Empire State Building - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Empire State Building
Empire State Building
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksArchitectural BuildingsObservation Decks & Towers
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Monday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Friday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM
About
The Empire State Building is the World's Most Famous Building. It rises 1,454 ft from ground to antenna & features the only 360 degree open-air vantage point of Midtown. The 86th & 102nd Fl Observatories are open daily, see esbnyc.com for hours. On a clear day you can see up to 6 states. The brand-new 2nd floor museum (included in all ticket options) offers guests 10,000 sq ft of interactive exhibits that invite visitors on a journey beginning from the building’s construction to its current place in pop culture. The 102nd Fl Obs features floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass elevator with sound & light experience. It is the jewel of NYC. All signage, audio & exhibits in the building are available in 9 languages. We offer free Wi-Fi. The 34th St Lobby entrance features a grand staircase with a 2-story architectural model of the bldg & a high-tech LED exhibit that celebrates lighting ceremonies performed by famous, celebrity guests. Express guests receive red carpet VIP treatment.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Admission tickets
from $47.91
All you need to step foot in the door.
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Midtown
This is the iconic New York that so many visitors imagine before they visit - spectacular skyscrapers like the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building, iconic public buildings like Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library, and the non-stop hustle and bustle of the city streets. Fifth Avenue is a shopper's paradise where you can find every kind of store imaginable, with fashion brands ranging from the affordable to the ultra-fancy. Visit Rockefeller Center to experience towering Art Deco grandeur, and foodies will love the busy restaurants that stay open late in Koreatown. After dark, Midtown calms down a bit, but at any time of day or night it still feels 100% New York.
How to get there
  • 34th St – Herald Square • 3 min walk
  • 33rd St • 5 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travelers are saying
  • craigwats2023
    Glasgow, United Kingdom1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing tour & fantastic guide
    VIP Premium tour is worth the price. We were met at reception and taken on full guided tour of whole building. This avoids any queuing as you go to front of all lines and gains you access to all areas. Our guide, Reneeta, was fabulous. Her enthusiasm and wealth of information made for a very enjoyable and entertaining experience. Definitely great value for money and best way to see iconic New York attraction.
    Thank you for the wonderful review and nice words about Renita. We will be sure to pass your message along.
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written April 25, 2023
  • tropnevad68
    78 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    An iconic must do but very busy
    You cannot visit NYC without going to the top of Empire State. We paid extra to go at sunset and it was packed! I guess you could expect that really but I mean really packed! I am not sure what controls there were around the number of people getting in at this time or getting in early and staying there. There is not much room around the observation deck anyway. We still managed to elbow our way through to get our pictures and video. It is iconic and a must and despite the number of people I would still say do it
    Thank you for making the Empire State Building sunset experience part of your New York stay. We hope to see you again.
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 25, 2023
  • susannakelly315
    Dublin, Ireland1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing
    Booked the private tour option which was so worth doing. Our guide Siobhan was amazing. Definitely recommend. The ESB is the best observation deck in NYC in my opinion , the others are amazing too but there is something extra special about ESB. Will always make a point to visit every time I am in NYC.
    Thank you for choosing the VIP experience at The Empire State Building. We will be sure to let Siobhan know that you all had an amazing time.
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written April 25, 2023
  • SJK4
    Alderton, United Kingdom43 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Views of New York
    We had booked a time slot just before sunset which would definitely recommend. Very well organised allowing plenty of room for everyone to admire the views from each platform. We paid the extra to go right to the top,102nd floor, which was worth the money though if you are looking to take photos then floor 86th is the ideal floor. On entering before you take the escalator up to the viewing platforms you will read about the history of the building which makes very interesting reading and appreciating the work that went into construct such a fabulous ironic building.
    So glad that the Empire State Building exceeded your expectations. Thank you for your review.
