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

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.

OK, if you do the research on the LES/ East Village Community Gardens, you can't help but be…read moretouched. This one, in particular, was started by an apparent Superwoman named Francoise Cachalin, who defended this Safe-Haven from Ye Ole gentrification and didn't live to see the fruits of her labor. I'm so glad she fought for it. *Especially* during COVID/ post-lockdown era, I and other New Yorkers I've observed have come to appreciate the sacred outdoors. In the NE, we don't have good weather often, so Summer is the *best* time to take advantage of the lil free NYC perks like these. Anyway: I stumbled upon this place during my recent exploratory strolls through the East Village. What a cute gem. Ample seating for such a small space, mild greenery (we're not talking a jungle and that's OK). Some lil trinkets and garden art throughout. Totally serene, I don't see any justification for negative reviews. IF I lived down here I would *definitely* be in a place like this every. single. morning. PS: They have great deals for membership if you have a green-thumb and want to literally cultivate this atmosphere. Also, you can have group gatherings here for a *very* reasonable price, which I think is a great resource during these dark days of anti-socialization.

I wish I had one of these little gardens nearby right now because today has been one big bucket of…read morestress. But if you *do* live (or travel) near Creative Little Garden, you're in for a treat. This place is adorable and oh-so tranquil in the middle of a concrete heaven. I'm not sure who maintains this sweet little place, but it's charming, well-groomed, and the perfect spot to hide out in for an hour or two and shed all your worries. Check it out! I'm sure the set-up is ever-evolving.

1 of 2 Yelp Reviews…read more Make sure you buy your tickets from Statue Cruises, NOT street vendors. Be safe. Quality/Quantity - What an amazing, fun, historical, and educational experience. Also, it gives some insight into how my family (many generations ago) came to this country. Tourist attraction, an amazing # of people visiting. Crazy long lines initially boarding the ferry, but it moves fast. Very organized and experienced. See all my excessive pictures. Ambiance - 12 million immigrants came through here. Service - Self service. Cut and pasted from their website: "In 2001, the Foundation opened the American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island, which contains a searchable database of passenger manifests for Ellis Island and the Port of New York between 1820 and 1954. The database is also available online." Price - Part of the Statue of Liberty ferry tour ride. $30 per person; inexpensive in my opinion. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 1900. 1971 - New Jersey register of historic places. 1982 - President Reagan with Lee Iacocca raised funds for restoration and preservation of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. 1990 - Restoration and re-opening. 1993 - NY City Landmark. 2016 - Statue of Liberty Museum.

An amazing place to witness and tour…read more You can even trace your ancestry and print documents of family members who passed through Ellis Island. I loved the park rangers who gave out great information. Fantastic!

What a gem. $5 admission to a place that is relaxing and beautiful with the bamboo, ponds, rivers,…read moretemple, and more. It's nice to just take it all in. It could use a little freshening up, but highly recommended!l for peacefulness.

The Chinese Scholar's Garden is as picturesque as it is serene. The architectural forms and beauty…read moreof the garden are a work of art. Definitely worth taking a trip to Staten Island! I particularly like how the wandering paths lead me back to the towering bamboo which is the entry point to the garden. The natural elements and the architecture built in the garden is a peaceful place fit for the scholar's meditation and study. There is a circular portal that leads to a courtyard with rocks that form a geometric pattern on the ground, guiding the eye to the organic shapes of the plants and trees. One element guides the eye to another element through contrast and even through repetition of shapes as can be seen in how there is a scallop edged wall behind this courtyard with the circular doorway. The circle motif is echoed in the design of the scallop edged wall beyond which flows another pond and yet more plants of different sizes. The landscape design also includes the waterfalls, pavilions and a rock-carved walkway with steps on it as well as a walkway that is zig-zagged! A great backdrop for picture taking with interesting rock formations along the pond in the courtyards. Also, when you pass by the koi fish pond, you could hear the splashing sounds they make as they swim around in the water. It brings an inner calm, tranquility and peacefulness to the viewers when they see the koi fish swim in the still water. I highly recommend a visit to the Chinese Scholar's Garden!

Interesting free exhibit. Small area to view the room. I walked by it easily outside since it's not…read moredistinct. Stairs are very steep.

Humankind is meant to be in nature, not in the concrete jungles that are our artificial homes. This…read moreart installation forces perspective.

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.

We got tickets to see the view but there was no view due to the fogs. When we were walking there…read morefor our reservation, there was sprinkle but not bad...when we got there, although some of the rooms with the balloons and the mirrors looked cool, but there was 0 visibility! They didn't offer refund partially or offer any other time for us to come back during the trip to make it fair. We were there just to look at the fogs, the balloons and the mirrors which I could booked other attractions to see similar exhibits. The main point of coming to here was looking at the skyline view. I would suggest they should offer options for partial refund or another time due to weather bc the tickets were the most expensive among other observatories as I remember. I even saw people paying extra to go up more levels and at that point, I don't think they saw anything at all.

2 of 2 Yelp Reviews. Photos in other review…read more Make sure you buy your tickets from Statue Cruises, NOT street vendors. Be safe. Quality/Quantity - What an amazing, fun, historical, and educational experience. Also, it gives some insight into how my family (many generations ago) came to this country. Tourist attraction, an amazing # of people visiting. Crazy long lines initially boarding the ferry, but it moves fast. Very organized and experienced. See all my excessive pictures. Ambiance - 12 million immigrants came through here. Service - Self service. Cut and pasted from their website: "In 2001, the Foundation opened the American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island, which contains a searchable database of passenger manifests for Ellis Island and the Port of New York between 1820 and 1954. The database is also available online." Price - Part of the Statue of Liberty ferry tour ride. $30 per person; inexpensive in my opinion. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 1900. 1971 - New Jersey register of historic places. 1982 - President Reagan with Lee Iacocca raised funds for restoration and preservation of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. 1990 - Restoration and re-opening. 1993 - NY City Landmark. 2016 - Statue of Liberty Museum.

When visiting New York, the Statue of Liberty, 9/11, and the Empire State Building are just a few…read morethings that come to mind when touring the city. I had no idea there was a completely different Island known as Ellis Island. Which tells the story of American immigration through exhibits, artifacts, and records from its time as the nation's largest immigration station (1892-1954). Visitors can walk through the original processing areas like the Registry Room and Baggage Room, while exploring three floors of exhibits, and searching for ancestors in the American Family Immigration History Center. Our ferry stopped at Ellis Island on the way to the Statue of Liberty. It was such an awesome experience! the museum is a powerful landmark symbolizing the "American Dream" for the over 12 million immigrants who passed through its doors. In the end, I found my great-grandfathers name on the list of registry dating back to the early 1900's from Pamplona, Spain. It is a self-guided tour, no entrance fee for the museum, but a ferry ticket is required. You can catch the ferry from Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in Jersey City.