SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
45 E 42nd St.
New York, NY 10017
New York’s newest attraction since the autumn of 2021.
Next to Grand Central station, SOV takes you up 1,400 feet above the City that never sleeps.
Tickets from $39+ for day and $49+ for the night that gives access to three level. The lower two have glass floors, the top one has a small lounge with outdoor space. Cocktails are served in plastics. The enclosed elevator is very steady, I could hardly feel the motion. Coming down my eardrums did feel some pressure. The Ascent has an additional fee that goes up outside of the building.
Entrance located on the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal. Waiting to go up is smooth and pretty quick, include checking for vaccination. Flat heels probably work better since they hand you a pair of shoe covers. Bag this size seems ok. One of the bathrooms painted in orange has a great view. Not sure the hand soap bottle on the counter means the two built-in soap dispenser don’t work? I didn’t try. The dryer works fine tho.
The view of the city is great, given the cloudy weather. I would prefer a clear day but tickets are sold out days ahead. Luck is the only thing going for me, and I didn’t have any: I got 4:00 pm ticket, hoping for a sunset view but it was a cloudy day. I ended up went up with a group of friends with 5:00pm tickets. One hour window flexibility seems allowed. A friend went during a sunny morning, and the photos were better.
Clouds (2019; stainless steel with patina and wax in nifty parts), by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama (1929-) who is known for immersive installation. This piece signifies the “reflective cloud like forms that envelope the viewer creating an impression of floating and infinity.”
Other time in the neighborhood
