New York #4: Rockefeller Center

The Rockefeller Center always reminds me of Home Alone 2, which immediately gives it some brownie points. However, apart from the references made in the film, I didn't know much about the building at all before going to New York. I'd never really looked at photos of it, or looked into its history. I just knew it looked nice during the Christmas period! It was still on my list of things to do in New York as so many people had recommended it, but I had no idea what to expect.

The Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings which spans 22 acres, and the surrounding area is actually just as impressive as the building itself. We visited the area on our third afternoon in New York, after it stopped raining. Here are some photos from the Plaza area outside the main building:

After wandering around the surrounding area for a while and taking in the sights, we decided to go up to the 'Top of the Rock observation deck. Unfortunately, we were told that the visibility at the top of the building was bad on that particular afternoon due to some fog which was hanging around after the morning's rain, so we went back the next morning when the sun was shining. It was a totally different experience to the Empire State Building as it was daylight and showed the city from a different angle and a slightly different height. It also wasn't quite so windy! As it was such a clear day, we could see the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Empire State Building (obviously), the new 'Freedom Tower' being built on the Ground Zero site, and everything else within a few miles' radius. 

A few photos from the Top of the Rock:

The classic Home Alone 2 pose!

So even though I didn't have huge expectations about the Rockefeller Center before going to New York, I was massively impressed. I still can't decide if I preferred 'Top of the Rock' or the Empire State Building observation deck... Does anyone else have a favourite of the two?