Empire State Building Guide

The main observation deck of the Empire State Building and one of the most thrilling viewpoints in the world. At 1,050 feet above street level, this open-air deck wraps around the building on all four sides, offering unobstructed 360-degree views of New York City that stretch up to 80 miles on clear days. To the north, Central Park unfolds as a stunning green rectangle amid the Manhattan grid, with the George Washington Bridge and the hills of the Hudson Valley beyond. To the south, the Financial District, One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, and the Atlantic Ocean. To the east, the East River, Brooklyn Bridge, and the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. To the west, the Hudson River, New Jersey, and spectacular sunsets. The outdoor terrace has high-powered binoculars (free to use) and glass wind barriers, but you are truly outdoors with the wind and the sky above you. The indoor viewing area has floor-to-ceiling windows for weather protection. This is the observation deck featured in Sleepless in Seattle, An Affair to Remember, and dozens of other films.

The highest publicly accessible point of the Empire State Building, at 1,250 feet above the streets of Manhattan. This enclosed observation area is significantly smaller and more intimate than the 86th floor, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows providing panoramic views that seem to float above the city. On clear days, you can see six states — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Delaware. The 102nd floor has a completely different feel from the 86th — you are high enough that the city below takes on a miniature, almost abstract quality, with the grid of streets and the ribbon of the Hudson River creating geometric patterns far below. The experience is especially powerful at sunrise, when the city awakens in golden light below you. The 102nd floor requires a separate premium ticket ($79 adults for the Express Experience that includes both floors, or a $35 upgrade from the 86th floor). The space is smaller and less crowded, creating a more exclusive experience.

The Empire State Building's lobby is a masterpiece of Art Deco design and worth admiring even if you don't visit the observation decks. The original 1931 lobby was restored in 2009 to its original Depression-era grandeur, featuring a stunning ceiling mural depicting the building surrounded by celestial imagery in gold and aluminum leaf, marble walls from four different countries, ornate metalwork, and the iconic aluminum relief panel of the building set against a map of New York State. On the second floor, the immersive observatory experience (included with all observation deck tickets) takes you through ten galleries featuring floor-to-ceiling displays about the building's construction, history, and cultural significance. The King Kong exhibit, sustainability displays showing the building's $550 million renovation and energy efficiency upgrades, and the dramatic "Dare to Dream" multimedia theater experience (an immersive ride-like presentation about the building's construction) are highlights. The exhibits transform what could be just a viewpoint into a genuine museum experience.

The Empire State Building's tower lights are one of the most iconic features of the New York skyline and have been illuminating the night sky since 1976. The building's signature LED light system (upgraded in 2012 with a $5 million system capable of displaying 16 million colors) honors holidays, events, seasons, and causes with unique color displays — red and green for Christmas, rainbow for Pride, orange for Halloween, blue and white for Hanukkah, and custom displays for major sporting events, charity campaigns, and cultural moments. The lights are visible from miles away and have become a nightly communication between the building and the city. Viewing the tower lights from a distance — particularly from the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade, Top of the Rock, or a rooftop bar in Midtown — is one of the classic New York evening experiences. The ESB website and social media announce the nightly light schedule. The lights display from sunset to 2:00 AM nightly.