Rockefeller Center- New York City, NY

You can’t visit New York without going up one at least of its skyscrapers, and to my mind this, the tallest of the Rockefeller Center’s many buildings, is the best of them. The Empire State Building may be higher, and perhaps more famous, but there are two disadvantages to ascending that rather than 30 Rockefeller Plaza (to give this its proper name). Firstly, when you’re on the Empire State Building you can’t see the Empire State Building! Secondly, the queues for that are notoriously long, even if you’ve booked in advance, whereas when we visited the Top of the Rock (admittedly arriving as it opened at 8.00 AM) we walked straight up to the counter to pay, and then into the first lift. This takes you to a mezzanine level with an exhibition about the history of the building. As part of this you’ll be invited to sit on a steel beam with a photo behind of the New York skyline. This is a bit of a “tourist trap” moment, as later you’ll be offered the opportunity to buy the photo, which now looks as if you recreated the famous image of builders perched on such a beam high above the city. But we gave that a miss, and headed straight into a second lift that whisked us up to the top.

Talking of the lift, the ride up is part of the experience, with lights and images projected onto its ceiling. This is your first glimpse of the stylish makeover that the Top of the Rock has recently undergone. The upper floors reflect the same style, with ultra-modern features (including a fascinating light installation) that somehow complement very well the Art Deco style of the building itself.

There are various ticket options here. We chose the Sunrise and Sunset ticket, which allows you to make two visits on the same or consecutive days. Why would you want to do that? Well, check out my day and night photos (the latter are in my Nightlife tip) and I think you’ll agree it is worth it! Our first visit, quite early on a sunny day, gave us pretty clear views of Manhattan, though inevitably there was some haze from pollution, and the low sun probably added to that, while also making the photos more atmospheric. On this first visit we stayed about an hour and a half, with the sun gradually getting warmer and the roof top busier, though never too crowded. Part of the lowest terrace was shut for a fashion shoot but as there are three altogether it didn’t inhibit our enjoyment (and in fact added to Chris’s, I rather suspect LOL). Of the three terraces, the 67th and 69th floors are partly indoor, but include outdoor terraces with transparent safety glass. The 70th floor, the uppermost level, provides a completely open air, unobstructed 360-degree view. Not the best place for those nervous of heights, and a bit windy, but great for photos.

Later the same day (about 6.00 PM) we returned for our second visit, which I’ve described under Nightlife, as in my opinion it’s one of the best possible ways to appreciate this city after dark.

Useful info:
Top of the Rock is open from 8.00 AM to midnight, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The first lift is at 8.00 AM and the last at 11.00 PM (though times vary on holidays). There’s no time limit as to how long you can stay on the observation decks.
It’s open year round, regardless of weather, though the open-air parts of the roof may be closed.
There are no restaurant facilities at the top. This is a deliberate decision by the management intended to help keep the observation decks clean and litter free (you’re not allowed to bring your own food and drink either) but we would have welcomed a chance for a cup of coffee at least after our early start that morning.
You can buy a leaflet for $2 which points out all the buildings and other sights you can see from the top – and some you can’t see, like London!
Visiting in September 2008 we paid $30 each for our double visit ticket (a single visit would have cost $20). There are of course various concessions, and also a number of combination tickets (e.g. Top of the Rock and a Circle Line tour, or Top of the Rock and MOMA (the Museum of Modern Art).

Rockefeller Center, New York City

New York City Hotels

Rockefeller Center, New York City

Visiting New York City?

Visiting New York City?

New York City Hotels