One World Observatory

Terrific views! Quite the cinematic presentation inside the elevators on the way up and down.

Great 369 views all around. Great on a sunny day. I'm sure at sunset it's best, so if I were to do it again, I'd come then.

Friendly staff.

Easy booking online.

I love observation towers, and I had yet to visit this one, so on a recent trip to NYC, my boyfriend and I decided to check it out.

Finding the entrance was a challenge, as the signage in the area isn't too clear. When we went to get tickets at one of the kiosks, an attendant said that we could buy tickets with a time for an hour later and still get in, so we did. (We did this because the tickets were $45 as opposed to $65 for an immediate entry time.) After a long line to go through security, you're shown to another line to wait for an elevator, and then a 47-second ride to the top. My ears popped a bit, so you may want to consider popping a piece of gum to chew before catching an elevator. There, we were herded into another room to watch an intro on the building before we were able to go to the observation area. By that time, I needed to use the restroom, but the only one available was by the gift shop, so I went there, and then we walked around the observatory level. There is a restaurant on the 102nd floor, but once we were on the 101st, I didn't see a way to do anything else. Also, unlike many observatories, this doesn't have any outdoor space. The views were nice, but it's hard to get a good picture without reflections from the glass getting in the way. And there's not much else to keep one's interest.

This is one observation tower I probably won't go back to.

Located in the financial district, this became sensation and an alternate to the empire state views. This is a little expensive, but we'll organize cleaner space and less crowded, but on a clear day, you get mesmerizing views. There are kiosks to purchase the tickets, and they have packages, but we took the basic package, which should be good enough.
The staff is friendly and explained the entire process. The elevator ride was nice. My friends visited with me from the UK and didn't like this place, but i felt much better compared to Empire State on views perspective. We watched sunset and it was beautiful. So plan accordingly you can watch sunseet and then lights of newyork city.
There are restrooms at both the ticket level and observatory level. There is a store in the observatory level to purchase souvenirs,travel needs, etc.
This is one of the most beautiful places, and must visit areas if you like the entire view of New York.

A very cool vantage point to see the scope of New York City. The best part was the iPads they have available. You can hold them up against the skyline and it will tell you about each building you can see.

Maybe not a must do, but definitely a should do, especially if you're in the Financial District or visiting the 9/11 Memorial. Being so far south of midtown, One World Observatory offers a very different perspective than the other most popular observation decks, and that alone can make it worth the price of admission. The other nice thing about One World is that they are (I believe?) the only tower that offers a family discount, giving 20% off of groups of four or more. Thanks to previous Yelper's experiences, we were sure to prebook our tickets online to avoid the chaos and lines at the ticket kiosks as you enter. We booked "All Inclusive" tickets, which gave us access to the One World Explorer iPads up in the tower (a nice perk, but not at all necessary to enjoy the views), Priority Entry that let us skip the longer general admission security line, $15 credit for food/drink & souvenirs (which was enough for an alcoholic beverage for my wife and I, a soda for each of the kids and mug), and most importantly for us, flexible arrival, allowing entry anytime after 4:30 PM. One of the big highlights of the trip is the elevator, or, ahem, "Skypod" rides up and back. Going up you're treated to chronological recreation of the NYC skyline from the 1600s to present day, flying up higher and higher and the skyline grows over time. Coming back down you get a birds-eye decent of present day over the Financial District. As outstanding as this presentation is, the short movie shown in the See Forever Theater prior to admission to the observation deck itself is a total snoozefest and an obvious means of simply controlling the flow of guests entering. Once inside, you're treated to some truly spectacular views of the city, including a breathtaking POV of the Twin Towers Memorial fountains. The observation tower is entirely enclosed, which I know people have mixed feelings about. As someone who is not a fan of heights, I appreciate not being on an open deck. I know it's ridiculous, but it is what it is! There are a few dining and beverage choices ranging from grab and go to sit down full-service, all of which are fantastically overpriced, but let's face it, you're paying for the view. If you're in the area, I personally think its worth the trip up.

