A guide walks you through the lobby, the exhibits and up to the 86th floor in about 90 minutes.
- Free cancellationFree cancellation available through GetYourGuide's standard policy
- DurationAbout 90 minutes
- LanguagesEnglish
The Indoor Guide Tour with Ticket of Empire State Building costs $79 per person and pairs a live guide with entry to the 86th Floor Observation Deck and the building's indoor exhibitions, starting in the Art Deco lobby where the guide explains the building's Depression-era construction and its King Kong and pop-culture legacy. The route is compact by design — about 90 minutes — which makes it the fastest way to get a live guide's context without booking a half-day private tour. The 102nd floor and skip-the-line Express Pass are both available as paid add-ons rather than included by default.
Key facts
guided-tour- Duration
- About 90 minutes
- Meeting point
- Art Deco lobby, Empire State Building, observatory entrance at 20 West 34th Street
- Price
- $79 per person
- Entry ticket included
- Yes
- Languages
- English
- Group size
- Small group
- Accessibility
- ADA-compliant building: the 20 West 34th Street entrance and ramps are wheelchair accessible (esbnyc.com/visit/accessibility, checked 2026-09-12).
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation available through GetYourGuide's standard policy
Included
- ✓ Guide service
- ✓ Admission to the Empire State Building 86th-floor observatory
- ✓ Access to indoor exhibitions
Not included
- ✗ 102nd-floor observatory upgrade
- ✗ Skip-the-line Express Pass (available as an add-on)
- ✗ Guide gratuity
- ✗ Food, drinks and personal expenses
Meeting point
20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10118
Nearest transit: Subway B/D/F/M/N/Q/R/W to 34th St–Herald Square, or 6 to 33rd St
What the guided route covers
The tour opens in the Art Deco lobby, where the guide covers the building's construction during the Great Depression and its recurring film and pop-culture cameos, before moving through the 2nd- and 80th-floor exhibitions and up to the 86th Floor Observation Deck for 360-degree views toward Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Timing and what can slow it down
The scraped listing itself flags that elevator queues can extend the roughly 90-minute route during peak hours, and recommends the Express Pass add-on to cut waiting time. Morning slots on a weekday are the best bet for staying close to the stated 90 minutes.
Price versus the plain ticket and the private tour
At $79, this sits between the $48 self-guided Observation Deck & Museum Ticket and the $489 fully private VIP tour. It buys a live guide and the 86th floor, but not the 102nd floor or skip-the-line access — both cost extra here, while the VIP tour bundles skip-the-line and both decks by default.
Who this suits
Book this for a time-limited visit where a person answering questions matters more than an app or a gallery panel, and where a small-group setting (rather than a fully private one) is fine. Skip it if you specifically want the 102nd floor or a private group, in which case the VIP tour or the plain ticket with a 102nd-floor add-on suit better.
Who should not book this
- Visitors who want the 102nd floor included by default
- Anyone who wants a fully private group (see the VIP Private Tour instead)
-
New York City Small Group Holiday Tour With Empire State
seasonal pricingif a holiday/seasonal framing fits your travel dates
-
Express Pass VIP Private Tour of the Empire State Building
USD 489for a private group and both decks with skip-the-line built in
Read the full page
How to book
Choose a date and time slot, and add the 102nd-floor or Express Pass upgrades at checkout if you want them. Meet your guide in the Art Deco lobby at the 20 West 34th Street entrance. This site may earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you.
This site may earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Does the guide come up to the 86th floor too?
Yes — the guide leads the route through the lobby and exhibitions and up to the 86th Floor Observation Deck; the 102nd floor is a separate paid add-on.
Can elevator queues make the tour run long?
Yes, the listing itself notes that elevator queues can extend the roughly 90-minute route during peak hours, and recommends the Express Pass add-on to reduce waiting.
Sources