Is SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Worth it? Full Guide with Tips & Photos

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in NYC is one of the newest skydecks, and surely one of the most unique ones. It is more than just a standard skydeck, it is an immersive experience. In this guide find out is the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt worth it alongside general tips for visiting as we go through pros and cons to help you make a decision.

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What is SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is the tallest commercial skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan and among the top 30 tallest buildings in the world. It is 427 m (1400 ft) high, making it NYC’s 4th tallest building after One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower and 111 West 57th Street.

It was opened on October 21st, 2021 and today is one of the most popular observation decks in New York City.

What to Expect at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

As mentioned in my intro, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is not just a skydeck, it is an immersive experience. It’s one of the coolest and most unique things you can do in NYC.

There are 3 different floors, each offering something unique while enjoying the views. You will start on the 91st floor in a Transcendence 1 Air Room full of mirrors from floor to ceiling designed by Kenzo Digital. It is followed by a Reflection room by Yayoi Kusama for meditation and finished with the Affinity Room where you’ll be surrounded by enormous floating orbs that you can play with.

On the 92nd floor you will find a Transcendence 2 Room which is another mirror glass room that overlooks the Transcendence 1. You will then get to the Levitation Room where you’ll find 2 glass sky boxes suspended 1,100 feet (335 m) above street level. To be able to go inside, you need to cover your shoes with a bag and the only downside is that the time inside is limited. Final room on the 92nd floor is the Unity Room, a digital immersive experience with clouds (make sure to look for your face!).

And lastly you’ll get to the 93rd floor with a large outdoor rooftop terrace (I loved it there so much!). If you paid extra for the Ascent, the world’s largest external glass lift, know it’s there. You will reach a height of 1210 (368 m) feet which is pretty cool, but also could be a very scary experience. I highly recommend it if you’re not chronically scared of heights.

Once you’re at the 93rd floor, make sure to get yourself some drinks and enjoy the stunning views of Manhattan. 🤩

💡UPDATE: Ascent is closed to the public until further notice due to security reasons.

Pros & Cons of Visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

Now that you know what to expect from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, let’s see what are the pros and cons of visiting.

Pros

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt skydeck is quite unique, especially because not only you’re going to enjoy some of the best views in NYC, you will also get the immersive experience. At times, you won’t know what to do first; check the views or do all the interactive activities that the room is offering.

And speaking of views, you’ll be able to enjoy Manhattan at its best. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is quite close to both the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building, so you’ll have stunning photo opportunities. It also offers great views of Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center. You’ll even be able to see the Lady of Liberty, though it’s further away.

Because of all of this, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is a heaven for photographers as you can get really creative there.

Cons

The biggest con if you ask me is the price. It is quite expensive to visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, especially if you’re purchasing your tickets in peak hours (as in for sunset) and if you’re getting all or most of the experiences they’re offering. Even with a basic ticket, you’d still pay more than for other NYC skydecks. Overall, visiting SUMMIT was the most expensive activity I’ve had in New York.

✅ SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Tickets

Another considerable con is the crowds, especially for sunset time and over the weekends, so keep that in mind when planning your visit to SUMMIT.

Comparison with Other NYC Observation Decks

Now that we’ve discussed pros and cons of visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, let’s see how it compares to other skydecks in New York City.

Top of the Rock

Pros: Top of the Rock has the best views of the Empire State Building. PERIOD. If you’ve come to NYC to see the best views of the city’s icon, this is the skydeck you want to go to! It also offers the best views of Central Park. Top of the Rock a classic skydeck in one of the world’s most famous buildings, Rockefeller Center. It is slightly less expensive than SUMMIT, but can be significantly more affordable if you get a NYC City Pass.

Cons: And the main con when I think about Top of the Rock is exactly that: it is a classical skydeck with fewer interactive experiences like you’d have at SUMMIT. Recently, they’ve added a new experience, called The Beam, which was inspired by the iconic 1932 photo of ironworkers enjoying a meal perched atop a steel beam during the construction of 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Best for: Classic NYC skyline views.

