A century ago, the Woolworth Tower near City Hall in Lower Manhattan offered unparalleled views of New York Harbor, Brooklyn, and New Jersey for just 50 cents. Today, visitors seeking breathtaking vistas have a variety of options, including:

1. Empire State Building

• Location: Fifth Avenue at 34th Street
• Completed: 1931
• Deck Height: 86 and 102 floors
• View Experience: 360 degrees on indoor and outdoor decks
• Hours Open: 9 a.m. to Midnight (varies by season)
• Special Experiences: Exhibits, Instagrammable moments with King Kong

2. Top of the Rock

• Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, entrance on 50th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
• Completed: 1933
• Deck Height: 70 floors
• View Experience: 360 degrees on indoor and outdoor decks
• Hours Open: 9 a.m. to Midnight
• Special Experiences: Recreate the iconic ironworkers photo, “The Beam” experience

3. One World Observatory

• Location: 117 West Street
• Completed: 2014
• Height: 102 floors
• View Experience: 360 degrees indoors
• Hours Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (varies by season)
• Special Experiences: SkyPod elevators, See Forever Theater, Day and Night Experience

4. The Edge

• Location: 30 Hudson Yards
• Completed: 2020
• Deck Height: 100 floors
• View Experience: South and East views outdoors, North and West views indoors
• Hours Open: Off-Season: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Peak Season: 8 a.m. to midnight
• Special Experiences: Glass-bottomed outdoor observation deck, Peak Restaurant, Sky Skating

5. Summit at One Vanderbilt

• Location: One Vanderbilt Avenue at 42nd Street
• Completed: 2021
• Deck Height: 93 floors
• View Experience: 360 degrees indoors on floors 91 and 92, indoors/outdoors on the 93rd floor
• Hours Open: 9 a.m. to midnight during peak season, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during off-season
• Special Experiences: Infinity rooms, glass-bottomed elevator

Each of these observation decks offers a unique perspective on the grandeur and vastness of the New York City skyline, allowing visitors to experience the city from dizzying heights. Whether you’re seeking history, modernity, or thrill, there’s an observatory experience for every taste.