No trip to New Yorkis complete without zooming up the top of this iconic building, where the viewsof Manhattan are unmatchable.

The Empire StateBuilding is a world-famous landmark, synonymous with New York. It’s renowned asa backdrop in films such as “An Affair to Remember,” “King Kong,” and“Sleepless in Seattle.” In fact, it’s one of the city’s most significant andromantic skyscrapers.

Officially opened in1931, the Empire State Building took over the Chrysler Building’s title astallest in the world, a record it had held for 40 years. New York owes its“Empire State” nickname to the building, which is to New York what the EiffelTower is to Paris, or the Space Needle is to Seattle. The building, animpressive 1,453 feet tall including the broadcast tower, offers views ofManhattan’s twinkling lights from two observatories. One platform is on the86th floor and there’s another at the very top level on the 102nd floor, rightunder the broadcast tower with its 1454-foot antenna. On the way to theobservatories, be sure to spend time in the Dare to Dream 80th Floor Exhibit.This permanent display includes photographs, construction notes, andinformation on the building’s engineering.

At the 86th floor,take a walk along the open-air promenade for spectacular views of Midtown,Lower Manhattan and Central Park. On a clearday, it’s possible to see as far as New Jersey and Connecticut. Pop a quarteror two in the old-fashioned binoculars for a close-up peek of nearbyattractions, including Bryant Park and Times Square.

The 102nd floorobservatory is the highest public point in New York. The enclosed viewing areais ideal if you’re visiting in winter.

TheEmpire State Building is located in Midtown, Manhattan, in the heart of thecity, easily accessible by bus, subway or rail. The two observatories are opento the public 365 days a year. Lines for the ticket office and elevators can belong, so it’s wise to buy tickets on the Empire State Building’s official website.Wedding proposals aren’t uncommon, and a saxophone player sometimes serenadeslovebirds visiting the 86th floor.

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Radio Hotel

Manhattan

Save 100% on your flight

$577

per person

Sep 10 - Sep 14

found 1 day ago

Roundtrip flight included

Atlanta (ATL) to New York (JFK)

8.6/10 Excellent! (2,498 reviews)

We were very pleasantly surprised by how cool the hotel was! Entering, you realize that it is very stylish from the lobby area to the rooms. The room we rented was a large studio with a queen bed and a pull-out sofa. You could smell how clean it was upon entering the room. It is bare bones but that's exactly what we needed. It was so interesting that the shower was right there in the room and you could see that someone was in there but you couldn't see them. It worked great. The front desk staff recommended a local restaurant for us and it was amazing! No complaints whatsoever. I would highly recommend the hotel for anyone staying in the area.

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2026