The 6 Best Observation Decks in New York City

Change your perspective and see Manhattan from a totally unique vantage atop some of the loftiest skyscrapers in the world. From your higher-than-bird’s-eye view, look out over the island’s many landmarks. On a clear day, you can even see other New York City boroughs miles beyond Manhattan and across the river into New Jersey.

Some of these observation decks are not for the faint of heart, so if you are heights-averse, choose accordingly. Here are the top NYC observation decks.

Price: From $39 with advance purchase

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (hours change seasonally)

Neighborhood: Lower Manhattan

Standout perk: By visiting this observation deck, you can say you’ve visited the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

You can’t get any higher than this in the Big Apple. Travel to floors 100 to 102 atop One World Trade Center via the SkyPod elevators, which ascend 102 stories in 47 seconds. (Yes, your ears will pop.) When you get there, floor-to-ceiling glass reveals panoramic views in all directions. Spot the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn, New Jersey and beyond. Given its location in lower Manhattan, this indoor lookout has an especially great view of the surrounding waterways. From up here, you can see the teeny tiny ferries and pleasure boats scurrying about below.

For an extra $10, purchase One World Explorer, a digital guide to what you’re seeing through the windows at One World Observatory. Just hold the iPad up to scan the skyline, then tap the landmark you want to learn more about: Yankee Stadium, Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History and more. The app will “fly” you in for a closer look – complete with a video history of the area you’ve selected.

Local tip: ONE Dine − the bar and restaurant on the 101st floor – is an incredible way to extend your time in the One World Trade Center and soak up some more epic views. Plan your visit at sunset if you can: The building is on the west side of lower Manhattan, and you’ll get one of the most jaw-dropping sunset vistas in the northeast.

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Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to midnight (last elevator ride departs 50 minutes before closing)

Neighborhood: Hudson Yards

Standout perk: At the Edge’s City Climb, adrenaline-seekers can strap into a harness, scale the outside of the skyscraper and then lean over for a view from New York City’s highest outdoor platform.

Located in Hudson Yards, one of Manhattan’s newest neighborhoods, the modern Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. Once you get up to the top, the triangular shaped deck and angled glass walls allow you to really feel like what it’s like to hover above the city below. Climb up the stairs for a chance to peer out over the glass walls. You can also gingerly walk out over or even lie down on the glass floor inset into the observation deck and literally float over the city, 100 stories in the air.

Local tip: Bring a windbreaker or a hoodie, as you are right on the Hudson River and very high in the air, so it can get very windy.

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Price: From $42 (discounts available for NYC and Long Island residents)

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. to midnight

Standout perk: Astronomy nights are held once a month throughout the year, weather permitting. At this celestial-focused event, Amateur Astronomers Association guides will show you how to view the cosmos through state-of-the-art telescopes.

Located right in Grand Central Terminal in the heart of the city, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt brings visitors more than 1,000 feet above Madison Avenue to a three-level immersive art installation with a lookout, full of mirrors, mirrored orbs and other highly reflective surfaces. (Note: This includes the floor, so skip skirts/dresses during your visit or wear opaque tights.)

The glass-bottomed lookout and outdoor terrace offer incredible vantages over the midtown streets, including exceptional views of the Chrysler Building. What best sets apart floors 91 to 93 of One Vanderbilt are the interactive art installations and the ability to go even higher on Ascent − the world’s largest external glass-bottom elevator. For an additional $20, visitors can experience this panoramic elevator ride.

Local tip: Bring sunglasses, or request to borrow some from the attraction. There are lots of reflective surfaces in this exhibit, and when the sun hits just right the brightness can be blinding.

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Price: From $44 for adults; reservations required

Hours: Open 365 days a year, from 9 a.m. to midnight most days

Standout perk: While the view is gorgeous just about any time of day or night, the Empire State Building offers a special sunrise viewing opportunity. For $135, you can see dawn spread over the skyline while sipping the building’s exclusive Starbucks Reserve microblend coffee and enjoying artisanal pastries.

The iconic Empire State Building was a skyscraper long before the NYC skyline was full of them. Building began on the tower in 1930 and finished a little more than a year later – crews finished four floors a week. Use the iconic vintage viewfinders on the 86th floor’s open-air observation deck to get a closer look at New York City landmarks below. For an additional fee, go up even higher to the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 102nd floor, where on a clear day you can get a glimpse over state lines. You can also use the QR codes around the observatory to learn about the various sights in view.

Don’t skip the exhibits around the decks either. Read about how the tower was built, see a replica of the original tower elevator and learn about all the famous visitors who have stood where you’re standing now – including King Kong.

Local tip: The tower lights up every night. The colors often mark special occasions, from red, white and blue on the Fourth of July to red, black and green in honor of Juneteeth. Learn what each color scheme means by checking out the tower lights calendar.

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Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to midnight; last entry is at 11:10 p.m.

Standout perk: When you’re done with the view, head to the plaza below for some year-round skating (ice or roller depending on the season).

Whether you go during tree-lighting season or warmer weather, there is always something special about entering Rockefeller Center. Home to the “Today” show, NBC News programming, “Saturday Night Live” and countless other NBC shows, you feel the TV history when you step on the burgundy Peacock carpet. Before or after you head to the viewing deck, take a tour with an NBC page and understand more about the legacy of this building and its residents past and present.

There are three observation decks here: the indoor 67th floor, the outdoor Breezeway, and the open-air deck on the 70th floor with frameless glass panels and 360-degree views. (Note: Some areas may be temporarily closed due to construction in 2023.)

Download the audio tour app for an introduction to the history of the building and more details on the views in each direction. If there’s bad weather during your reserved time, you can reschedule your viewing for another day.

Local tip: Watch a few episodes of “30 Rock” before you visit, then see if you can spot any locations from the show.

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Hours: Ferries from the mainland depart between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; the last ferries from Liberty Island and Ellis Island leave at 5 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., respectively.

Standout perk: Your Statue of Liberty ticket includes an Ellis Island visit. Make sure to leave time to check out both attractions and peruse the historical exhibits.

A visit to the Statue of Liberty observatory is a half-day adventure at least. Your journey begins with a scenic ferry ride to Liberty Island. Ferries depart from either New York’s Battery Park or Liberty State Park in New Jersey every 20 to 30 minutes.

Many visitors are content to just visit the statue pedestal itself (Lady Liberty’s feet, essentially) but able-bodied adventurers may opt for the opportunity to climb the 162 stairs from the pedestal to the crown. There are no elevators here, so you’ll want to be sure you can make it up and down without assistance. Note that the double helix staircase is small and cramped, and the journey is considered strenuous. Kids shorter than 42 inches are not permitted in the crown. Once you get up there, peer out through one of the 25 windows – representing the 25 gemstones found naturally on Earth – to see New York Harbor through Lady Liberty’s eyes.

Make sure to plan your visit well in advance, as crown tickets book out three or more months in advance.

Local tip: Bring the names and U.S. arrival years of any family members who may have come through Ellis Island so you can look them up on the ship manifests.

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Liz Zack has been living in the New York City area for more than 20 years. She loves introducing people to her adopted city and being a tourist in her own town. Zack cares deeply about offering the perfect before-and-after-attraction restaurant recommendations and she used her deep local knowledge to create this guide.