Located on top of one of the tallest skyscrapers in Manhattan, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is an immersive, multi-sensory viewing experience. Here is a complete guide.
How To Get To SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is located at 45 East 42nd Street and the entrance is on the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal.
By Subway:
The nearest subway lines are the 4, 5, 6, 7, and Shuttle at Grand Central, 42nd Street.
By Bus:
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is also convenient to NYC bus service via the M101, M102, M103, M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32, and M42.
By Train:
Metro North trains on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines arrive at Grand Central Terminal from the surrounding suburbs for easy access.
By Car:
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt address – 45 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
Nearby parking garages for private vehicles are available in the area for an additional charge. Rates, hours, and space availability may vary.
For those short on time, or that prefer everything to be organised for them, there are some awesome tours on Get Your Guide available to book in advance.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Entrance Fee
As with everything in New York, we recommend booking your SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Experience Ticket in advance.
SUMMIT Experience:
General admission to New York’s most transformational experience.
Adults: $39
Children (ages 6-12): $33
Children 5 and under: Free
SUMMIT Ascent:
General Admission + Ascent – a thrilling glass elevator journey to over 1,200 feet.
Adults: $59
Children (ages 6-12): $53
Children 5 and under: Free
The above prices are for daytime tickets. Add an extra $10 to each ticket price for evening tickets.
For all tourists visiting New York we recommend purchasing either the New York: Go City Explorer Pass with 95+ Tours & Attractions or the New York CityPASS®: Save 40% at 5 Top Attractions.
These are a great way of saving money when visiting multiple tourist attractions during your stay in New York.
Both include:
- Top Of The Rock
- Empire State Building
- Statue of Liberty
- American Museum of Natural History
- 9/11 Memorial and Museum
- And many more!
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Opening Times
Wednesday and Thursday: 9am – 10:30pm.
Friday and Saturday: 9am – 12am.
Sunday and Monday: 9am – 9pm.
Last entry is 1 hour before closing time.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt opening hours vary from week to week and during different seasons.
It’s therefore always best to visit the official website to check before you visit.
Best Times To Visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt + Tips
The best time to visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is about an hour before sunset. Visiting at this time allows you to enjoy the experience in the daylight, as the sun sets, and then in the evening.
During the summer months and holidays are usually the busiest times.
Allowing 2 to 3 hours for your visit to enjoy all offerings and experiences.
The walking route is one-way so make sure you don’t miss anything as you will not be allowed back once you have moved onto the next floor.
Stiletto heels, steels toed boots, sports cleats and any type of footwear that might damage the mirrored floors are not permitted.
Also be mindful about wearing skirts and dresses if you feel uncomfortable with mirrored floors, although there is a non-reflective route you can take.
Remember to take sunglasses as the reflective materials used throughout the space create a very bright environment.
What To Pack
The History Of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Located in Midtown Manhattan, SUMMIT is the observation deck that sits at the top of the One Vanderbilt building.
The One Vanderbilt building opened in September 2020, despite delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and SUMMIT opened in October 2021.
The uniqueness of the rooms as well as the giant adult ball pit certainly gave it a boost up the Instagrammable places in New York list.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt was conceived as an installation that compels you to question your perception of the built environment, the natural world around you and your sensorial reality.
SUMMIT’s Ascent is the highest rack-and-pinion system in the world and at 90 square feet each, the largest glass floor elevators in the world.
One Vanderbilt is a 93-story skyscraper, designed by Kohn Pederson Fox. Proposed by developer S L Green Realty, it was part of a planned Midtown East rezoning in the early 2010s.
It took a team of more than 3000 workers, 4 years to complete the build using more than 26,000 tones of steel and 75,000 cubic yards of concrete.
The skyscraper’s roof is 1,301 feet (397m) high and its spire is 1,401 feet (427m) above ground.
This makes it the city’s fourth tallest building after One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower and 111 West 57th Street.
As of 2021, the building is the 26th-tallest in the world. The building cost $3.31 billion in total.
What To Expect At SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
From a room full of mirrored ceilings, walls and floors, to floating balls of fun, SUMMIT One is a strange yet satisfying viewpoint in New York worth visiting.
We decided to head up to the lookout following our morning at Madame Tussauds and were ready to see some of the city from above.
