2 of 11
Empire State Building's 86th Floor Observatory Viewing Area
Empire State Building's 86th Floor Observatory Viewing Area
Heather Cross
The outdoor viewing area of the Empire State Building's 86th Floor Observatory is open to the air and can be quite crowded on ideal viewing days. The least crowded times to visit tend to be when the Empire State Building Observatory first opens and in the middle of the afternoons, though there can be crowds at any time.