Visiting the Empire State Building in NYC

You can’t go to New York without visiting the Empire State Building. The massive building in Manhattan is the symbol of the city and offers a beautiful panorama of the whole area.

 

  Empire State is the main reason I always hoped that my dream would come true someday, and I will finally get the chance to visit New York City.

 

I noticed the world-famous landmark in almost all the movies related to The Big Apple.

 

Still, the ones that got stuck in my head and made me dream more about it are King Kong (of course!!) and the intriguing TV series Gossip Girl.

 

Hence, if you google New York, in most of the pictures shown, you will see some extraordinary panoramas of Manhattan, having Empire in the foreground.

 

Even though it’s not the tallest building in New York anymore, since the first place has been taken by One World Trade Center, aka Freedom Tower, Empire will always reference the Manhattan skyline.

 

   Although I admired it on every trip to New York, it was only on my second visit when I climbed it up to the 86th floor. It’s been almost two years since then (time goes by sooo fast!!!).

 

I now have the tickets and also some beautiful pictures to remind me of my beautiful experience.

 

⇒ Also, read: Visiting Burj Khalifa, Dubai – world’s tallest building

 

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• To book hotels: Booking.com
• To book tours: GetYourGuide.com

Visiting the Empire State Building in NYC

 

     Interesting Facts about the Empire State Building:

• 443 m, the tallest building in the world for almost 40 years from 1931 to 1970
• Designed in the distinctive Art Deco style
• Has been named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers
• Around 3,400 workers were involved in the construction of the Empire State Building,
• There are 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building
• has its zip code, 10118
• it’s said to be the most photographed building in the world
• On a clear day, you can see five states from the Observatories: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
• In a 2007 poll conducted by the American Institute of Architects, the Empire State Building was named “America’s Favorite Architecture,” ahead of even The White House

     

     Location:

  Just look up, and you can easily spot it! Kidding! The building is located on 5th Avenue between West 33rd and 34th.

 

• Therefore, if you choose to get here by subway, you know that the closest station is 34 Street Herald Sq Station.

 

     Empire State Building tickets price

     When I visited, it was $29/ adult, but now when I checked the official website, I noticed that the price has been raised up to $32/adult. This is on the Main Deck, while for the Top Deck you need to add $20.

     

     When is the best time to visit the Empire State Building?

   You can visit Empire every day from 8 am to 2 am. I recommend you to try to see it just a little before the sunset so that you can experience it during the daylight, but also by night. However, it’s a must to watch the sunset from up there.

 

   I visited it on a Wednesday afternoon, at 4:34 pm…at least that’s what is written on my ticket.

 

It was the perfect time of the day because I didn’t have to wait too long for the sunset, and I took advantage of the natural sunlight to take some excellent pictures.

 

I remember many people were waiting in the line; however, I didn’t have to wait for more than 30 minutes to get on top of it. Things are moving pretty fast inside.

 

⇒ Find here the best hotels in Manhattan. 

     Which deck should you choose when visiting the Empire State Building?

     You can choose between the 86th floor and 102nd floor. I preferred to go to 86th because it is $20 cheaper and also because it’s open-air.

 

The Observation Deck provides a 360-degree view of New York and beyond. From up there, you get the chance to see some breathtaking views of the:

 

•  Chrysler Building
•  Central Park
•  Flat Iron Building
•  The Brooklyn Bridge
•  Manhattan Bridge
•  One World Trade Center
• Bryant Park and much more

 

     If you insist on getting the whole picture of New York, then you should probably try the Top Deck.

 

It’s said that from here, on a clear day you can see beyond the skyscrapers up to 80 miles away.

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  Empire State building elevator

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  Tip of the Empire State Building as seen from the observation deck

     Brief Historical Timeline of the Empire State Building:

1930:     On March 17, construction of the Empire State Building begins

1931:      On May 1, President Hoover presses a button in Washington, D.C. officially opening and turning on the Empire State Building’s lights

1933:     The movie King Kong is released in New York City on March 2

1962:      A crew of 30 men cleans the exterior of ESB for the first time since its opening. It takes about six months to complete the job

1980:     The Empire State Building gets its own zip code: 10118

2012:     The Empire State Building unveiled its new LED lighting system, driven by high-speed computers and capable of 16,000,000 different colors

… and many photos with Breathtaking Panoramas from the Empire State Building: