Whenever I travel to a new city, I make it a point to end the trip with an overhead view of the landscape. From the roof of Barcelona’s Casa Milà to the top of Copenhagen’s Round Tower, I’ve tracked my footsteps from above, pointing out the zones I visited as well as the ones I missed, making mental notes for my return. It’s a lovely way of orienting oneself, of feeling as though you have a better grip on this place you once called foreign. I’ve lived in New York City for five years now—and right across the river in New Jersey before that—yet before this fall, I had never ascended to the top of the Empire State Building. My time in the city is far from done, but I’ve always been curious about the skyscraper I spent the entirety of my life marveling at from afar.
Recently, on a sunny September day, I finally made my way to 350 Fifth Avenue, ready to visit the same observation deck featured in classic movies like Sleepless in Seattle. It’s a funny thing, how the main draw of visiting the Empire State Building isn’t actually about visiting the Empire State Building (if you want to appreciate its exterior beauty, you’re better off viewing it from the Top of the Rock), but rather the bird’s-eye view it offers you of everything surrounding it. Beyond the views, there are also some wonderful exhibits on the 2nd and 80th floors offering a historical overview of the building’s construction and legacy. Did you know it was built in just 13 months? (These were the 1930s!)
Ready to experience the Art Deco masterpiece yourself? Read on for everything you need to know before visiting the Empire State Building, including how to get tickets, what’s worth it, the best times to visit, and insider tips for how to make the most of your tourist dollars.
What is the Empire State Building?
The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, and constructed swiftly between the years of 1930 and 1931 (that’s about 4.5 stories per week, making it one of the fastest large-scale construction projects in history). Standing at 1,454 feet tall, it held the title of the world’s tallest building for almost 40 years—that is, until the North Tower of the World Trade Center kicked it down the list in 1970. Today, it’s the eighth tallest building in New York City, and houses over 150 offices, most notably companies like LinkedIn, Workday, and Expedia.
The skyscraper is visited by more than 2.5 million people each year. Along with the Statue of Liberty, it’s one of the most photographed icons in New York City, appearing in over 250 movies and TV shows—most notably, King Kong (1933). The first light show occurred in 1976, when the Empire State Building flashed floodlights of red, white, and blue to honor the United States Bicentennial, heralding a tradition of lighting the spire in different colors to celebrate seasonal events and holidays. In 2019, the building underwent a four-year, $165 million renovation, which included a replenishment of the 2nd and 80th floor exhibition spaces, as well as a reimagined 102nd floor observatory.
How do you get to the Empire State Building?
The Empire State Building is located in the heart of Manhattan, and the dedicated visitor entrance is on 20 West 34th Street, walkable from Port Authority, Penn Station, and the PATH, plus the 1/2/3, A/C/E, N/Q/R/W, B/D/F/M, 4/5/6, and 7 subway lines. The original Art Deco lobby, located on 350 Fifth Avenue, is reserved for building tenants, but don’t worry, you’ll get to experience it on your exit from the observatory. If you need to buy tickets on-site, the physical ticket office is located nearby at 12 W 34th Street.
