Empire State Building Tickets and Tours

Visiting the iconic Empire State Building is an experience you have to include in your trip to New York. It is an Art Deco gem, inside and out, and the exhibitions and views of the city will not leave you indifferent.

My first tip is to get your tickets in advance: this will save you queuing for tickets, although you will have to queue at the security checkpoint.

The best option

Empire State Building Tickets

Access to the mythical Empire State Building at the best price

This is the most convenient option to climb to the top of the city, with a choice of times and the lowest possible price. Don't waste time at the ticket office and get it online!

From £36 at Hellotickets

The Empire State has two observation decks, one on the 86th floor and the other on the 102nd floor. With this general admission ticket to the Empire State you get access to the 86th floor and my advice is not to pay the extra fee to access the top platform, it' s not worth it.

One thing you should bear in mind is that the price of admission goes up in high season, and therefore you will find a larger number of tourists at the observatory. Remember that children under the age of 6 are free.

When you receive your confirmation, check to see if you have to bring your printed tickets (at least when I last went up, they didn't accept electronic tickets). If so, and for some reason you can't print them out, don't worry, you can print them out at the ticket machines at the entrance, but you will have to queue.

I recommend you buy your tickets to the Empire State Building in advance so you don't miss out on this iconic New York landmark, which will make you feel like you're in a movie with a view of the Big Apple at your feet.

Why I like this option: this is the cheapest option to climb the Empire State Building and it allows you to do it at the time you want, so you can plan your visit in advance (see below for tips on the best time of day to go up).

Recommended if... you want to enjoy the Manhattan skyline from one of its most legendary buildings.

If you book your tickets for the Empire State Observatory online in advance you will pay around 45 euros on Hellotickets. However, if you are travelling with children, in a group or have access to a special rate, you may be able to get better prices. If you are worried about your budget when organising your visit to this mythical skyscraper, you can consult my guide to the Empire State tickets prices so that you can see what price you are entitled to and decide how to buy your tickets.

Ticket prices at the box office

Buying your tickets at the ticket office is also an option and you will get the same price, although as I said before, the queues can be very long (and you might not be able to go up at the time you wanted).

The Empire State Building is located at 20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 and the best way to get there is either walking if you are downtown or by underground to 34 St - Herald Sq and down the street. You can't miss it! Wherever you are located, I have a plan for you. Check out this article on how to get to the Empire State Building where I suggest different routes or itineraries depending on how much time you have, what your budget is or your desire to visit neighbourhoods and other attractions around.

For example, near the iconic building, located in Midtown, you'll have from Central Park and Times Square to other key points of the city such as the Flatiron Building. Also nearby is the area known as Koreatown, full of bakeries, cafés, Korean barbecue restaurants and karaoke bars, as well as cosmetic shops with products imported directly from South Korea.

If you're trying to choose the best time to climb the Empire State Building to avoid the queues and crowds, visit the Empire State Building in the morning. At 8:00 you'll barely have to wait in line, and you'll enjoy an almost private experience any day of the week. Your other best option is to visit the building around 00:30, although on Saturdays and Sundays you're bound to find other tourists.

When you buy your ticket you have to choose a day, on which you can enter the Empire State Building at any time you want. I am a romantic and I think that going up first thing in the morning or at midnight is a fantasy, but you can choose the time you want, as it is open every day of the year without exception from 8am to 2am, and the last lift up is at 1:15am. Here's everything you need to know about the Empire State Building experience at night.

Alex's Traveller Tip

Did you know that the Empire State Building is open until 2am? Climb the Empire State late at night to be completely alone in front of the immensity of New York - it's worth it!

There is no time limit on your visit to the Empire State Building. Most people usually spend about an hour on the observation deck, but you can stay until closing time if you feel like it.

If you want to go up to the Empire State Building at sunset, my recommendation is to check what time the sun sets and go up to the observatory an hour early to get a good spot and enjoy your visit before it starts to fill up with tourists.

One thing that sets the Empire State Building apart from the rest of New York's skyscrapers is that it is open until 2am, so you can go almost any time you want. I'll let you in on a secret: climbing to the top of the building after a party and an evening stroll around New York is at the top of my list.

The Empire State Building is, without a doubt, one of the most popular attractions in the Big Apple and therefore, its entrance is included in most of the tourist passes that exist to visit the city. Still don't know what a tourist card is or how it works?

In a nutshell, it's a card that you book in advance for a "flat rate" and will give you access to various attractions in the city, allowing you to save time (skipping the queues at the ticket office) and money.

As I mentioned, most of these cards include admission to the Empire State Building. Here is a list of these cards and links to my practical guide to each one. But if you're thinking of buying a card, I recommend you read this article on a comparison of New York City sightseeing passes.

