Rockefeller Center - Top of the Rock
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Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center gives Midtown Manhattan one of its clearest skyline payoffs: three indoor and outdoor deck levels at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, with Central Park, the Empire State Building, and the rivers laid out around you. The glass-free 70th-floor roof deck is the moment most visitors remember.
Start with a timed observation deck ticket if you want the classic view, because it secures entry, keeps the 50th Street arrival simple, and leaves upgrade choices open.
Start with a timed observation deck ticket if you want the classic view, because it secures entry, keeps the 50th Street arrival simple, and leaves upgrade choices open.
Select a date to find available tickets, tours & activities:
Observation deck tickets
Choose this for the classic Top of the Rock visit: timed entry to the indoor and outdoor decks, the Welcome Gallery, and the open-air 70th-floor roof deck above Rockefeller Center.New York City: Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket
4.5(26866)
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Rockefeller Center guided tours
Best if you want more than the skyline: guided campus tours add the Art Deco stories, public art, architecture, and hidden details around Rockefeller Center.NYC: The Official Rock Center Tour
4.1(45)
getyourguide.com
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New York City The Official Rockefeller Center Tour
4.3(125)
viator.com
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Radio City Music Hall tours
Pair the deck with a neighboring legend: Radio City Music Hall tours take you behind the Art Deco theater, the Great Stage, and the show-business side of Midtown.NYC: Radio City Music Hall Tour Experience
4.6(427)
getyourguide.com
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7 tips for visiting the Rockefeller Center - Top of the Rock
1
Pick your view window
If you want calmer railings, choose opening time or a late slot after 8 pm. Sunset is the magic-hour favorite at Top of the Rock, but it is also the busiest moment. Decide whether you want glow or breathing room, and the visit feels less crowded from the start.
2
Book the timed entry first
If Rockefeller Center anchors your Midtown day, fix your deck time before lunch, shopping, or a show. Timed entry keeps the 50th Street check-in predictable, especially during holidays. That way the rest of the route bends around a slot you actually wanted.
3
Go all the way up
Do not stop after the first indoor view on the 67th floor. The open 70th-floor roof deck gives you the cleanest 360-degree look, with no glass between your camera and Central Park. Bring a little patience, and maybe a few quarters for the viewfinders, so you do not miss the best angle.
4
Choose add-ons deliberately
If you want the playful photo moment, add The Beam; if you want a higher open-air thrill, add Skylift. Both change the pace of the visit, and both have stricter loose-item rules than the normal decks. Choose before you arrive, so the upgrade feels exciting instead of rushed.
5
Use the 50th Street entrance
Aim for the main entrance on 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, not a vague pin inside Rockefeller Center. The 47th-50th Street Rockefeller Center subway stop is the cleanest anchor. You avoid circling the block while your ticket time quietly gets closer.
6
Pair one Midtown stop
If you want a tidy half-day, add one nearby stop instead of crisscrossing Manhattan. Choose Museum of Modern Art for art, Radio City Music Hall for show-business history, Times Square for neon after dark, or SUMMIT One Vanderbilt if observation decks are your theme. One clear pairing keeps the day enjoyable.
7
Travel light through security
If you are coming from shopping on Fifth Avenue, edit your bags before check-in. Food, drinks, weapons, and bulky loose items slow the security flow, and ride add-ons may send smaller items to cubbies. A lighter setup gets you upstairs faster and keeps the view as the focus.
Ticket types at Top of the Rock
The cleanest booking decision is not "which view?" but "how much handling do you want around the view?" Start with the deck ticket, then upgrade only when speed, privacy, or extra skyline moments matter.
General Admission for the classic deck visit
Best for most first-time visitors: choose timed General Admission if your priority is the signature Top of the Rock view without paying for extra speed. You still get the Welcome Gallery, three deck levels, indoor and outdoor terraces, and the open-air 70th-floor roof deck. Book now.
Express Pass when timing is tight
Choose Express Pass if your Midtown day has a dinner reservation, theater curtain, or short layover between sights. Priority access and flexible arrival on your chosen date matter most when waiting would knock the rest of the route off balance. Book now.
