By: Brianna Wallen
Editor-in-Chief
I have spent most of my life looking up at New York City’s skyscrapers. On Saturday, Sept. 19, I finally got the chance to look down from one.
My boyfriend Ty and I visited SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and for a few hours, I got to experience New York like a tourist. And honestly, it was kind of magical.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is an immersive observation experience at the top of One Vanderbilt, one of New York City’s tallest skyscrapers.
Instead of simply looking out from a traditional observation deck, visitors walk through three floors filled with glass walls, interactive art and panoramic views of the city.
The experience starts before even reaching the observation decks. After putting on shoe covers, we stepped into an elevator that shot us up to the 91st floor.
The ride was so fast and high up that everyone in the elevator immediately started scrunching their face and holding their ears due to pressure.
I thought that was bad on the way up, but the ride back down was even worse.
Once the doors opened, I immediately understood why people come here. There I was, standing about 1,100 feet above street level, surrounded by glass and views of the city.
The first thing I saw was the New York skyline stretching out in every direction. I could see the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and countless skyscrapers below me.
Skyscrapers looked like miniature buildings, cars looked like dots and the streets below seemed miles away.
I stood at the edge and felt like Batman looking over the city.
And that was only the first floor.
As we moved through the three levels, there were interactive floors that featured art on display.
One room had shiny silver balloons flying everywhere, while another featured clouds moving across a screen. The clouds took the faces of guests who had visited the exhibit.
There was also a glass box where you could look straight down at the streets below.
That part? Terrifying.
I stepped into the glass box and immediately started panicking.
Unfortunately, there is a strict one minute time limit which included pictures, so I had to relax and smile for the camera. My advice to everyone is: don’t look down!
I definitely would have liked a little more time to take in the view, freak out, and get a picture.
Throughout the experience there are photographers and photo machines that capture your experience, but there is a catch – you have to buy a photo package at the end to receive them.
Speaking of pictures, I have one major complaint: the crowds.
SUMMIT was packed.
There were people in almost every corner, and getting a picture in front of the skyline took a minimum of 10 minutes.
Some visitors were camping on the floor or staying in front of the best views for what felt like eternity
If you are like me and love taking pictures, be prepared to have multiple people walk in front of your camera.
My advice? Go during a weekday, early in the morning between 8 and 11 a.m., or later at night after 8 p.m.
Luckily the Ascent experience made me take back every bad review I had. The Ascent is an all-glass elevator that travels outside the building.
The elevator quite literally and figuratively took this experience to new heights. It made me feel like I was floating above New York.
We arrived around 5 p.m., which ended up being perfect. We watched the sunset from above the city and stayed long enough to see the skyline turn into a sea of lights.
I would give SUMMIT One Vanderbilt a 7.5 out of 10. The crowds definitely took away from some of the experience, but I would still go back. I recommend everyone reading this to take the trip.
