deck
Time at the top
Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour taking photos, finding landmarks, and, at SUMMIT, working through the mirror rooms floor by floor.
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On the way down
Museum or gift shop
The Empire State Building routes you through its included history museum on the way out. The others exit through a gift shop.
Know Before You Go
Not suitable for
- Travelers with a serious fear of heights on the open-air decks at Edge and the Empire State Building
- Anyone hoping for a quiet, uncrowded visit during midday or sunset
- A single ticket that covers more than one deck, since each is sold and staffed separately
What to bring
- A charged phone or camera, since the photos are the point
- A light jacket for the open-air platforms at Edge and the Empire State Building
- Your ticket confirmation loaded on your phone
- Pants rather than a skirt if SUMMIT's mirror floors are on your list
Not allowed
- Large bags or backpacks past the security checkpoint
- Tripods on most decks without advance approval
- Outside food or drink on the observation floors
Insider Tips
A few habits make the difference between a rushed climb and a good hour at the top.
- Book a sunset slot early since it sells out first and costs more everywhere
- Go right at opening instead of midday to skip the worst of the lines
- Wear pants, not a skirt, if SUMMIT's mirror floors are on your list
- Buy timed tickets online in advance rather than at the door
- Check the forecast first, since a hazy day flattens every one of these views
- Pair one classic deck with one modern deck instead of trying to do all five
Where You're Headed
New York Observation Deck Tickets FAQ
How much do New York observation deck tickets cost?
One World Observatory is the cheapest at $30. Top of the Rock is $46. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, the Empire State Building, and Edge each start at $48, with sunset slots and add-ons costing more.
What are the opening hours for the decks?
All five open from around 9:00 into the evening. The Empire State Building runs latest, with a last elevator near 1:15am.
Do any of the observation decks close for a day off?
No. All five are open every day of the year.
How do you get to each observation deck?
All are on major subway lines: SUMMIT sits above Grand Central, the Empire State Building is near 34 St-Herald Square, Top of the Rock is at Rockefeller Center, Edge is at 34 St-Hudson Yards, and One World is at the World Trade Center transit hub.
What can you actually see from each deck?
Top of the Rock is the only major deck that includes the Empire State Building in its own view. Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere at around 1,131 feet. One World sits atop the tallest building in the hemisphere but keeps its views enclosed behind glass.
Which deck is best for photographs?
Top of the Rock, because it frames the Empire State Building against Central Park in a single shot that none of the other decks can match.
Should you book observation deck tickets ahead of time?
Yes. Sunset slots at every deck sell out first, and a timed ticket bought in advance avoids the longest lines, especially at the Empire State Building and SUMMIT.
Is the Empire State Building museum worth visiting?
It is included in the ticket price and covers two floors on the way up, and it is one of the better building-history museums in the city rather than a filler stop.
What Visitors Say
We did SUMMIT at golden hour and the mirror rooms turned into something else entirely once the light hit them. Worth the $48 for the experience alone, not just the view.
Top of the Rock gave us the one photo everyone wanted, the Empire State Building lit up with the park behind it. Cheaper than SUMMIT too, and less of a wait.
One World is the deal of the five. $30, fast elevator, and the harbor view downtown is different enough from the midtown decks that it didn't feel repetitive after Edge the day before.