Empire State Building Basics

Empire State Building Facts:

• The Empire State Building is 1,453 feet, 8 9/16 inches from the base to the top of the lightning rod.
• There are 1,860 steps from street level to the 102nd floor.
• 10-20 thousand people visit the Empire State Building daily.
• On a clear day, you can see for almost 80 miles from the top of the Empire State Building.
• Lightening strikes the Empire State Building about 100 times a year.
• The lights on the Empire State Building change colors for holidays and special observances.

Tips for Visiting The Empire State Building:

Empire State Building Tips

Empire State Building Basics:

• Empire State Building Address: 350 5th Ave, New York, NY 10118
• Empire State Building Phone: 212-736-3100
• Nearest Subways to Empire State Building: 6 to 33rd Street; A, C, E, B, D, F, Q, 1, 2, 3 to 34th Street

Empire State Building With Kids:

• Strollers are permitted in the elevators.
• You can win free admission to the Observatory with ESBNYC Trivia Contest
• Keep kids entertained with these Empire State Building Coloring Pages

Empire State Building Admission:

• Adult (18-61) $19
• Youth (12-17) $17
• Senior (62+) $17
• Child (6-11) $13
• Toddler (5 or younger) free w/adult
• Military W/ ID $16
• Military in Uniform free
• Admission included with the New York Pass
• Audio Tour is $7 additional. Entertainment Book contains a buy one, get one free coupon for the tour

Empire State Building Hours:

• 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily
• Last elevators go up at 1:15 a.m.

102nd Floor Observatory:

The 102nd Floor Observatory has been reopened to the public since November 2005. For an additional $15 (tickets must be purchased at the Observatory box office on the 2nd floor), you can go 16 floors higher than most visitors to the Empire State Building

Express Ticket:

The Express Ticket costs an additional $26 (+$3 convenience fee), and guarantees you get to the 86th Floor Observatory within 20 minutes. You can purchase Express Tickets online making this a great option if you don't want to wait in lines. You'll be able to skip to the front of the three lines required for admission: the security line, the ticket line and the elevator line.

More About the Empire State Building:

Although it is easy to spend a good time of your visit to New York City staring up in the sky at the tall buildings, a trip to the top of the Empire State Building gives you a chance to gaze down upon New York City. The views of the city from the Empire State Building are amazing, particularly at night.

There is often a long wait to buy tickets at the Empire State Building -- on a Sunday night around 9 p.m. we waited for approximately an hour. I later learned you can buy Empire State Building tickets online, and if you print them on your printer, there is no additional charge. (Delivery by mail starts at $5.95.) You'll still have to wait on the lines for the Empire State Building elevator, but you'll save yourself quite a bit of time (which means more time for checking out the view from the 86th floor Empire State Building observatory).