SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
NYC: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Tickets
- 4.7 (61,289 reviews)
- 1.5 - 2 hours
- Free cancellation
My pick: The SUMMIT default: $47.91, 4.7 stars from 61,289 reviews, from the operator itself, with free cancellation.
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$47.91
Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock
By Nora Lindqvist · Updated · Affiliate links, explained in my disclosure
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
NYC: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Tickets
4.7 (61,289) · from $47.91
Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock is close, and I’d book Top of the Rock for a first visit and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt for the higher deck and the photo rooms. The standard tickets cost $45.73 against $47.91, and the decks stand at 260 m against about 310 m. If you only have one evening, I’d choose Top of the Rock for the Empire State Building in the frame.
| Tour | From | Rating | Length | Free cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Tickets | $47.91 | ★ 4.7 (61,289) | 1.5 - 2 hours | Yes | Check availability |
| Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket | $45.73 | ★ 4.6 (22,735) | 2 hours | Yes | Check availability |
| Midtown Manhattan Guided Tour w/ SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Entry | $74 | ★ 4.3 (206) | 2.5 hours | Yes | Check availability |
| NYC: 5th Avenue Icons & Top of the Rock with Optional Beam | $69 | ★ 4.8 (10) | 2 hours | Yes | Check availability |
The two decks are only 0.73 km apart in Midtown, so the Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock choice is really about the experience and not the neighbourhood. Every price, rating and inclusion here comes from the GetYourGuide listings I checked in October 2026, in US dollars. Links open GetYourGuide in a new tab, and I earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. The full ticket lists are on my Summit One Vanderbilt tickets and Top of the Rock tickets pages.
Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock: Head to Head
| Summit One Vanderbilt | Top of the Rock | |
|---|---|---|
| Deck height | About 310 m, per Wikipedia | 850 ft (260 m), per Wikipedia |
| Floors | 91st to 93rd, per Wikipedia | 67th, 69th and 70th |
| Open-air space | Yes, a wrap-around terrace | Yes, at the top level |
| Standard ticket from | $47.91 | $45.73 |
| Top ticket rating | 4.7 from 61,289 reviews | 4.58 from 22,735 reviews |
| Google Maps rating | 4.7 from 37,523 reviews | 4.7 from 93,042 reviews |
| Hours (Google Maps) | 8 AM to 12 AM | 8 AM to 12 AM |
| Time to allow | 1.5 to 2 hours | About 2 hours |
| In the view | Midtown, glass skyboxes, mirrored rooms | Down Midtown to the Empire State Building, Central Park to the north |
Summit One Vanderbilt
Top of the Rock
Which Has the Better View: Summit One Vanderbilt or Top of the Rock?
Height favours SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Its deck sits about 50 m above the Top of the Rock deck, and the horizon distance is 62.9 km against 57.6 km, using the standard horizon formula. On a clear day that extra reach is real, but both give you the whole island.
What changes in the Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock view is what you are standing in. SUMMIT is built as an experience: Wikipedia describes mirrored glass rooms and enclosed glass balconies that protrude from the facade, and the ticket lists Levitation, the glass skyboxes. Top of the Rock is simpler, with terraces facing all four directions and a straight look down Midtown. The Empire State Building cannot appear in its own photo, and from Top of the Rock it is the centrepiece. For the postcard I’d call Top of the Rock; for the novelty and the extra height I’d call SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.
Price and Tickets: Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock
In the Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock price contest, Top of the Rock is cheaper by $2.18 on the standard ticket: $45.73 against $47.91. That is under 5 percent, so I would not let it decide. The SUMMIT ticket is the operator’s own product and includes all three floors, the immersive art, Levitation, the Apres bar and cafe and the open-air terrace. Some extras are only for upgraded tickets, such as the Ascent elevator and skip-the-line access. Top of the Rock is sold by Rockefeller Center and covers all three levels, with tax and free WiFi included.