The views are amazing!! But I'm here to talk about the drinks at the restaurant bar! I'll start by saying they are $23 but were some of the best cocktails I've had and they packed a punch. I only needed one. The New World old fashion was amazing. I came for the yoga event and stayed for the drinks. SN: Up Up and Away Yoga was so great.

Tourist or Local I suggest coming to visit One World Observatory. You obviously want to go on a nice clear
day to see the wonderful views!! But even on a cloudy day it would be a fun activity to do. I do suggest if you don't like heights not coming here though! They have private events and have had yoga events here too which was pretty cool to do. They have a coffee shop upstairs and also have a restaurant where you can
dine at after taking in the views .

Not sure why the One World Trade Center and One World Trade Center observatory are listed separately, but the reviews are essentially the same.

Disclaimer: I never wanted to visit this spot because it's ultra touristy and I perceived it to be overrated, however my friend wanted to visit the "tallest building," and this is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere (number 7 in the world I think).

I purchased the most expensive package, the VIP tour. For two tickets, this cost over 166 dollars. This included a 15 dollar credit for merchandise or food for each patron, as well as priority entry.

The priority entry was great, and honestly the main reason I chose this option. I don't like waiting in lines.

The rest was a total bust.

Our guide, I will omit their name, was a very nice person. But they talked too much and too fast and the tour contained way too much technical information. For over an hour, the guide droned on about various buildings and businesses, and there was very little room for banter or questions. I feel like these guides must be on a timeline and have a specific script they are supposed to stick to. My companion asked why I didn't ask the guide to stop talking. What was I supposed to do? At the end, I really wondered if I should have just said, "We appreciate you, but I only purchased the VIP pass for skip the line access, and also thought it would be more than just naming random buildings at high speed."

My friend was blown away by the views, but it was dampened by the blabbering guide. She was exhausted to the point I had to take her back to the hotel to take a nap. Me personally, I prefer the Empire State Building. Not as high up, but can't beat the 1920s decor, Art Deco fixtures, and the fanfare.

Our tour was so early that we couldn't capitalize on the nicer restaurant (though the pickings were slim there too). We didn't want to wait in line at the overpriced grab and go cafe. We didn't want "swag" from the store. So the 15 dollar credit was a joke and a waste.

I can appreciate what One World Trade Center and the observatory represents. It was well planned and is a beautiful building.

But this is very touristy, with long lines. And the VIP tour is a waste of money when you look at value. I literally only did this for my friend, and even she was bummed at the overall experience.

I tried to tell her, but sometimes you have to learn on your own . . .

Impressive. Expensive. My first trip to Manhattan so this was a definite "must do" for me. There was no line so we walked right in, bought tickets, and were on the elevator within minutes. Likely due to the weather - it had just started snowing (the first time in two years) when we entered the building. We each paid $55 plus tax ($125 for two of us).

The light boards and information marquees walking to the elevators was very interesting and well done. The elevator is amazing! 23 mph!! To the top in 47 seconds. It was fascinating to see (depicted on the walls of the elevator as you go up) how the area has changed through the years. The short movie at the top, prior to walking to the observatory was also interesting.

The observatory itself is large and we did not feel cramped or rushed in anyway. Stay as long as you like.

The view wasn't amazing - simply because of the weather - but it was still incredible. Seeing Ground Zero from the top, and remember 9/11 was an incredibly emotional experience for me.

This observatory has amazing views of NYC from the highest building in the Western Hemisphere! It was easy to get in the observatory, but BEWARE: you DON'T need to buy the upgrade on the ticket kiosk to go in right after you get your ticket. 9 times out of 10 there won't be a crazy line and you can go right in. There isn't an outdoor observation deck, and it would be nice if the iPads were free for all to use. Or if there was an app or something. Not my favorite NYC observatory but definitely really good.