Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Miss
Observation Decks
The Empire State Building has two observation decks. The open-air 86th-floor deck offers
an alfresco experience, with coin-operated telescopes for close-up glimpses of the metro-
polis in action. Further up, the enclosed 102nd-floor deck is New York's highest - at least
until the opening of the observation deck at One World Trade Center in 2015. Needless to
say, the views over the city's five boroughs (and five neighboring states, weather permit-
ting) are quite simply exquisite. Both decks are especially spectacular at sunset, when the
city dons its nighttime cloak in dusk's afterglow.
Light Shows
Since 1976, the building's top 30 floors have been floodlit in a spectrum of colors each
night, reflecting seasonal and holiday hues. Famous combos include red and pink sparkles
for Valentine's Day; orange; red and green for Christmas; and the rainbow colors for Gay
Pride weekend in June. For a full rundown of the color schemes, check the website.
Astounding Statistics
The statistics of Gotham's most iconic tower are astounding: 10 million bricks, 60,000
tons of steel, 6400 windows and 328,000 sq ft of marble. Built on the original site of the
Waldorf-Astoria, construction took a record-setting 410 days, using seven million hours of
labor. Coming in at 102 stories, it's 1472ft from top to bottom.
Top Tips
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Alas, your passage to heaven will involve a trip through purgatory: the queues to the top are notorious. Getting
here very early or very late will help you avoid delays - as will buying your tickets online ahead of time, where
an extra $2 purchase charge is well worth the hassle it will save you.
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On the 86th floor between 10pm and 1am from Thursday to Saturday, the twinkling sea of lights below is ac-
companied by a live saxophone soundtrack (yes, requests are taken).
Take A Break
