Great video:). It brings back memories from 40 yrs ago. One thing.... change that shirt as I have seen it in almost every video. Wear a "NY Theme Shirt"
I've always said the same thing. And that moment you turn the corner after stepping off the elevator to see the Empire State Building in all its glory is pretty priceless.
That’s what i told my co-workers on this trip, “Top of the Rock” by myself... ENJOYED the amazing view of the Empire State Building with the Red, White, and Blue lights on 🇺🇸
Yea i was working in New Jersey, planning a trip to NYC and go to the top of the ESB. American coworkers told me: "When you go up on ESB, you dont see it. Go to Top of the Rock instead." Best advice ever.
In my opinion, if you could only afford or only have time for one high-rise observation deck, I would definitely go with the Top of the Rock over the Empire State Building or One World. It is great being outside and not having to deal with wall-to-wall people.
I fully agree with your review. I was there a year ago, about an hour before sunset and stayed there a long time. If you never been to New York it’s just breathtaking. The crowd was a lot bigger because people want to see the views in day light and the city lights when it’s dark. People applauded when the sun set. Staff was friendly. The photo I took that day is still my iPhone background.
Didn't make it to Top of The Rock... but a little hack that avoids the $40 is to have drinks at Bar 65 a few floors down. Still great views, especially in the evening while enjoying one of their excellent cocktails... like maybe a Manhattan! ;-)
I visited Top of the Rock two times. The first time in the morning with a nice blue sky, some clouds and a fantastic view and the second time was in the night. I will never forget both experiences. I highly recomment to visit the desk two times.
I TOTALLY AGREE! Anytime I have family/friends visiting from out-of-town, I take them to the TOP-OF-THE-ROCK! Its the only NYC observatory where one can get a 360 NYC view virtually unobstructed from the top roof outside. For us Senior Citizens there's also a a slightly lowered fee for us old-timers. The reason I like it more than the Empire State's view is that FROM the Top-of-the-Rock one SEES the Empire State Building! Plus you get a glorious view of Central Park, seeing just how big and beautiful it is. ALSO -- consider going to the Top at night! On nice clear evenings the view is genuinely spectacular, especially recently with the tops of all the new skyscrapers bathed in a rainbow of neon colors.
Top of the rock is the best view in NYC !!! I always make the time to visit when in NY. Add the Architectural tour to the visit and you leave with a wealth of knowlege and appreciation for the area !
As a photographer, top of the Rock is my favorite observation spot because its in the center of the city and you get to see all of the iconic architecture from one location. One thing I did not not hear you mention, please excuse me if I missed it, is that on the very top level, there is no glass in front of you to obscure your view. This is very important if your goal is to get some great shots of the skyline. Nothing is more annoying than trying to figure out how to avoid reflections or dirty finger prints on the windows. :-) Wether its your first time in the city or NY is your home, in my opinion, Top of the Rock is a top pick!
I tried all 3 observation decks and this is my favorite, went 3 times already. You can see more of the city from top of the rock than empire state or one world trade. Regarding the optional tourist photo, sure, you can skip it, but make sure you also don't pay the extra fee(for the photo) when buying your ticket. On my last visit I was asked whether I wanted to get the photo at the ticket counter. Very informative videos, great job. I'll make sure to rewatch some before my next visit to NY :).
I’ve been to Top of the Rock, ESB, and One World Trade. Top of the Rock is by far my favorite of the three. When my family and I went to Top of the Rock in 2014, there was a couple having their wedding pictures taken at the top overlooking Central Park. People were congratulating the happy couple. It was a great experience.
Visited “top of the rock” and Empire State Building in 2009, here’s the funny thing, when your on top of the Empire State Building the one thing you can’t see (obviously) is the Empire State building so while its good it’s not the most recognizable view of New York. I hadn’t done any research and only went up to the top of the rock because it included in my “New York pass” I was blown away (not literally) this is where every iconic picture of New York has ever been taken, if you’ve only got the time or budget to go up one building make sure it’s top of the rock you’re looking down straight at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral you can see all the iconic buildings as you would imagine them, this quite frankly is the best view in New York, no if no but’s.
