Empire State Building — tickets, height & honest verdict
Also searched as: ESB observation deck · 86th floor observatory
Worth it if…
Yes for atmosphere and hours: the 86th floor is open-air on all four sides (Edge and SUMMIT face you into glass for most of their footprint), the Art-Deco interiors and the 2019-renovated museum floors are part of the show, and near-midnight visits beat every other deck's schedule. Central location means it anchors any Midtown itinerary.
Pick another deck if…
Your one criterion is the skyline photo — you can't photograph New York's most famous silhouette while standing on it; Top of the Rock exists for exactly that shot. The 102nd-floor add-on is also skippable: enclosed, small, and the extra 16 floors change little.
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Prices last checked 2026-08-11.
Best time to visit
Late night — after 10pm the crowds thin dramatically and the city-lights view from the open-air 86th floor is the classic New York moment. Also the only major deck open that late.
Hours: Daily with the latest hours of any NYC deck — typically until midnight or later; last elevator ~45 min before close. · Pricing note: 86th floor is the standard ticket; the 102nd-floor top deck costs roughly $33 more. Sunrise and express tiers exist.
Tips from the deck
- Book sunrise if it's offered your dates — tiny capacity, and you'll have the parapet nearly alone.
- The museum floors (2nd and 80th) are included and worth 20 minutes — don't elevator past them.
- Skip the 102nd unless it's a bucket-list completionist thing; spend the difference on a second deck instead.
- City-lights strategy: ESB late night + Top of the Rock at golden hour is the strongest two-deck combination in the city.
Where Empire State Building is — and the other New York City decks
Empire State Building — quick answers
Yes — the 86th-floor deck is an open-air promenade circling the tower on all four sides, behind the famous stone parapet and safety fencing. The 102nd floor, by contrast, is fully enclosed.
Top of the Rock to photograph the skyline (the ESB is in the frame); the Empire State Building for atmosphere, history, and late-night hours. Doing both — TOTR at sunset, ESB after 10pm — is the classic answer.
Typically until midnight or beyond, with the last elevator about 45 minutes before closing — the latest of the major US observation decks. Exact hours vary seasonally; check before a late visit.