The Park Avenue Observatory was built in 1934…read more A lot of folks came to look for the autumn colors / foliage. (Hawks Nest is just down the road). This place has an actual parking lot though. (No restroom ) Park Avenue was built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps along the base of Mt. William as a "scenic route" into the city of Port Jervis and to provide employment to the people in Port Jervis. What to expect? You can see the rooftop view of the town of Port Jervis! Note: There are stairs and a ramp as well so you can see the view of the foliage & rooftops.

Top of the Rock at night. It was just magical. I loved how the city just lit up…read more It gets cold up there, so bring a jacket. I loved the cute cafe where you can sit, relax, and drink. Great spot to check off from your bucket list if you want to see New York from a bird's eye view.

I was extremely disappointed with the FIFA Watch Party at Top of the Rock…read more I had been looking forward to this match for months and expected an unforgettable experience. Instead, it turned into one of the most poorly organized events I've ever attended. The venue was severely overcrowded, and there were far too few TVs for the number of people admitted. Most guests, including us, couldn't even watch the game because there simply wasn't enough viewing space. We spent the event walking around trying to find a place where we could see a screen, but it was impossible. This event was clearly oversold without proper planning or consideration for the guest experience. We paid specifically to watch the FIFA final, but ended up missing most of the match. We left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and honestly scammed. This was not the experience that was advertised or promised. I hope Top of the Rock takes responsibility for what happened and provides refunds to the affected guests, while making sure events like this are organized much better in the future.

This was an amazing exhibition. I am start struck ( no pun intended). I attended the planetarium…read morefor public night it's open to the public free or charge. Really informative and the graphics are beyond amazing.

Still star struck by the wonderful display at Leitner's. Funny thing is, I have lived near this…read moreplace for years and didn't even know it existed. BEST KEPT SCERET IN NEW HAVEN! Leitner's is nestled away behind the Divinity School at Yale. When driving on Prospect Street, you have to go up a long driveway to even see it. Out of curiosity, I decided to see what was up the hill one day, and wha-lah, I stumbled onto a whole planetarium. Neat! The planetarium is open to the public on Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons (check out the schedule here http://bit.ly/1tEK7PT) for FREE shows. The current shows focus on Black Holes. Our moderator, Angelo, walked us through all of the constellations visible from earth on a clear night, and even tied in some Greek mythology. Interesting presentation. The coolest part was the special effects that allow the audience to zoom into stars, it felt like I was whizzing through space. That was the first half of the presentation, about 30 minutes long. In the second part, they show a movie that delves into the mysteries of black holes. On clear nights, after the show, they offer free viewings of the night sky through their massive telescopes. It was a little hazy on the night I went, but I was still able to see Saturn. It was a great outing for the bargain price of... Free! This would be a great experience for families with children or for lovebirds to hold hands while gazing into the stars (gentleman, tell your lady no star is as radiant as she is and your guaranteed a smooch... You're welcome.). An out of this world experience! I'll be back.

Derived from the Greek root astron for star, and nomos for arrangement or law, astronomy represents…read morea world that is both mysterious and grandiose. It's a story about glimmering celestial objects and the immensity of the cosmos. It's tough to find dark skies so close to New York City. But with the right location and guidance, astronomy lovers have a great time stargazing in NJ. Located at the Buzz Aldrin Astronomical Center (named after the famous Montclair native and second person to ever set foot on the moon) in Voorhees State Park, NJAA Observatory is open every Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon from June 1 through October 31, where my partner and I went last night as first-timers. The facility features a 26-inch Cassegrain telescope, which is the largest in New Jersey, as well as two smaller ones and a binocular setup around the grounds. Upon entering, we were greeted by a number of knowledgeable volunteers @D.Ann S who explained the different buildings and their respective scopes and capabilities and all the benefits of joining NJAA, whose membership is roughly $40 for the year. They answered questions from the young children or the young at heart. We started out at their auditorium and split the group of 30 between viewing the moon with smaller telescopes outside or viewing the stars with the larger one upstairs. The images of the craters and seas of the moon were amazing. One of the staff pointed out the site of the first moon landing. Due to the clouds, it was not possible to view the larger one clearly. This is an amazing little environment for all ages that was well worth the stop, which we can recommend.

