Empire State Building – A Must for New York City Visitors

The Empire State Building is the quintessential site to see in New York City. It’s not only the city’s tallest building at 1,454 feet, but it is an instantly iconic vision of Art Deco architecture that looks even more amazing in person than in photographs. Its name comes from New York state’s nickname, “The Empire State,” coined by Henry Hudson himself when he saw the beauty of the area and said, “This is the new empire.”

History is in every rivet of the Empire State Building. When it opened on May 1, 1931, it was the tallest building in the world and an instant symbol of American ingenuity and economic might during the Great Depression. Taking 7 million man-hours, 57,000 tons of steel and over $40 million to build, the ESB won the American “race to the sky” against the Chrysler Building. At the very top of the building is a feature everyone expected to be necessary in the years to come: a mooring site for dirigibles.

When to visit the Empire state building

Visiting the ESB is simple. Its Main Observation Deck is open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. in any kind of weather. The least busy visiting hours are right when it opens at 8 and at about 3 p.m. It’s recommended to call toll-free to hear current wait times and weather conditions at 877-NYC-VIEW since visitor traffic can vary. To avoid long waits during peak times, savvy travelers can buy an express ticket online here.

Tickets to Empire State building

The entrance fee is $27 – a steal by NYC standards – and that allows as much time as a visitor wants to take. The ESB folks recommend allowing at least an hour if you want to see everything on the Main Observation Deck and a bit longer if you also plan to check out the top deck of the building. For the nighttime visitor, live music is played from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

New York City is a romantic’s delight, and the ESB is an unforgettable place to pop the question. (They hold weddings on Valentine’s Day, too.) Lovebirds can request a special song of the saxophonist playing on the 86th floor to set the mood, then head down for a champagne toast in The Empire Room on the main level facing 33rd Street.

A must do attraction in New York

As with any marquee destination, visitors should allow themselves plenty of time to visit the Empire State Building. Looking at the view from a thousand feet in the air might also give you a bird’s-eye view of the next attraction you’ll want to visit in New York City! If you’re only doing a handful of things in New York; Empire State Building should certainly be on the list.

›› See all the details about the Empire State building