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Rockefeller Center, New York, NY

Photo: Nan Palmero from San Antonio, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicFreeFamily Favorite

Rockefeller Center

45 Rockefeller Plaza · New York, NY

Why you should go…

Rockefeller Center covers 22 acres of Midtown between 48th and 51st Streets, and its 14 original Art Deco buildings, commissioned by the Rockefeller family, rose during the Great Depression era. The plaza is free to walk, and you can look for the Prometheus and Atlas statues and the bas-reliefs set over doorways on the limestone buildings. Tickets get you up to the Top of the Rock observation decks, onto the ice rink in the sunken plaza, or into Radio City Music Hall.

  • #art deco
  • #observation deck
  • #ice skating
  • #christmas tree
  • #midtown manhattan

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Rockefeller Center, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

    The Tour at NBC Studios

    $25–$50

    Follow an NBC Page through working studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where shows like Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show are made.

    Right next doorSwitch it up: Tours

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Top of the Rock Observation Deck

    $25–$50

    Rockefeller Center's three-tiered deck serves the best view in town, Central Park one way, the Empire State the other.

    Right next doorSwitch it up: Attractions

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Radio City Music Hall

    $50+

    The Art Deco 'Showplace of the Nation', home of the Rockettes, the Great Stage, and marquee concerts at Rockefeller Center.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    St. Patrick's Cathedral

    Free

    Step off Fifth Avenue into a Gothic Revival cathedral of marble spires, stained glass windows, side chapels and bronze doors.

    Steps awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

    $25–$50

    Mirrored infinity rooms, glass skyboxes, and Midtown views from 1,000+ feet above Grand Central, one of NYC's most photographed observation decks.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    New York Public Library

    Free

    Walk past the marble lions Patience and Fortitude to see the Rose Main Reading Room and a free exhibition of library treasures.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this