The Empire State Building

The model in the lobby.

When I was a little girl, the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world. Never too young for a bucket list, I always wanted to travel to New York and stand on the top of it. Alas, it never happened and I still have not stood at the top of the tallest building in the world.

I lived in New York for over a decade and, believe it or not, never made it to the top. I needed to check that item off my bucket list and I can now say that I have been to the top of the Empire State Building. It was everything that little girl inside of me wanted it to be.

I'm not sure what it is that makes the Empire State Building my definitive skyscraper. Maybe it is the sheer majesty of it as it soars upwards or maybe it is the sheer beauty of its art deco architecture. Others will disagree, but to me it is the most beautiful building of its type in the world.

I decided that because I was finally doing this I would treat myself to the guided tour. It is a treat (I have never paid so much for a tour in my life), but it was so worth it. For one thing, I got very lucky and ended up being the only person on my tour. As a result, I got one-on-one attention from my host.

I must pause for a minute and send a shout out to the absolutely wonderful woman who took two hours to tell this history geek everything I wanted to know and even some things I didn't know I wanted to know. Renita Edmond, who has been a part of the Building family for twenty-two years, knew everything that there is to know and she was happy to share it. Her enthusiasm for her job and her willingness to answer countless questions made my entire experience something I will never forget.

102nd Floor

We started the tour on the lower floors where I learned everything I wanted to know about early days of the building. We went through the original lobby that has just been redone and the newer lobby now used for those wanting to go to the top. Turns out that the building is a nearly self-contained city. There is a dry cleaner, several choices for food, and a Starbucks that will deliver if you are too busy to leave your desk. It even has its own zip code.

On the second floor are two really fun exhibits. The first is a series of photographs of famous people who have been to the top. The faces are those you recognize and they all look as excited to be there as the rest of us. The second exhibit is a running show of clips from movies that have featured the building. There have been over 100, the most famous of course being King Kong.

Also on the second floor is an exhibit all about King Kong. Turns out that the movie saved the building. Until the movie, the building stood nearly empty. After the movie, it filled up quickly. Now, thanks to modern technology, one can stand on King Kong's hand while planes fly overhead and King Kong's face shows through the window. It is fun to watch people interacting with the whole show.

We then proceeded to the 102nd floor, or the TOP of the Empire State Building. It was worth the half century wait. The views are simply magnificent, and because of where the building stands in the middle of Manhattan, I could see everything. To the north is Central Park. From this height, it is possible to see how massive it is and how lucky New York is to have so much green space. To the south is the Statue of Liberty. It still feels a bit odd to see the "new" World Trade Center, but it is a magnificent building seen from this high. Renita and I took our time up here, slowly circling the entire floor while my wonderful guide pointed out every New York landmark I could think of it. What a treat.

86th Floor

After spending some time up top, we made our way down to the 86th floor. Heights are not my thing, so this floor was a bit rougher for me as it is outside. Yes, you are completely surrounded by fencing that will not let you fall, but my goodness you are are high up in the air.

Again, Renita and I walked around the entire floor admiring the landscape that is New York. From here, the views were more interesting than above as there is no glass to distract from what you are seeing. It is also great fun to compare the angles of the two floors. For example, Central Park looks much less impressive at 86 than it does at 102.

I am lucky in that I have had many bucket list experiences in my life. Not always do they live up to the hype. The Empire State Building has been on my list for over fifty years and it more than lived up to the hype. It was a magical experience that I will never forget.

And, a final thank you to Renita who helped to make my day so exciting and wonderful. All tour guides should be that engaged and so much fun to spend time with.

The Empire State Building

20 West 34th Street, NYC

212-736-3100

esbnyc.com