New York now has more high-up viewpoints than ever, and they are not cheap — so the real question isn't "is the view good" (they all are) but "which one is right for you ." Here's an honest breakdown of the main observation decks, what makes each different, and who should pick which. Empire State Building — the classic The 86th-floor open-air deck is the one you've seen in films for ninety years, and the building itself is the icon. The trade-off: because you're standing on the Empire State Building, it's the one skyline you can't photograph. Best for first-timers who want the historic, quintessential New York experience. Top of the Rock — the best all-round view At Rockefeller Center, Top of the Rock gives you the shot most people actually want: the Empire State Building and Midtown in one direction, and Central Park spread out in the other. For photographers and for anyone choosing just one deck, this is usually the smartest pick. ...
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Plenty of New Yorkers will tell you to skip Times Square, and we understand the impulse. But after years of walking visitors through Midtown, we have come to think of the area a little differently. Times Square is not really a destination so much as a doorway: cross 42nd Street and you are standing in the densest concentration of working theaters anywhere in the country. This is a guide to seeing the spectacle, catching a show, and getting in and out without losing your patience or your wallet.
Why Times Square Looks the Way It Does
The blinding wall of light is not an accident. Zoning rules adopted in the 1980s actually require buildings in the Times Square district to carry illuminated signage, which is why even a bank branch here glows like a video arcade. Times Square earned its name in 1904, when The New York Times moved its headquarters to the tower at One Times Square, the same building that now drops the New Year's Eve ball.
Come at two different hours and you will see two different places. By day it is a churn of costumed characters, ticket hawkers, and office workers cutting through to the subway. After dark, the screens take over and the whole bowtie-shaped plaza turns the color of the billboards above it. If you only have time for one visit, we suggest dusk, when you get both the activity and the glow.
Buying Broadway Tickets Without Overpaying
Full-price orchestra seats to a hit musical can run well past two hundred dollars, but you rarely have to pay that. The TKTS booth under the red glass steps at 47th Street sells same-day tickets at discounts that often reach forty to fifty percent; the line moves faster than it looks, and the boards above the windows list everything available that day. For long-running shows, the official lottery apps and standing-room policies can land you a seat for under fifty dollars if you are flexible.
One word of caution we give every visitor: ignore the people on the sidewalk offering tickets or tours. Legitimate Broadway tickets come from the TKTS booth, the theater's own box office, or the official websites, and nowhere else.
The Theater District Beyond the Marquees
The Broadway theaters fan out along the side streets between Sixth and Eighth Avenues, roughly from 41st to 54th Street. Many of them are landmarks in their own right, like the Lyceum on 45th Street, the oldest continuously operating Broadway house, or the New Amsterdam on 42nd, restored to its full beaux-arts glory. You do not need a ticket to admire the facades on a slow walk down Shubert Alley, the private pedestrian lane that theater people have used as a shortcut for over a century.
If you want dinner before a show, skip the chain restaurants on the plaza and head one or two blocks west into Hell's Kitchen, where Ninth Avenue is lined with smaller, better, and cheaper kitchens. Just tell your server you have an eight o'clock curtain and they will get you out in time.
Getting There and Getting Around
Almost every subway line touches the area. The 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, and W trains all stop at Times Square-42nd Street, and the shuttle runs straight across town to Grand Central. We almost always recommend the subway over a taxi here, because Midtown traffic at curtain time barely moves, and the station is directly beneath the plaza.
Once you are above ground, the crowds are the real obstacle. The pedestrian plazas have eased things considerably, but the sidewalks near the TKTS booth still bottleneck. If you are trying to get somewhere on a schedule, walk a block off Broadway and you will move twice as fast.
When to Visit, and When to Avoid It
For the full sensory overload, weekend evenings deliver. For something closer to comfortable, come on a weekday morning, when you can actually photograph the signs without a thousand people in the frame. We steer visitors away from New Year's Eve unless watching the ball drop is a genuine bucket-list item, since the plaza fills hours in advance and there is no leaving once you are penned in.
However you feel about the crowds, give yourself a moment to stand in the middle of it all and look up. Even lifelong New Yorkers admit, usually quietly, that there is nothing else quite like it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Times Square safe to visit at night?
Yes. It is one of the most heavily patrolled and brightly lit areas in the city, and it stays busy well past midnight. As anywhere crowded, keep an eye on your bag and your phone, but you do not need to worry about being there after dark.
What is the cheapest way to see a Broadway show?
Same-day discount tickets at the TKTS booth, digital lotteries through the official show apps, and standing-room tickets at the box office are the three best options. Each can bring the price well below face value if your plans are flexible.
How long should I spend in Times Square?
For most visitors, thirty minutes to an hour is plenty to take in the lights and snap photos. If you are seeing a show, build in extra time before the curtain and plan dinner a couple of blocks away.
What is the best subway stop for the Theater District?
Times Square-42nd Street serves the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, and W lines and puts you in the middle of everything. The 49th Street station on the N, R, and W is a slightly calmer alternative if you are heading to a theater farther uptown.
Have a favorite pre-theater spot or a ticket tip we missed? Our editorial team is always updating this guide, and we would love to hear from readers through our contact page.
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