Visiting Rockefeller Center was absolutely worth it for the views alone. The panorama over New York City is truly impressive. Seeing iconic buildings like the Empire State Building from that perspective is something special, and the view over Central Park on the other side is just as stunning.The observation deck offers a fantastic 360-degree experience and great photo opportunities, especially if you go around sunset.That said, apart from the view itself, the overall experience felt fairly average. It’s well-organized and efficient, but there isn’t much beyond the scenery that makes it stand out.In short: go for the views — they are amazing — but manage expectations regarding the rest of the experience.

We spend a few hours around Rockefeller Center once on our own and once during our tour. We saw the big Christmas tree and took pictures. There are lots of people around but it was not so packed you couldn't enjoy it. The biggest issue is that the tree is blocked off and you can't get close to it unless you pay $50 to min to have a photo taken with a tree. This feels way more like a crowd control tactic as the lines would be crazy and chaos and the staff probably have to control the crowd. Pictures are possible all over and we saw no one paying the $50 to take a picture when you can take your own for free. There are many shops in the building and around the area we went in. We saw the entrance to where the Tonight Show was filmed and the Today Show was. We didn't skate or go up to the top which we would have liked to do but our schedule and budget were tight so we just spend time on the ground.

Great views on a bright sunny day and beautifully decked out for Christmas! Pricey but a good experience. Everyone enjoyed it.

This is my review on Rockefeller Center, not Top Of The Rock, which I've reviewed separately. The area has a nice feel. The skating rink was open, but as it was only October, it wasn't crowded. I got my photo looking upwards a bit, with the flags in view, as I'm a big '30 Rock' fan. We sat and had our sandwiches in the Channel Gardens, looking toward Rockefeller Center. It was shady and a nice spot. :)FAO Schwarz is here, too, and we popped in to see the floor piano from the movie 'Big', which was fun to see, too. And the nutcracker costumes of the door people are gorgeous!*Even if you are not doing TOTR, enquire if you can do the general tour of the building for $5. This is not the studio tour, but gives the history of the building and the family. It's an hour well spent.

You can't come to NYC and not visit Rockefeller Center especially during the holidays.You get to experience all the fun, crowds, and buzzing atmosphere as locals and tourists linger at the edge taking photos and watch people pay a ridiculous amount of money to skate in a rink that's just ok.One of the highlights is, of course, seeing the famous Christmas tree. The sheer size and beauty of it never fail to impress. As a local, it's easy to take such an iconic sight for granted, but this visit was a reminder of why NYC is the greatest city and why so many people visit every year.I popped by during my lunch hour, and even though it was packed, I managed to snap a couple of quick photos. Visiting Rockefeller Center is part of the New York experience; crowds, high energy, and a bit of showmanship.