Summit One Vanderbilt, the New Observatory in New York

New York's newest observation deck, SUMMIT, is located at One Vanderbilt, a spectacular new state-of-the-art office skyscraper next to Grand Central Terminal in Midtown.

The building rises to a height of 427 meters. Located between 42nd and 43rd Streets at Vanderbilt Avenue and Madison Avenue, this newly opened observatory, which occupies from the 91st to 93rd floors, offers breathtaking views of the city that you can't miss. Ready to climb to the heights? Read on and I'll tell you how!

It is most convenient (and considering the high demand due to it being the newest attraction in the city) for you to purchase tickets to SUMMIT One Vancerbilt in advance.

The tickets will arrive to your email and it will be enough to show them from your cell phone. Now, the question is to choose the day and time you want to go up. Once at the top, you can stay as long as you want, so you can take it easy and enjoy the views.

At the moment and due to its recent opening, the SUMMIT tour is not included in any New York City sightseeing pass, but sooner rather than later it will be available. What is available are tours of Manhattan that include a ticket to SUMMIT.

The price to go up to the new SUMMIT observation deck starts at 33 Euros (standard entrance for an adult) but depending on the extras or accesses you are looking for, it is very variable.

And in addition to a supplement in the hours near sunset of 9 € ($10), from the official website of SUMMIT offer several types of tickets with a different cost depending on what they include. Here are all the details:

• SUMMIT Experience: General admission whose prices range from 33€ ($39) for adults and 28€ ($33) for children between 6 and 12 years old, children under five years old get in for free.

• SUMMIT Ascent: General admission plus the 1,200-foot Ascent. Ticket costs range from €50 ($59) for adults and €45 ($53) for children ages 6 to 12, children under five are free.

• Ultimate SUMMIT: General admission, the Ascent and a cocktail at Danny Meyer, the restaurant's official bar. Prices range from 62€ ($73) for adults and 55€ ($67) for children between 6 and 12 years old.

Ticket prices for groups

If you go in a group of 15 or more people, SUMMIT offers a group reservation section that includes some preference in the price.

Ticket prices for New York residents

If you are lucky enough to be a New York resident, SUMMIT offers preferential admission prices when paying with a card associated with a New York City zip code.

New York has many skyscrapers and observation decks, from the most classic (such as the Empire State or the Top of the Rock) to the most innovative, such as The Edge or SUMMIT itself. But if you're wondering why to choose SUMMIT among the various observatories in the city, here are the main reasons that make it a must-see:

• 1. First of all, both for its recent opening and for its various attractions, it is the trendy lookout.
• 2. Currently arguably offers the best views of Midtown: located next to Central Station, its height and its panoramic view of almost 360 degrees will make you can enjoy every corner of Manhattan in detail.
• 3. Its architecture and design is totally original and different from previous viewpoints in the city. All angles, viewpoints, glass platforms suspended in the air and vertigo glass designed so you do not miss anything.
• 4. You will take the best photos of the trip: SUMMIT is a skyscraper designed for the 21st century visitor. Designed by the New York artist Kenzo, it offers multiple visual attractions, interactive installations and a set of mirrors, which pose incredible optical illusions to take dream pictures that will be the envy of all your Instagram followers.
• 5. With two indoor but glazed floors and one outdoor floor, SUMMIT is an ideal option to go up all year round.
• 6. If it's not your first time in New York and you've been to other more classic skyscrapers before, this new view will blow your mind: the experience has nothing to do with other viewpoints.

SUMMIT has a number of outstanding attractions that make the visit expand the horizon of our imagination. Among the different facilities that make our visit even more inspiring, the following stand out:

Ascent, a glass elevator that takes visitors up to a height of 368 meters on the outside of the building and stops for a few minutes. count on it to turn your stomach!

Levitation, glass cubes that protrude from the building at a height of 324 meters and allow you to walk above New York streets such as Madison Avenue. Be careful if you suffer from vertigo...!

Getting to SUMMIT is very easy as access is through the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal, a central station that has multiple connections and is also another very interesting visit to New York because it was the location of the movie The Avengers.

Once in the station and through a subway passage, Vanderbilt Passage, you will reach the One Vanderbilt skyscraper that houses the trendy observation deck.