List of passes that include the Empire State Building

My personal advice

If you can't decide on a time to go up the iconic skyscraper, I recommend buying the New York CityPASS and going up in the morning for a hustle-free , uncrowded experience and returning at sunset to enjoy the views.

To visit the Empire State with your New York City Pass, simply go to the building and enter through the specially designated gate for visitors with a New York City Sightseeing Pass.

From the Empire State Observatory, you can look through the famous binoculars and watch life go by in New York City, with views of Bryant Park, the Flatiron Building, Fifth Avenue, One World Trade Center and of course admire the majesty of the Manhattan skyline as a whole.

From the moment it opened in 1931, the Empire State Building became the star of the New York skyline, and a major attraction for tourists who climbed up to its observation deck. Here's what you can see from the top of the Empire State Building:

If the heights make you hungry and you like to know where to eat beforehand, there are a few restaurants near the Empire State Building that you'll want to try. You can, for example, go to Koreatown and try Turntable Chicken Jazz or BCD Tofu House where you'll find vegetarian options.

My personal recommendation is to walk a bit in the direction of the Chrysler Building and go to Urbanspace Vanderbilt, a warehouse-turned-market with stalls selling all kinds of food. However, if you want to organise your gastronomic journey, take a look at this list of where to eat near the Empire State Building.

If you're visiting the Empire State with children, it's best to go as early as possible in the morning. They will let you in with backpacks, as long as they are the size of a typical rucksack, and if you have a pushchair they will most likely make you fold it up to go up to the observation deck.

When you get to the Empire State you can have your photo taken and buy it afterwards to take back as a souvenir. It costs about 20 dollars and I don't think it's worth it, but if you know your kids will be excited, make sure you don't wear any green clothes as it will spoil the photo (they will take it in front of a chroma).

Many people wonder how many floors the Empire State Building has. Well, the exact number is 102, although the observation deck is on the 86th floor and not the top floor. You can use one of the 73 lifts in the building to visit them, so that awkward moment of waiting for the lift should be kept to a minimum, but not the ride. There are restrooms on the 2nd and 86th floors of the Empire State Building, so don't worry, if you get caught in an emergency on high you won't have to run down to the ground.

Camera tripods and oversized suitcases or backpacks are not allowed in the Empire State Building, and the building does not have lockers where you can leave your belongings. If you need to, LuggageHero is quite close to the skyscraper and is the cheapest option to leave your belongings while you climb the Empire State Building.

Inside, you can also see the 'Dare to Dream' exhibition dedicated to the construction of the Empire State Building and tell the stories of its builders, through architectural plans, drawings, and photographs. You'll also find an exhibition dedicated to explaining the building's sustainable energy use.

A bit of its history

Something that not many people know is that in the same year of its opening, the spire at its highest point was used as an anchorage point for a zeppelin, since according to the architects of the building this would be the mode of transport of the future. It's a good thing they designed one of the world's greatest architectural gems, because as soothsayers they weren't good for much...

Symbol of Art Deco

What makes the Empire State Building a must-see on your New York adventures is not only the breathtaking views from its observatory, but also its stunning Art Deco interior, which is a marvel. It's a complete experience that you're sure to look back on with nostalgia many years after your trip.

New York is a city made to be admired from below but also from above, and for that, you have a multitude of skyscrapers from which the views of New York are breathtaking.

One World Observatory

One World may not come to mind so quickly due to its relative young age, but it will offer you a breathtaking view of the financial district, with shops, a fancy restaurant, and interactive activities that the kids will have a blast at. If you fancy a visit, you can check out my handy guide for all the details: One World Observatory in New York Tickets and Tours.

Rockefeller Center, the Top of the Rock

Of all the skyscrapers in New York, my personal recommendation is Rockefeller Center. Its observation deck known as the Top of the Rock will offer you the best views of the city including a spectacular close-up of the Empire State Building. In fact, many visitors face a dilemma when deciding between climbing one of the two. If it helps, here's a comparison: climbing Top of the Rock vs climbing the Empire State Building

Other iconic buildings

Also, if you're one of those people who shy away from the established tourist trail, there are many more buildings in New York that you can visit, even if they don't have an observatory. The Woolworth Building, Chrysler Building, Flatiron Building and many others will delight anyone with a passion for architecture.

Alternatively, if climbing a skyscraper doesn't really appeal to you but you want to enjoy the views of New York from above, you have other options such as taking a helicopter tour of Manhattan or visiting one of the city's many rooftop bars. But in my opinion, climbing a skyscraper is an amazing experience not to be missed, especially on your first time in New York!

Now all you have to do is choose a skyscraper and get ready to see one of the most beautiful cities in the world the way it deserves to be seen. Bon voyage to the heights!