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When family or friends come to visit from Japan, many of us wonder which observation deck to take them to. Manhattan has several observation decks, each with its own character, from classics like the Empire State Building to newer decks with glass floors and mirrored rooms. In this article, we compare the five main ones using information checked on each venue’s official website on October 18, 2026.
What you’ll learn in this article
- Approximate prices, hours, heights and nearest stations for New York’s five main observation decks
- Whether each has an outdoor deck, and what makes each one different, such as glass floors
- How to choose by purpose (kids, rainy days, night views) and tips for booking
Prices vary by date, time and ticket type, and hours change with the seasons. The prices in the table are the lowest adult prices shown on the official websites (listed as “from” or “starting at”) and do not include fees or taxes. Please check the latest information on each official website before you go.
The five observation decks at a glance
| Observation deck | Height / floors | Outdoor | Approx. price (adult) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire State Building | 86th floor (outdoor), 102nd floor (indoor) | Yes (86th floor) | 86th floor from $46; 86th + 102nd floors from $81 | Midtown (34th Street) |
| Top of the Rock | 67th, 69th and 70th floors | Yes (69th and 70th floors) | From $42 | Rockefeller Center (50th Street) |
| Edge | 100th floor (about 335 m) | Yes | From $42 (from $34 if booked 14+ days ahead) | Hudson Yards |
| SUMMIT One Vanderbilt | 91st–93rd floors | Yes (terrace) | Shown when you select a date and time | Grand Central Terminal |
| One World Observatory | 100th–102nd floors | No (glass-enclosed) | From $39 | World Trade Center |
Empire State Building
The quintessential New York observation deck. The 86th floor is an open-air observation deck, and heaters are set up on the outdoor deck in winter. On the 102nd floor, according to the official website, floor-to-ceiling windows let you see about 80 miles on a clear day. The 2nd and 80th floors also have exhibits, including ones on the movie King Kong.
- Address: 20 West 34th Street (entrance between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
- Nearest stations: 34 St–Herald Sq (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W trains), 34 St–Penn Station (1, 2, 3, A, C, E trains)
- Hours: Oct. 16–Nov. 1, 9 a.m.–11 p.m. (last entry 10 p.m.)
- Prices: 86th floor from $46; 86th + 102nd floors from $81. Prices vary by entry time and ticket type. Child prices for ages 6–12, free for children under 6, senior prices for ages 62 and up
- Note: Standard tickets are good for one entry only. It is open in rain and snow, and there are no refunds for weather
- Official website: esbnyc.com
- See Empire State Building (86th floor) tickets on Tiqets (PR)
Top of the Rock
This observation deck occupies the 67th, 69th and 70th floors of Rockefeller Center, and the top two levels are outdoors. Its big draw is that you can see both the Empire State Building and Central Park from here. For an additional fee, you can also try SKYLIFT, a rotating outdoor platform that rises 30 feet (about 9 m) above the 70th floor, and The Beam, where you sit on a rotating steel beam for photos.
- Address: 50 West 50th Street (entrance on 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
- Nearest station: 47–50 Sts–Rockefeller Center (B, D, F, M trains)
- Hours: Daily 8 a.m.–midnight (last entry 11:10 p.m.)
- Prices: Observation deck admission from $42. Free for ages 5 and under
- Note: The 67th floor is enclosed in glass, so it’s easier to enjoy the view on windy or rainy days. SKYLIFT and The Beam may be suspended due to weather
- Official website: rockefellercenter.com
- See Top of the Rock tickets on Tiqets (PR)
Edge
An outdoor observation deck that juts out from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, a skyscraper in Hudson Yards, about 335 m (about 1,100 ft) above the ground. The official website calls it the “highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.” Its glass floor and frameless, angled glass walls make it popular with thrill-seekers. There is also City Climb (separate ticket, ages 13 and up), where you climb the outside of the building.
