Big cities that are packed, crowded, and always bustlin’ are tbh not really my cup of tea.

And then I went to New York 😳

Observing the wonders of New York skyline was one of my favorite things to do in New York. My brother, who just moved to NYC, recommended me to visit The Edge and/or SummitOne Vanderbilt. Both are two incredible skyscrapers offering beautiful views of the city.

Choosing between the two can be tough! But anyways, let’s take a stroll through the clouds and explore what makes each of them special.

The Edge: Thrills Up High

Imagine stepping onto a deck that feels like it’s touching the sky—welcome to The Edge! It’s the highest outdoor sky deck with a glass floor in the Western Hemisphere. You can literally stand over the city, gazing down through a clear floor for a spine-tingling rush. It took me a good several minutes to brave myself to stand on the glass floor.

From the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, you can get a bird’s-eye view of it all. Plus, the open-air vibes with the glass walls make it perfect for snapping photos against the stunning city backdrop.

🎟 Tickets start from $36 USD as seen from their website (as of Dec 2023), but the pricing may vary depending on the date & hour of your visit. You may also find deals via Klook, click here to find out.

Get 5% off on your first booking on mobile app by using this code: BetterOnApp.

Summit One Vanderbilt: Urban Elegance

Compared to The Edge with their bird’s eye view of the city, Summit One Vanderbilt offers a more “zoomed-in” view of New York skyline, as it’s located in closer proximity to other skyscrapers in Midtown Manhattan. It’s also more indoor-y compared to The Edge.

What makes Summit One Vanderbilt so special is their multi-sensory immersive experiences. I personally can’t get enough of all the mirrored spaces, their famous silver balloons, the “levitation” experience where you can pose for a photo on a glass ledge, and their outdoor terrace (in my opinion, not as huge & aesthetic as The Edge’s, but still offers stunning NYC view).

You’d probably also need to plan your time accordingly when visiting Summit One Vanderbilt. For example, Levitation exhibit may require 15-20 minute wait, so if you’d like to catch the sunset for your Levitation photo, you may want to spend less time on previous exhibits.

💡 Some other few tips:

• Shoe covers need to be worn to protect the mirrored floors, so best to avoid heels. I wore my favorite pair of sneakers when I went there.
• As there are mirrored floors, it’d probably be a good idea to not wear skirts or mini dresses.

🎟 Tickets start from $42 USD and another additional $10 if you wish to enter between 2:00 – 4:30pm. This pricing is from their website in late November-December 2023 season. During winter, the sun sets around 4:30pm so you can get that golden hour aesthetic (that’s probably why they charge that $10 additional fee haha).

p.s. you can find Klook deals for SummitOne Vanderbilt here.

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No matter which deck you pick, you’re in for a treat. Both The Edge and Summit One Vanderbilt offer jaw-dropping views of NYC that will stay with you long after you’ve left. Each of them is special in their own way.

In my opinion, witnessing the New York City skyline during the golden hour was absolutely magical. So, if you’ve got some budget to spare, I’d say why not splurge a little? 😉

What do you think? Let me know ☀️

Klook.com