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Empire State Building, New York City

4.4

#4 of 1,728 in Things to do in New York City

Must see · Observation Deck · Architectural Building

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The 103-story Empire State Building in midtown stood as the world's tallest building for nearly four decades, from its completion in 1931 until 1970, when it was surpassed by another New York skyscraper. Considered an American cultural icon, the building underwent a massive renovation in 2010 to make it more energy efficient and eco-friendly. Admire the Art Deco mosaics in the lobby, and then take an elevator to the observation deck at the top, where you'll have 360-degree views of the entire city. If you don't have time to wait in line for the top, visit the 86th-floor observatory, which at 320 m (1,050 ft) high still provides remarkable views. If you're in the city in the evening, try to catch a glimpse of the building to see its pinnacle bathed in lights. Use our New York City trip itinerary maker app to visit Empire State Building on your trip to New York City, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.

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Tours to Empire State Building

FROM $99 BOOK WITH VIATOR New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour

4.8

Duration: 6 hours

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FROM $48 BOOK WITH VIATOR Empire State Building Ticket Optional Upgrade to Skip-the-Line and 102nd Deck Empire State Building Ticket Optional Upgrade to Skip-the-Line and 102nd Deck

4.4

Duration: 45 to 90 minutes

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FROM $54 BOOK WITH VIATOR Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Tour

3.7

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

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FROM $129 BOOK WITH VIATOR New York CityPASS New York CityPASS

4.3

Duration: 9 days

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FROM $217 BOOK WITH VIATOR Manhattan Sky Tour: New York Helicopter Flight Manhattan Sky Tour: New York Helicopter Flight

4.5

Duration: 15 minutes

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FROM $70 BOOK WITH VIATOR Empire State Building Day and Night Admission Ticket Empire State Building Day and Night Admission Ticket

4.6

Duration: 2 hours

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FROM $74 BOOK WITH VIATOR Go City: New York Explorer Pass - Choose 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions Go City: New York Explorer Pass - Choose 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 attractions

3.8

Duration: 60 days

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FROM $86 BOOK WITH VIATOR New York Greenwhich Village walking tasting tour with Secret Food Tours New York Greenwhich Village walking tasting tour with Secret Food Tours

5.0

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FROM $279 BOOK WITH VIATOR New York Helicopter Tour: Ultimate Manhattan Sightseeing New York Helicopter Tour: Ultimate Manhattan Sightseeing

4.8

Duration: 17 to 20 minutes

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FROM $59 BOOK WITH VIATOR New York City at Night Bus Tour New York City at Night Bus Tour

4.7

Duration: 4 hours

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FROM $142 BOOK WITH VIATOR The New York Pass®: 100+ Attractions including Empire State Building The New York Pass®: 100+ Attractions including Empire State Building

4.0

Duration: 1 to 10 days

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FROM $25 BOOK WITH VIATOR Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise

4.5

Duration: 1 hour

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Empire State Building reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating

93,519 reviews

Google

4.7

By Laurasantos1994

Basically no queue, we entered at the scheduled time. The view is amazing an it is not only an iconic building but they have really upped their game with making upgrades in technology and it is...

Basically no queue, we entered at the scheduled time. The view is amazing an it is not only an iconic building but they have really upped their game with making upgrades in technology and it is... more »
By Sezgiiiinnnn

This landmark has been on my list for a while after watching sleepless in Seattle as a little kid. The only the I would change is the amount of people allowed up at a time. It was...

This landmark has been on my list for a while after watching sleepless in Seattle as a little kid. The only the I would change is the amount of people allowed up at a time. It was... more »
By NKC1969

Booked the first slot for Jan 1st 2023. So impressed with the organisation of the entry to the building, the staff who were friendly & incredibly smart, cleanliness & of course the views. Absolutely..... more

Booked the first slot for Jan 1st 2023. So impressed with the organisation of the entry to the building, the staff who were friendly & incredibly smart, cleanliness & of course the views. Absolutely..... more »

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Google

By Darren Barrett

Amazing art deco building absolutely loved it inside and out. The building is so beautiful and has been respectfully modernised so that you can barely notice. The journey to the observatory has a wealth of historical information on the construction and foundations of the building which is hugely interesting. The staff are there at every step,helpful and polite and courteous. Would highly recommend a visit for everyone and of course the stop at the gift shop. Fabulous day out.

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By Carmella H.

Best experience ever!!! So I got gifted a chance to go to the 80, 86, and 102 floors at sunset. Best gift ever!!! The best experience ever. It was beautiful and stunning. The photos and the museum were great. I had a blast. I highly recommend it if your in NYC, the view it amazing. And!! You can see the roof top bars and pick one to go to after your visit the Empire state building.

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By Thomas Milom

Just an amazing experience. I loved the way they captured the history of the building. The workers were extremely polite and helpful and welcoming. Then you have the views. Ya gotta plan for a clear day otherwise your just gonna be disappointed. We got lucky. The higher we went, the clearer the sky became. Anyone who don't appreciate this place, I feel sorry for them.

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By Magyar Judit

Amazing place, worth to visit,in my opinion better than the top of the rock. We did both and I would recommend this one. Amazing experience and lovely staff, who making sure everyone is enjoying their time there. Was very windy on the 86th floor outside, so be prepared, but worth every minute of it. Great pictures and experience for all ages. There is a gift shop on the end. Make sure you book your slot in advance!!! We loved it. And definitely worth the money. We had bought a city pass which included in it.

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By Sylvain Le François

Good to visit but expensive (56$). I recommend to come arround 4:30pm, then you'll enjoy day time, sunset, and night time. You can stay as much as you want in the viewpoint. I think 1 hour / 1 hour thirty minutes is good enough. You can visit 2 View Point, one is inside the room (indoor) and the other one is outside. Can be cold in winter but there is warmer outside. Enjoy!

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