✅ Top of the Rock Tickets

Empire State Building

Pros: Empire State Building is an icon of NYC and one of its most historical landmarks. It was the tallest building in the whole world from 1931 until 1970! Because of its historical & cultural significance, it was featured in many movies and tv shows. The price is somewhat similar to the SUMMIT’s basic ticket, but you can also save significantly with the NYC City Pass.

Cons: The outdoor deck area on the 86th floor has limited views because of the fence, so the experience is not great like with other skydecks. However, they recently renovated and opened a new level on the 102nd floor, which offers great clear views from floor to ceiling, but it is indoors. And probably the main con if you ask me, is that you don’t actually see the Empire State Building from the Empire State Building.

Best for: Traditional NYC experience.

✅ Empire State Building Tickets

Edge

Pros: Edge is the only skydeck with the highest outdoor skydeck suspended in mid-air! The deck is 1100 feet (335 m) high! Which is why it’s offering a unique experience and it’s not a traditional skydeck. There’s also a small part of the glass-floor, so you can see NYC under your feet! It is slightly less expensive than SUMMIT, but can be significantly more affordable if you get a NYC City Pass.

Cons: Even though the concept is innovative, it is still less immersive and artistic than the SUMMIT. Also, it can be an anxious experience for those who can’t deal with heights that well (my husband was super uncomfortable during the whole time knowing that we are literally standing suspended in mid-air!), so think twice whether you want to visit if you’re like that. The main con for me was that the views were okay-ish. The Empire State Building is quite on the side, so you won’t get a clear view of it. It does have very nice views of Lower Manhattan though!

Best for: Thrill-seeking experience.

✅ Edge Tickets

One World Observatory

Pros: It is the highest building in the Western Hemisphere (1776 feet (541 m) tall), which makes it an unique experience. One World Observatory is a great option for colder days because the whole skydeck is indoors. It offers the best views of Brooklyn Bridge and Liberty Island. The price is somewhat similar to the SUMMIT’s basic ticket, but you can also save significantly with the NYC City Pass.

Cons: It does not have outdoor viewing platforms. Also, it is located in Lower Manhattan, so the views of the Mid-Manhattan are not that great, as the Empire State Building is further away.

Best for: A high vantage point in NYC.

✅ One World Observatory Tickets

Summary Recommendation

• Best Overall Experience: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
• Classic Skyline Views: Top of the Rock
• Ultimate Height and Scale: One World Observatory
• Outdoor Thrills: Edge
• History: The Empire State Building

Ticket Information & Pricing

Currently there are 2 different ticket options, previously there were 3, so let me explain.

You can buy the tickets on the official website, but I recommend you to buy from there only if you’d like to get Ascent experience once hopefully they enable it again.

💡Otherwise, it is better to get your tickets from GetYour Guide because the price for SUMMIT Experience is the same as on the official website, but you can either choose to buy now and pay later, and you can cancel it 24h before your visiting time in case your plans change. Given that this is not the most affordable activity in NYC, it is definitely better to have some flexibility. If you buy on the official website, the tickets are not refundable nor can they be changed! Do note, that on GetYourGuide you can only get the SUMMIT Experience, but for me it doesn’t really make sense to buy the SUMMIT Signature Experience ticket because you can anyway have drinks at the rooftop even with the basic general admission ticket! Also, you need to buy your tickets in advance as they get sold out easily, especially to visit for sunset and over the weekend!

Best Time to Visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

Personally, I recommend you to visit an hour before the sunset! That way you get to experience the NYC city skyline during the day, sunset and night time. Each time of the day has its own charm, so that way you get to enjoy all of them!

If possible, try to avoid weekends, though I went on Sunday and it was tolerable.

