Rockefeller Center, New York City

My favourite observation deck in New York is definately Top ofthe Rock. One of the best things about the observation deck here is the view of the Empire State Building. The view of Central Park is also pretty spectacular. Also, don´t miss the chance to see the NBC studios and you amy even be lucky enough to see a star or even grab some tickets to the shows.

Rockefeller Center is actually a complex of commercial buildings between 48th and 51st Streets (between 5th and 7th Avenues). It's best known for its famous Christmas tree, outdoor cafe and ice skating rink, Radio City Music Hall, lots of shopping, NBC Stuidos tour, and Top of the Rock Observation Deck for views of NY.

A great place to spend a few hours any time of the year, but most special in the winter while the Christmas tree is there and you can watch (or join) the ice skaters.

Shop at stores such as Metropolitan Museum of Art shop, Legos, etc.

Visit Top of The Rock for great views of NY...(www.topoftherocknyc.com) or take the Rockefeller Center Tour .

Take the NBC Studios Tour and see the studios of Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, Dateline, etc. Check the website for hours, ticket prices, etc. (http://www.nbcstudiotour.com/)

Tour Radio City Music Hall, see a concert or the Christmas show with the famous Rockettes. (www.radiocity.com/)

A golden statue of Prometheus watches over the ice skating rink. Rink opens in October. (http://www.rockefellercenter.com/tour-and-explore/the-ice-skating-rink/)

This is also the location for the Today Show's broadcasts and (very popular) summer concert series.

If you're not from the US look for your flag. At street level, the plaza has about 200 flagpoles. At varying intervals, the flags of United Nations member countries, the flags of United States states and territories, or various decorative and seasonal flags are flown; during U.S. holidays, every flagpole carries the Flag of the United States.

Very crowded during the Christmas holidays, very, very crowded during the tree lighting ceremony! Still a great time to go and soak up some holiday spirit!

You surely must go to Rockfeller Center.

Why? Well... because it is there, it was made expressly to take you there, it represents well the best in New York (harmony in XXXXL size), because it has lights and decorations, because it has shops, and ice to skate in winter, Radio City Music Hall, and...
Enough! Everybody goes, so, what are you waiting for?

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Many people visit the Rockefeller Center in order to experience the view from the “Top of the Rock” (covered in a separate tip), but while this is stupendous, it’s by no means the only reason to come here. Indeed, the building you ascend for that view, known as the GE Building or 30 Rock (its postal address is no. 30 Rockefeller Plaza), is only one of several in the complex that is the Rockefeller Center. And many people come here not to go up, but down – beneath ground level are several floors of shops, ranging from smart clothes shops to newsstands, gift shops to book stores. There are also (apparently) over 40 places to eat in the complex, from Burger King and Starbucks to smart brasseries and the famous Rainbow Room.

Another star attraction is the famous Radio City Music Hall, and a guided tour of the complex will take you inside this venerable institution. Having done a tour on our previous visit to New York however, we didn’t bother on this occasion, but if you haven’t been before I do recommend it.

Instead, we enjoyed spending some time walking around the Rockefeller Plaza and the immediate surroundings, taking lots of photographs. If like me you’re a fan of the Art Deco style, you’ll love all the detailing on the buildings – ornamented doors, elaborate signs and numbers, and lots of art work from the period. The sculpture of Wisdom by Lee Lawrie, in photo 2, adorns the main entrance of no. 30 Rockefeller Plaza (the tall skyscraper at the heart of the complex), and the door in my 4th photo is of no. 620 Fifth Avenue, and depicts various trades and industries. At the heart of the complex is the sunken area which in winter is flooded and frozen to be used as a skating rink. For the rest of the year it’s a stylish outdoor café, still closed when we visited quite early on a Sunday morning. Dominating this space is a striking golden sculpture of the Greek Titan Prometheus, bringing fire to mankind, as seen in my main photo. The inscription on the wall behind the statue reads: "Prometheus, teacher in every art, brought the fire that hath proved to mortals a means to mighty ends."

Between this area and Fifth Avenue is a small terraced garden, the Channel Gardens, which was bright with cheerful marigolds on our visit (photo 5). This is a lovely space in which to pause for a rest if you’re exploring Fifth Avenue and feel the need to sit for a while. This to me, as much as Times Square or Central Park, feels like the real heart of New York.

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Rockefeller Center could be called a city within a city. It is huge. It was constructed in the years of the Great Depression in the 1930's. At the time it employed 70,000 people over a period of nine years. You can find retail, entertainment and office space here. Every winter you can check out the ice rink. Also check out the flags and like the Empire State Building the Rockefeller Center has opened up the top of the buildings for visitors who want to get a spectacular view of the city. The attraction is called Top of the Rock. Art lovers also need to head to the Rockefeller. Check out the statues of Atlas and Prometheus and pick up the Rockefeller Center Visitors Guide in the GE lobby, which describes these any many others in detail.

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Every winter you can go ice skating at the Rock. Of course there are quite a few places to do so, but this is one of the best places. Right in the middle of the city and surrounded by art and architecture. For a couple of dollars you rent your skates and get entrance to the rink. Excellent fun and you'll get some excercise too!

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During the Christmas season, Rockefeller Center becomes a huge tourist attraction. Folks from around the world stroll down to Rockefeller Center to view the Christmas tree and/or to skate in the rink. We came to NYC on a rainy December in 2006 to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. Since we arrived over an hour early we took the opportunity to check out the tree. The lights were easily visible mostly due to the over cast skies. As pretty as the tree is, I really don't think it's worth a special trip just to see. If you're in the area, take a peek, otherwise there are so many other more interesting things to do. We didn't go skating because the ice was soaked and we still had to go to the show. There is a fee for using the rink, anywhere from $7.50 for a child to $14.00 for a adult, rates depend on when you go. There is a lunchtime special skating rate of $5.00. Skate rentals are available for an additonal $7.50.

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Even without Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center is worth checking out on the "first-visit-to-Manhattan" circuit if you have time, plus it is in a great midtown location. I liked it.

Another of NYs classic buildings, you can shop, eat, tour Radio City, the plaza or NBC Studios, or just walk around and enjoy the Art Deco architecture: everything from the elevator doors to the murals, chandeliers and sculptures.

Here's an Art Deco webpage about Rockefeller Center:
Art Deco World - Rockefeller Center

And as long as the weather & visibility are good, I think you're crazy if you don't do Top of the Rock while you are there.