VIP formats for add-ons and privacy
Great when the visit is a celebration: VIP formats can add lounge arrival, guided handling, Skylift, a private The Beam experience, a Champagne toast, and photo extras. Choose this if the skyline moment is the event, not just one stop in the day. Book now.
Guided campus tours for Rockefeller Center context
Choose a guided Rockefeller Center tour if you want the Art Deco campus to make sense before or after the view. It turns the plaza, public art, architecture, and nearby Radio City Music Hall into a tighter story instead of separate photo stops. Book now.
How to time and route your Rockefeller Center visit
The visit works best when the timed ticket, entrance, and next stop are all decided before you reach 50th Street. That small bit of planning keeps the most crowded part of Midtown from eating into your view time.
Match the time slot to your mood
Early morning is best if you want calm railings, children with energy, and clean daylight over Central Park. Sunset is best for couples and photographers who are ready to share the deck. Late evening works when you want city lights after dinner and a softer crowd around 30 Rock.
Approach from 50th Street
The practical target is the 50th Street entrance between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. If you arrive by subway, 47th-50th Street Rockefeller Center is usually the simplest station; from there, follow the surface signs and red-carpet entry rather than wandering through the wider concourse.
Treat the decks as three different moods
The 67th floor gives you indoor breathing room and outdoor terraces, the next outdoor level keeps you moving through the skyline, and the 70th-floor roof deck delivers the glass-free panorama. Move upward before you settle in; the best view is often one level above where the first crowd pauses.
Build one clean Midtown pairing
For a culture-heavy route, pair the deck with Museum of Modern Art; for performance history, stay close with Radio City Music Hall. If you want pure spectacle, continue to Times Square after dark. If you are comparing observation decks, save enough energy for SUMMIT One Vanderbilt or Empire State Building instead of squeezing both into a tired sprint.
Views, decks, and 30 Rock history
Top of the Rock works because the view is only half the story. The other half is the Art Deco setting: a Depression-era skyscraper, a revived observation deck, and new rooftop rides layered onto one of New York's most famous addresses.
Start in the Welcome Gallery
The ascent starts before the elevator. In the Welcome Gallery, photo points, a 3 m (10 ft) campus model, and a short multisensory film turn Rockefeller Center from a street address into a story. Then the elevator takes about 43 seconds to reach the 67th floor, which is exactly the kind of New York efficiency visitors secretly hope for.
Read the skyline from the roof
From the upper roof deck, Manhattan becomes easier to read: Central Park stretches north, the Empire State Building rises south, and the bridges and rivers help you place the city around them. This is why many photographers prefer Top of the Rock; you get the most famous tower in the picture instead of standing on it.
The Beam and the 1932 photograph
The Beam turns the famous Lunch Atop a Skyscraper image into a controlled visitor thrill. The ride rises about 3.7 m (12 ft) above the deck and rotates 180 degrees, so you get a playful echo of the ironworkers' pose without the actual danger. It is theatrical, slightly cheeky, and very Rockefeller Center.
Skylift above the 70th floor
Skylift is the newer high-drama option: a revolving open-air glass platform that rises 9 m (30 ft) above the 70th floor for a short, five-minute skyline moment. Choose it if you want the thrill of standing slightly above the already-high roof deck, with a built-in photo payoff at the peak.
From RCA Building to modern icon
The story starts with John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s 1928 land lease, gathers speed when construction begins at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in 1932, and opens to the public with the RCA Building observation deck in 1933. After closing in 1986, the deck reopened as Top of the Rock in 2005. That long pause gives today's visit extra weight: the view feels restored, not just installed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included with a Top of the Rock ticket?
General Admission covers the main observation deck experience: the Welcome Gallery, indoor and outdoor viewing terraces, and access to the three deck levels. The Beam and Skylift are separate add-ons unless your chosen ticket tier includes them.
Read more.How long should I plan for Top of the Rock?
Most visitors spend about 45 to 60 minutes on the observation decks, and there is no time limit during operating hours. Plan closer to 90 minutes if you add check-in, photos, The Beam, Skylift, or a drink at The Weather Room.
Read more.Is sunset the best time to visit?
Sunset is the most atmospheric but also the busiest window. If you care more about space and easy photos, choose right after 8 am or after 8 pm; if golden light is the point, book the sunset slot early.
