Empire State Building Observatory – Step into a Dreamlike Night View Straight Out of the Movies

Text & Photos /Unrestrained

After visiting the Rockefeller Observatory, I made time to head up to the Empire State Building Observatory. Though both tickets are pricey and both offer views of Manhattan, the architectural significance and vantage points are distinct. Unable to choose between them, I decided to do both—after all, who knows when I’ll be back in New York next?

Here’s a quick tip: even though I reached the Empire State Building Observatory close to midnight, the lights below were surprisingly dazzling, perfectly capturing the Big Apple’s image as the city that never sleeps.

Since you can’t see the Empire State Building from the Empire State Building itself, let me first show you the exterior of this NYC landmark. The photo above was taken from the Rockefeller Observatory at sunset—the Empire State Building’s grandeur exudes a timeless classic vibe.

※Note: The article on the Rockefeller Observatory can be found in “Rockefeller Observatory – Breathtaking Day & Night Views of Manhattan, Featuring Iconic Movie Scenes”

Actually, while walking along the bustling 5th Avenue in NYC, you can always spot the Empire State Building. But viewing it from the ground and seeing it at eye level from a skyscraper feel quite different. This time, I was thrilled to have the chance to go all the way to the top of the Empire State Building and take in the view from what was once the world’s tallest building.

My schedule got delayed that day, so my plan to watch the sunset and night view from the observatory in the evening didn’t work out. I ended up saving the Empire State Building for the last stop of the day. Since the observatory is open until 2 AM (with the last elevator up at 1:15 AM), we took our time exploring until most shops had closed, had dinner, and then strolled over to the Empire State Building at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 33rd Street (detailed info on transportation and ticketing is at the end of the article).

The grand, high-ceilinged lobby near the entrance is very impressive, and staff will guide you on where to go as soon as you enter.

Since we arrived after 11 PM, there weren’t many visitors, so we didn’t have to wait in line to go up. The hallway leading to the 2nd-floor ticket counter is also quite stunning, with Empire State Building murals on both the walls and floors.

You’ll also find info panels about the building’s different floors along the way: the 2nd floor is the security check and ticketing area, the 80th floor is the exhibition hall and indoor viewing area, the 86th floor is the outdoor observation deck, and the 102nd floor is another indoor observation area.

You’ll need to go through an airport-style security check before reaching the ticketing area. Most major NYC attractions have such checkpoints (you’ll need to place your belongings in bins for X-ray screening and walk through a metal detector), like the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Observatory, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art—so you’ll always need to factor in some waiting time for security.

There are plenty of ticket windows where you can buy tickets directly or exchange pre-purchased ones.

For this NYC trip, I bought tickets for both the Rockefeller Observatory and the Empire State Building Observatory from KKDAY. The adult tickets originally cost $34 USD (about NT$1,070), but KKDAY sold them for just NT$926—saving around NT$140 per ticket. Buying both saved me about NT$280. Just present the KKDAY voucher (pictured above) at the ticket window to get your tickets; the process is pretty straightforward.

The observatory ticket design is quite nice~

After getting your ticket, you’ll walk down a rather lengthy hallway—it’s a bit of a process... but they’ll also take your photo and digitally composite it with the Empire State Building, which you can purchase if you like.

The elevators are thoughtfully designed in appearance and carpeting—you’ll spot Empire State Building motifs everywhere.

The elevator takes you directly to the 80th floor, where you’ll find a series of exhibits about the Empire State Building, including how it was built, the year it was completed, the workers at the time, the most famous movies filmed there (like King Kong), and historical footage.

After exploring these, the route naturally guides you to take another elevator up to the 86th floor, where the outdoor observation deck is located.

As you push open the door to the outdoor observation deck, the first thing you’ll see is the iconic iron railing featured in Sleepless in Seattle—how cool is that? Young Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks met right by this railing~~~ Oops, sorry, got a bit too into it, but I was genuinely excited XD.

The biggest difference between the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Observatory is that Rockefeller has transparent glass barriers, while Empire State has iron railings. For those who like to be in the photos, the railings at Empire State might feel a bit obstructive, blocking parts of the scenery behind. Personally, I prefer Rockefeller.

But for someone like me, who prefers shooting empty (people-free) scenery, the Empire State is actually better for photography since neither observatory allows tripods. The iron railings here can double as a makeshift tripod, and the transparent glass at Rockefeller often reflects light. To avoid reflections, you’d have to shoot through the gaps between glass panels, which are limited and require queuing—making photography more troublesome.

The rooftop lights were red that day, which was especially eye-catching. But the colors change daily, reportedly reflecting holidays or special events.

Even though it was nearly midnight and many lights had dimmed, the night view was still spectacular. The spire-topped, gleaming building on the left side of the photo is the Chrysler Building, which was once the world’s tallest before the Empire State was completed.

Looking north, the Times Square and Broadway theater district in Midtown are even more dazzling. If you can’t sleep at night, a stroll there is a must~

The dimmer areas are probably near the Hudson River side in the photo, but there are still some lights (remember, it’s midnight!). The brightly lit street in the image is Penn Station and Madison Square Garden.

The view from every angle is beautiful, but my favorite is still the Lower Manhattan skyline. Watching Fifth Avenue stretch all the way from beneath your feet to the end of Manhattan, almost meeting the distant World Trade Center (the tallest building in New York and the entire U.S.), creates an expansive, elongated sense of healing. I still can’t believe this was the scene at midnight!

The sky that night was clear, with a bright full moon hanging high above the darkness — the atmosphere was absolutely perfect.

Reluctantly leaving the observation deck, our itinerary naturally included a stop at the souvenir shop. The Empire State Building’s souvenirs are way better than Rockefeller Center’s — they’re all so cute. Thankfully, I didn’t lose my mind completely, or I would’ve gone on a shopping spree.

Any movie or TV show set in New York inevitably features iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, and the Chrysler Building. The last time I saw these sights in a movie was last week when I went to the theater to watch Marvel’s "Doctor Strange." Seeing the Manhattan streets I’d walked on and seen with my own eyes appear on the big screen after returning from New York brought out some indescribable feelings — a mix of slight excitement and thrill. Maybe it’s because I’d just returned, but seeing those scenes made the feeling of being in New York come rushing back, and I thought to myself, “I’ve been there — how cool!”

New York is a complex and diverse city. In addition to visiting various attractions, don’t forget to take some time to go up to an observation deck and see the city in its entirety — you might gain a deeper impression.

※ Empire State Building Observation Deck
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, New York City (Fifth Avenue, No. 350)
Opening Hours: Open year-round, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM. (The last elevator to the observation deck departs at 1:15 AM)
Official Website:http://www.esbnyc.com/zh-hant/%E8%B3%BC%E7%A5%A8
Ticket Prices:
1) 86th Floor: Adults $34, Children $27, Seniors $31
2) 86th Floor & 102nd Floor: Adults $54, Children $47, Seniors $51
Ticket Purchase:
1) Purchase on-site or via the official website. (No ticket discounts available)
2) Purchase via KKDAY for 926 TWD, saving about 140 TWD

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