We have only 3 days in New York and need to make the best use of our time and see as much as possible, but should we do the Empire State Building or the Rockefller Centre, and by day or by night?

I went to New York a few years ago on New years eve and was able to see quite a bit. We went to central park, Statue of Liberty, Ellis island, Rockefeller center, we walked all over the place,etc. We went to the Empire state building and was told it was a 3 hour wait, so we decided against it. We were only there for 3 days as well. We did go at a very busy time of year though. I would get up either real early for the Empire state building or go real late, just my suggestion. Have a good time, we had an absolute blast there, and I can't wait to go back!!!

My feeling is that if you've never been to New York, the Empire State Building is a must. It's just one of the 'must do's' in New York.
My niece just had to go there on her 30th birthday, even though it was foggy out. ANd she was thrilled, even without a view.

Both the Empire State Building and the newly reopened Top of the Rock (or whatever it's called) both offer excellent views of the city, especially at night.
The Empire State Building is taller and has the "must-see" reputation. However, there's a much shorter wait at the Rockefeller Center site.

The great thing about Top of the Rock is that you get a great view of the
Empire State Building! You also get an excellent view of Central Park.

dsquared is right. I forgot about that. And, it is a great sight, too, especially at night.
But, be forewarned: It can get very cold there at night in the winter!

Another great place to head for views of NY (especially Lower Manhattan) is the Brooklyn Bridge. Certainly no lines, there. Start on the Brooklyn side and walk towards Manhattan. You'll get great up closer views of the bridge and the skyline.

I did the Empire State Bldg this past summer. I don't recall a long wait at all, but I really don't remember the time of day either. It was a hot hazy day so the view wasn't perfect, but still pretty impressive for an 'ol hick from Ohio.

Next time I'll go for a night view from one or the other.

you cant see alot in 3days
the empire state building should be a must....considering it was built in the early 30s...and is always in alot of movies which you can then relate to as being there....
rockefeller center...not much to see there,a tree at xmas time,skating rink
again be there to say i was there
you should see Macys@ 34th str
stature of liberty but that will take
time...about 5 hours
definetly see a broadway play
having internet access....search nyc yourself
enjoy the trip

hello kittycat, you can prebuy tickets to the empire state at www.esbnyc.com or for rockefeller center at www.topoftherocknyc.com this should save you the waiting in line time.
night or day is really a hard question. ebs has a tower cam you can watch as well, maybe it will help you choose.

I've done both and I prefer to sit at the Rainbow Grill at the top of Rockefeller Center and have cocktails.

Not to hijack or anything, but GoT can you have just drinks and dance in the Rainbow Room?

The Rainbow Room has drinks, dancing and dinner for a set price and you can do just drinks and dancing. I think the cover is $50 per person (no dinner) and a two drink minimum. Black tie dress.


We only go in the grill and they usually have someone playing a grand piano. It is so romantic having the sun set behind you and the orange, yellow, and purple reflection off all the buildings as the lights come on!

$50 bucks PLUS a two drink minimum?!? Wow, a little more drinking than I can handle, lol. Thanks though.

Yes, way expensive considering a glass of wine is $20 without tip. One glass, not the bottle.

One of the best times I've ever had in NYC was at the Rainbow Grille with a girlfriend and we ordered a bottle of champagne and had the bartender make us bellinis all afternoon.

Pretty apropos considering the Ciprianis of Harry's Bar fame in Venice who invented the Bellini own the Rainbow Room.

Sorry to hijack your thread kittykat.

The best time to visit the Empire State Building is between 5PM-8Pm while everyone else is jockying for dinner and the theater.

The Top of the Rock tickets are timed.

Both are gorgeous, famous, limestone, deco monuments.

We did Top of the Rock in November and really enjoyed it. The Swarowski chandelier was breathtaking. There was a bit of a wait, even though we had gotten tickets on the internet. There is a movie about the building of Rockefeller Center while you are waiting. The elevator ride up has a special treat in store. We had our appointment at 4:45 so we could be up there for sunset. You can stay as long as you want. Afterward we had dinner at the rinkside restaurant followed by ice skating. It was the quintessential New York experience!

Thanks for all the info - I think we're going to try to the Top of the Rock during the day and maybe ESB in the evening - we just love looking at stunning views!

GoTravel: How's the food at the Rainbow Grill? We are considering going there after a concert at Radio City on Friday night.