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, rated 4.58 from 22,735 reviews.
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$45.73
Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC
By Nora Lindqvist · Updated · Affiliate links, explained in my disclosure
Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket
4.6 (22,735) · from $45.73
Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC comes down to the view you want, and I’d book Top of the Rock for the classic Midtown frame and Edge for height and the open-air glass. The standard tickets cost $45.73 against $43.12, and the decks stand at 260 m against 340 m. If you only have one evening and want the Empire State Building in the photo, I’d choose Top of the Rock.
| Tour | From | Rating | Length | Free cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket | $45.73 | ★ 4.6 (22,735) | 2 hours | Yes | Check availability |
| NYC: 5th Avenue Icons & Top of the Rock with Optional Beam | $69 | ★ 4.8 (10) | 2 hours | Yes | Check availability |
| NYC: Edge Immersive Observation Deck Ticket | $43.12 | ★ 4.6 (23,698) | 1 hour | Yes | Check availability |
| NYC: Chelsea & High Line Tour with Optional Edge Entry | $29 | ★ 4.7 (34) | 2 hours | Yes | Check availability |
The two decks are 1.94 km apart in Manhattan, so the Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC choice is about the experience more than the area. 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 Top of the Rock tickets and Edge NYC tickets pages.
Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC: Head to Head
| Top of the Rock | Edge NYC | |
|---|---|---|
| Deck height | 850 ft (260 m), per Wikipedia | About 340 m, per Wikipedia |
| Floors | 67th, 69th and 70th | Level 100 of 30 Hudson Yards |
| Open-air space | Yes, at the top level | Yes, an outdoor platform with angled glass walls |
| Glass floor | Not in my data | Yes, plus Skyline Seats and Eastern Point |
| Standard ticket from | $45.73 | $43.12 |
| Top ticket rating | 4.58 from 22,735 reviews | 4.63 from 23,698 reviews |
| Google Maps rating | 4.7 from 93,042 reviews | 4.6 from 34,092 reviews |
| Hours (Google Maps) | 8 AM to 12 AM | 9 AM to 10 PM Monday to Thursday, 8 AM to 10 PM Friday, 4 to 10 PM Saturday, 10 AM to 10 PM Sunday |
| Time to allow | About 2 hours | About 1 hour |
| In the view | Down Midtown to the Empire State Building, Central Park to the north | The Hudson, the west side and the Midtown skyline from the west |
Top of the Rock
Edge NYC
Which Has the Better View: Top of the Rock or Edge NYC?
Height favours Edge. Its deck sits about 80 m above the Top of the Rock deck, and the horizon distance is 65.8 km against 57.6 km, using the standard horizon formula. Both decks give you the whole island on a clear day, so the extra reach matters less than what is in the frame.
What changes in the Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC view is the direction you face. Top of the Rock looks straight down Midtown, and the Empire State Building is the centrepiece, which is the one shot the Empire State Building cannot take of itself. Edge stands at the western edge of Midtown, so the Hudson and the new Hudson Yards district open up to the west. The Empire State Building is 1.4 km away from it, and it is in view but not centred. Edge also adds things to stand on: the listing names angled glass walls, a glass floor, Skyline Seats and Eastern Point. For the postcard I’d call Top of the Rock; for feeling the height, I’d call Edge.
Price and Tickets: Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC
In the Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC price contest, Edge is cheaper by $2.61 on the standard ticket: $43.12 against $45.73. That is under 6 percent, so I would not let it decide. The Edge ticket is the operator’s own product and bundles the indoor sky deck, the outdoor platform, the glass floor and the light installations you walk through on the way up. Drinks at the Skyline Bar and Cafe are extra. Top of the Rock is sold by Rockefeller Center and covers all three levels, with tax and free WiFi included. Both allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check availability
Hudson Yards
NYC: Edge Immersive Observation Deck Ticket
- 4.6 (23,698 reviews)
- 1 hour
- Free cancellation
My pick: The Edge default: $43.12, 4.63 stars from 23,698 reviews, with the outdoor deck and glass floor included.
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$43.12
If you want a guide, each deck has one. The City Wonders Fifth Avenue walk costs $69 and ends with Top of the Rock entry, and it is rated 4.84 but from only 10 reviews, so I treat that as a signal and not a verdict. The City Wonders Chelsea and High Line tour is $29 and lists Edge entry as an option, rated 4.74 from 34 reviews. Check the final total once you add the ticket option, because the $29 is the price of the walk.
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
City Wonders Ltd. USA
NYC: Chelsea & High Line Tour with Optional Edge Entry
- 4.7 (34 reviews)
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
My pick: A 2-hour Chelsea and High Line walk at $29 with Edge entry as an option; compare the total with the option added.
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$29
Calculator
What will it cost for your group?
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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: Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC
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. Top of the Rock reviewers mention long lines at sunset even with a ticket, so I’d book that slot early. One Edge reviewer chose 9:30 AM and found it uncrowded. Opening hours differ: Top of the Rock is listed as open 8 AM to 12 AM, while Edge closes at 10 PM and opens only from 4 PM on Saturday, per Google Maps, so check your day.
