How do you buy tickets for the Empire State Building?
The Empire State Building is open 365 days a year, rain or shine, which means you can visit New York City’s famed landmark even on holidays (imagine watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from those heights). As mentioned above, you can buy tickets in advance online at esbnyc.com, as well as third-party sites like Viator and GetYourGuide (they all round out to the same price), or in person at 12 W 34th Street. I visited on a Monday morning in September at 10 a.m., and there were a number of ticket slots available from the touchscreen kiosk as soon as 10:15 that same morning.
When it comes to which tickets to purchase, it’s essentially a choice between just the 86th floor ($46) or the 86th and 102nd floors ($81)—both options come with access to the museum exhibits as well as an option to reschedule to any time on the day you select. If you’re having trouble deciding between the two, I’d say the 102nd floor has a slightly better view of Central Park, plus it’s indoors, so it’s ideal on a rainy day. But if the sun’s out, you’re better off spending the extra cash on a nice lunch in nearby Koreatown. There are “Flex” and “Express” options to reschedule dates and fast-track through lines, but given how easy it was to buy a ticket on the spot, and how short the lines were during my visit, I’d skip these add-ons.
If you’re embarking on a grand tour of New York City, you might want to check out New York CityPass or New York Pass by GoCity, which both offer access to other NYC attractions, in addition to the Empire State Building, at a discounted, bundled rate over a set number of days.
Do you have to purchase tickets in advance?
Like many post-COVID experiences, the Empire State Building now relies on timed ticketing, which makes it much easier to avoid overcrowding at the ticket kiosk or long lines on the way up to the observatories. Even so, Dan Rogoski, senior vice president and observatory general manager, says, “We strongly recommend that guests purchase tickets in advance on our website to secure their preferred date and time, particularly during holidays and other peak periods, such as sunset.” But if your plans are flexible, there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to score a same-day ticket—the building is open 365 days a year, after all.
Are there guided tours to see the Empire State Building?
Yes, though they’re a bit of a splurge. The Premium Experience, starting at $175, provides a private group tour for a small group of up to seven, along with skip-the-line entry. The All Access Tour, which can be booked for $500, allows you to channel one of the many celebrities who visit the landmark—you and six other guests will enter through a private VIP entrance, relax in the celebrity green room with complimentary snacks and beverages, then receive a private tour.
What can you expect from a trip to the Empire State Building?
When you arrive at the entrance on 20 West 34th Street, you’ll go through an airport-like security checkpoint before making your way to the second floor. There, you’ll find interactive museum exhibits that showcase the construction of the Empire State Building before an employee wearing a silver conductor hat escorts you to an elevator that ascends to the 80th floor, where you’ll get the first glimpse of the view from inside. I was astounded by the “NYC: Above and Beyond” artwork encircling the floor, a mural of Manhattan’s cityscape that artist Stephen Wiltshire constructed in five days from memory after taking a 45-minute helicopter ride.