Covering 3 levels, a visit to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt will immerse you in an amazing, multi-sensory experience.
Its collection of breathtaking installations will allow you to view New York in a totally unique way at any time, day or night.
We popped on our glasses and headed up in the elevator to be welcomed by the sun shining brightly through the huge glass windows of the first exhibition.
AIR is an immersive art experience that creates the illusion of boundless space and the most popular part of SUMMIT One.
Broken down into 3 spaces, AIR is made up of Transcendence, Reflect and Affinity.
Transcendence
This is the exhibition that’s been going viral on lately on Instagram.
Here many people are rushing to take photos of the mirrored levels and capture their reflection with the New York City skyline in the back drop.
The Empire State Building is located directly in front of SUMMIT One.
In the distance you should be able to see as far as Brooklyn Bridge, One World Observatory and even the Statue Of Liberty.
It was quite hectic and extremely busy when we visited, but it was also only recently opened (4 months prior) so tourists were out to see what all the fuss was about.
You will have to wear bags on your feet to protect the mirrors and glass from getting marked and security are manning the area for those taking them off.
You’re also given sunglasses which you WILL need if you’re visiting in the middle of the day. The lighting was extremely harsh at noon so we recommend only taking them off for photos.
Reflect
If the hustle and bustle from Transcendence is a bit too much then Reflect is a place to do exactly that.
A little less sensory overload and a lot more calming feel as you pass through.
On the floor you’ll find an art piece call ‘Clouds’ by Yayoi Kusama.
Affinity
AFFINITY is another part of AIR where you will find shiny sphere balls floating around, encouraging visitors to interact and play whilst connecting in the space.
In addition to all of this, AIR AT NIGHT is one for those that plan on visiting after dark. (Although we recommend Top Of The Rock for an evening viewpoint!)
It showcases dramatic waves of colour that illuminate AIR turning SUMMIT into a beacon of light.
Other Things To Do At SUMMIT One
LEVITATION sees you inside transparent glass-enclosed skyboxes that extend out over 1,000 ft above Madison Avenue.
ASCENT is a sensory defying all-glass elevator reaching SUMMIT’s highest elevation (1,210 ft) above Midtown.
APRES is an indoor Café and Outdoor Terrace Bar featuring a selection of light food and cocktails.
With three floors of experiences and the stunning views across New York city a visit to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt should definitely be on your list of things to do in New York.
Where To Stay In New York
Luxury – The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
This Manhattan hotel in Midtown overlooks Central Park and is within walking distance of Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center.
Free cable and a bathrobe are provided in every room at the New York Central Park Ritz-Carlton. All rooms are elegant, with wood furniture and light colors. Many rooms also include a city or park view.
La Prairie Spa at the Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park offers massage and facial services, as well as a sauna. Guests can also work out in the state-of-the-art fitness center.
The 57th street subway station is just 2 blocks away, providing easy access to the city. Radio City Music Hall and the Broadway Theatre District are also both within 1 mile of the hotel.
Mid-Budget – citizenM New York Times Square
Located right in the heart of Manhattan, this hotel is just 1 minute’s walk from Times Square. It’s also within 5 minutes’ walk of Central Park and Columbus Circle.
A flat-screen TV and a small refrigerator with free water are available in citizenM’s rooms. Bathrooms include Hansgrohe rain showers and oversized bathroom amenities.
With the room iPad, all guests can control room lights, black-out blinds, curtains and temperature. As well as TV and radio channels.
Free high-speed Wi-Fi and express check in are on offer at citizenM New York Times Square.
Three outdoor terraces are provided at the New York Times Square citizenM. They feature a state-of-the-art fitness centre with yoga facilities.
After working out, guests can relax with drinks and sweeping views of the city on the exclusive rooftop bar.
Budget – Central Park West Hostel
Located in New York City’s Upper West Side, this hostel is a block from the 86th street underground station and 2 blocks from Central Park. It offers Wi-Fi and staff-organized events.
A shared kitchen, café area, and spacious lounge with a flat-screen TV are part of the facilities at the FIT Hotel. Lockers are also provided in the dormitory rooms and luggage storage is available.
The front desk of this New York City hostel is open 24 hours a day. It features daily housekeeping and free linens.
Times Square is only 10 minutes via underground journey.
For more places to stay in New York, you can check the latest prices on Booking.com.
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