Sunset is the same at both to within a minute, according to the 2025 data from Open-Meteo: 16:29 in December and 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 74 percent.
| Month | Sunset (New York time) | Cloud cover | Sunshine a day | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janclearest | 16:53 | 52% | 7.3 h | 7 |
| Feb | 17:31 | 69% | 6.8 h | 9 |
| Mar | 19:03 | 53% | 8.6 h | 7 |
| Apr | 19:35 | 70% | 8.1 h | 10 |
| May | 20:06 | 74% | 8.3 h | 18 |
| Jun | 20:29 | 65% | 9.7 h | 10 |
| Jul | 20:26 | 55% | 11.7 h | 16 |
| Augclearest | 19:53 | 41% | 11.1 h | 7 |
| Sep | 19:04 | 53% | 9.6 h | 9 |
| Octclearest | 18:15 | 42% | 8.2 h | 8 |
| Nov | 16:37 | 56% | 6.7 h | 10 |
| 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: Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC
Edge is the newer building. Wikipedia describes 30 Hudson Yards as the seventh-tallest building in New York City, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and opened in 2020. The listing calls it an all-weather, all-day destination, which helps on a grey day, but reviewers mention that the highest deck was not always open. The entrance is the Edge store on Level 4 of The Shops at Hudson Yards.
Top of the Rock is about the terraces and the history. Wikipedia credits Raymond Hood as lead architect and dates the building to 1933. A VIP tour costs $326.64 with priority elevators and a private Beam experience, which is an expensive upgrade that I’d take only for a special occasion. The deck is entered from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, per the Rockefeller Center page.
Which Should You Pick: Top of the Rock or Edge NYC?
- Highest deck: Edge NYC, at about 340 m against 260 m.
- Cheapest standard ticket: Edge NYC, by $2.61.
- Empire State Building in the photo: Top of the Rock, which looks straight down Midtown.
- Glass floor and angled glass walls: Edge NYC.
- Sunset over the Hudson: Edge NYC, which looks west.
- Longest opening hours: Top of the Rock, open until midnight.
- A walk first: the $69 Fifth Avenue walk with Top of the Rock entry, or the $29 Chelsea and High Line tour with the Edge option.
If the Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC decision is still open, my guide to the best observation decks in New York covers the full field. Top of the Rock has comparisons with Summit One Vanderbilt, the Empire State Building and One World Observatory.
Can You Do Both Top of the Rock and Edge NYC?
Yes. By Google Maps coordinates the two are 1.94 km (1.2 miles) apart in a straight line, so you can take a cab or the subway across Midtown. I’d go up Top of the Rock in the afternoon, then go to Edge for sunset over the Hudson and stay for the lights. Doing both costs $88.85 for the two standard tickets.
Whichever order you take for Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC, book a slot for each and check the official pages 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, Top of the Rock tickets and Edge NYC tickets, before you buy.
My Verdict
In the Top of the Rock vs Edge NYC 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 longer opening hours. I’d call it for Edge if you want the higher deck, the glass floor and the slightly lower price. Google Maps rates Top of the Rock 4.7 and Edge 4.6, so the quality is close. Book the one whose view you want to remember, and see the other on your next trip.
Frequently asked questions
Which one is better, the Edge or Top of the Rock?
For a first visit I'd book Top of the Rock if you want the classic frame, because the Empire State Building sits in the middle of the view. I'd book Edge if you want the higher deck, the outdoor platform with angled glass walls and the glass floor. Edge is also $2.61 cheaper on the standard ticket.
Is the Edge in NYC worth it?
I think so. The standard ticket is $43.12, rated 4.63 from 23,698 reviews on GetYourGuide, and it includes the outdoor sky deck, the glass floor and the Skyline Seats. The deck sits about 340 m up. The catch is weather: some reviewers found the highest deck closed, and the ticket allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Is it worth going to Top of the Rock?
I'd say yes. 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 is the deck that shows you the Empire State Building.
Is Top of the Rock better at night?
I'd go at sunset and stay into dusk, so you see Midtown in daylight and lit up on one ticket. Google Maps lists the deck as open 8 AM to 12 AM, so a late slot is possible. Sunset runs from 16:29 in December to 20:29 in June, so I'd arrive 45 to 60 minutes before it.
Is Top of the Rock, NYC worth it on Reddit?
I can't quote forum threads reliably, so I go by the ticket data. The standard ticket has 22,735 reviews at 4.58, and reviewers praise the view down Midtown while mentioning long lines at sunset. I'd book a slot early and confirm the current hours on the Rockefeller Center site.
Can I visit Top of the Rock and Edge in one day?
Yes. They are 1.94 km (1.2 miles) apart in a straight line, so it is a short cab or subway ride across Midtown. I'd go up Top of the Rock in the afternoon and Edge for sunset over the Hudson. The two standard tickets cost $88.85 together, and both allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Which is cheaper, Top of the Rock or Edge NYC?
Edge, by $2.61 on the standard ticket: $43.12 against $45.73. The gap is small, so I'd decide on the view. The guided options range more widely, from $29 for a Chelsea and High Line walk with optional Edge entry to $69 for a Fifth Avenue walk with Top of the Rock entry.