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written April 25, 2023
  • mturnbull
    Newton Aycliffe, United Kingdom889 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Rude staff
    We booked via go City. I precooked a time slot. On entry the man on the door was very rude demanding to see pass with no please or thank you and then this seemed to be with all staff in there except for a couple of guys. Other than that enjoyed the whole experience
    Thank you for your feedback. This does not sound like to service we strive to provide for our guests. We would like to hear more about your stay. Please provide your confirmation number, date and time of your visit to roomtoimprove@esbonyc.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 27, 2023
  • Bruce M
    Louisville, Kentucky13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must-see!
    We went to the 86th floor. The views were stunning! The exhibits you walk through before taking the elevator to the observation deck are informative and very well done. We went at 9:00 AM on a Wednesday morning, and there was no wait. We didn't think it was worth it to pay the $35 extra to go to the observation deck in the spire on the 102nd floor, but it's something to consider.
    Thank you for your review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed our museum and gallery just as much as the view.
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written April 28, 2023
  • SallyRY
    London, United Kingdom221 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Weather too bad for a view
    We bought City Pass tickets with timed entry. It was very wet and the clouds were low so we couldn’t see a thing. If you buy advance tickets directly you can change them for later in the day or another date but we told we had to phone City Pass directly if we wanted to change them. We were concerned if we didn’t use our tickets and then phoned and found we couldn’t change them we would be stuck.
    Thank you so much for your review!
    Written May 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written April 29, 2023
  • michaelrousselle
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A MUST SEE
    Visiting the Empire State Building is one of best experiences you have while visiting New York City. It is truly well worth the price of admission, not only for the views but also for the history and exhibits. The people working there are extremely friendly and polite. It has been over 20 years since I have last been to Empire State Building and the renovations are amazing. The lobby is breathtakingly beautiful.
    We are so happy you enjoyed the view. Thank you for choosing the Empire State Building!
    Written May 9, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2023
    Written May 6, 2023
  • Thomas K
    Copenhagen, Denmark858 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Iconic landmark with amazing views of New York
    Cost a lot of money but for me it was worth it! The view is amazing. Was there at sunset and to see the lights of the city was great! Many people there, book in advance, if not you are last in line. They have a good giftshop too, and the elevator was a little show by itself.
    Thank you so much for your review!
    Written May 9, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written May 8, 2023
  • DJK
    Acworth, Georgia442 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you do one high rise tour!!
    So out of all the high rise tours, this is the one you must do. Incredible views unobstructed from other buildings. You can see for miles, my recommendation use come right before sun set enjoy the view. Then stay to watch the city come alive!!
    Thank you for making the Empire State Building part of your stay in New York. We hope to see you next time you visit. Thank you for the review.
    Written May 9, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled on business
    Written May 8, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles95,357 reviews
Excellent
62,221
Very good
21,850
Average
7,182
Poor
2,373
Terrible
1,745

Pauline2425
Edinburgh, UK27 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Friends
Having visited NY twice previously and used other viewing platforms to see the Empire State Building, with the new glass viewing platform on 102nd floor we thought it worth a whirl.
My main complaint is the lack of supervision when queuing to go from the 88th floor to the 102nd floor using the elevator. There were numerous adults skipping the line (queue). There were many families with young children, standing inline patiently, however several couples just walked to the front. They were never confronted by staff. If there was more staff supervising this could be managed better and the problem be eliminated. My group (4) and others felt frustrated and annoyed. This made the trip
It cost almost $90 to go to both viewing platforms, its just not good value for money.
