Last night I had the pleasure of experiencing Summit One Vanderbilt on opening night. It was quite an amazing adventure and I cannot wait to do it again. Based on their IG, I thought it was an observatory where you can take in a 360 degree view of Manhattan, but it was much more. It truly is an immersive experience once you get on the line for your ticket time. The whole line experience in the concourse felt futuristic and like I was boarding a space shuttle to places unknown—it was like a cross between Space X and Disneyland. Here are some things to know that I wish I had known before my Summit Visit that you may want to.

The wait

I bought the sunset tickets, which were for a 6pm entry and an extra charge of $10/ticket, which is honestly worth it if you make it up there to experience the sunset. What I didn’t know is that the line to get in would be INSANE. I thought bc of covid regulations it would be limited capacity and not much of a wait since nowhere in the pre-visit instructions did they tell you to arrive half an hour prior to your ticket time. Nobody checked the time on my ticket during pre-screening process, and am pretty sure there were people on this never ending line that did not purchase sunset tickets. I was on line from 5:50 and didn’t make it upstairs until 6:30 (so ~40 minute wait), so barely made the sunset—I caught the tail end which was great, but was hoping to experience all of golden hour.

Pro-Tip: Just buy a normal ticket and go early to make sure that you make it up for the sunset.

the experience

Your experience starts once you get your barcode bracelet while waiting on line. You are stopped twice on the concourse to take pictures so make sure to give your best selfie smile and wear your Sunday Best! These photos will be created into digitized photographs available for purchase at the end of your visit. The photo taken by one of the attendants is the one that will be superimposed into several Summit Backgrounds and the self service one will appear in the Face Cloud, which is pretty cool room on the 92nd Floor.

You will also be given foot coverings to wear before you get on the elevator. Though you have the coverings, I would stay away from stilettos or any type of shoe that will destroy the mirrored glass floors. Honestly, stay away from heels in general!

This one is totally my fault since they tell you this all over the website and communications you receive, but I still opted for heels, sensible heels, but still heels. Though the shoe covers give you a little more traction, you are still walking on glass, which is slippery or feels slippery. There were points were I felt unsteady and so did my friend who was wearing flats! So, make sure the shoes you wear are ones you feel comfortable and balanced in.

Your first stop upstairs will be Transcendence, where you are greeted by 360 degree views of NYC—it is jaw dropping and awe inspiring. It is also crowded, but everyone is super cognizant of the fact you will want your photo in front of the view, so just patiently wait by the part of the room you would like to commemorate your moment—it was a much shorter wait than the line for the ladies restroom! Before taking your photo, I would recommend walking around the whole room first just to take it all in—it truly is spectacular.

The next phase is Reflect. Here you will find an art installation by Yayoi Kusama, as well as a rendering of the Summit building. Also, if you have been on IG, the silver balloon room lives in this part of the experience. It is kind of cool and trippy with the light reflecting off all the mirrored balloons, wall and floor. If you have the time and patience, you have much opportunity to create great content here. It is also just a great room to have some fun whether it be bouncing the balloons around the room or just dancing and pretending you are in a disco.

The final stage is Levitation. So, this is where a bunch of different things live on the 92nd Floor. The one I opted out of is the glass box because I am actually afraid of heights. I almost did it because by this point it was dark and for some reason less scary because I could see less! If you do this part, you basically wait on line to stand in a glass box that protrudes from the main building. You are photographed by one of the staff and can take your own photos as well. Oh, and of course, you can look down…if you dare.

If you skip it like me, just scan your barcode and head into the cloud room. The photo you took at the selfie machine is transformed into a cloud.

Pro-Tip: Spend some time on the 92nd Floor. Found it MUCH less congested than the 91st floor and you get way amazing views

the 93rd floor

So this is where the indoor cafe and outdoor bar live, as well as the Ascent. Even though I am afraid of heights, I did purchase this part of the experience as I thought it would be cool and it was! The Ascent is basically an elevator that goes up the side of the building and takes you to the highest point to get the most unobstructed views of Manhattan. It was definitely worth it.

If you decide against the Ascent part of the experience, definitely chill on the outdoor terrace with a drink and a snack from Après, from Danny Meyer. We opted out of snacks as we had dinner plans, but it sure did smell delicious! As for the drinks, I would opt for a glass of wine (or beer if you drink that) vs a cocktail. I found the cocktails too sweet so not sure if it is a pre-mix.

If you chose to do the ascent, make sure to find the attendant to scan the QR Code to get onto the virtual queue. It is about a 30 minute wait, so you have some time to hang on the terrace and take in the views and a beverage. Personally, I would actually head up prior, get on the virtual queue, go back to the floor I was exploring so I would not have to wait. I would then have my drink after the Ascent and hang out on the terrace for a bit without having to worry about being called for the queue. But that’s just me :)

Pro-Tip: If you really want to cut the ascent line, find me on IG and send a DM!

Overall I loved the experience and will look to go back once my schedule frees up. I know there were a few hiccups, but it was opening night, so I’m not holding it against them. Hopefully you guys find this helpful and if you do, please share away!