May 2019 was my first visit to NYC, went up to the “Top of the Rock” three times 😁 Expensive, but I’ve always wanted to see NYC since my childhood so it was worth every cent 😁 From Hawaii to NYC didn’t sleep on the plane ride, was too excited that i was actually going to be in NYC. 😁 Hope to be back this year, and I’ll definitely be back at the “Top of the Rock” 😁
I was given a great tip before my trip to NYC - go to Top of the Rock at 9 PM. There are no lines then and the view is the best because at night you see the lights of the city - the Empire State Building, the Crystler Building, Summit Vanderbilt and others. It is also great to look uptown and see Central Park as a huge patch of darkness surrounded by light.
Been to Empire State and then TOTR last year. I prefer that because you can see Central Park, Empire State, One World, Chrysler, Lady Liberty and planes approaching LGA. Nobody wants pictures of 30 Rock from the top. Went a little before sunset and the daylight, sunset and night views were awesome.
When I went up a few months ago, I did it at night. The advantage of this is that the wait time was minimal. Its great to see all the building lit up. Of course you don't get the view of central park, but it was still worth the price.
The two of you are so cute together! Love these videos! :) Would you mind doing a video on favourite "Hole-in-the-Wall" eaterys or even one about Nightlife in NYC or cultural centers? Thank you so much!
I was there in 2015. It was magical. I love the Rockefeller Center and being inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza was amazing. The view was incredible and the people were all super friendly. The organization was very good, no waiting at all, thanks to clever time slot management.
I Have gone there 2 times, one in the winter and one in the summer and i have to said that I loved it, One of the times we got the tickets like 30 min before the sunset ones and stay until was night time so we were up there for like 2 Hours but it was really worth it, we saw it at Day and Night.
You got very lucky, we just went Monday the 29th, hot as hell and it was still crowded as heck. Shoulder to shoulder. We went for sunset though. Got the corner on top near sunset and didn't move, got nice pictures. It was still nice though.
I would say it's my favorite observation deck of the major 3 right now. (ESB and WTC) I was there about 2 years ago so 1 Vandy and a couple of the Billionaire row towers weren't even in sight yet. Seeing them rise above the skyline now, I can't wait to go back.
I went this past weekend.. Being myself I didn't find it overly expensive.. A family of 4 though.. gonna drop $150 on this. The views are outstanding.. especially on the 70th floor where there is no glass. There are 3 different observation decks on the 67, 69, and 70th floors. Skip the gift shop its vastly overpriced. Also at the bottom they want to take your picture so they can sell you overpriced photos at the top. But unlike most places you can kindly refuse and they will send you around.
Great video brother! I’ve been to nyc countless times (best city in the world) and have done Empire State and top of the rock. In my opinion top of the rock is way better. I think it has the best views due to its location. You get to see all of Central Park to the north, and you see both Empire State and One World to the south. Also the outdoor factor is amazing and just like when you went I found that there was so much space to walk around and so many amazing photo opportunities! Fun fact if you look down towards 5th avenue you can see the roof of St.Patricks Cathedral which actually looks like a cool cross! Both times that I went to the top of the rock I paid I believe $10 extra which allows you come back again within the same day which is great because you can come in the morning when it’s not busy and then go again towards sunset and stay until night when the city lights all turn on! Giving you more great photo opportunities! Thanks for the great nyc videos, hope to see more!
Did this a few months before this video. Sadly I couldn't go right to the top as it was closed as it was too windy, but I did manage it the year before. My favourite view of the city by far.
i loved it, i did the option of getting a 2 trip pass where i saved so i went there at night and then again during the day (went early morning due to time constants of being on holidays and only having so much time to do as much as i could i think totally worth it as you get great views put a shot of empire state which if you go to empire state building you cant take a photo of it while on it
Your videos & playlists are amazing. I've done the NBC Studios tour & will do the Top of the Rock. Thanks for giving me more & more things to do every time I go to NYC. Keep the positive energy & vibes coming.
