The Edge in New York Tickets and Tours

At 345 metres, The Edge is the tallest open observatory in the Western Hemisphere. Since its recent opening in March 2020, this glass-floored engineering feat offers stunning, never-before-seen panoramas of the city.

If you prefer to buy your tickets at the ticket office in the building, you can do so from their opening hours in the early hours of the morning, but you will have to pay a supplement. Also, there are usually long queues, so I don't recommend it. However, if buying at the ticket office is your best option, these are the prices you will find there:

If you prefer to buy your tickets online, which I highly recommend, you will be able to compare prices and decide which ticket best suits your needs. If you are worried about your budget when visiting The Edge, you can check in this article the prices of tickets to The Edge.

The Edge Observatory is located in Hudson Yards, one of New York's must-seeneighbourhoods , andthe easiest way to get there is by underground on the 7 train (34 St. - Hudson Yards stop). Wherever you are in Manhattan, getting here is a breeze: you can walk, take the underground or the bus.

I'll tell you more in the article on how to get to the Edge so you can choose the method of transport that best suits you depending on where you're staying or where you're walking that day.

How to get there

The Edge is probably the most amazing viewpoint in New York City. Located on the west side of Manhattan, it has a very original perspective of the city and is quite different from other viewpoints, closer to the river and less centred on the epicentre of the island. To go up to The Edge with your ticket, you need to enter The Shops at Hudson Yards shopping centre and go to the fourth floor.

Accessibility for special needs

In general, The Edge Observatory is open every day of the year between 8am and midnight, but opening times are subject to change throughout the year. I recommend you check this article for opening times and length of visit to The Edge if you want to organise your experience smoothly.

Please also note that on days of extreme weather conditions (high winds or snowfall) the outdoor observatory may close for safety reasons.

If you're looking for the key moment of the day, year or trip to visit The Edge, always bear in mind that the sunset from the top is a spectacle. On the way up you'll enjoy the city by day and night, as well as the myriad colours of the sky (and its reflection in the Hudson) at sunset.

But if you prefer to go up at another time (when it's less crowded, for example), you can check out my article on the best time to go up to the Edge to analyse the pros and cons before deciding when to buy your tickets.

Isabel's Traveller Tip

Spend an afternoon leisurely strolling along the High Line and finish the walk by testing your vertigo on The Edge at sunset for the best views of the city.

The great attraction of The Edge, apart from its spectacular architecture, is its bird's eye view of the city. With its prime location you'll be able to see the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Financial District and Hudson Yards, among others.

Is that not enough? I've detailed all the views from The Edge in this article so you can get an idea of what to expect. Plus, you should know that thanks to its huge outdoor observation deck and indoor observation deck, you'll have 360º views of all of Manhattan.

A clear morning can give you views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island!

Now, when you really understand why it's called the Edge, you step onto the outdoor terrace and approach the angled glass windows. You'll see East and South New York as if you were suspended in mid-air.

The outdoor sky deck is a 700 square metre glass terrace. Here you will feel the impact of the air on your face and have unparalleled 360-degree panoramic views of New York. In addition to the island of Manhattan, you can see as far west as New Jersey and even 129 kilometres deep into New York State on days with good visibility.

You'll feel like you're on the edge of a cliff, and if you have any respect for heights, your skin will stand on end. Adrenaline rushes if you dare to walk on its glass floor and look down at the New York traffic below you hundreds of feet in the air. It's a truly thrilling sensation.

Take the opportunity to visit the drinks and cocktails area

To complete the experience, on the 100th floor there is a bar offering signature cocktails, champagne and light snacks to enjoy inside or outside on the terrace overlooking the New York skyline.

When you enter the observatory, the first thing you'll find is an interactive exhibit that looks at the construction of the Hudson Yards neighbourhood as a testing ground for different ideas to help the city improve its sustainability and care for the environment.

Afterwards, the corridors of this exhibition will lead you to the lift that will take you to the top where the thrills await. Since only groups of ten people at a time can take the lift, the wait in line is enlivened with videos of the 30 Hudson Yards skyscraper and a taste of what awaits you from the Outdoor Sky Deck on the 100th floor.

After 52 seconds on board the lift, which is also interactive, the doors open to give you access to a fully glassed-in interior observatory that shows an absolutely spectacular panoramic view of the city from the Statue of Liberty to Central Park. Seeing the Hudson River from above in all its splendour is truly breathtaking.

New York is a living, changing city, and not so long ago the huge, luxurious and modern residential neighbourhood that is Hudson Yards was born. This area is built on the site of a former train depot.

Such a large, centrally located area has been the object of desire for developers and entrepreneurs who saw a gold mine in the Midtown area of New York. For the moment, climbing The Edge is the best excuse to discover Hudson Yards, but it's not the only one, and I'll tell you about it in the practical guide I've written about Hudson Yards. 6 Things to do at Hudson Yards in NYC.

The High Line dates back to the 1930s, when trains used to run along its tracks to supply New York with goods. Over time it fell into disuse and an association saved it from being dismantled as a piece of the history of this great city, to reconvert it into a space full of vegetation, mural art and sculptures.

Designed by garden designer Piet Oudolf, landscape designer James Corner and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the park created on the old elevated train tracks between Gansevoort Street and 34th Street offers a different perspective of the city through the mix of weeds and other plants, art installations, wooden furniture and the preservation of the iconic High Line train tracks.

The Hudson Yards elevated park is 2 kilometres in a straight line and takes about an hour to complete. It's worth a visit any time of the year but I recommend visiting especially in spring or summer. You can read more in my article on High Line New York Tours.

Did you know that this avant-garde structure was designed by the English architect Thomas Heatherwick, author of the London 2012 Olympic Games cauldron? This futuristic steel building that many liken to a beehive, a vase or even a shawarma has become the icon of Hudson Yards and since its opening in 2019 has been an instant hit.

Halfway between a work of art and a tourist attraction, The Vessel rises more than 45 metres off the ground having 16 levels from base to top floor. It is made up of 154 flights of stairs connecting 80 landings where you can stop to take in views of the Hudson River, The Shed cultural centre, the High Line park or the surrounding skyscrapers.

But it is as spectacular on the outside as it is on the inside. The internal structure of the building is also hypnotic when you look down at the views.

In its short life it has become one of New York's most popular attractions and long queues form at the ticket office to gain access. However, buying advance tickets for The Vessel will guarantee you entry and save you that waiting time.

It's clear that New York is as enjoyable on foot as it is from the heights, and you know that there are several buildings (some more or less mythical, others more or less modern) that offer viewpoints and observatories for the delight of their visitors. I have made a comparative table so that at a glance you can see the major differences between them:

There is no doubt that the architectural disruption of the Edge is well worth a visit, but if you are one of those who prefer to opt for the classics, you are probably considering going up to the Empire State Building or the Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center. I can't be objective and I can't encourage you to choose between the three, but I can help you learn more about both so you can choose the one that best suits your trip. Here are the articles I have written about Empire State Building Tickets and Tours y Top of the Rock in New York Tickets and Tours.

If you feel like stepping out of Midtown and into the maze of skyscrapers and hypnotic lights of the financial district, then your best bet is the One World Observatory, the tower that was built in homage to the Twin Towers. Here are all the details you need to visit it: One World Observatory in New York Tickets and Tours.

And if you're looking for something even more innovative and that competes directly with The Edge, you have the option of going up to New York's new observation deck The SUMMIT, an incredible skyscraper that opened in 2021 and is located in the heart of Midtown that will leave you open-mouthed, both for its architecture and its views of the city. As you can see, New York never ceases to amaze!