Empire State Building 86th floor New York skyline observatory view

The lift carries you to the open-air deck on the 86th floor of one of New York's best-known skyscrapers. From up there the street grid, the rivers, the green patch of Central Park and the rooftops of other towers spread out like a tidy map. The wind is strong, and the city's noise arrives as a distant hum.

It is breezy on the deck, so take a jacket. Views are sharpest on clear days, and light near sunset softens both the city and the photograph. A wrist strap on your camera keeps you at ease at height.