Night Life in NYC – Empire State Building and Times Square

I had already visited both the Empire State Building and Times Square during the day, but I knew that seeing them at night would offer a completely different experience. At the Empire State Building, I stayed for several hours, arriving in the late afternoon and waiting until sunset and nightfall. The views were absolutely worth it. I took some amazing photos and was really happy with the results. I also noticed that many other visitors were doing the same waiting through the afternoon to avoid paying extra for the more expensive sunset time slot. After leaving the observatory, I walked over to Times Square. While I was expecting something exciting, I ended up feeling disappointed. The bright lights and giant screens definitely create an iconic view but the overall atmosphere wasn’t enjoyable. The area was overcrowded, filled with smoke from cigarettes and weed on nearly every corner, and the smell was unpleasant. There were too many people, cars, and vendors aggressively trying to sell overpriced souvenirs and snacks. I stayed for just about three minutes before deciding to leave. It wasn’t the exciting or magical experience I had imagined. In my opinion, the view from the Empire State Building at night is much more rewarding than the street-level chaos of Times Square.