The Best Observation Deck in NYC

Yes, the Empire State Building Observation Deck is worth visiting. A ticket covers more than the view: the 86th Floor deck, the Art Deco lobby, the interactive Kong exhibit, and museum galleries on the 2nd and 80th floors tracing the building’s construction and its long run in the movies. Not many observation decks in NYC come with a museum attached.

Yes, the 102nd Floor Observation Deck is worth the upgrade for some visitors. It sits 200 feet above the 86th Floor at 1,250 feet, fully enclosed behind floor-to-ceiling windows and reached by a glass elevator ride. If you came looking for the highest observation deck in NYC, this is where our view tops out. The 86th Floor is included with either ticket, and for most visitors it’s enough on its own.

The Empire State Building’s two Observation Decks sit 1,050 feet and 1,250 feet above the street. The 86th Floor is the open-air one, the 102nd the enclosed deck above it. Counting the spire and antenna, the building reaches 1,454 feet. On a clear day the view runs about 80 miles, far enough to take in six states.

Yes, the Empire State Building Observation Deck is open every night of the year. Hours vary with the season, so check the current schedule before you plan an evening visit. After dark most visitors head straight for the 86th Floor, where the New York City skyline is lit in every direction, Times Square eight blocks north.

The Empire State Building is the best observation deck in NYC because the view and the landmark are the same building. You’re standing on what people come to New York to see, on an open-air deck that wraps all four sides, with nine galleries of museum exhibits on the way up. Tripadvisor named it the #1 attraction in the world in 2024.