Empire State Building at Night
One of the great attractions of New York is to see the city illuminated at night and the Empire State is an ideal place for it. Here are some tips for your visit
The Empire State Building illuminated | ©George Bakos
New York at night is a marvel. Even more so if you can enjoy it from the heights in a privileged place like the Empire State Building.
Booking a ticket to the Empire State is one of the most exciting experiences you can live during your trip. I'll tell you how to climb the Empire State at night!
Get tickets to climb the Empire State Building at night
Nighttime access to the Empire State Building is allowed if you book the Empire State Building ticket. However, when choosing the start time, keep in mind what time it gets dark depending on the time of year you travel to New York. Specifically, with this ticket you can go up until 8:45 pm. So it will be enough to book a night time to enjoy the beautiful illuminated landscape of New York.
In Hellotickets you can get one with the possibility of cancellation from 46€ approximately with which you will have access to the museum and the 86th floor.
You also have the option to book a ticket to the Empire State with access to the 102nd floor in which you can also enjoy the immersive exhibitions on the second floor and access to the observation deck of the 86th floor.
What is the Night Illumination like?
Since 1976 the Empire State Building has been illuminated with colored lights to enhance its silhouette and make it even more noticeable among the rest of the skyscrapers in the city. It is something you can not miss after enjoying your entrance to the Empire State.
From where you can best see the lights of the Empire State is from the outside. In the streets of the city near the skyscraper you can take a lot of pictures of the building shining with thousands of lights that change their appearance until 2 am when they turn off.
If you like to take videos or pictures of illuminated monuments, I recommend that at nightfall you go to the surroundings of the Empire State because since 2018, every hour on the hour a brief show of lights, color and flashes that will leave you speechless.
When to enjoy the Empire State's most special lighting
The most special themed lighting takes place to commemorate special occasions throughout the year. The calendar and motifs may vary, but there are annual recurring dates, such as:
- May 9: blue and yellow for Europe Day.
- June 27: rainbow colors for Pride Day in New York.
- July 4: red, white and blue for Independence Day.
- September 4: red, white and blue for Labor Day.
- October 1: Pink for Breast Cancer Day.
- October 31: Black, orange and green for Halloween.
Why is it worth climbing the Empire State Building at night?
In case you've enjoyed the New York skyline from this or any other observation deck during the day, booking the Empire State Building ticket at night will allow you to take the pulse of the city at a very different time of the day and see the cityscape from the heights fully illuminated. It's a blast! But if you're still not convinced, take note of the following reasons:
- After dark and especially after midnight there are usually far fewer visitors at the lookout compared to the afternoon, when everyone crowds at dusk at the observatory and there is a lot of hustle and bustle. At night it is quiet and, at times, even silent.
- You will enjoy a more exclusive, almost private experience, especially if you go up to the Empire State Building from 1 AM until closing time. It will be a very romantic occasion to visit the skyscraper as a couple.
- It is also worth going to the Empire State at night because you can take advantage of the whole morning to do other activities and then, before going up, have dinner near the skyscraper.
- And finally, because visiting the Empire State Building at night will allow you to take some beautiful pictures as a souvenir with all New York illuminated under your feet.
How late is the Empire State Building open at night?
The Empire State Observation Deck is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.. I recommend that you go late in the day to enjoy the night views and plan other activities during the day and leave this one for the end of the day after dinner.
If you are wondering what is the best time to go up the Empire State Building, my recommendation is to consider going late in the day.
When does the Empire State Building open at night?
Nighttime starts at sunset, which varies depending on the season. For example, during the summer it gets dark around 8:30 p.m. while in the winter it gets dark around 4:30 p.m. Knowing these facts will help you to book your Empire State Building ticket and enjoy your nighttime visit to the Empire State Building.
What are the night views like?
There is no doubt that a bird's eye view of New York City from this Art Deco gem is a sensational experience. And contemplating the cityscape at night from such an emblematic place is magical. The perfect end to a perfect day in New York.
When you go up to the Main Deck, the observation deck on the 86th floor, you will have wonderful panoramic views of the New York skyline. You'll find it really hard to take your eyes off the myriad of little colored lights that light up every corner of the Big Apple and look like little stars that have fallen from the sky.
Perhaps at night it is a little more difficult to identify certain tourist attractions in the distance, but if you look closely, with the entrance to the Empire State Building at night, you can delight in the illuminated views of the skyline:
- Statue of Liberty.
- Brooklyn Bridge.
- Flatiron Building.
- One World Trade Center.
- Chrysler Building.
- Times Square.
- Bryant Park.
- Fifth Avenue.
- Rockefeller Center.
Tips for climbing the Empire State Building at night
- Keep in mind the schedule: to plan your visit at night, remember that the Empire State is open every day.
- You can skip the queues at the ticket booths: if you buy online a skip-the-line ticket to the Empire State Building, you will still have to go through the security checkpoint at the skyscraper.
- Take advantage of the night schedules of public transport in the city: transportation is not an impediment to visit the Empire State at night because the good thing about New York is that the subway runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. However, at night not all station entrances are open. In the post How to get to the Empire State I tell you how you can get to and from the skyscraper.
- Satisfy your appetite with a good dinner near the Empire State there are many restaurants where you can dine at night like a king before or after the visit. I tell you about it in the post Where to eat around the Empire State.
- Take the best pictures: if you decide to climb the Empire State Building at night to take pictures, I recommend you to use some tricks to make the images look as beautiful as possible, such as activating the night mode, setting the ISO to 400 or using the shutter to avoid blurred images.
Climb the Empire State Building at night with a tourist pass
While a general admission ticket gives you access only once to the Empire State the day and time you book, the New York City Pass (from 131 €) will allow you to enter twice to this skyscraper, which is perfect if you want to see from above the different facets of the city both in the morning and at sunset, when the sky gradually darkens and gives way to a landscape illuminated with small twinkling colored lights.
In most of the tourist cards that exist to explore the city is included in the entrance to the Empire State, being one of the most popular tourist attractions. However, except for the New York City Pass that allows double access to the observation deck of the skyscraper, the rest of the tourist passes only authorize entry once.
Can you go up the Empire State Building at night with children?
Absolutely! From the street the kids will love to see this tall skyscraper illuminated with thousands of colored lights. Once on the observation deck of the Empire State they will be amazed when you tell them how high they are and they will have their eyes wide open watching the immense cityscape of New York adorned with so many little lights everywhere. They will love it!
Of course, if the children are not yet very old I recommend you to make the night visit before midnight so they do not get too tired, because the next day they will have to get up early to continue making plans for the Big Apple.