In a nutshell
- New York City now has 5 large observation decks that offer a great view of the city: Edge, Summit One, Empire Statue Building, Top of the Rock, and the One World Trade Center.
- We have been to all five observation decks in NYC and ranked them in this article based on our personal preference.
- We also show you cool bars and nice restaurants with the best views of the NYC skyline, as well as cheap observation decks.
The Best Observation Decks in NYC at a Glance
There are now 5 famous observation decks in New York City, all of which have their own special features.
We have visited them all! But before we share our ranking of the best New York City views, here is a quick overview:
| Edge | Empire State Building | One World Observatory | SUMMIT One | Top of the Rock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (GA) | $40-83 | $44-79 | $39-48 | $43-51 | $34-61 |
| Height | 1132 ft | 1050 ft (86th) 1250 ft (102nd) | 1266 ft | 1099 ft | 853 ft |
| Location | Hudson Yards | Fifth Avenue | Financial District | One Vanderbilt | Rockefeller Center |
| Buy Ticket | Buy Ticket | Buy Ticket | Buy Ticket | Buy Ticket | |
| Our Review | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review | |
| Explorer Pass | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| All Inclusive Pass | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Sightseeing Flex Pass | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
As you can see, most observation decks are included in New York Passes. You can find out which pass might be worthwhile for you in our New York Pass comparison article.
Edge NYC
What do you need to know? The Edge NYC is located in the Hudson Yards neighborhood in Manhattan. The platform is located on the 100th floor, at a height of 345 meters. This makes it the third-highest observation deck in NYC. The highlight here is not just the expansive view, but also the glass floor section. Here you can look directly down onto the streets of New York City.
Who is it worth for? For first-time visitors to New York City, families with children, adrenaline junkies, photographers and architecture fans.
Our review: For us, the Edge is the best observation deck in NYC. It combines everything we could wish for. Modernity, a great view of the city and a little thrill. The price-performance ratio is also great.
Check out our full review:
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
What do you need to know? The SUMMIT One observation deck is located in the One Vanderbilt skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan. At around 335 meters, you have a 360-degree view of New York City – both indoors and outdoors. SUMMIT also has two cool art installations and glass balconies for the perfect photos.
Who is it worth for? For first-time visitors, art lovers and design fans, photographers and also for New York connoisseurs to get a new perspective on the city.
Our review: We had a lot of fun at SUMMIT One. The different photo spots are really great! However, it’s also really crowded up there. It’s best to plan a visit when there aren’t so many people around – for example, about an hour before sunset.
Buy your SUMMIT One ticket here
Check out our full review:
Top of the Rock
What do you need to know? Top of the Rock is the observation deck of the famous Rockefeller Center. It consists of three levels at a height of up to 260 meters, and is also the cheapest observation deck in NYC – and the one with the very best view of the Empire State Building.
Who is it worth for? For first-time visitors, families with children, movie and series fans and if you want the perfect view of the Empire State Building.
Our experience: the Top of the Rock is a tourist magnet. And not without reason. The three levels are super cool and offer very different photo spots. We really like the fact that you can combine a visit to a platform with a visit to an important building.
Buy your Top of the Rock ticket here
Check out our full review:
One World Observatory
What do you need to know? At 541 meters, One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The observation deck is at 386 meters – you can’t get any higher in NYC. However, the Observatory is an indoor platform, so you are not outdoors. In addition to the view, there are cool interactive features on the platform.
Who is it worth for? For first-time visitors, if you are with kids in NYC and fans of high-tech experiences. If you also want to visit the 9/11 Museum & Memorial or are looking for an indoor activity in NYC, this is a great option.
Our review: At the One World Observatory, we were particularly impressed by the immense height and the unbelievably wide view. The See Forever Theater with the film about the construction of the building was also really cool. However, we thought it was a shame that there was no outdoor area.
Buy your One World Observatory ticket here
Check out our full review:
Empire State Building
What do you need to know? The Empire State Building is an icon. It is located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and has two viewing platforms. One on the 86th floor at 320 meters and on the 102nd floor at 381 meters – amazing! There is also a cool exhibition inside and, of course, the famous light show at night.
Who is it worth for? For first-time visitors, history and architecture fans, film and pop culture fans, fans of the Golden Age of New York and children.
Our review: The Empire State Building’s cult status alone makes it a must-see. We are super glad that we took the time to go up there. We really liked the open viewing platform and the exhibition inside. Sure, it’s a bit old-fashioned, but that’s also part of the charm.
Buy your Empire State Building ticket here
Check out our full review:
Extra Tip: Helicopter Ride NYC
Seeing the skyline of NYC from above is something very special, and we just couldn’t get enough of it. We wanted more! But as we had already visited all the observation decks, the only thing left to do was a helicopter ride. Woohoo!
