The New and Thrilling Observation Deck of the Empire State Building

The most visited building in New York, the Empire State Building, unveiled a new and towering observation deck on October 12th, offering a bird's-eye view of New York and its incredible skyline located on the 102nd floor of the iconic building.

The experience is heightened with 24 towering glass windows that are 2.5 meters high, allowing a 360-degree view of the Big Apple and beyond. Access is granted via a glass elevator that takes visitors from the 86th floor to the 102nd, which is a thrilling experience as the "shaft" over those 16 floors is entirely glass, enabling visitors to admire the views as they ascend.

This spectacular observation deck is part of the renovation plan for the building, which has been broken down into four phases: the first two focused on reducing the long lines that formed at the Empire State. To achieve this, a separate entrance for visitors and another for building staff was established (previously it was the same). The second phase opened a museum on the first floor, which also alleviated the queues by dispersing visitors. The third phase involved closing the old observation deck on the 102nd floor for a complete renovation, allowing for spectacular 360-degree views of the city.

However, seeing New York at our feet does not come cheap. The ticket to access the 86th floor, which allows entry to this new observation deck, costs $58, and it is $38 if one only opts for the views from the 86th floor.