New York Pass for 100+ Attractions 1 to 10 Days

Empire State Building

Finished in 1931 after just over a year of construction, the Empire State Building is the art deco symbol of New York and still one of its most visited sights. The pass covers its observation deck experience, which begins with exhibits on the building's history and leads up to the open-air terrace on the 86th floor, wrapped around the tower about 320 metres above Fifth Avenue.

From the 86th floor you see Central Park to the north, the Hudson and East rivers on either side and the Statue of Liberty far to the south. The deck stays open late, and many visitors return at night when Midtown is a sea of lights. To avoid queues for Empire State Building tickets, reserve your slot in the app and go early in the morning or after dark.

Top of the Rock and Edge

Top of the Rock crowns 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the art deco skyscraper at the heart of Rockefeller Center. Its three levels, on floors 67, 69 and 70, include an open roof with uninterrupted views, and it is the best place to photograph the Empire State Building itself, with Central Park spreading out on the other side. In winter the famous ice rink and tree glitter in the plaza below.

Edge, opened in 2020 at Hudson Yards on the West Side, is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere, about 1,100 feet up on the 100th floor. It juts out from the tower, with angled glass walls and a glass floor panel that lets you look straight down. Sunset here, over the Hudson, is unforgettable, so book that time slot early with the pass.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry

The pass includes the ferry from Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, with time to walk around both. On Liberty Island you stand at the foot of the 1886 statue, a gift from France, and visit the Statue of Liberty Museum, which holds the original torch. Ferries run a loop, so you can stay as long as you like at each stop.

On Ellis Island the restored main hall houses the National Museum of Immigration, telling the story of the millions who entered the country here between 1892 and 1954. Plan at least four to five hours for both islands, start with an early ferry, and expect airport-style security at Battery Park. If you only have three days, this is the best time to visit the Statue of Liberty: your first morning.

Museums: MoMA, Natural History and the Intrepid

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), on West 53rd Street in Midtown, holds one of the world's great collections of modern painting, sculpture, design and photography; plan two to three hours. The American Museum of Natural History, on Central Park West at 79th Street, is famous for its dinosaur halls on the fourth floor and the life-size blue whale model hanging in the Hall of Ocean Life, a favourite with families.

On Pier 86 on the Hudson, the Intrepid Museum is a Second World War aircraft carrier turned museum, with historic aircraft on the flight deck, a submarine to explore and a pavilion sheltering a space shuttle that flew test flights in the 1970s. The pass also covers the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and One World Observatory, so Lower Manhattan fills a whole day on its own.

Getting around: harbor cruises, buses and bikes

Beyond tickets, the pass includes ways to see the city between sights. A harbor sightseeing cruise shows the skyline and the Statue of Liberty from the water, and the hop-on hop-off bus links Midtown, Downtown and Uptown with commentary, useful on your first day to get your bearings.

A Central Park bike rental lets you ride the park's car-free loop past Bethesda Fountain and the Reservoir. Is the New York Pass worth it? It works best if you plan two or three attractions a day and group them by area: Lower Manhattan, Midtown and the Upper West Side. Transport between attractions is not included, so use the subway, which reaches every area on the pass.