Me and my girlfriend visited NYC on last January and we been there... 40usd kinda sounds a bit expensive at the beginning, but definitely worth it as soon as we got the roof tbh.. weather was super cold that time and we couldn't make it to the last 2 floors lol, I recommend to visit it around 10am-12pm cuz you luckily won't find those long people's lines. I won't say is highly recommended but for first timers it's truly "a must". Im new following your videos but they makes me feel to go back there and try some more NY! Good job!
Went there on my first trip to NYC in Oct. 2017. I loved it because it gave me a good view of things I didn't otherwise get to see due to time constraints. Go on a nice day if possible, because windy days can make it hard to stay up for more than an hour.
Great video Jon. I went up to the top some years back and I enjoyed it! I came back at night and it was a much better experience though, the city lights all looked amazing!
edvaira6891 “the stratosphere has MUCH better view “ That’s subjective. Many will disagree with you and the visitor numbers show it. Some prefer a view amongst skyscrapers in a city than a desert and mountains.
We just got back from a holiday in New York. Thanks so much for your videos, it really helped us plan what to do! We have 3 children (16, 11 and 7) and we all loved Top of the Rock. We did it on our first day and booked the tickets online the week before (the kids woke up at 4am so getting there for 10am was no issue) and there was no queue. The weather was very hot so having the air con inside area was really useful, it wasn't at all crowded. This was our favourite activity of the whole week, with a day at Coney Island coming second!
I loved it!! Went there on my 2nd day in NYC right in the morning and the experience was great! That Empire State view is just... wow! Lots of good memories while watching this video :)
We loved the view from the top. It was the winter when I first went and it was empty as it was so cold. I know it's touristy but it's touristy for a reason, you get the classic views of New York.
I went there in my first visit to nyc and totally worth it! Despite the huge lines, the high price and a crowded spot, it was one of the best things i’ve done in this city. Amazing view, i was able to see the sunset, it was simply unforgettable!!
WOW $40 at daytime and $50 before night!!! that is a real expensive. I was there when it was still at $30 which was expensive enough specially if you are with family. I think Rockefeller is getting more greedy. I agree with your comment that it is better to go around and have your money's worth somewhere than going up there. If I have friends who is planning to go to the Top of the Rock. I will forward them your video. More power to you and thank you for helping us regular people where to enjoy New York City!
Top of the Rock is crowded during summertime. It mostly depends on time of the day and day of the week. It is packed at sunset. Do youself a favor and buy VIP ticket. You will get up and down in few minutes. That is a big time saver. For any tourist it is must see attraction. Empire State Building is great, but you will not see Central Park.
I took a tour explaining alot of the art that was on the building exterior that included admission to the top of the rock and I thought that was a great value.
i was there, 2 winters ago, when all city was cover by the snow, and to me, is absolutely worth it. As other guys said, is better view because you can see all Empire State building just in front of you! and all central park in the other side, WTC far, and the Statue at the end. Oh, and Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges too! . Go to the top of the rock, it's a must . And if you have the luck, like we had, of see all city cover of snow, it's an increible momment , and you are outside, breathing , and hearing the city noises ! My profile pic... was taken there ;)
I haven’t been in New York since... 2013, and I was really struck by the rise of new skyscrapers absolutely eating into the Central Park view that weren’t there before. I’ll definitely return to Top of the Rock if post-Covid travel is allowed from Ireland to America again later this year; I’d love a return visit and holiday. Thanks for the videos; I’ve seen ins of yours by now, and they’re pretty interesting...
IMO it's cool, but still I prefer empire State building view, and even better, the one world observatory. And, surprisingly enough, both were much less crowded!
Generally I think the differences between those 3 are small, and if you make a poll votes will probably be split ;-) Anyway, I certainly didn't regret visiting all 3, however even for NYC the price for this one is a little too much.
I agree with you. If you’re into rooftop hopping, photography, or just want to get your bearings around NYC landmarks it might be a great idea. But for the $40-50 price of entry you could visit lots of cool neighborhoods and experiment great street food/ethnic dishes instead.
I went to Top of the Rock in June, 2019. I'm glad I went but I doubt I'd do it again. I would like to go back and spend some more time in the rest of Rockefeller Center. That looked pretty cool
I went to the Top of the Rock twice in February of 2008 and ended the views a lot and took some awesome and exciting pictures on all the three levels of the building! Thanks for the information and video my friend!
