This one’s for the thrill-chasers and adrenaline fiends, the sky-high funseekers who’ll try just about anything for kicks. Not just any old observation deck, Edge is the highest outdoor viewing platform in the Western Hemisphere, jutting out high over the streets of west Manhattan on a triangular glass platform that allows you – should you be so bold – to gaze straight down beneath your toes at the toy NYC cabs and ant-sized humans far below.
We’ve got the gen on what you can expect from your visit, including how to get there, where to bag the best snaps, what to do when hunger strikes, and details of the world’s most terror-inducing optional add-on.
Our guide will tell you
- Why you'll want to visit
- How to get there and how to get in
- All you need to know about the experience and the facilities
- Where to head while you're nearby
Ok I’m interested, hit me with the deets…
Not to be confused with the U2 guitarist of the same name (height 5 feet 10 inches), Edge (height 1,131 feet) is the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. You’ll find it perched a casual 100 stories up at 30 Hudson Yards, protruding 80 feet from the main building’s facade, with eight inches of tempered glass all that separates the soles of your shoes from more than 1,000 feet of air.
Feeling brave? The transparent nine foot balcony that surrounds this insane cantilevered terrace boasts a jaunty outward angle of 6.6 degrees, allowing visitors with nerves of steel to lean out over the streets and rooftops far below. Yikes.
Give me three good reasons why I should visit…
Give me three good reasons why I should visit…
- You like heights don’t you? Well, in a skyline that’s world renowned for its supertall skyscrapers, 30 Hudson Yards more than holds its own. Best of all, you can tell your mates you’ve braved the highest open-air observation deck in the west. For real.
- The views ain’t too shabby either. Saddle up for sweeping vistas along the Hudson and across that classic Midtown skyline. Hello Empire State Building and the Chrysler!
- You can go even higher! The add-on City Climb experience lets you scale the building’s very summit, some 1,271 feet above terra firma. Legs of jelly guaranteed.
How do I find the place?
You can’t miss the 30 Hudson Yards building, towering high over Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen in the Hudson Yards development. But finding the entrance to Edge is a little more tricky. Enter through the shopping center and follow signs for the 4th floor and ‘Edge’. New York Pass holders can bypass the ticket kiosks here and continue straight on to the main entrance.
Subway: hop on the 7 line and exit at 34 St – Hudson Yards, then walk south along Hudson Boulevard. Or take A, C or E lines to 34 St – Penn Station. Exit the station at 33rd Street & 8th Avenue and walk west on 33rd Street toward 10th Avenue.
How do I get in with my New York Pass?
No need to book in advance. Just roll up, sashay on past the 4th floor ticket kiosks and join the line at the main entrance. Flash your pass at staff and you’re in. There’s an interesting exhibition about the construction of 30 Hudson Yards with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability. But, if you want to get straight to the actual up on the 100th floor, it’s the elevators you’ll want. Plan 45–60 minutes minimum, and longer if you’re stopping for drinks or photos.
Your New York Pass gets you access to the 100th-floor deck and all those incredible views. It also bags you discounted entry ($8) to the trippy honeycomb structure that is Vessel, and you can add the City Climb for an extra $99 plus tax. But that’s not all. Not by a long shot. The New York Pass unlocks savings on entry to more than 100 blockbuster tours, activities and attractions. We’re talking the Statue of Liberty, the Times Square tour, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, MoMA, Madame Tussauds and dozens more.
Ok, tell me a little more about what I can see and do there…
Ok, tell me a little more about what I can see and do there…
What can you see? What can’t you see, more like. First, make your way up to the 100th floor. Don’t worry, you’re not expected to take the stairs – frankly, your legs are going to be wobbly enough up top without the need for all that extra exertion.
The first thing to note – and this is important news if some members of your crew are more nervous than others – is that not the whole floor is see-through. That’s right, there’s a whole section of that great big cantilevered platform that is completely solid underfoot. Well, of course it’s all solid, but you know what we mean. In short: you can enjoy the sweeping views of Manhattan without the added terror of a glass floor.
Brave souls with nerves of steel, however, will want to make a beeline for the 225 square feet of glass triangle that looks straight down onto the streets of west Midtown, before upping the ante by leaning out into the angled glass walls that surround the deck.
And the views? Simply superlative. From up here in the clouds (1,131 feet, to be precise) you can see for miles. Expect glittering Hudson vistas, fine sightlines to the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, plus the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and, well, just about every other Big Apple bucket-lister you’d care to mention.
What other facilities are there?
- There are cafés for gelato and general refreshments right there on the 100th floor, and you can grab drinks and cocktails (and Dutch courage) at the little cart out on the viewing deck.
- One floor up, the Edge Bar and Peak Restaurant are your ultra-decadent add-ons for champagne cocktails and fine dining (think oysters, Maine lobster and filet mignon) accompanied, of course, by some of the best dinner-date views in town. Book direct and in advance via the Edge website.
- There’s a gift shop for Edge-branded all-sorts, including (but by no means limited to) tees, totes, caps and water bottles. Edgy.
Where are the best photo ops?
Where are the best photo ops?
Any Insta addict worth their salt will want to capture that straight shot down through the glass floor – feet in shot – to the city streets far below. But there are plenty more great angles to be had. Fortune favors those brave enough to lean into the glass wall, with swoonsome panoramas of the glittering Hudson and that iconic Midtown skyline anchored by the Empire State Building.
The visuals at Edge can differ wildly depending what time of day you visit. Mid-morning tends to be best for crisp skyline views (weather permitting, of course). But if it's pure Instagram catnip you seek, arrive at sunset for a photo sesh as the Manhattan skyline turns various shades of burnished gold, flamingo pink and bruised purple – but brace for larger crowds of people who all had the exact same idea.
After dark, the city lights up with what – from way up here – could well be millions upon millions of twinkling fairy lights. You’ll want a tripod (or an unnaturally steady hand) to capture those illuminated skyline shots, as well as cool light trails as traffic weaves through the streets beneath your feet.
I’m done here, where should I go next?
The Hudson Yards location means you’re just a hop and a skip from several other must-visit NYC attractions, several of which – like Edge – are included with your New York Pass. Here are a few of the highlights…
- Vessel: New York Pass holders get discounted entry to this trippy honeycomb-like structure/sculpture and its stellar, ever-changing views.
- High Line: the entrance to this much-loved elevated park is just a short stroll away.
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- High Line Chelsea Meatpacking Tour
- High Line and Hudson Yards Tour
- Madame Tussauds New York
- Intrepid Museum
Any more optional extras?
Any more optional extras?
Sure. Did you find Edge a little so-so? 1,131-feet glass platforms not thrilling enough for ya? Then City Climb may be the answer. This add-on activity sees brave adrenaline-seeking souls suit up and harness themselves to a safety rail before climbing a steep staircase to the very top of 30 Hudson Yards. On reaching the summit, you’ll be higher than anyone else in NYC.
But that ain’t all. At this point you’ll be invited to summon up those nerves of steel and let yourself lean right out over the edge of the building, with absolutely zilch between you and the sidewalks, a staggering 1,271 feet below. That sound? NBD: just your teeth-chattering and knees knocking.
New York Pass holders can add the City Climb for $99 – contact the venue direct to book your slot.
Enjoyed this little slice of New York?
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