My first time here was OUT OF THIS WORLD, pun intended. It's a small-ish operation and the entire…read morestaff is warm, welcoming, knowledgeable, and willing to answer any question you have. They have great patience and don't rush you when you're trying to star gaze. They explain everything you see and some of what you don't. I loved the gentleman who gave us their back story and all the tea on how they came to be THE place that houses THE largest telescope in the ENTIRE state of New Jersey. Star gazing is cool, dare I say, romantic, and so fun! I recommend it at least once. You'll be hooked!

First time going and although it was a full moon, I was able to see Jupiter and a few other…read moreplanets. Still takes tour breath away to see it in person and not on tv. The older gentlemen running the program were very informative and helpful, even with the history of the old army base where the tower now sits One negative thing; the younger gentleman in the field with equipment (dare I use improper terminology cause he may get in a tizzy) was VERY rude. I'm not an astronomer, clearly as he mad civilians aware of that, and was very ungrateful that we were even there trying learn. I was simply in awe of seeing such a spectacular sight that I stated it looked fake, and his response was far from comforting (I obviously know it's not up close and detailed, but seeing it for the first time was breathtaking and he literally ripped that experience from me with his negativity and rudeness) A few others, as well as my party, didn't know where to go first or at all or how to operate such intimidating equipment other than a basic telescope or binoculars. Not sure if he was a volunteer, but I would NOT come back if he wasn't!

The Westport Observatory was a great experience for me, being an astronomy enthusiast. I got to…read moreobserve celestial bodies with the most perfect clarity using their high-powered telescope. It was surreal to see Jupiter's cloud bands and its Galilean moons, while Saturn's rings had so much detail that it left me speechless. I especially liked to focus on deep-space objects. The diameter of the optical aperture allowed seeing the very thin light of Andromeda, the Galaxy's structure, or the structure of Orion Nebula. The tracking was very accurate; thus, tracking targets across the sky was effortless. Dark skies allowed me to observe some objects, such as star clusters and double stars, that would be hard or impossible for a small amateur telescope like mine to show. I was also pleased by the possibility of experimenting with the choice of magnification and tuning focus for sharp images. These nights, experiencing so advanced equipment, have been truly gratifying. For more personal cosmic encounters in the future, Westport Observatory will always remain my point of reference.

Great experience but I highly highly recommend reserving online ahead of time. When visiting the…read moreday of, no matter what time you visit, tickets get sold out quick. If you check the evening before, tickets start to book up for the next day. This is a popular experience for viewing the skyline. Regular tickets are worth it more than the upgraded ticket. With the upgraded ticket, you are taken to a higher level on an elevator, but you do not leave the elevator. It only goes up then down back to the top observation deck, which is the highest point regular ticketers can go. Sorry i dont remember the floors. It is a quick 30 second elevator ride that does not seem worth it at all. You can tell the difference in height of view, but it is not significant. The upgraded ticket also has a signature cocktail included that you can get at the top observation deck, which the drink was decent. With the upgraded and regular ticket, you are taken up on an elevator and you get to experience 3 levels of views. Overall, I think it is the best way to experience the skyline. Dont wear skirts because the floors are mirrored. The sides of the floors arent so you can stick to the side if you choose. There is plenty of space for people to take pictures without hogging space. Some spots people prefer, so there are some who wait, but I find all around the floors all views are gorgeous to see.