I was there with the New York Pass so it's hard to judge if it's worth $ 40. I consciously did not visit 1 world obsevartory because I wanted to go to platforms that were outside. I think the view from TotR is better than from ESB. Higher does not always mean that it is better
TONITE (SEPT.18) IN NYC IS JIMI HEDRIX NITE AT THE "CUTTING ROOM" AT 10PM FELICIA COLLINS (DAVEID LETTERMAN SHOW BAND) JUKEBOX LIVE WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS CORY GLOVER, VERNON REID, MARC RIVERA (BILLY JOEL BAND) & MANY MORE !!! COME TONITE & EVERY WED NITE !!!
Based on what you've shown us, I think it's definitely worth the money. I'm surprised the wind isn't blowing -- I thought the wind was always blowing at those heights. But I agree with you -- if you're on a budget, go to one of the rooftop bars and enjoy the food & drink. But when I come to NYC, I'm definitely a tourist! Another great video, Jon!
I completely agree with you. It is overpriced, but it has by far the best views in the city. If you're on a big budget, go to Queens and New Jersey and enjoy the skyline views from there.
We visited there at monday! But my friend buy a photo, für 30 $. It was such a baaad quality, that was a trap! But i found it really great, we had a Voucher.
So glad I found your videos! Came to NYC for the first time two years ago - and "Top of the Rock" was nearly my last stop on this *exact* day (May 20th) in 2018. Absolutely loved it! It was well worth the price for a tourist, in my opinion. I had my Ricoh Theta V up there, took some great 360-pana photos, a few on the selfie-stick stuck out between the plexiglass barriers so I could get the street below as well, beautiful! Completely agree with your assessment. I was surprised at how open it was and how much space there was, considering the crowds when I was waiting to go up. Unless you're on a really tight budget, I would *definitely* recommend it for tourists!
We were just to NY for the first time 1 week ago. We were extremely lucky t.o have the opportunity to visit the Top of the Rock with barely anyone around. If there were 20 people that would be a stretch. 40usd is a bit steep for the experience but the views are so immersive and gorgeous! I would highly recommend
I’ve never went to Top Of The Rock before. I went on the Empire State Building and One World Observatory. I like One World for the awesome views and that you’d basically get a 360 degree view of New York, but I like the outdoor experience you get being on the Empire State Building. I’ll have to check out Top Of The Rock the next time I’m in New York. Thanks for the video!
I preferred TOTR early morning (we were there before 8.30 and it was very quiet ) to the Empire State Building, which at sunset was absolutely packed and we could hardly move!
Beautiful views from the Top Of The Rock, I met him in 2017 and I wish I could come back. Thank you for sharing the video, congratulations on your work. Greetings from Uruguay.
Aaaayyy dio'mío! Plus $10.00 at sunset?! Well, I don't go to NYC every weekend and based on your great recommendations it's a must for photo enthusiasts. Thank you
We first were at Top of the Rock three years ago (visiting our daughter who lives in NYC). The new buildings on the north side were not as tall as now, and we had an unobscured view of Central Park. By the way, if you ever do a show on kosher restaurants in Manhattan, our daughter would be a good resource. We have enjoyed Modern Bread & Bagel near the AMNH and a kosher Uzbeki meat restaurant in the Diamond District, among others.
On the same day I visited one world observatory and top of the rock. Unfortunately it was raining in the morning when I was at one world observatory so the views were limited. To their credit they did advise I could come back later in the day when weather was scheduled to clear but I had other things planned. Was still fun seeing the financial district on a raining day. Same evening I went to the top of the rock where weather had improved and views of New York skyline were amazing. Just have the Empire State in front of you and the one world trade centre in the same shot is worth the entrance fee. Amazing to see the new skyscrapers riding around you and view of billionaires row and Central Park not too shabby either ;)
I was there in June. I thought it was great, I arrived about 10am and there was no queue at all, there was only about 20 people at the top when I got there. overall I thought it was the right choice, I’d choose top of the rock over the other towers
