Manhattan Skyline Tours and Tickets

For a ground-level view of the Manhattan skyline—and a free view at that—you can’t beat the borough's parks and green spaces like Bryant Park near Grand Central Terminal. Central Park and lesser-known spots like Fort Greene Park, Valentino Pier, and Gantry Plaza State Park offer great views. Head to One World Observatory or the Empire State Building to get higher. And if you can afford it, splurge for a room or grab a drink at New York City hotels with rooftop bars.

Yes, there are plenty of places where you can view the NYC skyline for free. For starters, Manhattan’s Central Park offers excellent views, as does the Brooklyn Bridge, Fort Washington Park, Domino Park, and more. You could also catch it from the Roosevelt Island Tramway for just a few bucks.

What you can see in the Manhattan skyline depends on where you’re standing and looking. But you’re probably catching views of 30 Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the Flatiron, One World Trade Center, 30 Hudson Yards, 432 Park Avenue, Woolworth Tower, 40 Wall Street, and many, many others.

If you’re willing to spend some change, you can catch great skyline views from the Empire State Building, The Edge, Rockefeller Center (Top of The Rock), or the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Check out the borough’s green spaces, like Central Park or Bryant Park, for free views.

For the best view in NYC, try Hudson River Park, just south of Chelsea Piers, or Pier 26. The Pier 57 Rooftop Park is a great spot, as are other green spaces like Central Park or Brooklyn’s Domino Park. The Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge Park don’t disappoint either.

The Apex at The Edge NYC takes the cake—it’s the highest outdoor skydeck in the Western Hemisphere at 1,271 feet (387 meters). Find it at 30 Hudson Yards, a massive steel-and-glass skyscraper with its observation deck suspended in mid-air. You’ll get 360-degree views and the sensation you’re floating above Manhattan.