Before You Book Top of the Rock: Every Cost, and What's Worth It
By the BeatTheCrowd team · Prices last checked 2 November · 4 min read
Top of the Rock is the deck with the classic view of the Empire State Building and Central Park, and its prices change by date and time. On top of entry, there's The Beam photo, the SKYLIFT platform, an All-Inclusive bundle, VIP passes and city passes that include it. Most of them sound worth paying for. You don't need the most expensive one to have a great visit. In this guide we walk through what each option costs, what you really get, and how to choose the right one, whether that's a quiet early morning or the busiest sunset slot.
At a glance
Timed admission (adult, 13-61)
From about $42-47, up to about $60
Child (6-12) / senior (62+)
About $40-53 / about $45-58. Under 5 free
The Beam + admission
From about $57
All-Inclusive (Beam + SKYLIFT)
From about $72
VIP Pass
From about $185
Hours
9 am to midnight, last entry 11 pm
Free alternative
Rockefeller Center plaza, and the rink in winter
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The real total: cheapest slot vs what most visitors pay
Top of the Rock's admission is dynamic: the same ticket costs about $42-47 on a quiet weekday morning and about $60 at peak times, before tax and fees. Sunset slots carry the biggest premium, and sell out two to three weeks ahead in high season.
Visitor
What they buy
One adult
The early riser
Weekday morning admission
From about $42-47
The sunset visitor
Admission at a peak sunset slot
About $60
The full experience
All-Inclusive: admission, The Beam and SKYLIFT
From about $72
Ticket options: what each one gets you
Ticket
From (adult)
What you get
Verdict
Timed admission
About $42-47
All three decks: 67, 69 and 70
The right choice for most visitors
The Beam + admission
About $57
Admission, plus a staged photo on a recreated 1932 steel beam
Fun, not essential
All-Inclusive
About $72
Admission, The Beam and SKYLIFT, a rotating glass platform above the 70th floor
Only for a special occasion
VIP Pass
About $185+
Guided access, priority elevator, lounge, private Beam photo and champagne
Skip it
Children 6-12 pay about $40-53, seniors 62+ about $45-58, and children under 5 are free. There's no time limit once you're inside.
The three decks
The 67th and 69th floors have indoor galleries and glass panels, useful in bad weather. The 70th floor is fully open-air at about 850 ft, with nothing between you and the classic view south to the Empire State Building and north over Central Park. That view is the reason to choose Top of the Rock over the newer decks.
City passes
Top of the Rock is included in several passes, such as New York CityPASS (from $164 for five attractions) and the New York Explorer Pass (from $89). Our verdict: a pass only pays off if you'd visit at least three of its attractions at full price. Buying a single Top of the Rock ticket through a pass operator can cost more than buying direct.
What visitors say
Visitors say Top of the Rock has the best view in New York because the Empire State Building is in it, and love the open-air top deck. The most common complaints are sunset crowds and the price of add-ons, so the advice is to book standard admission early, and go about an hour before sunset.
Prices last checked: 2 November. Prices vary with the season, peak and off-peak dates and promotions, and we recheck them every month. Visitor-reported costs are marked as estimates, and US$ figures are rough conversions.
The crowd tax: why the day and sunset cost more
Our crowd data shows Top of the Rock moderate from opening at 8-9 am until about 10 am on weekdays, then busy until about 9 pm. On weekends, mornings stay moderate until about noon. From about 9 pm, it's moderate again on most days. The busy hours are also when dynamic prices are highest.
When
Crowds (our data)
What to book
Weekday, opening to 10 am
Moderate
Cheapest slots, shortest lines
Weekend, opening to noon
Moderate
A good weekend option
About 10 am to 9 pm
Busy
Sunset only if it's a priority, booked weeks ahead
From about 9 pm
Moderate
Night views, with the city lit up
Crowds by day and time
From the typical weekly visitor pattern for Top of The Rock, based on Google’s popular-times data.
Which ticket is worth it?
Most visitors: standard timed admission. The view is the same on every ticket.
Budget: a weekday morning slot, from about $42-47.
Photographers: about an hour before sunset, booked two to three weeks ahead.
The Beam: only if you want the photo. It's about $15 over admission.
Skip: VIP, unless someone else is paying.
Short on time? What you'd regret missing
The 70th-floor view south, with the Empire State Building.
The view north over Central Park.
Rockefeller Center plaza below, free to walk around.
The rink and Christmas tree, in season.
Getting there
Top of the Rock is at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown, with the entrance on 50th Street. The nearest subway is 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center (B, D, F, M). A regular subway fare covers it.
Weather and visibility
Check the forecast before you book: low cloud can hide the skyline. The indoor 67th and 69th floors help in bad weather, but the 70th floor is the main event. Dress warmly in winter and spring, when it's colder and windier at the top than in the street.
What can go wrong
Sunset sells out: book two to three weeks ahead in high season.
You pay peak prices for a midday slot: mornings are cheaper.
You buy a pass for one deck: it costs more than a direct ticket.
Cloud rolls in: check the forecast before booking.
What one person really spends
Level
What's included
One adult
Budget
Weekday morning admission
From about $42-47
Sunset
Peak sunset admission
About $60
With photo
The Beam + admission
From about $57
Everything
All-Inclusive
From about $72
Before tax and fees. A child (6-12) adds about $40-53.
Timed admission starts from about $42-47 for adults and rises to about $60 at peak times. Children 6-12 pay about $40-53, seniors about $45-58, and under-5s are free.
Is The Beam worth it?
+
Only if you want the photo. It's about $15 over standard admission.
Can you see the Empire State Building from Top of the Rock?
+
Yes, to the south. That's the main reason to choose it.
Is Top of the Rock in CityPASS?
+
Yes. CityPASS starts from $164 for five attractions, which only pays off if you'd visit three or more.
When is Top of the Rock least crowded?
+
In our data, weekday mornings until about 10 am, and from about 9 pm. See our crowd forecast.
Heading to Top of The Rock?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other. Crowd figures come from our own crowd data. Prices last checked 2 November. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
Quietest time
Sunday, 8-10 am
Busiest time
Thursday, 10 am-10 pm
When
What to expect
Verdict
Weekdays, 8-11 am
A steady flow of visitors, short waits at the main spots. Before the main crowds arrive.
Best
Weekdays, 11 am-3 pm
Peak crowds, queues at the entrance and main sights. Peak sightseeing hours, when most visitors are on site.
Worst
Weekdays, 3-6 pm
Peak crowds, queues at the entrance and main sights. Stays busy into the afternoon.
Worst
Weekdays, 6 pm-midnight
Peak crowds, queues at the entrance and main sights. Still busy, though past the peak.
Worst
Saturday
Peak crowds, queues at the entrance and main sights. Similar to weekdays.
Worst
Sunday
A steady flow of visitors, short waits at the main spots. Quieter than weekdays.
Best
📍 Live crowd check
See how busy Top of The Rock is right now, plus today’s hourly forecast.
