Empire State Building Tickets: The 15 Best Options

1.Empire State Building Tickets – Observatory & Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 25,757 reviews · 45 minutes - 2 hours · from $47Our pick

Visit the Empire State Building’s 86th Floor Observatory, explore its interactive museum, and add the 102nd Floor for wider views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Allow 45 minutes to 2 hours. Choose a regular or Express ticket, with wheelchair access and free entry for children under six.

“We were lucky to have booked on a clear night with almost no queues. Booking process was easy and the staff were so helpful and friendly. A great experience for us all.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.NYC Empire State Building Observation Deck Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6,916 reviews · 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $47

Visit the Empire State Building on your own schedule, explore exhibits on construction and pop culture, then take in 360-degree views from the 86th floor. Upgrade to the 102nd floor for glass-walled views across up to six states, or add skip-the-line access for a faster visit.

“Great experience. I would recommend if you are visiting New York. Well organised and something to tick off your bucket list”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.New York Pass: 100+ Things To Do including Empire State Building

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,329 reviews · 1 to 5 days (approx.) · from $169

Use a mobile New York Pass for 1 to 5 consecutive calendar days and visit more than 100 attractions. Plan around timed reservations for the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Edge, and selected museums, then use the app to build an efficient sightseeing route.

“Viator making me miss out on a fully paid 3 day pass because they only sent me a qr code for one day. Had to be on the phone for over an hour trying to get them to email me the rest of the passes. Kept saying they were there, they could see them. Good for you, how does that help me? Almost $600 for 2 passes that we got to spend about $200 with. Waste of time and money.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Empire State Building Express Tickets – Skip the Line

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 604 reviews · 45 min · from $92

Enter at 20 West 34th Street and follow the red carpet to the Empire State Building Observatory. Your Express ticket takes you past the main queues, through exhibits on construction and pop culture, and up to the 86th floor. Select the 102nd floor for enclosed, floor-to-ceiling views.

“The skip the line was so worth the extra money. Saves so much time. The whole experience was amazing and we loved going up to 102nd floor.. what a view! I did however lose my brand new Knicks hat at security but when I went back it had gone..”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Empire State, Statue of Liberty, & Hop-on Hop-off (Save 25%)

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 209 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $135

Use a mobile ticket for Big Bus downtown and uptown routes, roundtrip ferry service to Liberty and Ellis Islands, and the Empire State Building observation deck. You will need to redeem vouchers and reserve an Empire State time, so plan these popular stops before boarding.

“We were disappointed in the lack of direction when the driver stopped very far from the line for Statute of Liberty ferry and failed to indicate in which direction we were to walk. Also I would like to know why were paid (in advance) twice the price offered on the street?!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Statue of Liberty, Empire State, and Hop-on Hop-off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 163 reviews · 2 days · from $135

Use a 48-hour Big Bus pass on Downtown and Uptown routes, visit the Empire State Building, and take a ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands. You choose the order, but reserve your Empire State time early and plan the ferry between 9 AM and 3 PM.

“Empire State Building was ok. As for the Statue of Liberty I was unable to go as it said it was all sold out by the time I was given to book a slot so I lost out on that experience so the bundle wasn’t really worth it very disappointing”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.NYC Empire State Horses Carriage Ride in Central Park (45 Mins)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) Top rated

Ride privately through Central Park for 45 minutes with a driver-guide such as Oliver, John, Ali, or Ibrahim. See Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields, the Dakota, the Zoo, Wollman Rink, and more. Blankets, guided commentary, and photo stops are included for groups of up to four.

“Excellent experience. There was wintry mix when we had our carriage ride and we appreciated it was covered. Loved feeding Rusty the horse. Tour guide was informative and provided great information about Central Park.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.NYC Bundle: Empire State, Big Bus Tour, & Circle Line Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 106 reviews · 2 days · from $99

See New York from three angles: the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor deck, a 48-hour Big Bus route through Midtown, Uptown, and Downtown, and a Circle Line cruise past the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. Use the attractions over two days, at your own pace.

