Review: One World Observatory in NYC
One World Observatory is the newest public observatory available in NYC. Located on the 102nd floor of Freedom Tower, and built at the site of the 9/11 attack, it is a top landmark. Here you’ll get a good view of iconic points of interest such as the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. During my last NYC trip, I finally got to experience the observatory, and it was truly amazing.
The Experience
Preparations
The Freedom Tower is located northwest of the 9/11 Memorial. The entrance is on the western side of the building. We visited on a sunny summer Sunday around 11 am. The voucher line ( which we were in due to our pre-paid Sightseeing Passes (more about these here) was only around 10 minutes. The next line was the security line, which was around 10 minutes as well. As opposed to the Top of the Rock, there is no time slot system here, although if you pre-book online, you might be able to book for a certain day and time. I do, however not recommend this as tickets expensive, non-refundable and weather conditions may vary.
The elevator
After security, we got into an elevator. The interior walls were made up of huge screens, showing us how the NYC view that we were about to see had changed over the years. The elevator experience at One World Observatory is truly one of a kind, and you see New York turn into the metropolis that it is today. Once the screens show the modern view, you will be at the top, the elevators will open and you’ll enter a dark room.
Entering the observatory
A movie about New York and the observatory will play on the wall, which has a strange structure, resembling rectangular blocks. Once the movie ends, the blocks will part, and you’ll suddenly have the NYC skyline in front of you. That particular room is facing north, so you’ll se most of lower Manhattan and midtown during this moment. I can promise that this is a view you’ll remember for a long time to come.
The Observatory
Once the movie was over, and the view was revealed, you were free to explore. There was a group of spokespeople, marketing an app for 25 dollars which pointed out NYC landmarks, as you walked around the observatory. I considered this a bit unnecessary, as you could also use the free wifi and google your way to the same information. It was also a bit annoying that they took up quite a lot of space, especially since a lot of people were standing there, listening to them. There is also a cafe and a small tourist shop available, selling observatory themed souvenirs.
The View
The views are really good at this observatory, especially if you want to see Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge and the Hudson River. You will not see Central Park from here, as Midtown is blocking it. Midtown is also a bit far away, so you won’t get the best view of that part of the city. The views that you do get, are, however great. I appreciated seeing NYC from a lesser-known angle. I also really enjoyed the views of the Statue of Liberty and Financial District.
Overall, I had a great experience here, and I would give it a 5 out of 5 rating.
Quick facts:
Location: 285 Fulton Street, New York
Price: $ 34 general admission. Less with a City Pass, which I have reviewed here.
Wait time: Depends, but expect at least 30 minutes in total.
When to go: The earlier you go, the less you will have to wait. It’s more crowded during sunset, and during weekends in general.
For further information, have a look at their website.
Have you been to the One World Observatory or any other famous viewpoints? Please let me know in the comments!
