Summit One Vanderbilt or The Edge

Both Summit One Vanderbilt and The Edge offer breathtaking views of New York City, but they provide very different experiences for visitors.

In terms of price, Summit One Vanderbilt tickets range from $47 to $53, while The Edge is slightly more affordable at $43.

The Edge is also slightly taller, standing at 1,131 feet (345 meters) compared to Summit One Vanderbilt’s 1,100 feet (336 meters).

Both observation decks feature outdoor viewing areas, but their best visiting times differ—Summit One Vanderbilt is best experienced in the evening, while The Edge offers the clearest views during the daytime.

Summit One Vanderbilt is known for its immersive art installations and thrilling glass elevator, creating a futuristic and surreal atmosphere.

Meanwhile, The Edge is perfect for thrill seekers, featuring a glass floor and angled glass walls that offer a daring, sky-high experience.

Both attractions require advance ticket purchases, so your choice depends on whether you prefer a multi-sensory, artistic adventure or an adrenaline-pumping, high-rise thrill.

Now, let’s get into these similarities and differences in detail.

What’s ahead

Quick Summary

Observation Deck	Summit One Vanderbilt	The Edge
Price	$47 – $53	$43
Height	1,100 feet (336 meters)	1,131 feet (345 meters)
Opening Hours	9 am to 12 am	10 am to 10 pm (lean season)
Outdoor Deck	✔	✔
Best Time to Visit	Evening	Daytime
Unique Features	Immersive art experience, glass elevator	Glass floor, angled glass walls
Best For?	Unique, otherworldly experience	Thrill seekers
Ticket Purchase	Buy Tickets	Buy Tickets

Height of the Observation Decks

Summit One Vanderbilt offers an immersive observation experience spread across its 91st, 92nd, and 93rd floors, placing you 1,100 feet (335 meters) above the city.

Although the building itself reaches a towering 1,210 feet (369 meters), its observation deck is slightly lower than that of The Edge.

Perched on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, The Edge claims the title of the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. It stands at a height of 1,131 feet (345 meters).

Winner: The Edge

Outdoor vs indoor decks

Summit One Vanderbilt’s 91st and 92nd floors are completely enclosed in glass, while the 93rd floor has an outdoor observation deck.

Après Restaurant which is Summit’s café on the 93rd floor, has both an indoor lounge and an outdoor terrace.

At The Edge, the outdoor and indoor viewing platforms are on the 100th floor.

This indoor area provides a more sheltered environment while still offering stunning views of New York City.

Winner: Both

Enhance your Edge experience

Breathtaking views from The Edge
Experience New York’s night glow
Witness the sky painted at sunset
Sip a glass of Champagne at The Edge

View from the Observation Deck

The Edge NYC is located on Manhattan’s West Side, right by the Hudson River, offering sweeping, unobstructed views of the entire width of Manhattan—from the Statue of Liberty in the south to Central Park and the towering skyscrapers of the financial district.

At Summit One Vanderbilt, you can view iconic landmarks like the United Nations Building, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the One World Observatory, and Central Park.

Many tourists believe that the best view of the Empire State Building is from The Summit.

However, the best part about The Summit is its glass elevator called Ascent.

It would travel up the side of the building, taking you to its highest point and offering spectacular views of Central Park and the East River.

Unfortunately, the Ascent elevator has been in maintenance mode after a scare in March 2023.

Winner: Both

Why not check out both observation decks? Even though Summit One Vanderbilt and The Edge are both observation decks, they offer completely different experiences that I think are worth exploring. The best part? You can get a combo ticket for both decks and save 20%, which makes it even more tempting to experience both.

Enhance your SUMMIT ONE experience

Discover breathtaking views at Summit One
Experience Summit One Vanderbilt at night
Soar high in the Glass Elevator

Exhibits to experience

When it comes to exhibits and experiences, Summit One Vanderbilt wins hands down.

Air by Kenzo Digital is an immersive art installation featuring multiple sections, such as Transcendence 1 & 2 (a mirrored space), Affinity (an interactive and playful exhibit), Unity (an interactive experience where your face appears in the clouds), and Air at Night (a light show).

Levitation is a glass ledge suspended 1,100 feet (335 meters) above Madison Avenue, offering thrilling city views.

Reflect by Yayoi Kusama is a shape-shifting visual immersion experience.

The Edge is way behind on additional experiences. Before heading to the sky deck, you have a multimedia experience on the neighborhood’s clean-energy initiatives and groundbreaking engineering.

Winner: Summit One Vanderbilt

Compare The Edge with other NYC observation decks!
New York City boasts five observation decks, each providing a unique perspective of the skyline. You can compare The Edge with other iconic decks like the Empire State Building and One World Observatory to determine which view and atmosphere best suit your visit.

Ticket options

At The Summit, there are two ways to experience the observation deck.

More than 90% of people buy the timed skip-the-line tickets, which are priced at US$53 for adults 13 years and older.

Only some opt for the guided tour of Summit One Vanderbilt, a premium experience.

At The Edge, most people also opt for the timed skip-the-line tickets, which are priced at US$44 for adults 12 years and older.

Those who aren’t sure about the time of their visit can buy Edge’s Flex tickets and Express Passes.

Visitors who want an adrenaline rush can purchase the City Climb tickets, which include entry to the observation deck and a climb to the top of the building.

Winner: The Edge

Crowd to expect

The Edge attracts large crowds, especially during peak times. In 2023, it attracted more than 2 million visitors, averaging about 5,500 people per day.

Summit One Vanderbilt, while popular, tends to have fewer visitors, offering a more relaxed and less crowded experience.

Winner: Summit One Vanderbilt

Summit One is conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan, directly connected to Grand Central Terminal. The Edge is situated in Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s west side, a newer but rapidly growing area easily accessible by subway and bus.

Dress code

The Summit has a mild form of a dress code.

Since the observatory has extensive mirror-like surfaces, it encourages visitors to wear pants, shorts, or tights — to avoid “unwanted exposure.”

But there’s good news for those who find out about this ‘dress code’ at the last minute – Summit offers a free pair of stretchy black shorts to anybody who requests one.

Stiletto heels, work boots, and cleats are not permitted to protect The Summit’s glass floors. It is best to wear comfortable, non-scuffing shoes like sneakers.

The Edge has no such dress code.

Winner: None

Which deck is better for night time visit

The Edge at Hudson Yards and SUMMIT One make the night more alive, rich, and colorful. 

Nighttime visitors to both the observation decks see stunning 360-degree views of New York City all lit up.

Most New York buildings have lighting effects, which you can see only at night.

However, if you plan to visit at night, Summit ends up being better than The Edge.

That’s because of the four exhibits at The Summit—Air, Clouds, Transcendence, and Levitation—all of which offer a unique experience as the sun goes down and darkness engulfs the city.

That’s one of the highlights of The Summit, which transforms into an unforgettable experience after dark.

Winner: Summit One Vanderbilt

Adventure quotient

Summit One Vanderbilt only has the general admission ticket, and that’s as much adventure as possible. However, at The Edge at Hudson Yards, you have what’s known as The City Climb.

Edge’s City Climb is the world’s highest open-air building ascent. It starts with a safety briefing about the specially designed safety harnesses.

Once you’re secure, City Climb Guides attach you to two cables connected to a trolley, and you make your way up the exterior of the building.

For adrenalin seekers, it is the ultimate NYC aerial experience.

Winner: The Edge

City Climb tickets

Note: City Climb is an adrenaline-pumping experience that takes you above The Edge. It requires a separate ticket and is not included with general admission or the Express Pass.