A helicopter ride over New York City is an unbeatable experience where you get the absolute best view.
Would that be something for you too? Then take a look at our detailed experience report on the best helicopter flights over New York City:
Read our review of a helicopter ride in NYC
Best Free Views of NYC Skyline
There are also a few free spots in New York City where you can enjoy a great view of the Manhattan skyline.
#1 Free view of Manhattan from Brooklyn
You get one of the best views of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The viewpoint is very close to the Brooklyn Bridge, so you can easily combine the two.
Brooklyn Bridge Park viewpoint and photo spot on Google Maps
Especially at sunset, the view of the southern tip of Manhattan is simply phenomenal. There are a whole series of great viewpoints along the East River. So it’s worth going on a discovery tour.
#2 Free View of Manhattan from New Jersey
Almost as beautiful as the view from Brooklyn is the view from the other direction. New Jersey is located on the opposite side of the Hudson River and is a real insider tip, especially for early risers.
As you look east towards Manhattan from Jersey, the sun rises directly behind the skyline of NYC.
#3 Free View from the Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is free, as it is mainly used to take commuters from Staten Island to Manhattan and back. But it’s also famous by tourists for seeing the Statue of Liberty from nearby.
At peak times between 6:00 and 9:30 am and between 3:30 and 8:00 pm, the ferry departs every 15 to 20 minutes.
Outside of these times and at weekends, it departs every 30 minutes. The journey takes around 25 minutes. It departs from Whitehall Pier at the southern tip of Manhattan.
We recommend taking the ferry outside rush hour, as it often gets really crowded then.
By the way, you even get a better view of the NYC skyline if you book a boat tour. There are several offers in New York City.
Check out all our tips for boat tours in New York
Are There Any Free Observation Decks in NYC?
There are unfortunately no truly free observation decks in NYC. However, there are several bars and restaurants in New York City that you can visit for free. You just need to pay for a drink or food, and you can enjoy the view without any extra cost.
And there is The Vessel. A cheap observation deck with cool architecture.
Check out our article on travel costs in NYC
Cheap View from The Vessel
The Vessel is a huge, walk-in sculpture in the Hudson Yards neighborhood of New York City, right at the New York Edge.
It looks like an oversized honeycomb and consists of 154 staircases that spiral upwards, with a total of almost 2,500 steps and many platforms where you can stand and enjoy the view.
From the top, you can see the Hudson River, the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood.
Unfortunately, admission is not free. Admission costs $10 per person. You can buy your admission ticket online.
Rooftop Bars in NYC
Great New York City views are not only available from the classic New York City observation decks, but also from the many rooftop bars. And there are plenty of them in New York.
Many hotels in New York have their own rooftop bars for their guests, some of which are also open to the public.
We went for a drink at the rooftop bar of the 50 Bowery Hotel in the Bowery district on the border with Chinatown. The view of the New York City skyline was phenomenal, the rooftop bar really very cozy and there is no dress code.
50 Bowery Hotel with rooftop bar on Google Maps
More great rooftop bars in New York City
- The Heights at the Arlo NoMad Hotel
- Top of the Strand on the 21st floor of the Marriott Vacation Club Pulse
- Refinery Rooftop at the Refinery Hotel
- 230 Fifth Rooftop Lounge
- Brass Monkey
- Salon de Ning at the Peninsula Hotel
Check out our tips for small boutique hotels in NYC
Our Ranking: Which Observation Decks are Worth it?
That was quite a lot of information, so here is a short summary of what we can really recommend and what we don’t think is an absolute must.
Our ranking of the observation decks in NYC
- New York Edge: Our absolute favorite among the platforms in New York!
- SUMMIT One: The most modern viewing platform and super popular on social media – unfortunately very crowded.
- Top of the Rock: An icon in New York City and a must-see for us.
- One World Observatory: Great if you want to go to the very tallest building in NYC.
- Empire State Building: The building has cult status and is worth visiting – anyway, we liked the other views more.
Cool alternatives with a great view of the NYC skyline
- Helicopter flight: an absolutely incredible experience, but of course, not a cheap pleasure.
- Rooftop bars: a cool alternative to the typical platforms.
- Skyline view: the view from Brooklyn is an absolute highlight. The view from New Jersey is more for photographers.
- Boat trip: the Staten Island Ferry is worth it just because it’s free. Other boat trips are a great add-on.
- The Vessel: quite nice, but not that high and comparatively expensive at 10 dollars.
These were our tips for the best observation decks in New York
Do you know any other good spots with a great New York City view? Or do you have a question? Then write us a comment. We look forward to hearing from you!