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Pauline2425, We are always looking for ways to improve the Empire State Building experience, so we greatly appreciate your feedback. We work hard to provide a unique experience for all our guests, and hope you were able to enjoy the other activities we offer, including our timeless Art Deco and architecture as well as our new and exciting interactive exhibits. Thank you for visiting. - Empire State Building
Written January 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Pathfinder691843
2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Couples
The check in was relatively fast, there was not a line because the visibility was low that night. There were many workers but it seemed like we were an annoyance asking for help when the ticket reader wasn’t working and letting us through. The lady yelled over to me “scan it to go through” and I said it’s not working and she rolled her eyes and said scan it. I asked if someone could come help us because it wasn’t working. We paid extra for skip the line and the “red carpet” and were not treated very kindly at all. The view from the top was pretty great but trying to get up there was extremely frustrating and made us want to immediately leave. When you pay over $200 to look off a tall building you at least want the staff to be helpful when their scanner isn’t working. Made us not ever want to come back and be really irritated at the money we spent.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Pathfinder691843, We read your review about your recent visit to the Empire State Building Observatory. While we aim to do our best at all times, we recognize that sometimes we fail, and from our failures we learn. We are very sorry to hear that your experience was a disappointment, and we very much would like to improve. Would you please be kind enough to reach out to us at roomtoimprove@esbonyc.com with the date, time, location, and any other specifics from your visit. It will help us and future visitors. We are excited about the recent opening of our newly renovated 102nd floor Observatory. If you are kind enough to share your experience with us, we will happily email you a discount coupon for your next visit. We will also happily email you a unique, high definition image of the Empire State Building. Once again, we are sorry, and many thanks in advance for your help! - Empire State Building
Written January 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Maps618538
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
First off, we did not see the advantage of paying more for a "avoid the line" ticket. The Red Carpet does not extend throughout entire tour.
My husband and I wanted to experience the Observation Deck of many favorite movie locations for ourselves, so together with another couple we purchased $40.00 tickets online for a Thursday afternoon just after New Years. We did expect some wait and we also expected a smooth experience. It was a smooth experience for those with a LOT of patience. This is not an experience for young children. Once we got onto the first elevator to the 80th floor we waited to get a spot at one of the windows to catch a view. Then the unorganized (no designated/corded line) wait for the next elevator to the 86th floor observation deck where the magic of movies happened seemed to take forever! Again the volume of other tourists lined up around the deck (which appears MUCH wider in the movies) made the experience less than romantic. The staff was attentive once you got close to the elevators and exits.
So our bucket list item was checked...glad that's over!
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Maps618538, We appreciate your feedback and are sorry to hear your experience with us was less than memorable. For future reference, to avoid peak-hour lines and crowds, we recommend arriving during off-peak hours: between 8-10 am or after 11 pm. Thank you for visiting. - Empire State Building
Written January 8, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tammynp26
New York25 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We went on a Sunday and surprisingly there was NO line. I heard you can stand in line for 45mins to an hour. Staff are very helpful. Tickets was $45 each. If you plan to visit NYC and want to do more than 3 attractions, I recommend purchasing the city pass. you'll save money that way. The security process is kinda like the airports TSA. Basically everything off onto the bin, only thing is you can keep your shoes on. NO Glass bottles are allowed. You'll walk through the exhibit with lots of displays for you to take photos, read and watch. Then you'll proceed to the elevator which take you up to the 80th floor. While in the elevator it'll show you a small imax video of the process of building the empire. On the 80th floor you get the view of the entire city. You have an option to go outside for a better view too. They do have heated lamps all around to keep you warm during winter. To go up to the highest floor 102. its an additional cost. For me 80th was good enough. I'm sure its the same view. The experience was ok. I wouldn't pay to go again. Not worth the money.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HC
Portsmouth, UK91 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
When booking tickets for the Empire State Building I upgraded to the VIP package which included the express line and access to the 102 floor. Always a risk as you don’t know how busy it will be but luckily on this occasion the queues were huge and the risk paid off. Fantastic views from the top, we were lucky as we had a clear day. Also worth seeing it during the evening, New York looks stunning lit up. All in all a wonderful experience.
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew P
Manchester, UK214 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
The Empire State is absolutely the most iconic representation of New York. I know for others it will be the Statue of Liberty, Central Park or even Times Square, however, for me it's the Empire. We had to wait a number of days before our visit due to bad weather. When the weather was clear enough to promise great views our family, and many others, queued for our visit. Despite being quite busy we flowed through the exhibition areas, security and the ticket area. The staff were friendly and courteous.

