Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock is one of the five observation decks located in Manhattan. It is the northernmost observation deck in Manhattan and located very close to Central Park. The observation deck is situated on the top of Rockefeller Center. The entrance fee is higher if you are planning to visit the center during the evening time. I decided to visit three out of five observation decks during my trip to New York. The queue was not that bad and they let you enter the observation deck based on the timing mentioned in your ticket.
The observation deck has two floors. The first floor is covered with glass so not that good for photography but the second floor is amazing for photography. I feel this is the best observation deck in New York. I took lot of photos from the 1st floor then straightway went to the 2nd floor for open viewing. The view of Central park and the newly constructed supertall slim towers were spectacular from the deck. It was cloudy and very windy. I decided to not visit Empire state Building during My trip because there is long waiting time and it is very crowded. The worst part is you won’t be seeing empire state building which is the icon of NY city. The view of Empire state building & Freedom tower was spectacular from the highest deck. The deck was not that crowded and there was enough space for everyone to take some nice photos. The old school long distance binoculars provide lots of Nostalgic vibes.
They have a special deck where you can get your photos taken by a professional photographer. The price for 1 set of printed photo and 4 digital copies is 25 USD. The place is only used by the photographers allowed by Top of the Rock and no one else is permitted to take photos at that location. You can either get your photos taken by professional or you straightway go to the exit. Overall I really loved the experience and I was planning to stay there post sunset to see the night view but I had to cancel the plan because it was very windy on that day.
THE EDGE
The edge is located next to Vessel structure. It is located on the 100th floor and you get great view of Manhattan skyline from the observation deck. The edge is a part of Hudson Yards redevelopment project. The observation deck consists of two section and both sections are covered with glass. There is an indoor observation deck which is completely covered with glass. It is very difficult to take photos from the indoor observation deck because of the sunlight reflection. The second section of the observation deck is in the shape of a triangle which extends outward like a platform.
There is also a restaurant and bar at the 101st floor. The outdoor platform observation deck is also covered with glass so it is difficult to take photos of your favorite landmark in Manhattan. I recommend visiting the place between noon to 2pm because the sun is directly above you and you won’t have that much issue taking photos because of light reflection.
You get great views of Empire state building, Hudson river and freedom tower from the Edge. The edge also features second highest outdoor observation deck containing optically transparent flooring in the world. The Edge is rapidly gaining popularity around world after it opened in the year 2021. I really loved the architecture of the observation deck and it feels very futuristic.
Freedom Tower/ One World Trade Center
Freedom tower is the tallest building in the United States. The tower is situated towards the southern side of Manhattan and it is an important part of the skyline of New York city. Freedom tower has the tallest observation deck in New York. The observation deck is covered with glass so it is not a great place to take photographs. I strongly recommend to visit the deck around noon because during the other time of the day it is difficult to take picture because of sunlight reflection.
The view of Empire state building and upper Manhattan is absolutely brilliant from the deck. You get bird’s eye view of Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge from the deck. You get great views of New Jersey because the tower is situated towards the western side of Manhattan. I strongly recommend everyone to visit the deck because it is the tallest deck in the city and it is located in the southern most part of Manhattan far away from other observation decks.
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