Top of the Rock vs the Empire State Building

December 2013/January 2014

Its the question that everyone asks when visiting NYC. Which do I do, Top of the Rock at Rockefella or The Empire State. We visited both, one during the day and one during the night, so they aren't a true comparison, but the experiences of both were very different.

Top of the Rock
We visited the Top of the Rock at 3 pm on a sunny afternoon.

Pros:

• Your ticket is timed - meaning the queue's are non-existent at best and short at worst
• You can see the Crystler building and the Empire State
• You get a great view of Central Park

Cons:

• Your ticket is timed - meaning that no mater the weather if you've pre-purchased your ticket you must go up at that time

The Empire State Building
We visited the Empire State Building at 8 pm on a clear and crisp night.

Pros:

• Its an iconic building, its in movies, its mentioned in music, it seems to signify that you are in NYC
• The building itself is interesting inside due to it being art deco

Cons:

• You cannot see the Empire State from the Empire State
• The queue's are horrendous, even if you have pre-purchased a ticket, unless its VIP, you must wait in line and they are long lines (even at 8 pm at night)

Recommendation: If your short on time, Top of the Rock is my choice. To be honest I'm not sure if I would bother with The Empire State unless there was no queue or you really had your heart set on going.