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German You simply have to see the sunset from Top of the Rock in New York! Helpful tips for the perfect New York experience!
It just had to be a New York sunset. And especially from the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. As I’ve gotten more into photography, my travel habits while on location have changed more and more. When I’m searching for the perfect light, no time of day is too odd for me. Like that time, for example, when I left the hotel at 4:30 a.m.—still in the dark—to catch the perfect sunrise over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Sunrises—and sunsets, for that matter—are always amazing anyway!
Top of the Rock: The Best View of New York
Especially with a view that’s so fascinating and surreal at the same time, you finally get to see it in person from the Top of the Rock observation deck. I’ve seen this skyline thousands of times—in American TV shows, on posters, in movies, and on Instagram. Every kid knows the Manhattan skyline, and without even thinking, you know right away: That’s New York.
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Top of the Rock: The Most Beautiful Sunset in New York
And even if, in the end, it’s just a cluster of towering skyscrapers in an even more massive city, teeming with people and traffic: watching the sunset in New York from the Top of the Rock is one of the most magical moments of my entire travel career.
At Top of the Rock in the evening: Goosebumps at the sight of the Empire State Building.
By the way: You’ll find lots more tips on my New York blog.
Hey, I’m Tatiana & the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. I write honestly, passionately and authentically about my travels. All tips have been researched by myself!
Information & Tickets for Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock is the observation deck at Rockefeller Center. Located on Fifth Avenue, it’s impossible to miss, thanks to the statue of Atlas struggling to hold up his globe.
However, the entrance to Top of the Rock is tucked away on a side street (50th Street) between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The tickets are time-stamped, which means you can only go up at a predetermined time.
It wasn’t very busy in January, and since I was just passing by by chance, I bought a ticket right away and didn’t have to wait long. During busier months (which, in New York, means pretty much every month except January and February), it’s a good idea to buy tickets in advance.
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Top of the Rock: Tips for Saving Money!
Please note: Tickets for the sunset viewing are $10 more expensive when purchased on-site or on the Rockefeller Center website! Get Your Guide offers flexible tickets for this event, which you can then exchange for a timed ticket on-site.
At GetYourGuide, there’s actually only one price, but at Top of the Rock itself, there’s an additional sunset surcharge of a full 10 US dollars for late-afternoon time slots (they know why people like to come in the late afternoon).
How much time should you set aside for the Top of the Rock?
Although you’re assigned a time slot, it can still take a while to finally make it to the top. I was down at the ticket counter about an hour before sunset, and it worked out perfectly. So it’s best to plan enough time if you absolutely want to catch the sunset from the very beginning (it’s worth it!). Once you’re up there, though, you can stay as long as you like.
That worked out well for me, because I’d actually only intended to take a quick photo—and in the end, it took me nearly four hours before I could tear myself away from the spectacular view. Seeing the lights of Manhattan twinkling in the darkness after that perfect sunset was just too beautiful. New York at night: indescribable.
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