- Address: 30 Hudson Yards (entrance on the 4th floor of The Shops & Restaurants)
- Nearest station: 34 St–Hudson Yards (7 train)
- Hours: Vary by day (last entry one hour before closing). Please check the hours for your date on the official website
- Prices: General admission from $42; Advance Saver tickets, booked 14 or more days ahead, from $34 (plus a $2 fee). The website notes that prices rise as the visit date approaches. Free for ages 5 and under
- Note: No re-entry. The outdoor deck may close temporarily in bad weather, and in that case a program called Sky Assurance lets you rebook at the on-site ticket counter
- Official website: edgenyc.com
- See Edge tickets on Tiqets (PR)
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
An immersive observation deck on the 91st–93rd floors of the skyscraper next to Grand Central Terminal. It is packed with photogenic features, such as mirrored rooms, Levitation, glass-floored ledges that hang out over Madison Avenue, and a space filled with floating silver balloons. Ascent, a large elevator that rides up the building’s glass exterior, is a separate ticket type.
- Address: 45 E 42nd St (entrance in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal)
- Nearest station: Grand Central–42 St (4, 5, 6, 7, S trains)
- Hours: Daily 8 a.m.–midnight (last entry 10:30 p.m.)
- Prices: Shown when you select a date and time (online purchases carry a $3 fee per order). Adult prices for ages 13 and up, youth prices for ages 6–12, free for ages 5 and under
- Note: No re-entry. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Reflections from the mirrors and floors can be dazzling, so SUMMIT officially recommends bringing sunglasses
- Official website: summitov.com
- See SUMMIT One Vanderbilt tickets on Tiqets (PR)
One World Observatory
An observation deck on the 100th–102nd floors of One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. There is no outdoor deck; you take in the view from indoors, surrounded by glass on all sides (360 degrees). The SkyPod elevators reach the observation floors in about 47 seconds. Sweeping views toward the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge are something only downtown can offer.
- Address: 117 West Street (entrance at the West Plaza on West Street)
- Nearest stations: WTC Cortlandt (1 train), World Trade Center (E train), Fulton St (2, 3, 4, 5 trains) and others
- Hours: Daily 9 a.m.–9 p.m. (varies by season)
- Prices: General admission from $39 (Standard). Higher-tier ticket types are also available
- Note: No re-entry. On days with poor visibility, a program called See Forever lets you come back on a clear day (at the venue’s discretion)
- Official website: oneworldobservatory.com
- See One World Observatory tickets on Tiqets (PR)
How to choose by purpose
You want the classic view on a first trip to New York
We recommend the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, or Top of the Rock, where you can look out at the Empire State Building itself. Both let you enjoy the view outdoors and feel the breeze.
You want great photos or a thrill
Edge, with its glass floor, and SUMMIT, with its mirrored rooms and glass-floored Levitation, are good fits.
You’re going with kids
Many venues are free for ages 5 and under (under 6 at the Empire State Building), which makes them easy to visit with small children. Stroller policies and wait times differ by venue, so check each official website’s FAQ before you go.
If you’re going on a day with bad weather
Good options are One World Observatory, which is mostly indoors, Top of the Rock, which has a glass-enclosed floor (the 67th floor), and the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building. Edge and One World Observatory have programs for rebooking or returning when the weather or visibility is poor.
Booking tips and things to watch out for
- Most observation decks use timed tickets. Prices change by date and time, so once you know when you’re going, check the official website early
- Edge has a ticket type that is cheaper if you book 14 or more days ahead, and the website notes that prices rise as the visit date approaches
- Many venues do not allow re-entry. If you want to see both the daytime and nighttime views, choose a ticket type such as the Empire State Building’s AM/PM ticket
For more fall weekend outings, see Fall foliage day trips from New York and Halloween in New York 2026. Around Thanksgiving in November, we also recommend combining an observation deck visit with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Summary
Each of New York’s observation decks offers different views and a different experience: the classic Empire State Building, Top of the Rock with views all the way to Central Park, Edge with its glass floor, the immersive SUMMIT, and One World Observatory downtown. Think about whether you want to see the view outdoors or enjoy photogenic spots, and take the weather and your kids’ ages into account when you choose.
Sources
The information was checked on each venue’s official website on October 18, 2026. Prices and hours may change.
- Empire State Building: https://www.esbnyc.com/
- Top of the Rock: https://www.rockefellercenter.com/attractions/top-of-the-rock-observation-deck/
- Edge: https://www.edgenyc.com/
- SUMMIT One Vanderbilt: https://summitov.com/
- One World Observatory: https://www.oneworldobservatory.com/
This article is also available in Japanese.
