The View from the Top of the Rock

As you all know, I love taking in the views all over New York and it has been on my NYC To-Do list to experience the view from the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center.

I recently went with New York City Vacation Packages (NYCVP) to visit the Top of the Rock and look out upon all of Manhattan from the 3-story observation deck. I happened to visit this site when the weather was perfect and the views of the city were nice and clear! An NYCVP voucher allowed me to skip the lines at this popular destination located in the heart of Midtown, close to Radio City Music Hall and Times Square.

When I reached the Top, I went straight to the south side of the observation deck where I caught my first glimpse of Manhattan in a sweeping panorama that included the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan.

Every view that followed was like something from a movie or television show. The surrounding landmarks, fresh air, open space and the entertainment of people-watching presented an almost cinematic scenario.

As I peered through the clear panel walls of the observation deck, looking at the surrounding architecture and the outer boroughs, I picked out the recognizable buildings and familiar locations, seeing them from this new and exciting angle.

The westward view from the 2nd floor observation deck 

Capturing the Empire State Building from every angle

Central Park sunbathers in the distance
Another view of Central Park here

The Empire State Building and view toward Lower Manhattan

3rd floor observation deck

A photographer's view

Having fun people watching and taking pictures

Instagraming in action?

The last weekend of Governor's Island

It took me 5 months to make it out to Governor's Island. I'm ashamed that I went on the last weekend of it being open for this season, which was the weekend of October 9th & 10th, but it was so hot this past summer I just couldn't make it outside unless it was to go grocery shopping (Governor's Island opens sometime in early June).

I went with a friend for Oktoberfest but the event was at capacity by the time we got there so we settled for a beer and a walk along Water Taxi Beach. While there I enjoyed the views of Lower Manhattan and the Jersey City skyline across the Hudson River.

There were also great views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, along with glimpses of cruise ships, sailboats and water taxis passing by.

And it is a quick 7 minute ferry ride from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan (by the Staten Island ferry terminal). I hope to make it out there more often next summer and fall...

View of Lower Manhattan across the Hudson River


View of Lower Manhattan and the Jersey City skyline from Water Taxi Beach


There are bicycles for rent or you can bring your own to Governor's Island


Interesting street names along the promenade


An empty, historical house on the island


Old cannons at Fort Jay

Jersey City views from West Street

On my way to a free kayaking session at Pier 40, put on by downtownboathouse.org, I had to stop along the way to take in the perfect view of Jersey City and Hoboken from my spot on the esplanade. All along West Street, just west of the West Village, you can get amazing views of the sparkling Hudson River and New Jersey across the way and even some of Lower Manhattan and Battery Park City below you.

It was a cool end-of-summer day when I went over Labor Day weekend to do some kayaking out on the Hudson, but it was windy and the waves carried me around the water, giving my arms more of a work-out every time the kayak went out of bounds!

There is also free kayaking out in Astoria off of Socrates Sculpture Park: www.licboathouse.org.

Enjoy!

View toward Jersey City and Hoboken

The Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City plus surrounding businesses

View towards Lower Manhattan

The view from Rare View

Fancy burgers and fancy views from the Rare View Rooftop Garden in Murray Hill:

Another view from above NYC

Over the past year and a half I've been flying in and out of New York much more often, so I am able to get some views from above the city. I always pick a window seat and get my camera out for a few minutes as we fly over the many skyscrapers and famous landmarks of Manhattan. By now I know just the right seat to pick and the what side to pick it on.

Leave a comment and I will tell you which side, haha!

View of Central Park with the Boathouse, Conservatory Water and Banshell in sight

Thanks Curbed for featuring my photo on your site!

View toward Midtown, Madison Square Park, Gramercy

View toward Long Island City, Queens and Roosevelt Island

Out by The Fying Pan

It's only a few blocks from where I work, but I seem to rarely find myself out on this NYC gem and photo opp spot: Pier 66 Maritime. The pier is off of 26th Street and juts out into the Hudson River, with impressive views (at least to me) of New Jersey. I'm always a fan of views.

After visiting some of the Chelsea art galleries, a group of us attempted to get dinner and/or drinks at The Frying Pan, the seasonal bar and grill located at Pier 66, but I paid no attention to the food or drinks. All I cared for were the views, as you can see.

The view from Pier 1

I was out on the newly opened pier in Brooklyn Bridge Park last Thursday for the Movies With a View event. They were showing The Big Lebowski, which I'd never seen before even though it's only from 1998. Apparently it is one of those 90's cult movies. I guess for me that was the movie Clueless—I can recite all of the lines, I used to dress up as the characters, and can watch it over and over again, etc.

Anyway, from there you could see the Statue of Liberty, downtown Manhattan's skyline and the South Street Seaport.

Is this considered 'dusk' or 'twilight'?

The crowd on the lawn, waiting for the movie to start around 8:30 pm.

The view from above NYC

After an hour of sitting at the gate and coasting on the runway, we finally left the La Guardia airport located in Queens, New York—but just in time for storm clouds and a dull sky to get in the way of my view.

The airline didn't tell us why were were so delayed, but I didn't mind, because all I wanted was the chance to see the city from above. I must have stared at the "Welcome to New York" sign on the edge of the runway for 45 minutes.





I don't normally choose a window seat when I travel and this time I did, but the choice was almost wasted on the bad weather that seemed to hit us just as we took off.

So we took off and from above I could just barely see the Empire State Building, the very pointy Chrysler Building and the rest of the New York City skyscrapers that pierce the polluted sky.

Then the view was over and we flew above the clouds....




The Unisphere in Flushing Meadows, Queens which was installed
during the 1964-65 World's Fair



Then as we passed through the storm clouds and flew over Queens and toward the Atlantic, I got a peek at Coney Island in Brooklyn—the Cyclone roller coaster, the Ringling Brothers tents, the beach and the nearby Verazzano-Narrows Bridge that leads to Staten Island.

View towards Coney Island and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn


Google map of Coney Island

Views from Midtown

My work sent me out to another one of our furnished apartments to assist in a photo shoot, this one being at The Centria, located in Midtown by Rockefeller Plaza. While the professional photographer took his interior shots with a Nikon D200, I take my hobby/for fun shots with a little Sony.

With this particular photo shoot, both of our pictures came out with different backgrounds. We started at noon with the sky looking dark and gray, and ended at 1:30 with a clear blue sky and cottony white clouds.


The view from one of the bedrooms looking south


Close up of the Empire State Building


At one point the view looked like this:


But an hour before it looked like this!




View towards Avenue of the Americas

Hudson River, Pier 66 Maritime

I traveled from Mid-Chelsea to the edge of Manhattan and out to Pier 66 to take some pictures of Jersey City and the Hudson River. I last went out there in March for the Fountain Art Fair and it was very cold out on the water.

It was windy and sunny so it was hard to see anything or to even stand still (the winds were powerful enough to blow you a few feet away!) but I managed to spot the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as some buildings in lower Manhattan and Weekhawken, NJ.

From there I had lunch at The Frying Pan, an historic lightship docked on Pier 66 Maritime that serves as a sort of dive bar/seasonal bar and grill with a tiki bar. In March when I attended the Fountain Art Fair that took place on the ship, I could feel the boat rocking from the wind and water, and it did the same when I was out there on this windy May day!!


View of Jersey City, the Goldman Sachs Tower and the Statue of Liberty
(to the left of the tower)


View towards Midtown and the Empire State Building


Park on Pier 66, view towards New Jersey


View toward Chelsea Piers from the dock of The Frying Pan


The John J. Harvey fireboat, situated next to The Frying Pan, formerly of the FDNY.