Ha! Empire State building... Last time I was there, it was me and about 10 other people. I took my friend from Europe, and it was late evening and in the dead of winter. Cold & miserable at the top, but - no lines!! :-"

You mean "lines." Let's see--I stood in line to ride the elevator to the basement to buy a ticket, a line to ride the elevator back up to the lobby, two more lines to the top, oh, and then there were those lines back down.

Recommend considering the Circle Line "Harbor Lights" cruise. Goes RIGHT past the SOL out and back. WAY better views than the "free" SI ferry (along with the rest of Manhattan and the gorgeous bridges all along). Better views that taking the ferry to Liberty Island and standing there looking at it.