Top of the Rock

Escape from the hustle and bustle of the streets below and head to Top of the Rock, which offers some truly magical views of the New York skyline. You could take in the skyline views from One World Observatory at One World Trade Center or the Empire State Building but these iconic sights are definitely better viewed from the outside, and the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza offers just that. From this vantage point you can also look over the Hudson River to New Jersey and get a unique perspective on the scale of lush, green Central Park. Everything is even more beautiful at sunset when the city glows in an amber hue.

The Rockefeller Center consists of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres in Midtown Manhattan. It was built by financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. during the worst years of the Great Depression and employed over 40,000 people. The construction feat is encapsulated in the famous photo which depicts 11 men eating lunch, seated on a girder with their feet dangling 840 feet above the streets. The original 14 buildings feature some beautiful art deco design and are filled with art and statues inspired by mythology. The 1930s also saw the establishment of some Rockefeller traditions which are still as popular now as they were back then. The Christmas Tree first appeared in 1931 and no winter in New York is complete without ice skating at the Rockefeller, which first took place in 1936 and attracts over 150,000 visitors each year.