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Five Instagramable Landmarks from the Empire State Building

Located 381m in the air, the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building has been under renovation since January and offers panoramic views of Manhattan (and beyond) through floor to ceiling glass panels. The reimagined floor will now offer an […]

Located 381m in the air, the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building has been under renovation since January and offers panoramic views of Manhattan (and beyond) through floor to ceiling glass panels. The reimagined floor will now offer an unequalled 360-degree view at any time of the year (regardless of the weather!) making it an exhilarating and intimate way to see some of the greatest landmarks on offer. 

Tourists will also have the chance to explore never seen before spaces through a glass-encased elevator and catch a glimpse of the inner-workings of the Mooring Mast as they are transported via a glass elevator shaft from the 86th to the 102nd floor. 

In celebration of the new floor opening last month, we have compiled all-time favourite landmarks you can see from the centre of Manhattan that are calling to be ‘grammed:

Rockefeller Centre

rockerfeller centre in the day lots of people surrounded by buildings, one of the most well-known US landmarks
via NYCgo.com

The Rockefeller Centre is the place in NYC to go shopping and eat out al fresco-style in the summer (and inside during the cooler winter months). What is mostly special about the Rockefeller Centre in winter is the giant Christmas tree for all of NYC to feast their eyes upon. Arguably, London and NYC are the most gorgeous cities to visit during the Christmas period—the streets light up and the joy of the city completely intoxicates everyone. I think NYC takes the cake though with the infamous Rockefeller tree, one of the most amazing Christmas landmarks in the world. 

The Plaza Hotel

the plaza hotel at night lit up through green trees one of the most well-known US landmarks
via theplazany.com

The Plaza Hotel as been featured in some of our all-time favourite films – like Bride Wars and Home Alone – so undoubtedly there is some sense of nostalgia that comes with the landmark. The boujee hotel has had some very famous guests stay (and even live) there – like John Lennon and Christian Dior (the creator of your favourite perfumes).  

For a very special occasion, it’s quite nice to treat yourself to a (pretty exxy) cocktail at the bars near the lobby. I had an unforgettable luxe night out where I think I bought just a few too many cocktails—the next morning I realised my budget for the week had gone out the window.

The Boathouse

the boathouse over green water surrounded by green trees, one of the most well-known US landmarks
via centralparknyc.org

Central Park is plausibly the most beautiful park on the planet, and a great stop over for a nap after a full day trekking around at The Met and shopping in Manhattan. Besides Central Park being home to some of the comfiest grass to sleep on, the park also offers everyone’s favourite lakeside restaurant, The Boathouse. This is where that bitch sister from 27 Dresses said she would get married and where Big and Carrie fell into the lake when he leaned in to kiss her. This place is priceless—even to those who haven’t visited—because it’s featured in some of our most-loved films and TV shows. 

Brooklyn Bridge

the brooklyn bridge on a sunny day, one of the most well-known US landmarks
via untappedcities.com

When I think of Brooklyn Bridge, I think of the Gossip Girl cast having to trek it from Manhattan to Brooklyn just to knock on Dan Humphrey’s door to either cry about how much they love and miss him or to deliver a threat. Ok, so those two examples are Serena and Chuck. However, what about all of the driving for Serena’s mum and Dan’s dad? Jesus, the petrol money. So yeah, Gossip Girl is what the bridge resembles for me, and probably most females between the ages of 16 and 28. 

Times Square

advertisements lit up in times square nyc, one of the most well-known US landmarks
via NYCgo.com

Times Square is a busy, commercial space (literally full of commercials) where hundreds of thousands of tourists walk around to dine, shop, see a theatre production or get politely mugged (although, I don’t think they intentionally want to get mugged—that would be strange). Times Square actually exceeds most people’s expectations when they visit. My personal top movie moments of Times Square is the flash mob in Friends with Benefits and when Isla Fisher is sad in a taxi in Confessions of a Shopoholic

What are your favourite landmarks in NYC that you want to see from the Empire State Building?