Another building with a view of the city from high up -- with it's own personality. 4.25 stars…read more Highlights: - Different than your standard ones like Empire State or Top of the Rock, etc - 3 levels to 93 floors plus an optional elevator to go a few higher - Expansive views of large floor to ceiling windows all around - Mirrors on the floors to give you a trippy artsy view - Super fast and smooth elevators - Starred areas on the windows to pinpoint significant buildings - One room had a world cup game projected on a big wall, another with silver balloon type balls for fun for the fam and pics - Souvenir pics: can download all of them for one price at a kiosk - Cool outside area with bar and snack carts Midlights: - Didn't understand the dark area with spacey music you wait in to get into the elevator like you were waiting for Space Mountain Lowlights: - Expensive with few different options to include a cocktail etc and prices vary per times - Extra separate elevator of a few more floors was not worth it and you don't even get off at a higher floor - When buying tixs on TripAdvisor or 3rd party your tickets don't immediately come up

A great experience. Look for any coupons. I did pay full price right at Hudson Yards. Located…read moreinside the mall. After a short interactive elevator experience, you enter the indoor space. Lots of photo ops here from different angles and in the outdoor section, there's some balcony seating. There's a glass floor window to the bottom, nerve wracking if you have a fear of heights. On a windy day, terrifying! I couldn't even sit on it. Overall, a great experience. There seem to be a few more of these high view point experiences besides the Empire State Building popping up in NYC. Definitely check it out while you are visiting.

I was very disappointed with Edge. Originally, I had wanted to do the City Climb experience, but…read morethey were doing renovations to it, and it wasn't available. In hindsight, it was for the best. As it was, I paid extra for priority access, which allows you to skip the lines. But there was no line to get in, and no line for the elevator up. There was a line for the elevator down that I got to skip, but it was only about 10 people, so I basically saved 5 minutes. The whole experience took me about 15-20 minutes. With Top of Rock, you've got the beam, the lift, and the short fun little movie at the beginning, with Empire, you have the historical aspect of it, and with Summit 1, you have the ballroom. There's nothing special or drawing to Edge. The views are ok, but the deck is on the smaller side of the ones I've been to. Security was a little rude and off-putting. The first security guard said I set the alarm off and sends me over to the side. That guy waves me through, then the original guy starts freaking out for me to stop. I go back to the 2nd, and I'm like you waived me through, and he just keeps saying it's ok. And pawing at my stuff, mind I had a clear bag so you see everything in case I set an alarm off. Anyway, It better be ok, I went to stop, and YOU waived me through. Overall, of the observation decks I've done, Edge has been the worst. 1. Top of the Rock 2. Summit 1 3. One Times Square 4. Empire State 5. Edge

In 19th century London, a crackpot Victorian engineer named Alexander Stanhope St. George dreamed…read moreup an undersea tunnel to serve as a speedy traffic conduit from London to New York. (He hated travel by boat) His traffic corridor was never realized, but his enterprising great grandson Paul St. George recently discovered the mysterious blueprints of his great-grandfather's incomplete dig. The younger St. George has installed fiberoptic cables running under the Atlantic, through the completed tunnel, from the Brooklyn Bridge to London's Tower Bridge, allowing New Yorkers and Londoners to greet each other in real time, across the pond! St. George's story is so intriguing and fanciful--and it really is quite a marvel to wave at our friends over in London and see them wave back. In fact, it's so much fun to tickle our brains with St. George's fantasy, don't you dare think for a second about skype, cellphones, the internet, streaming video or other inventions of our non-Victorian age, or your creeping doubts may just ruin this enchanting tale. Go see it for yourself, until June 15th.

I wish it would have been here permanently. They could easily make it a paid attraction. It was the…read morefirst time I did anything like this. Since then I have called people and waved from web cams. But this was just too cool and so much fun! I e-mailed people in London to meet me at a certain time in front of the Telectroscope and they did. Look at the picture I have. It is priceless. It is a family in London and see the bridge in the background!. I wish it would come back!

The Shepaug Eagle Observation Area is a wonderful place for visitors to observe Eagles, and view…read moreexhibits. The program is managed by volunteers from the Connecticut Audubon. Volunteers can assist viewers, provide information, and answer questions. Admission is free but reservations are required. This season runs from 12/21 through 3/15 on Wednesday, Saturdays, and Sunday. Christine's Critters was there on the day I went giving a very detailed presentation, and bringing the audience face-to-face with rescue birds of prey. This is a wonderful place that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Amazing time watching the eagles! Definitely need a better lens! We were able to see two eagles…read morein the trees as well as juveniles. They offer free binoculars, but it's best to bring your own. It's chilly, so make sure you are dressed properly during the winter months