One World Trade from The Observation Deck of the Empire State Building
One of the most touristy things I've done in ages ended up being one of my favorite evenings ever: watching the sunset from the Observation Deck (86th floor) of the Empire State Building with my husband. A work event brought us there, and I'm so grateful it did, because the last time I visited I was just a kid. I'm not sure why I avoided it for so long. I think it's partly that I lived in the city for years so it wasn't a priority, and partly that the crowds always deterred me. For that reason alone, everyone—including the Empire State Building—will tell you to avoid visiting at sunset to avoid the throngs, but after my experience, I can honestly say that it was worth practically getting crushed just to see the way the sunlight reflected off all the glass, bricks, concrete, and steel. The one caveat of course being the sky has to be mostly clear, and that can be hard to predict!
Some notes and fun links below and a few more pics from my experience. I couldn't resist showing off some art deco goodness in the lobby. All that bookmatched marble! Amazing!
- The Observatory is open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily.
- Buy tickets
- Visitor tips
- Cool trivia
- A video of the ESB being built
- Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan finally meeting (because I'm such a sap!)
