It is essential viewing, of course, for a first and probably every subsequent visit to New York, because then you can experience it at different times of day. We went at about midday, and the queues were much less than when we had passed by the previous day at about 3pm. Be prepared to queue whenever you go though, then queue again, and, in fact, then queue again. Pick up one of the info leaflets on the way in and you can spend your queueing time reading about how the building was constructed in just over a year and the immense numbers of people who worked on it, as well as overviews of what you can see in each direction.

However long you're standing in line, it will be more than worth it. Despite all the pictures you've seen of the views, nothing quite prepares you for what it's like. It gives you a fantastic sense of how Manhattan all fits together, and seeing Central Park in its entirety is amazing - the rest of NY may not be particularly green, although the leafy roads in East Village and a few little parks dotted around the place don't make it feel overly sparse of vegetation elsewhere, but the sheer scale of Central Park and the proportion of the island that it takes up is quite staggering.

There are audio handsets available for hire for $6, but we didn't bother with these. They will tell you that there aren't any maps or guides up at the observatory before you go up there in order to try to persuade you to hire one, but in fact there are diagrams on each side of the viewing platform with a key to all the main buildings and attractions which we found to be quite enough for our needs. Entry to the ESB is $14 for adults, and apparently the NY skyride simulated arial tour isn't recommended by those who've experienced it - it's much better to just head up the 86 floors and gaze in wonder!

I went to the Empire State Building at about 8 at night. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen. You could see all the lights of New York. The wind was a little breezy, but otherwise it was beautiful.

We arrived just before it was due to open and already the queue snaked its way through most of the basement. We queued and we queued. We're English, so we’re quite good at it, but it was stuffy and the woman in front of us was wearing a garish pair of trousers that wasn't making the time go any faster.

After what felt like an eternity, we reached the elevator to go partway up, and then we queued some more. Eventually we reached the top to be greeted by a man in a dinner jacket playing a small Hammond organ. He was playing "Here comes the Bride." It was St Valentine's Day, and several couples were getting married at the top of this landmark, but at the same time, there was a throng of tourists who had paid money to go up there, which one bride wasn't too happy about, so she started shouting at the queue that they were ruining her wedding. Outside on the viewing deck, we were still tussling for space with wedding-reception guests clutching their champagne glasses, but we managed to take in the views.

The views were impressive, and it is a great way to see the whole city, but it’s not the sort of thing you need to do again, and I certainly won't be booking my wedding up there.

First seen as you walk along 34th Street, the Empire State Building can be a little underwhelming. It is not until about Macy's that you start to see the scale of it, the huge tower rising in an elegant taper from the stacked blocks of its base. To be honest,though, what the Empire State offers as something to look at pales into insignificance beside its qualities as something to look from. This has got to be one of the best views ever.

Even on a cloudy day, it was possible to see for miles all around. After days of looking up at skyscrapers, it was at once humbling and empowering to look down on them.

The Silver Hub Caps of the Chrysler Building, the golden pyramids of the insurance buildings, letting your eyes run down the length of 5th Avenue all the way to the Washington Square arch. The green and brown blocks to the north mark out Central Park. This is New York from an entirely new perspective.

The viewing platfrom is 86 floors up and includes an inside and an outside platform. Though I normally suffer from vertigo, I had no problem on the outside platform. It's a testament to the apparent solidity of the railings and barriers. It can get cold that high up, so make sure you are well-covered.

The cost was $13 per adult and free for children under 6. Allowing for queuing for tickets and queuing for lifts, it took about 45 minutes, from getting in the front doors to stepping out onto the viewing platform. I imagine it would take longer on a clearer day.

The day we went, it was raining and foggy. Adding the fact that the wait was long, we decided to move onto our next spot.

The funny thing about it was that I never realized I was right on top of the Empire State Building until our friends pointed it out.

The mural in the front lobby was very neat.