Check availability
Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket
- 4.6 (22,735 reviews)
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
My pick: The Top of the Rock default: $45.73 from the operator, Rockefeller Center, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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$45.73
If you want a guide, each deck has one. The Midtown Manhattan Guided Tour costs $74 for 2.5 hours and includes SUMMIT entry, rated 4.31 from 206 reviews. One reviewer said it was unclear that entry was included, so confirm the inclusions before you pay. The City Wonders Fifth Avenue walk costs $69 and ends with Top of the Rock entry. It is rated 4.84, but from only 10 reviews, so I treat that as a signal and not a verdict.
City Wonders Ltd. USA
Midtown Manhattan Guided Tour w/ SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Entry
- 4.3 (206 reviews)
- 2.5 hours
- Free cancellation
My pick: A 2.5-hour Midtown walk with SUMMIT entry for $74; 4.31 stars from 206 reviews, so read the inclusions.
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$74
City Wonders Ltd. USA
NYC: 5th Avenue Icons & Top of the Rock with Optional Beam
- 4.8 (10 reviews)
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
My pick: A 2-hour Fifth Avenue walk with Top of the Rock entry for $69; 4.84 stars from only 10 reviews.
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$69
Calculator
What will it cost for your group?
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from per person, before any child or group discount
Prices are the lowest per-person prices on GetYourGuide when I last checked; the final price depends on the date, time slot and age.
Crowds and Timing: Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock
For crowds I have no live queue data, so I can’t say which line is shorter. Both decks sell tickets for a chosen slot, and the SUMMIT listing keeps skip-the-line access for its Premium guided option. Top of the Rock reviewers mention long lines at sunset even with a ticket, so I’d book that slot early. Google Maps lists both decks as open 8 AM to 12 AM, so a late visit is possible at either.
Sunset is the same at both to within a minute, according to the 2025 data from Open-Meteo: about 16:29 in December and 20:28 to 20:29 in June. I’d arrive 45 to 60 minutes before sunset at either. August and October were the clearest months, at 41 to 42 percent cloud cover, and May was the cloudiest at 73 to 74 percent.
| Month | Sunset (New York time) | Cloud cover | Sunshine a day | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janclearest | 16:53 | 52% | 7.5 h | 7 |
| Feb | 17:30 | 68% | 6.8 h | 10 |
| Mar | 19:02 | 54% | 8.8 h | 7 |
| Apr | 19:35 | 70% | 8.1 h | 10 |
| May | 20:06 | 73% | 8.5 h | 18 |
| Jun | 20:28 | 65% | 9.8 h | 11 |
| Jul | 20:25 | 56% | 11.9 h | 16 |
| Augclearest | 19:53 | 41% | 11 h | 8 |
| Sep | 19:04 | 52% | 9.6 h | 8 |
| Octclearest | 18:14 | 41% | 8.4 h | 8 |
| Nov | 16:37 | 56% | 6.6 h | 11 |
| Dec | 16:29 | 64% | 5.8 h | 8 |
Sunset planner
What time should I book for sunset?
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book this entry time (50 min before sunset)
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sunset, New York time
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typical cloud cover that week
Sunset and cloud cover for the same dates in 2025 at the deck (Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5), 2025); sunset moves by about a minute between years.
What Each Ticket Adds: Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock
In the Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock ticket comparison, SUMMIT is the one that adds things. Wikipedia credits Kohn Pedersen Fox and dates the tower to 2020. The listing adds an art experience, a bar and cafe, and optional upgrades with a signature drink or the all-glass Ascent elevator. Per the official SUMMIT site, the entrance is inside Grand Central Terminal, so check the signs before you queue.
Top of the Rock is about the terraces, and that is the other half of the trade. Wikipedia credits Raymond Hood as lead architect and dates the building to 1933. An option adds The Beam, a ticketed extra at the top, and a VIP tier costs $326.64 with priority elevators. That is an expensive upgrade, and I’d only take it for a special occasion.
