Am leaving in 2 days for a trip to Connecticut and New York City. Which has the favourable view...Empire State or top of World Trade Center? Also how much time should I allocate to a visit to the Rockefeller Center(Ihave 2 teens)? Is the UN worth a visit and is it walkable from the Rockefeller Center? Thanks a ton, Annemarie

I think the view from the World Trade Tower is far superior to that of the Empire State Building, whose top is a bit of a pain to get to (several elevator changes). I'm still surprised people want to visit the third tallest building in New York.

Definitely the World Trade Center. On a clear day, you can see 25 miles away. You'll have to take a subway there from any midtown location.
As for Rockefeller Center, you can easily walk around that area in a couple hours, including a stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral (which is across the street from the Center on Fifth Avenue). If your teens are male, they might enjoy the Nike and NBA stores in that area of Fifth Avenue as well. And, Central Park is about a half-mile north on Fifth Avenue. (In NYC, 20 north/south blocks equal one mile.)
It's about a 1/2 to 3/4-mile walk to the UN from there. Haven't ben there is many years, so I can't speak about the interest factor.

Thanks a lot for your help...have written it down!! Especially those 2 stores. Annemarie

Unless you plan to do both areas, you should either do lower Manahttan (World Trace Center, Stock Exchange, Battery Park - Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Chinatoown) or Mid-town (Empire State, Rockefeller Center, UN, St. Patricks etc.). It makes sense to try to group your sites to avoid spending undue time on the subway. For me, the Empire State Building and WTC present different views, nerither being better than the other. From the Empire State Building, the City stretches in all directions around you while, at the WTC, the City unffolds to the North but you have interesting views over the harbor, NJ and elsewhere. I would go to the building which is closest to the other sites you want to see. Either view is memorable. Try to find out if the UN will be in session. Listening to debates with the simultaneous translations on earphones is fun. they also have a nice giftshop.

The Empire State Building is the most recognizable symbol of New York City along with the Statue of Liberty. The building is a landmark and an Art Deco classic in a class by itself. It sits on the crossroads of 5th Avenue and 34th Street and is within easy reach of Times Square, the theater district, Rock Center, Macy's, Madison Square Garden, and all of the other attractions of mid-town. It's also within easy proximity of Greenwich Village and Gramacy Park to the South. On the other hand, the World Trade Center is a lifeless 1970's slab situated on a barren windblown plaza, particularly uninviting from November to March. This might be the reason people continue to visit the Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, the Woolworth Building, etc. even though they are not the tallest in the city.
Check out the great website the Empire State Building has at www.esbny.com.

Frank, the only thing you missed in your otherwise perfect description of the World Trade Center was the "unrelenting verticality" of the twin towers. Bravo!

While Frank and Neal are correct in what they say, the view is still magnificent from the World Trade Center, and that was the original question! (Never would I disagree with Neal!)