Top of the Rock sunset: which time slot to book
Sunset entry carries a surcharge. Arrive in time to claim a spot on the open 70th floor. West over the Hudson; the Empire State Building is to the south.
Mon 2 November 2026
Book the 16:00 slot
Sunset 16:51 · If it is sold out, 15:30 is the next best (earlier, not later)
| Golden hour starts | 16:12 | warm, low light on the city |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset | 16:51 | sun touches the horizon |
| Blue hour | 17:09–17:20 | city lights on, sky still blue |
Sunset slot by month
| Mid-month | Sunset | Golden hour | Book slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 16:38 | 15:57 | 15:30 |
| December 2026 | 16:29 | 15:45 | 15:30 |
| January 2027 | 16:52 | 16:10 | 16:00 |
| February 2027 | 17:30 | 16:52 | 16:30 |
| March 2027 | 19:02 | 18:26 | 18:00 |
| April 2027 | 19:35 | 18:58 | 18:30 |
| May 2027 | 20:06 | 19:26 | 19:00 |
| June 2027 | 20:29 | 19:47 | 19:30 |
| July 2027 | 20:26 | 19:46 | 19:30 |
| August 2027 | 19:55 | 19:17 | 19:00 |
| September 2027 | 19:06 | 18:30 | 18:00 |
| October 2027 | 18:16 | 17:39 | 17:30 |
Is it under scaffolding?
Tickets
Top of the Rock sunset by month
How we pick the slot
We take the sunset time for your date and subtract 45 minutes for security, lifts and finding a spot, then round down to the ticket slot (every 30 minutes). You see golden hour, the sunset itself and the start of the blue hour when the city lights come on. Earlier is always safer than later.
Times are local (America/New_York). Slot lengths vary by season and operator; confirm on the booking page.