Which Should You Pick: Summit One Vanderbilt or Top of the Rock?
- Highest deck: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, at about 310 m against 260 m.
- Cheapest standard ticket: Top of the Rock, by $2.18.
- Empire State Building in the photo: Top of the Rock, which looks straight down Midtown.
- Photo rooms and glass skyboxes: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.
- Most reviews on the ticket: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, with 61,289 against 22,735.
- A walk first: the $74 Midtown tour with SUMMIT entry, or the $69 Fifth Avenue walk with Top of the Rock entry.
If the Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock decision is still open, then for the full field of decks, including Edge and One World Observatory, see my guide to the best observation decks in New York. If the Empire State Building is on your list, my Summit One Vanderbilt vs Empire State Building and Empire State Building vs Top of the Rock guides cover it.
Can You Do Both Summit One Vanderbilt and Top of the Rock?
Yes. By Google Maps coordinates the two are 0.73 km (0.46 miles) apart in a straight line, so you can walk between them or take a short cab ride. I’d go up SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in the afternoon, then go to Top of the Rock for sunset and stay for the lights. Doing both costs $93.64 for the two standard tickets.
Whichever order you take for Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock, book a slot for each and check the Rockefeller Center page and the SUMMIT site for holiday hours. Both standard tickets include free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so you can move a slot if the forecast turns. Compare each ticket page, Summit One Vanderbilt tickets and Top of the Rock tickets, before you buy.
My Verdict
In the Summit One Vanderbilt vs Top of the Rock contest, I’d call it for Top of the Rock on a first visit because of the Empire State Building in the frame and the lower price. I’d call it for SUMMIT One Vanderbilt if you want the higher deck and the glass rooms. The decks are both rated 4.7 on Google Maps, so the quality is level. Book the one whose view you want to remember, and see the other on your next trip.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth going to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt?
I think so. The general admission ticket is $47.91, rated 4.7 from 61,289 reviews on GetYourGuide, and it covers all three floors, the glass skyboxes called Levitation and the open-air terrace. The deck sits about 310 m up, which is 50 m above Top of the Rock. It is $2.18 more than the Top of the Rock standard ticket.
Is Top of the Rock worth the money?
I'd say so. The standard ticket is $45.73, rated 4.58 from 22,735 reviews, and Google Maps gives the deck 4.7 from 93,042 reviews. It covers three levels on the 67th, 69th and 70th floors with open-air space at the top, and it puts the Empire State Building in your photo. It costs less than the SUMMIT ticket.
Which is better, Summit One Vanderbilt or Top of the Rock?
For a first visit I'd book Top of the Rock, because the Empire State Building is in the frame and the standard ticket is cheaper. I'd book SUMMIT One Vanderbilt if you want the higher deck, the mirrored rooms and the glass skyboxes. Both are rated 4.7 on Google Maps, so neither is a weak choice.
Which NYC observation deck is best?
It depends on what you want in the view. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is the higher of these two, at about 310 m, while Top of the Rock has the classic Midtown frame at 260 m. For the full field, including Edge, One World Observatory and the Empire State Building, see my guide to the best observation decks in New York.
Which building in NYC has the best view?
I can't name one winner, because it depends on the direction and the height you want. Of these two, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is higher and Top of the Rock looks straight down Midtown at the Empire State Building. Both have open-air space, so you can feel the city as well as see it.
Can I visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and Top of the Rock in one day?
Yes. They are 0.73 km (0.46 miles) apart in a straight line, so it is a short walk or a quick cab ride. I'd go up the first in the afternoon and the second for sunset. The two standard tickets cost $93.64 together, and both allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Which is cheaper, Summit One Vanderbilt or Top of the Rock?
Top of the Rock, by $2.18 on the standard ticket: $45.73 against $47.91. The gap is small, so I'd decide on the view and not the price. The guided options differ more, from $69 for a Fifth Avenue walk with Top of the Rock entry to $74 for a Midtown walk with SUMMIT entry.
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