By subway

To get to this station located in Manhattan, the easiest way is to take the subway. The 4, 5, 6, 7 and S lines stop at Grand Central and the station is open from 5:30 am to 2 am. You can also go by train with the Far Rockaway, Hudson, Montauk, Path, Port Jefferson and Port Washington trains.

By Bus

And, for those who prefer to go by bus, you have the option of taking the M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M42, M98, M101, M102, M104 and Q32.

On foot

On the other hand, it is approximately 5 kilometers from Central Park, so those who prefer to walk can take advantage of the day to make both visits and enjoy the walk.

Going up to SUMMIT is a perfect plan for any time of the year, because although the 93rd floor is an open-air outdoor terrace, the 91st and 92nd floors are two glass-walled enclosed floors that allow visitors to enjoy this experience regardless of the time of year.

Regarding the best time to go up to SUMMIT, there is a clear answer, at sunset, in the hours close to sunset and, so much so, that going up in the hours close to this time of day has a supplement in the cost of admission of 9€ ($10). In addition, if the sky is clear we can always admire the views better.

Therefore, one of the main recommendations when choosing a day or time to climb is to take into account the weather forecast: a sunny or cloudless day will make your vision expand far beyond the island of Manhattan and you will see its buildings and streets in full definition. Spectacular!

The SUMMIT One Vanderbilt observation deck is open every week Thursday through Sunday at the following times:

• Thursday between 3:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
• Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to midnight.
• Sundays, from 10:00 to 19:00 h.

SUMMIT offers an almost 360º panoramic view of the city. From this observatory, you will have a very broad perspective of the city in which you will see in addition to a myriad of streets, avenues and buildings of Manhattan, other locations that here I detail for you to go with your homework done and get the most out of your visit.

Central Park

You will be able to see Central Park, one of the favorite views of those who go up to SUMMIT since from the other viewpoints of the city you will not get such a clear view of the popular park.

Statue of Liberty

To the south and if the weather permits because the sky is clear you will be able to see the Statue of Liberty.

Bryant Park

Central Park is not the only park you will see on your visit to SUMMIT, many curious people also lose their eyes in this wonderful tourist attraction, Bryant Park.

Key Buildings

The Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building are some of the most popular buildings that you can see from SUMMIT. But besides them, you can also see the skyscrapers of the Hudson Yards neighborhood and a multitude of other buildings.

Bridges

Seeing the bridges from an observatory of this height is an image that you can not miss and from SUMMIT you can see bridges such as the George Washington Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge or Queensboro Bridge.

Due to the particularities of the SUMMIT viewpoint, there are a series of recommendations that you should take into account if you want to make the most of your visit. Take note!

• Be sure to wear sunglasses, as the reflective materials used throughout the space create a bright environment during the day.
• It is essential to wear comfortable shoes. Stiletto heels, steel-toed boots, sports cleats and other footwear that may damage the floor are not allowed.
• It is recommended to wear pants, shorts or tights when possible, since, due to the reflective facilities, when wearing a dress or skirt we can show more than desired, you know what I mean!
• Avoid crowds: the hours in which SUMMIT has a greater number of visitors is in the hours around sunset and, it is true that this observatory offers amazing views at that time, but I also recommend the possibility of going early in the morning when the sky is also spectacular and you will be alone.
• Check the weather forecast: If you buy your ticket well in advance you run the risk of going up to SUMMIT on a cloudy day, and although we have said that it is always a good time for this viewpoint, we will enjoy the visit much more if we do it on a clear day in which we will have greater visibility. The ideal is to buy them a week before in which we already know approximately what kind of day it will be.
• Take advantage of the gastronomic services and treat yourself at the SUMMIT restaurant. There is the option to buy the Ultimate SUMMIT ticket which includes, in addition to the general admission and the Ascent, a cocktail at Danny Meyer, the official bar of the restaurant. Prices start at 62€ ($73) for adults and 55€ ($67) for children between 6 and 12 years old.

If you are still not convinced that SUMMIT is your choice and want to evaluate other plans at heights, I recommend you take a look at the following options:

One World Observatory

One World Observatory will offer you a superior experience, plus a spectacular view of New York's financial district and far beyond, as incredible as it may seem the view reaches out to over 72 miles in any direction.

Rockefeller Center, Top of the Rock

The multi-block Rockefeller Center shopping and office complex, also in Midtown Manhattan, has an observation deck known as the Top of the Rock that offers an incredible close-up view of the Empire State Building.