My sweet teenage friend Summer graduated from high school in May, and my friend Kim (Summer's mom) and I took her to New York to celebrate. As I was planning the trip, we each picked the number one thing we wanted to see or do during our four days there. Summer, whose grandmother is Korean, wanted to visit, shop and dine in Koreatown - which we did twice. Kim wanted to see a Broadway show - we saw She Loves Me at the Studio 54 theater and the Rockettes' New York Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. I, of course, wanted to visit the top of the Empire State Building. (We also toured the New York Public Library and MOMA, and I ventured out to Grand Central Station and Madame Tussand's while they were sleeping in one morning.)
I had read that it was best to arrive at the Empire State Building early in the day to avoid long lines, so we arrived before 8:30am and were rewarded by not having to wait at all to purchase our tickets and board the elevator for the 86th floor. The views were fabulous! Here's the view looking toward Central Park.
This view looking toward New York Harbor shows the tip of Manhattan island.
And zooming in on the harbor reveals the Statue of Liberty.
It was a beautiful morning to spend on the outdoor observation deck.
We splurged on our tickets so that we could also visit the 102nd floor in-door observatory accessed by a ride in a manually operated Otis elevator. It was amazing!
So excited to have another item checked off my 50 Things To Do Before I'm 50 list!
Have you seen New York from the top of the Empire State Building? I highly recommend it!
When my father was alive, I was in NYC regularly. Now it's been over 15 years! But I've never been to the top of the Empire State Building. It was never on my bucket list, but going to the top of the Statue of Liberty was, and one summer my brother and I took our kids. We had a bit of a wait and like you on the Empire State Building, thought it was a fabulous experience.
ReplyDeletewe went to the top of the empire state building when I was 14. on the way up the elevator stopped & we were stuck for hours (ok it was probably minutes, but it felt like hours!) Last year we went to the top of one world trade center, to the observatory there & that was awesome too!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see New York some day. That looks like a wonderful trip.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I love the ET photo too
That photo of you & ET is quite cute - I really must see that movie.
ReplyDeleteI love New York! In fact I have a trip planned for my girls and I in April. It's been many years since we've done the Empire State building. We might have to do it again. The views are pretty amazing!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've been to the Empire State Building (but then I'm hazy about some childhood years). I DID go to the crown of the Statue of Liberty on a class trip - climbed all those stairs, took photos, then climbed back down - and ended up with my legs shaking uncontrollably when it was over. But it was fun! What is it about views from high places that will make us do insane physical activity to see them?
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