If you must visit an ultra-touristy site, the ESB is the one. The stately deco architecture rivals the nearby Chrysler Building for Best in Class honors and it is, once again, New York's tallest structure. The view from the 86th-floor observation deck is breathtaking. You won't be the only one who's decided to visit, so prepare to wait in line; to avoid the throngs, the best times to come are at 8:30 a.m. or during lunch and dinner hours, Monday through Wednesday. Tickets are steep, but worth it: $22 for adults; $45 for an "express pass" that whisks you pass the hordes. For an extra $15 you can buy a ticket to the more intimate 102nd-floor observation deck. Buy your ticket online to reduce waiting-in-line time.

• 1. Empire State Building
  350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118; 212-736-3100 40.748349-73.984615 esbnyc.com