Visiting New York City: Empire State Building

Goodness gracious, did May fly by for anyone else? I sure kept myself busy last month! Not only did I have the wonderful opportunity to attend the first year of the Everything Food Conference in Salt Lake City (if you are a food blogger, I highly recommend attending this conference next year), but I also, recently returned from my trip to New York City. As promised, I will update you throughout the next few months with all of the great things to see and do in New York City, beginning with a post about the Empire State Building, one of the most iconic buildings in the Big Apple.

To start off, I'd like to share a brief history about the Empire State Building (forgive me, I am a huge history nerd). I am so impressed by the fact that despite not having all of the modern equipment of today's world, the construction on the Empire State started in 1930 and ended a year later in 1931. At the time, the building was the world's tallest office building (and was for 40 years), standing at 1,250 feet or 102 stories tall. The Empire State Building still remains one of the most well-known buildings in the world. One of the unique parts about the building is that it is lit with different colored lights for certain occasions (I was in New York for Labor Day weekend, so the Empire State Building was lit red, white and blue).

Now, aren't you interested in visiting this amazing art deco styled skyscraper? I thought so! The Empire State Building has two floors that visitors are allowed access to: the 86th floor and the 102nd floor. I had the chance to explore the 86th floor, which was really quite amazing (it was my first time at the top a skyscraper)! From this observation deck, you have a complete 360 view of the city. The best part about the 86th floor is that it is an open-air observation deck, so you don't have to worry about taking photos through windows, which can be a challenge! From the top of the Empire State you'll be able to see Central Park, The Hudson and East Rivers, The Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, The Statue of Liberty and many more famous landmarks. The view is quite incredible and is a great way to experience New York City from a higher perspective!

I'm sure you are wondering how to purchase a ticket to experience this view for yourself. There are several ways that you can buy tickets, including directly from the Empire State Building website or in person if you prefer. Ticket prices for the 86th floor are as follows: Adult $32, Child $26 (kids under 6 years old are free), and Senior $29. Ticket prices for the 102nd are Adult $52, Child $46 and Senior $49. Although, I would actually recommend purchasing the New York City Pass, which includes discount tickets to several main attractions in New York City (this pass is definitely worth it if you have time to visit the attractions included with the pass, which you can learn more about here).

The Empire State Building is open 365 days a year, rain or shine, even on holidays, from 8 am to 2 am, which makes the building accessible when ever you visit! I recommend visiting the Empire State Building one of the first things you do when you visit New York City, as it allows you to experience the city from new heights and it gives you a greater perspective of how incredible the city really is!