One glitch in the matrix was that to go to the top of the attraction you had to pay more money. Not something a family want to hear for an already squeezed holiday budget. We paid for our visit using a city pass so potentially missed out on the ticket options that would have informed us of the extra charge.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tony C
Clonmel, Ireland2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
Like most attractions in US Airport security screening applies, which in this day and age should be a comfort to all despite the additional time it takes to process through same.
Once through security things moved fairly seamlessly with the opportunity to browse in the pictorial and video gallery or to proceed directly to the lifts to the 80th floor. Lift very smooth and you would hardly know you were moving. Good picture ops on 80th floor through windows however you can go up to 86th floor by lift or stairs and that floor is open to the elements with possibly better picture ops but fairly chilly with wind chill when we visited in early January. It was possible to go up to 102nd floor but I think this required an additional ticket (and possibly additional payment). Overall a good experience and would recommend it .
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Debbie C
Los Altos, CA44 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
The Empire State Building is as iconic as ever. We were there late afternoon on a gorgeous February afternoon over the winter break (ski week in California). Loved loved loved the upgrades and the view from 102nd floor was even better than the lower floors. I want to say it was worth the upgrade but wow! $77 per person?! We also went to the World Trade Center and paid $20 per person for a similar experience (although admittedly, I thought being outside made ESB a tad better).

One tip - we didn’t purchase skip the line or the priority tickets on the ESB website and didn’t need them at the time we went (around 3pm). Happily no lines.
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kytraveler93
kentucky84 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The Empire State Building is a "must see" in NYC. We opted to go to the 102nd floor. We bought the express pass which was great...for awhile. At first we really did get to bypass the lines, and it didn't take long at all for us to go to the 80th and 86th floor. However, once we got to the elevators to go on up to the 102nd floor there were some issues. My husband and I were standing in line to get on the elevator, and we should have been next. A gentleman walked up with 6 guests and told the guy working the elevator that they had express passes, and so they were put on the elevator in front of us, and we had to wait. uhhhhhh, we had express passes too, AND we were already in line. We found that very annoying, and when I said we had the pass, we were told that they were "taking care of everyone". Some other people had the express pass and asked about it, but they were told just to get in line because they were "taking care of everyone". So, it seems that while some employees honor the express passes, some others just take care of everyone regardless of the price you paid for the extra ticket.

Overall, we enjoyed the views and the experience.
Written February 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi kytraveler93, We read your review about your recent visit to the Empire State Building Observatory. While we aim to do our best at all times, we recognize that sometimes we fail, and from our failures we learn. We are very sorry to hear that your experience was a disappointment, and we very much would like to improve. Would you please be kind enough to reach out to us at roomtoimprove@esbonyc.com with the date, time, location, and any other specifics from your visit. It will help us and future visitors. We are excited about the recent opening of our newly renovated 102nd floor Observatory. If you are kind enough to share your experience with us, we will happily email you a discount coupon for your next visit. We will also happily email you a unique, high definition image of the Empire State Building. Once again, we are sorry, and many thanks in advance for your help! - Empire State Building
Written February 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jacqui F
London, UK281 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
We visited soon after the new exhibition has been set up on the 2nd floor. It’s brilliant! There are fantastic wall screens showing builders at work on the construction with rivets flying all over the place, displays showing the development of the site and there is even a massive King Kong hand that you can stand in and looked panicked while your loved ones take photos. But the exhibition is, of course, simply a way of keeping yourself busy before ascending to the Main Deck to take in the incredible view. The lifts up from the 2nd floor to the Main Deck are a work of art in their own right by the way. We used a CityPASS to visit. With the CityPASS you can go twice in a single day, but we didn’t have time to go twice so we went mid-afternoon and it wasn’t too busy. The discount you get from the CityPASS depends on how many other attractions you combine it with, but if you visit quite a few places you can make a decent saving on the normal price.
Written February 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Empire State Building - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Empire State Building

Empire State Building admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $47.91, while a popular guided tour starts around $5.41 per person.

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