A childhood dream that will never happen. Still, fortunately, I wasn’t fulfilling that dream the day so many people lost their lives. As a kid, I was obsessed with skyscrapers. I wanted nothing more than to get to the top of the World Trade Center in New York and the Sears Tower in Chicago. At the time, they were by far the tallest buildings in the world.
The World Trade Center is gone. The Sears Tower became the Willis Tower and is now an unimaginable 1,000 feet or so shorter than Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
I did finally make it to New York City. I was 34 years old and it was the summer of 2002, not even a full year after the 9/11 tragedy. I made it to the top of a skyscraper. It wasn’t the World Trade Center but it was the next best thing. It was a time when hotel rooms were cheap, even right at Times Square, and the infamous lineups for the Empire State Building just weren’t that bad.
I’ve been back to the city twice since but never returned to the top of the ESB. For the most part, it was because the crowds had returned and time was limited. It was also the only trick in town at the time. One World Trade Center was barely rising from the ashes and the Top of the Rock was still closed for renovations.
At one time or another, it seemed that most every tall building in Manhattan had an observation deck, lounge or restaurant. Over the years, these have mostly all disappeared. Now, with One World Trade Center opening it’s doors late in 2014, there are options again, though. There are now three observation decks and one revolving restaurant for plenty of opportunity to take in the New York City skyline.
Empire State Building
Regardless of lengthy lines, you gotta go simply for the nostalgia of it all. Often the backdrop for classic movies, the ESB was completed back in April, 1931. At the time, it was the tallest building in the world. In fact, it remained the tallest building for nearly 40 years until the World Trade Center came along in 1971.
The Chrysler Building had held the title but for less than a full year. Located on Fifth Avenue, between 33rd and 34th streets, the Empire State Building stands 1,454 feet or 443 metres in height and consists of 102 floors. Now, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai dwarfs this classic, nearly twice the height at 2,722 feet.
The main observation deck is on the 86th floor. This is the one with the outdoor terrace where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan finally hook up. There is also a smaller, enclosed observation deck on the 102nd floor. To visit just the 86th floor, admission starts at $32 for adults. For both the 86th and 102nd floors the price moves up to $75. The building is open to the public from 8:00am until 1:15am.
Top Of The Rock
30 Rockefeller Plaza. Originally the RCA Building, because of the television sitcom, it is now better known as 30 Rock. Two years younger than the Empire State Building and a good bit shorter, the building probably has the best observation deck in the city.
The 70 story skyscraper rises 850 feet or 260 metres from the ground. This is still the 14th tallest building in New York City and the 39th tallest in the United States. Not bad for an 80 year old.
The 67th, 69th and 70th floors are all observation deck. The lower two are enclosed with outdoor terraces. The top floor is completely open air, offering a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. Adults pay $30 to ride the elevator to the top. There is also a $45 Sun and Stars deal that gives you two visits over the same day.
Top of the Rock has a much higher capacity than the ESB and therefore has much shorter lineups and wait times. 30 Rockefeller Plaza is located on 50th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. The observation decks were closed from 1986 to 2005. During that time, over $75 million in renovations took place. In case you didn’t know, much of the building houses the headquarters of NBC.
One World Observatory
The newly opened One World Trade Center also has a three floor observation level, on floors 100, 101 and 102. The building opened in November, 2014 on the grounds of the original World Trade Center buildings. The building stands 1,792 feet high with the observatory at around 1,254 feet.
Fees are the similar to the other two observation decks at $32 for adults. However, because of the overwhelming popularity of the new site, you must book ahead and open spots are very limited for the foreseeable future. Hours are shorter too, opening at 9am and closing at 8pm. Closing time is extended to midnight over the summer months.
The View Restaurant and Lounge
This is a little bit of a different way to get high in Manhattan. Located at the Marriott Marquis New York Hotel, this revolving restaurant and lounge take up the 47th and 48th floor.
Opened in 1985, the hotel is located at 1535 Broadway, just off Times Square. The height of the building is 574 feet or 175 metres.
As you can imagine, the fee structure is a bit different. Well, there is no admission fee. It’s a restaurant and lounge. For dinner, the restaurant is open from 5:30pm to 10 or 11pm, depending on the night of the week.
Dinner is a three course ‘prix-fixe’, meaning each person pays $84 regardless of the choices on each course. The restaurant revolves a full 360 degrees every hour so you’re guaranteed at least a revolution or two over dinner. The lounge is open until midnight or 1:30am, depending on the night of the week. There is a buffet which is reasonably priced at $38 per person. If you just want to go for cocktails and enjoy the view, there is an $8 cover charge and a one drink minimum.
You don’t have to stay at the hotel to visit the restaurant and lounge. However, if you do want to stay at the Marriott Marquis in New York, be sure there’s room on your credit card. Looking at some sample dates using Hotels.com, nightly prices range from around $560 to just over $1,000 (in Canadian currency – take 20% off to convert to U.S. Dollars).
My Take
On my next visit, I’m leaning toward the Top of the Rock. I’ve been in the lobby and concourse of the historic building but not the observation deck. The open air 70th floor has appeal, as does the lack of wait time. Sure, I’d like to check out One World Observatory but maybe in five years when the lustre has worn off a bit.
As for the Marriott Marquis, that is a definite possibility. Sure, the dinner is expensive by most city’s standards but this is Manhattan! Go to the official website and check out the menu. It’s not burgers and fries… However, not being a meat eater, the options for me are limited. But, I am an alcohol drinker and the lounge had plenty of that.
It should be noted that both the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock are both included in the New York CityPASS. This is an outstanding package that gives you admission to six famous NYC attractions for the low price of $114 – 42% off the regular walk up pricing. Click on the ad above to go to the official CityPASS website for more info.
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