“Em relação ao big bus, Gostei da possibilidade de descer nos locais de interesse. Não gostei do áudio-guia. Em alguns veículos não funcionava, estava estragado. Quando funcionava, estava atrasado ou adiantado em relação ao local por onde estávamos passando. Não faria novamente. O Empire State também é uma atração mediana. Demorei para agendar e ficamos num horário horrível, à noite. Gostei bastante do cruzeiro, fizemos o de 90 minutos. Este valeu a pena!”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.NYC Empire State Building Sunrise Experience + Starbucks Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 89 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.) · from $146

Arrive 15 minutes before sunrise for escorted access to the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor outdoor deck. Take in 360-degree views as New York wakes up, then collect Starbucks Reserve coffee and Princi pastries. The experience lasts about 1.5 to 3 hours and is limited to 10 travelers.

“Most memorable: 1) Leaving my house at 2:30am to get to the ESB @ 6:30 2) anticipating the great sunrise that awaited us 3) Standing @ the LOCKED observatory door @6:30am 4) Standing @ the LOCKED observatory door @6:45am 5) Standing @ the LOCKED observatory door @6:55am 6) meeting Tony the bomb sniffing dog on the sidewalk outside the LOCKED observatory door.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Empire State & 48-hour Hop-on Hop-off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 88 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $105

Use a 48-hour Big Bus pass to explore New York’s Downtown and Uptown loops, with digital commentary, Wi-Fi, and Empire State Building entry. Ride past Times Square, Wall Street, SoHo, Central Park, and the World Trade Center, then hop off when a neighborhood catches your eye.

“The audio tour was weak. Lots of music and not as much information about the city as I was hoping for. Less banter and more useful facts would have been good.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Empire State Building Sunrise Experience Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 68 reviews · 1 day · from $146

Meet an Empire State Building Greeting Host early Saturday at the 34th Street entrance. Ride up to the 86th Floor Observatory for sunrise views, Starbucks Reserve coffee, and Princi pastries, then explore the museum galleries and two-story building model at your own pace.

“le levé du soleil etait magnifique tres belle expérience et le petit déjeuner servi par starbucks etait tres bon”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Midtown, Empire State Building & Top of the Rock Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · 2h 30m · from $59

Spend 150 minutes with an English-speaking guide exploring Midtown, Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, and Rockefeller Center, then visit Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building. Mike is one named guide praised for his helpful approach. Choose one observatory or tickets to both.

“Top of the Rock = super Midtown avec le guide = visite très moyenne. Pas besoin de guide au vu de ce que l'on a fait. Sommes passé à 2 pas de la Cathédrale St Patrick même pas un moment pour photo même pas pu rentrer à l'intérieur par contre restés 10 mn devant un chantier en travaux... ?”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Empire State Building & Manhattan Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 18 reviews · 5 hours · from $120

Start at Federal Hall with an English-speaking local guide, walk from Wall Street through Chinatown and Little Italy, then continue independently to the Empire State Building. The $120 experience lasts about five hours and includes the 86th-floor observatory, with a 102nd-floor upgrade available.

“Andrew war ein toller Guide, er hat uns viele Hintergründe zu New York erzählt”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Empire State Building Walking Tour from NYC

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $75

Walk from One Vanderbilt through the New York Public Library, Bryant Park, and Macy’s with a local guide, then enter the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor observatory. Guides such as Liam and Kevin bring clear stories about skyscrapers, design, and New York history.

“Very fun to see some famous NYC landmarks, and some not so obvious one as well. Of course the highlight is going up the Empire State Building – a must-do when in NYC!”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Empire State Building & Optional Top of the Rock Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 12 reviews · 2h 30m · from $76

Start early at the Empire State Building, visit the 80th-floor Dare to Dream exhibit, and see Manhattan from the 86th-floor observatory. Your English-speaking guide adds context before leading you past Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center. Choose the Top of the Rock add-on for another view.

“The tour was excellent. Our guide was very good, nothing was too much trouble and his knowledge was excellent too.”

Check availability →Read our full review