Top of The Rock — Attraction in New York

I recently had the pleasure of accompanying my wife on a brief excursion to New York City, where we indulged in the diverse culinary delights of Manhattan. Among the highlights of our trip was a visit to the "Top of the Rock." Timing our visit for sunset was a decision that greatly enhanced the experience. The queue, far from being a mere wait, was an enriching journey in itself, offering educational insights and engaging displays suitable for everyone, from solo explorers to families and couples like us.

Upon reaching the rooftop, we were greeted by stunning vistas that simply took our breath away. Despite the presence of other visitors, the space was ample enough to allow for moments of personal reflection and to capture intimate, awe-inspiring photographs against the backdrop of New York City's magnificent skyline. The experience of viewing the city from such a vantage point felt like standing atop the world.

This excursion to the "Top of the Rock" is something I would heartily recommend to anyone who hasn't experienced it yet. It's a unique way to see and appreciate the beauty of the city, whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler.

Rockefeller Center, located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, is a large complex consisting of 19 commercial buildings. It was developed by the Rockefeller family, primarily by John D. Rockefeller Jr., after the stock market crash of 1929.

History Early Development: The original plan for the site was for a new opera house for the Metropolitan Opera. However, after the stock market crash, the plans changed significantly. John D. Rockefeller Jr. decided to develop the area for commercial purposes.

Construction: The construction began in 1930 and was completed in 1939. It was a massive undertaking during the Great Depression and became known for its Art Deco style. The project employed over 40,000 people at its peak.

Notable Buildings: The most famous building in the complex is the 70-story 30 Rockefeller Plaza, originally known as the RCA Building and now commonly known as the Comcast Building. It's home to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck and the NBC Studios.

Art and Iconography: Rockefeller Center is famous for its art deco style and numerous artworks, including the statue of Atlas facing Fifth Avenue and the famous Prometheus statue in the lower plaza.

Radio City Music Hall: Another iconic part of the complex is the Radio City Music Hall, a leading entertainment venue famous for the Rockettes.

The Top of the Rock and Sunset Experience The Top of the Rock Observation Deck offers one of the most stunning views in New York City. Located atop the Comcast Building, it provides a panoramic view of the city, including landmarks like the Empire State Building and Central Park.

Sunset Experience: Viewing the sunset from the Top of the Rock is a popular activity for tourists and locals alike. The decks offer 360-degree views, making it a prime spot to watch the sunset over the city skyline.

Design: The observation deck is designed to give visitors unobstructed views with its glass panels and open-air spaces.

Timing: The best time for the sunset experience varies throughout the year, depending on the time of the sunset.

Rockefeller Center remains a symbol of innovation, culture, and architectural triumph, blending business and art in a unique way. The sunset view from the Top of the Rock is just one aspect of this multifaceted landmark that continues to captivate visitors from...

My husband and I planned this trip way in advance for a family wedding we attended. I couldn't wait for all the activities I had planned for the two of us and the Top of The Rock VIP Tour was scheduled on our 3rd day in New York. I did my research on all the options of observation decks that there were, and picked Top of The Rock. On Tuesday, September 9th we arrived at 6:40pm and tried to check-in with the attendant. I showed him our tickets that clearly stated VIP and the time 7:00pm that we reserved. He told us to wait on the side and come back at 7 to check-in. At about 6:50 I approached him again to ask if we were supposed to go in earlier because we were supposed to have our champagne toast that is part of the package we purchased, and he just brushed it off and said that would be upstairs when we enter at 7. So...I went back to where we were waiting on the sidewalk that was right in front of the attendant. At 7 we went to check-in then the attendant looks at our tickets and says VIP??? I told him yes this is what I showed you earlier. He immediately went inside to talk with someone and while all this is going on, the people that had paid for regular tickets were entering. Keep in mind you're trying to get in so you can get up there before the sunsets for the photo opportunities. We then get ushered into the lobby and someone is trying to get in touch with the person conducting the tour that we were supposed to be on. We spoke to several people that were trying to help us. They couldn't get a hold of the tour guide and they offered to reschedule or refund us. And mind you..while all this commotion is going on, in the back of my mind the sun is gonna set soon keeps on replaying. Then I don't know how, but this angel of an employee appears..Samantha Bell! She offered to reschedule or refund our tour, but I told her we can't reschedule because our days are already scheduled with other activities and I didn't want a refund because we really wanted to experience this. She offered that we could still do the pictures on the beam, private skylift, and champagne toast and if we hurry we could do it before the sunsets. Samantha Bell rushed us through crowds and elevators to get us to the beam and skylift to get our pictures before the sunset. She then took us to do our champagne toast and took pictures of us. I thank God he put her with us that night..she was soooo awesome! Samantha Bell went above and beyond! She stayed with us the entire time making sure we were okay and experienced everything that we could possibly do in our situation. At the end of all of this they refunded our 2 VIP Tour tickets. I have to say if we didn't meet Samantha that day this probably would have been a 3...

Awful experience due to lack of transparency with the company. Please read so you’re better prepared than we were and don’t waste hundreds of dollars if you’re looking for a sunset experience. What the ticket doesn’t tell you is that your “entry time” is just a line up time & it’s not regulated how long you can stay up there. Our bad experience started with last minute realizing our tickets for the beam experience was scheduled for 5:15pm even though our tickets to enter the observation decks was at 5:40pm. Which made no sense considering I added them to our tickets when purchasing online and wasn’t given a choice at time. So we change our entire schedule to make it there in time only to be told that the timing for the beam tickets is a “known glitch” and to line up 10 minutes before our actual ticket time I chose…. Ok, irritating but no big deal. We get let inside around 5:45pm with a large line of at least 50+ people. Long story short, many lines later and a mandatory 5 minute “film”… we make it up to the top at 6:20pm. We enter to a hoard of people, mostly who were all lined up to exit. People who had been up there since 3:00pm! Since the decks were so full up from the people who bought later afternoon tickets and waited for sunset, they couldn’t let more people in at a reasonable rate. Had I known that it can take an hour to get to the observation decks & there’s no time limit on how long you can be up there, I would of planned differently. Then after all that disappointment, when we wanted to leave at 7pm, we proceeded to have to wait in a 30 minute line OUTSIDE in the COLD to ride the escalator from the 2nd level to the 1st level (where the only bar is so you cannot even drink while you wait to exit). Then another 20 minute line to ride the elevator from the 1st level to the bottom. And we rode the elevator with 2 girls who had pictures from way BEFORE sunset on their phones. I couldn’t make my entry time or anywhere near my entry time, because people were up there who had ticket times of 2 or 3pm taking up space. Which again, would be fine if this was transparent on the ticket. I paid a premium to enter at 5:40pm and expected to be up there close to that time because I wasn’t told to expect different. Not an hour later. Overall paid $200 for 2 people for this to only be up there for 30 minutes (then another 40 minutes to wait in lines to get back to the bottom). Don’t make our mistakes and if you really want to be up there for sunset arrive at least by 3:30pm to be safe. This is false advertising...