Great! Definitely a must in NYC! Do it when it's dark.

Of course, we visited Empire State Building during our visit to New York City – it’s so iconic, you absolutely have to! We purchased our ticket as part of the “Go City New York” pass, which basically gave us a discounted rate. We visited during the early afternoon, and although we made a reservation, it was relatively quiet and you probably could show up. However, I would always recommend making a reservation prior. I’ve been to New York before, and have visited the Empire State building, but it’s been a very long time. I was very impressed during this visit that it was not just about the lobby, elevator and observation decks, but there is a whole very well done exhibit experience before you go up. The exhibit downstairs has a lot of historical value and is very informative about the design and construction of the building. I didn’t realize before how quickly the building was actually built, which, considering it was 100 years ago, almost, is remarkable. I loved the huge scale model of the building downstairs and a perfect spot to take a few selfies. We love the display of all the celebrities who visited the building over the years, which is fun. The elevator experience was also unique, and they have joined the ranks of other high-rise observation decks with creating screens inside the elevator to make the ride up a whole new experience. We went up to the 80th floor, indoor observation deck, and enjoyed amazing views of the city. They were also exhibits and displays on the walls as you walked around including Stephen Wiltshire’s ‘from memory’ hand drawn panoramic picture of New York. Quite remarkable! We went up to the 86 floor, which is the outdoor observation deck – the iconic observation deck as featured in the movie “Sleepless in Seattle”. We loved the outdoor experience there. There are options to pay extra and go up to the 102nd floor, which I understand has been renovated in recent years. All of the staff members, we interacted with were very courteous and polite, and made our experience a fun and pleasurable one. There are also options, of course to purchase items from the gift shop on your way out. There are newer, more high-tech skyscrapers in the city, but I would say in my experience this past week that the Empire State building has created a modern visiting experience married with an almost century’s old traditional iconic historic building. To me, it’s the perfect romantic location in New York that no 21st century skyscraper can quite match.

The trip was awesome. The views were totally totally awesome.

The Empire State Building’s observation deck at night offers an iconic and unforgettable experience, especially for us as first-time visitors traveling all the way from Sydney. The glittering 360-degree views of Manhattan lit up after dark are completely breathtaking. The entrance and interactive queue exhibits setting up the tower's history were a great touch, but nothing compares to stepping out onto the open-air deck on the 86th floor and seeing the skyline glow in every direction. If you're visiting New York City, catching the city lights from up here is a absolute must-do!

Cooles Gesamterlebnis. Absolutes "Must" wenn Du in NY bist

You will not forget this place. Panoramic view! A little protip: Buy express pass to avoid lines.

cool