Skip the live guide: an entry ticket bundled with a self-paced digital audio tour on your own phone.
- Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund (GetYourGuide listing, checked 2026-09-12)
- DurationSelf-paced; explore at your own pace
- LanguagesEnglish (WeGoTrip app; bring your own earphones)
The Empire State Observatory Ticket & Digital Tour costs $122 per person and pairs building entry with a self-guided digital tour delivered through the WeGoTrip smartphone app, including maps, photos, scripts and audio commentary on the building's construction and pop-culture history. Instructions to collect the ticket and the app tour arrive by email, SMS and WhatsApp.
Key facts
audio-guide- Duration
- Self-paced; explore at your own pace
- Meeting point
- Observatory entrance, 20 West 34th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
- Price
- $122 per person
- Entry ticket included
- Yes
- Languages
- English (WeGoTrip app; bring your own earphones)
- 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 up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund (GetYourGuide listing, checked 2026-09-12)
Included
- ✓ Entry ticket to the Empire State Building Observatory
- ✓ Digital audio tour with commentary via the WeGoTrip app
- ✓ Step-by-step instructions for using the tour on your smartphone
- ✓ Self-paced exploration with historical and cultural commentary
Not included
- ✗ Live tour guide — the tour is delivered through the WeGoTrip app, not in person
- ✗ Earphones — bring your own
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 digital tour adds over a bare ticket
Rather than a live guide, this product delivers narration, maps and photos through the WeGoTrip app on your own phone, covering the building's construction during the Great Depression and its recurring role in film and pop culture. It suits visitors who want context without booking a fixed-time guided slot, but it does mean bringing your own earphones and a charged phone.
Price and what floor it actually covers
At $122, this is the most expensive self-guided product on this site, well above the $44 official 86th-floor ticket or $79 Top Deck. The premium goes toward the narrated app tour and the convenience of a single bundled booking rather than a higher floor.
How the app tour works
After booking, instructions to redeem the ticket and download the app tour arrive by email, SMS and WhatsApp. The tour is self-paced: start it in the Art Deco lobby, continue through the ride up, and keep listening once you're on the deck.
Who should book this instead of the plain ticket
Choose this over the $48 Observation Deck & Museum Ticket if you specifically want narrated context and don't mind using your own phone and earphones rather than reading the in-building gallery panels. If you'd rather have a person answering questions in real time, the Indoor Guided Tour is the closer fit despite costing less.
Who should not book this
- Visitors who want a live guide rather than an app-based tour
- Anyone who wants ironclad confirmation of which floor is included before booking
-
Indoor Guide Tour with Ticket of Empire State Building
USD 79cheaper, and with a live guide instead of an app
Read the full page
How to book
Book online and watch for the redemption instructions by email, SMS and WhatsApp. Bring your own earphones and a charged phone. 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
Do I need my own headphones?
Yes — the listing excludes earphones, so bring your own to hear the digital tour's audio commentary.
Does this cover the 102nd floor?
The listing sells it as a general Observatory ticket rather than naming a specific floor, and its $122 price sits above both the $44 86th-floor and $79 Top Deck official tickets, so it's priced as an all-areas product.
Sources