Do you have a trip booked to New York? Top of the Rock is definitely a must-see attraction in the city. Experience one of the best city views from 70 floors up in the 30 Rockefeller Plaza building. This observation deck will give you a breathtaking 360-degree view of New York City’s skyline as well as a beautiful view of the Empire State Building. 2.5 million people visit Top of the Rock’s beautiful observation deck every year.
| Address: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York NY 10112 |
| Entrance: The main entrance is located on 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue |
| Opening hours: Open every day between 9 am and 11 pm. They stop letting people in at 10.10 pm |
About Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock will give you a wonderful view that you enjoy both outdoors and indoors. This must-see New York attraction will give you a view of landmarks such as Central Park, the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty.
Top of the Rock is located on the 70th floor and 260m (800 ft) up in the Rockefeller Center building.
Top of the Rock has three different levels. To get to the first level on the 67th floor, you take a glass ceiling elevator from the bottom floor and the main entrance. The first level of Top of the Rock will give you breathtaking views of New York City indoors and outdoors. Here you can also find the Radiance Wall, which is made of glass panels, blown glass, crystal clusters, and fiber-optic lighting.
The second level out of three is on the 69th floor and is outdoors. Just like the previous floor has glass and metal enclosures.
The third level, located on the 70th floor, is an open-air roof deck. This level is completely outdoors and free of glass enclosures for unobstructed and will give you a breathtaking 360-degree view of New York City.
Beam walk exhibit
The Beam Walk exhibit features the famous photo taken in the 1930s “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” of construction workers, eating lunch while working on this very building. The exhibit has a replica of the famous beam where you can sit to pose for a picture.
About Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is located between 48th Street and 51st Street in Midtown. The official address is 30 Rockefeller Center. The Rockefeller Center building is famous for its observation deck Top of the Rock, ice skating rink, Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and to be the home of the NBC Television Network, Jimmy Fallon Show and Saturday Night Live.
Rockefeller Center was once a gift from John D. Rockefeller to Manhattan. The construction of the Rockefeller Center was done in 1933. The ice skating rink was first made available to the public on Christmas Day, 1936. It was originally designed as a temporary attraction to draw visitors to the Rockefeller Center’s outdoor plaza but eventually became a prominent attraction.
Top of the Rock tickets
You can buy your tickets to Top of the Rock here.
Top of the Rock offers a few alternatives:
Top of the Rock – General Admission
This is their standard ticket and most affordable option which we also recommend to most people. This ticket will give you access to all three levels at Top of the Rock. Note that sometimes they can change a little more to visit at sunset since it’s the most popular time to visit.
Adults: $40
Kids 6-12 years old: $34
Kids 0-6 years old: free
Seniors: $38
Top of the Rock – Express
The only time we would recommend this would be if you’re in a rush. The Express ticket will give you immediate entry at any time on the day of your choice, priority elevator access, and a 20% discount at the gift shop.
Price: $75
Top of the Rock – VIP Tour
This ticket will make you skip the lines and go on a guided tour of the Top of the Rock, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and Rainbow Room.
Price: $125
Top of the Rock – City Pass
You can save a lot of money with City Pass if you are planning to visit multiple tourist attractions in New York. The City Pass will give you a group discount on the following places.
City Pass includes:
- Empire State Building
- American Museum of Natural History
- Top of the Rock Observation deck or Guggenheim Museum
- Boat ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, or Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
- 9/11 Memorial Museum or Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Price: $129
How to get to the Top of the Rock
The main entrance is located on 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. When you see a big red carpet you know you’re in the right place.
With the subway
You can take a few different subway lines to get to the Top of the Rock:
If you want to walk as little as possible and take the subway to the closest station, head to 47-50 St Rockefeller Cts. You can take B D F or the M line to get here.
Sometimes it’s a little easier to walk a few extra blocks instead of switching subway lines. If you’re new to New York, it can be very confusing to take the subway. For example, it’s very common to take the wrong train by example mixing up the express and local trains. Other subways stations close to Top of the Rock is Times Sq-42nd St, and Grand Central-42 St.
Top of the Rock opening hours
Top of the Rock is open every day between 9 am and 11 pm. They stop letting people in at 10.10 pm. Their opening hours can be a little different depending on what holiday it is.
If you’re planning to visit Top of the Rock with a larger group, you can email them at: groups @ topoftherocknyc.com.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Top of the Rock depends on what you’re looking for. If you enjoy taking beautiful photos we always recommend coming here around sunset. If you arrive one hour (maybe two hours before on the weekend since it’s more crowded) before sunset you will have plenty of time to enjoy the view and take photos. Tip: If you stay a little longer after the sun has gone down, you also get to experience the sparkling city lights at nighttime. You will get a magical view visiting Top of the Rock at sunset but be ready for more crowds since it’s the most popular time of day.
Sunrise is another prime time for photographers, but unfortunately, Top of the Rock doesn’t open until 9 am.
If you want to avoid bigger crowds and longer lines, we recommend coming here Monday to Friday during the day around 9 am – 1 pm.
Make sure to check the weather. Remember that bad weather, and fogginess could affect how well you can see the view. Top of the Rock says on its website that they let you change the day during bad weather conditions. You can book your tickets here.
What time a year?
You can visit Top of the Rock 365 days a year. The only problem coming here during the winter (January – Mars) is the very cold New York winds. It’s especially cold on their top floor which is completely outdoors. Do you have a trip booked during the winter? Don’t worry, you can still visit Top of the Rock. The trick is to keep going inside and outside to keep warm or to only stay indoors if that’s what you feel more comfortable with. As a photographer, you can go outside take photos for a few minutes then go back in to warm up, and then out again. Make sure to bring thick clothing and windproof gloves for when you’re holding the camera.
Best time a year to visit Top of the Rock is spring, summer or fall since it’s much warmer out.
How long should you visit Top of the Rock?
Most New York tourists I’ve asked think it’s good enough to be up there for 45-60 minutes. As a photographer, we recommend 2 hours.
Empire State Building or Top of the Rock?
Top of the Rock you can see better towards uptown and Central Park, plus a view of the Empire State Building itself. A visit to Empire State Building is very special since it’s such an old and well-known building. You might even recognize their observation deck or the building itself from a couple of movies. Empire State Building will give you a beautiful and close view of the Chrysler Building.
More information about Top of the Rock
How tall is Top of the Rock?
Tock of the Rock which is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza has 70 floors and is 260 m (800 ft) tall.
Is there a bar at Top of the Rock?
Top of the Rock has a bar and restaurant called Rainbow Room which is no longer open to the public. Ever since covid, it’s only open for private parties.
How much does it cost to visit Top of the Rock?
Depending on the age, the cheapest tickets are $34 – 40.
What are Top of the Rock’s opening hours?
Top of the Rock is open every day between 9 am – 11 pm and stops letting people inside at 10.10 pm. The opening hours can vary a little during holidays.
Is Top of the Rock the tallest observation deck in New York?
No. The tallest observation deck is Edge, located in Hudson Yards.