Somehow I just didn’t find the Empire State Building impressive. Granted, the view from the top is very pretty, though, overall it just didn’t live up to my expectations. The classy art deco atmosphere ended in tiled décor of the front lobby. The whole process of actually getting up to the top wreaked of hurried commercialism, with the mandatory group pictures, fading and crinkled Broadway posters, and the insistent "suggestions" to buy the audio commentary (from a "real live New York Cab driver"), or take a ride in a simulator that would "fly" you over New York. I wasn’t hoping for the 1920s age of glamour (well I was but I’m a tiny bit of a realist), but I would have at least settled for letting the building and its views speak for its self. Then again, this is why no one would ever put me in charge of something like this; it would never make any money. Overall, the Empire State Building does seem to have the tall building market cornered, so if that’s your thing, go. Otherwise, I’d spend my time and money somewhere else.

There are pros and cons to the Empire State Building. The pros: It's one of the most famous buildings in the world, and you can feel a little thrill thinking about the fact that you're in the very place where King Kong once placed his mighty foot. Also, the view really is spectacular, especially at sunset. The Empire State Building is located on 34th Street and 5th Avenue, so you have a close but not too-close view of the other skyscrapers, a vista to the south of New York Harbor, and to the north the full extent of Central Park. If you're not really oriented in the city yet, this is a great place to figure out what's where. The Empire State Building is open from 8am to midnight, so it's sure to fit in your schedule somewhere.

The cons... may not matter, depending on your attitude. There's a lot of standing in line. You stand in line first to go through security (leave your pocket knife at home); then again to buy tickets; then to get in the fast elevator which takes you up... not to the observatory which is located on the 86th floor, but to the 84th floor, where you stand in line all over again to have your picture taken; then to reach the observatory you have to stand in line for the final elevator. The indoor portion of the observatory is all gift shop, of course, full of "I [Heart] NY" mugs and T-shirts, but there's access to the outdoors, too. During all the time you spent standing in line, there have been people sternly telling you to rent an audio tour for $6, because there's no information available at the top; this of course turns out to be false, and there are perfectly good signs explaining what the major buildings are in each direction.

The ESB is pricey. Entry for adults is $16; seniors and youth ages 12-16 are $14; children under 12 are $10 (under 6 free). There's also a "skyride," which is really a video screening on the ground floor, which you can see for an additional fee (though it's not clear why you'd want to). And then there's that picture they snapped of you on the way in, which they'll try to sell to you, for $20, as you're on your way out.

So... your call. I could happily spend a lot of time in New York without going up the Empire State Building, but that may be because I've already been up. How much are you willing to do for a great view?

Upon entering the lobby of the Empire State Building, I was impressed—it is gorgeous. The inside of the building (including the elevator to the 80th floor) was very nice. However, the actual observation deck on the 86th floor is really not that exciting. And it is not even remotely romantic, regardless of how many chick flicks claim it to be. Maybe I'm spoiled since I live in Toronto and we have the CN tower, but the 86th floor didn't seem high enough. There were some interesting things to see, such as the actual size of the Macy's store. It was $16 to get to this level. For an additional $14, you can go up to the 102nd floor, but we didn't spend the extra money.

It was the off-season, so we only spent about 5 minutes in line. However, they had space set up for very long lines. The Empire State Building is part of the overall New York experience, and I am glad I did it once. However, I will probably never do it again.

Possibly THE architectural icon of America, this site is a must-do. To get to the top observation deck it is $14 for adults. I went in the summer and had to wait nearly 2 hours before finally getting to the top. Be prepared for the wait, but it is worth it.

The view from the top is incomparable. Seeing one of the world's most amazing cities from that height is a sight you will not soon forget. I was lucky enough to catch a rainbow streaking over the Chrysler building and snapped a picture. Imagine Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks meeting here in "Sleepless in Seattle," or King Kong plummeting to his end (whatever floats your boat!)

The entrance to the Empire State Building was a little difficult to find despite the fact that it is still the tallest building in New York. It almost seemed to be tucked away and hidden from view as it is surrounding by other large and impressive buildings. As we made our way in the direction of the Empire State Building wafts of steam rose from the pavements and cabbies honked aggressively at others as they battled to position their cabs. But this building has history and we were not too disappointed to find that the mighty King Kong was not beating his chest from the very top of the building.

It was one of those buildings that was built during the depression and with huge numbers of unemployed a willing workforce completed the build in just eighteen months. It was not without loss as during the planning stages over 100 workers died. A few more facts and figures – its 102 floors reach almost 450 metres; the whole construction used 10 million bricks; it weighs in at 365,000 tons and its came in (under budget) at almost 41 million dollars.

When opened in May 1931, it became the world’s largest building and although the world trade centre assumed the title in 1973 it reverted to the Empire State Building after 911.

The lobby is a superb example of Art Deco art and design with the sleek stylish lines and bold contrasts of colour. I guess it can’t be accused of being subtle, but it is impressive and somewhat confrontational in its motif features. We patiently queued for lift tickets to take us to the viewing station and then a fairly quick journey up the eight-six floors to the observational floor. We got there in daylight and we’re lucky enough to have timed our visit to coincide with dusk and the transformation of the city into a bright array of lights. I’d certainly recommend that you aim for late afternoon to catch this conversion from natural light to artificial – it’s a veritable treat.

The only downside was that it was exceedingly cold (I’m being polite!), and a ferocious wind penetrated our coats as we ventured around the outdoor viewing platform. There are indescribably sensational views across the whole of the city and we had a superbly clear night to enjoy the sight of boats chugging down and across the Hudson and East Rivers. All New York’s bridges were in view and with a set of binoculars its possible to watch the traffic flow across the Brooklyn Bridge. We looked down on the Chrysler Building (which had been the tallest building until Empire State was erected) and spotted the tiny statue of liberty in the distance.

This really is a great place to orient yourself - Central Park (a splash of green amongst the concrete) to the north, Chinatown to the south, and Madison Square Gardens to the west. A great visit.