New York from above offers a perspective on the city that you absolutely shouldn’t miss under any circumstances! The city is captivating from every angle, but the impressions when you look at it from above are simply indescribable. In our opinion, it’s worth seeing New York from above twice – during the day and at night. Each time, the experience is different, and the views mesmerize in their own unique way.
Currently, there are 5 observation decks in New York – Empire State Building, One World Observatory, Summit One Vanderbilt, Top of the Rock, and Edge. Additionally, in the future, the observation deck on the Chrysler Building, which has been closed for years, is said to reopen. Apart from the observation decks, you can also enjoy the aerial view of New York from rooftop bars, helicopter rides, and the open observation deck known as CityClimb located above The Edge.
Observation decks are not among the cheap attractions, it’s worth knowing that most places charge an additional fee for entry during sunset (the length of stay on the decks is unlimited). If you’re also planning other attractions, check if the place of your interest is available within sightseeing passes or city passes. Another trick that has proven effective, whether for helicopter flights or City Climbs, is to subscribe to newsletters and hunt for promotions!
Top of the Rock – New York from above
Probably the most expensive and crowded observation deck in New York, but despite that, in our opinion, the best! What sets Top of the Rock apart? Firstly, the upper floor of the deck (the lower floors have glass) is open-air, and the view is unobstructed by glass or bars (unlike Empire State Building), making it the best deck for taking photos. Moreover, according to us, there’s no better view of the Empire State Building itself because the Comcast Building housing the deck and the ESB are aligned in one line.
From Top of the Rock, you also have a fantastic view of Central Park and Billionaire’s Row. We recommend allocating a good amount of time for this experience, arriving at least an hour before sunset to secure a good spot for sunset viewing by the railings (sunset admission is $10 more expensive), and staying until dusk falls. If you plan to visit after dark, in our opinion, Top of the Rock might not offer the best view – a significant part of the view includes Central Park, which is just a dark area at night.
Summit One Vanderbilt – New York from above
Summit One is the newest and most interactive of the observation decks, ranking as our second choice. At the very top, there’s a bar where you can spend as much time as you want, and the prices are not drastically different from typical New York rates. Summit One consists of three levels, each featuring attractions like mirrors, large silver balloons, or a levitation room.
Summit One Vanderbilt provides an excellent view of the nearby Chrysler Building (which isn’t well-visible from Top of the Rock). If you’re looking for a place that offers more than just a view and allows for creating great photos, Summit One could be a good choice. In our opinion, it falls behind Top of the Rock due to the lack of an unobstructed view without glass and the perspective on the ESB from the side.
Empire State Building – New York from above
The main drawback of ESB is that you can’t see the Empire State Building itself from there. It offers a better view of the Chrysler Building than Top of the Rock does, but not as good as Summit does. On the highest floor of ESB, there are no glass panels, but there are bars. So, if you want photos of yourself with a nice view in the background, the bars could be an obstacle, but if you plan to capture the view itself, you can easily place your camera through the bars to catch the city panorama.
In our opinion, the two previous decks are more noteworthy. However, if you’d like to see the city at night, ESB is probably the best option. The ESB observation deck is the latest closing deck in New York, open until 10 PM to 1 AM depending on the season.
Edge – New York from above
Edge is a deck that we found the least appealing. The queues are enormous, and everything seems poorly organized. The view is obstructed by a glass panel, and due to its location at the western end of Manhattan, the view of the city is somewhat skewed. Edge is probably the best deck for a view of Lower Manhattan, particularly the One World Trade Centre area.
For a special occasion, we recommend City Climb, which is organized by Edge. City Climb is the highest open-air observation deck in the world, and you need to “climb” to reach it. During the ascent, safety harnesses are used, and during this experience, you can lean forward and backward over the edge of the skyscraper (your instructor will show you everything). The experience is incredible, and we highly recommend it if your budget allows. You can read more about it on their website.
One World Observatory – New York from above
One WTC is the only observation deck we haven’t visited yet, but based on reviews, it ranked lowest on our list. One WTC is the only observation deck in Lower Manhattan. Its disadvantage is (similar to ESB) that you won’t see One WTC itself 🙂 Moreover, there’s no open deck, and light reflections off the glass apparently make it difficult to take good photos.
Helicopter flight over New York – New York from above
FlyNYON isn’t the only company offering helicopter tours over New York, but it’s the only one that provides tours with open doors. If you want to experience something truly extraordinary, we definitely recommend a helicopter tour! No observation deck can provide you with such a view; you’ll see New York from above and from the side. No other option will give you a close-up aerial view of the Statue of Liberty and the New York bridges. If open doors are too much adrenaline for you, you can opt for a classic ride in a closed helicopter.
The only downside to FlyNYON is that you need to get to Kearny, New Jersey (you can take a train to Jersey City and then take a Bolt/Uber/Taxi), detailed travel instructions can be found on the organizer’s website. From our side, we can add that you shouldn’t buy full-price flights; sign up for the newsletter and wait for at least a 70% discount. We booked a 15-minute flight and got a cheaper rate onsite for upgrade to a 30-minute flight (in our opinion, the longer flight is worth it since the flight to and from the city takes up to 9 minutes) – however, this is a risk, as there might not always be spots available for a longer flight.
The seat in the helicopter depends on the participants’ weight and is determined by an algorithm. Changes are possible after consultation with the pilot, who can either approve or decline. Unfortunately, one of the seats inside doesn’t allow for hanging your legs outside. The best seat is next to the pilot due to open side doors and a front view through the glass, based on our observations, this seat is assigned to one of the lighter people on board.
Rooftop Bars – New York from above
If you don’t want to pay for admission to an observation deck but still want to see the city from above, you can visit one of the rooftop bars (prices for drinks usually start around $16-20 and go up to $30). Availability might be tougher in the evenings, and some rooftops have dress codes (roof terrace rules can vary significantly, so it’s worth checking them individually).
We recommend Everdene at the Virgin Hotel, even though it’s just a terrace on the 4th floor, it offers a nice view of the Empire State Building. A good view can be found from the 230th Fifth rooftop, which is a rather touristy spot disliked by locals. Bar 54 is supposedly the highest located bar in New York, and the legendary Rainbow Room also provides a fantastic view. There’s no shortage of rooftop bars in New York, and you’ll surely find something for yourself! You’ll also find a few rooftop bars in this post.