Read more.Is Top of the Rock wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The main entrance has power-assist doors, elevators serve all floors up to the open-air 70th-floor deck, and public restrooms include wheelchair-accessible stalls. Note that The Beam has stricter ride rules, while Skylift allows assisted mobility devices.
Read more.What happens if the weather is bad?
Top of the Rock is open year-round, but outdoor portions can close temporarily for safety during severe weather. Tickets are generally reissued for a future date or time when weather or visibility affects the visit.
Read more.Can I bring bags, food, or a camera?
Food and beverages are not allowed through the visitor security checkpoint. Normal deck photography is part of the visit, but The Beam and Skylift have tighter rules for bags, loose items, tripods, selfie sticks, and recording equipment.
Read more.Can I see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree from the deck?
No. The tree and The Rink are not visible from the observation decks. They are easy to reach after your visit, though, because you exit back into the Rockefeller Center campus.
Read more.Should I choose Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building?
Choose Top of the Rock if you want the Empire State Building in your skyline photos and a strong Central Park angle. Choose Empire State Building if the historic skyscraper itself is your main goal.
Read more.New York's highest observation decks
Photo
Building
Total height
Height of observation deck
Open since
New York
Rockefeller Center - Top of the RockNew York | USA
259m#4 in New York#8 in USA#63 worldwide
256m#4 in New York#8 in USA#47 worldwide
1933
One World Trade CenterNew York | USA
546m#1 in New York#1 in USA#8 worldwide
387m#2 in USA#13 worldwide
2014
Empire State BuildingNew York | USA
443m#2 in New York#3 in USA#17 worldwide
373m#3 in USA#14 worldwide
1931
worldwide
Eiffel TowerParis | France
324m#1 in France#42 worldwide
276m#1 in France#36 worldwide
1889
Rockefeller Center - Top of the Rock is number 4 in New York and number 47 on the worldwide list of the tallest buildings with an observation deck.
General information
opening hours
Current published hours checked 2026-04-21: daily from 8 am to 12 midnight, with last entry at 11:10 pm.
Outdoor deck areas and aerial add-ons may close temporarily during severe weather, so keep a little flexibility if you book for a stormy day.
Outdoor deck areas and aerial add-ons may close temporarily during severe weather, so keep a little flexibility if you book for a stormy day.
tickets
Published prices checked 2026-04-21 list General Admission at Adult US$40, Child ages 6-12 US$34, and Senior 62+ US$38; date-based live booking pages may show higher ranges.
Express Pass is listed at US$115, while VIP Pass formats are listed from about US$200-US$215. General Admission includes the deck visit; The Beam and Skylift can be included in higher-tier products or added separately when available.
Express Pass is listed at US$115, while VIP Pass formats are listed from about US$200-US$215. General Admission includes the deck visit; The Beam and Skylift can be included in higher-tier products or added separately when available.
address
Top of the Rock
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
United States
Entrance: 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
United States
Entrance: 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
website
Official site: https://www.rockefellercenter.com
how to get there
Subway: take B, D, F, or M to 47th-50th Street Rockefeller Center; 1 to 50th Street; 6 to 51st Street; or N, Q, or R to 49th Street.
Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 to 50th Street, M7 from Broadway, or M50 along 49th/50th streets.
Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 to 50th Street, M7 from Broadway, or M50 along 49th/50th streets.
accessibility
Top of the Rock is wheelchair accessible, with power-assist doors at the 50th Street entrance, elevator access from street level to the open-air 70th-floor deck, and wheelchair-accessible restroom stalls.
Printed or digital transcripts are available for short films, service dogs are welcome in public areas, and strollers are permitted when collapsible.
Printed or digital transcripts are available for short films, service dogs are welcome in public areas, and strollers are permitted when collapsible.
security
Every visitor passes through a security checkpoint. Weapons, food, and beverages are not allowed.
For The Beam and Skylift, loose items, large bags, liquids, and recording gear can be restricted or stored in cubbies, so arrive with only what you need for the deck.
For The Beam and Skylift, loose items, large bags, liquids, and recording gear can be restricted or stored in cubbies, so arrive with only what you need for the deck.
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