How to Get There & Nearby Attractions

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is located in Midtown Manhattan and is next to one of the most famous landmarks in NYC, Grand Central Terminal. And not only that, you can actually enter SUMMIT from inside Grand Central Terminal on the Main Concourse. I suggest you plan to check the Grand Central Terminal first and then from there go to SUMMIT.

Another option to enter the One Vanderbilt building is through 45 East 42nd Street, right between Vanderbilt and Madison Avenue. The closest subway lines are 4, 5, 6 and 7.

📖 You can find a more detailed itinerary in my NYC Itinerary: The Best of New York in 5 Days blog post.

Is SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Worth it?

As mentioned millions of times throughout this blog post, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is more than just a skydeck. The immersive experience you’ll get through its art installations is so unique, so much that I haven’t seen anything quite like that, and I’ve been to other skydecks worldwide, like in Bangkok and London.

Because there’s so much to do, you can easily spend a couple of hours at SUMMIT without getting bored, it’s a fun activity for all ages!

Also, given its location in Midtown Manhattan, the best views of Manhattan are guaranteed because of its close proximity to the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. Even the views of Lower Manhattan are amazing.

To top it all off, after you’ve done with all the immersive and adrenaline activities, you can grab drinks at the bar, sit on the floor and just soak up the views. This was my favourite moment in New York. ❤️

The main con of visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is the price, but despite that it is still worth visiting it.

Tips for Making the Most of Your Visit at SUMMIT

Here are the most important tips for visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, so you can make the most out of it.

Photography Tips

I’m a photographer at heart, so I’ll start with it. 😊

First, you need to have a good phone camera. Yep, you don’t need a fancy super expensive pro photo camera (unless you want to), having a really great smartphone camera is more than sufficient. People are always surprised when they hear I take all my photos with my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

P. S. These NYC photos were taken with my S21 Ultra and as you can see, they are quite amazing.

With a good phone camera it’ll be very easy to manage any reflections, especially from the window.

In Transcendence 1 Room, the best angles for a good photo with the city view are with the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. Just politely wait your turn and then stand next to the window, making sure you don’t block buildings with your body. The trick I love is to set up your zoom to 3x and then the person taking a photo of you, moves a bit further away. That way you’d zoom in the Empire State Building to your body.

Also, play with 0.6x zoom when in Transcendences rooms and you’ll get some cool photos with floor to ceiling mirrors.

For Levitation, you’d only have a minute (or even less) to take some photos because it’s the most popular activity, so the security guard counts your time to make sure you’re not spending ages there. I personally didn’t like the feeling of rush, but have your camera ready, know which pose to take and make the most out of it.

The rooftop bar is the least busy and least competitive for taking photos, so utilise it.

My Samsung takes great night photos too!

Dressing Code

Everything at SUMMIT is in glass, apart from the rooftop. With that, it is not allowed to wear high heels because they can damage the glass floor. Bear in mind that you’ll get paper bags, and you’d have to have them on your shoes at all times. You’d be able to take them off at the rooftop bar.

Because everything is in glass and it’s mirrored, people can see what’s under you, so avoid wearing short dresses and skirts for the obvious reasons!

Also, it can get very bright, especially in the high sunlight, so make sure to have the sunglasses with you!

✅ I love these Ray-Ban.

One-Way System

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt operates on a one-way system, so make sure to enjoy each room properly before moving on to the next one. Because once you do, there’s no going back.

Time Management & Planning

You can expect to spend at least 2 hours at the SUMMIT. As mentioned, the best is to visit before the sunset, so I would plan all the other activities and sights before visiting One Vanderbilt and leave Times Square for the end.

The best is to sightsee in the Midtown area around the Rockefeller Center and Broadway, so that SUMMIT is within a walking distance. Again, my day 1 in New York was super successful (and I landed at JFK around noon), so you can refer to my itinerary and follow my route.

💡SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is open every day, apart from Tuesday, from 9 am to 12 am, with last entry at 10:30 pm.

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