Tripadvisor
1 / 9#9. Mt. Defiance
- Rating: 4.4/5 (121 reviews)
- City: Ticonderoga New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Best lookout points in New York by visitors
Visit any given lookout point near you on a Saturday afternoon, and you're likely to be joined by several other people angling to get a glimpse of the view. Humans have always been drawn to vista points, whether for practical reasons such as surveying a large swath for scouting or simply to enjoy the natural (or human-made) landscape.
This has led to local and federal governments investing in parking, platforms, and public binoculars to better manage crowds gathering at lookout points across the United States. Arizona's Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River snakes around sandstone rock, draws around 2 million visitors annually. The city of Page, Arizona, has invested over $5 million in expanded parking, trail upgrades, and safety railings to manage the growing crowds.
Each year, more than 2 million people visit 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City for the panoramic skyline views from its "Top of the Rock" observation deck, perched roughly 850 feet above the streets. The spot attracts everyone from first-time visitors to couples planning proposals.
There are thousands of lookout points across the United States that offer special views like these, which means there are likely beautiful vistas near you. Stacker compiled a list of the best lookout points in New York using August 2025 data from Tripadvisor to highlight the top-rated spots.
Tripadvisor rankings consider several factors—including average rating, total number of reviews, and page views—so a location with a perfect 5.0 might still rank below a 4.0 with more traffic. Only spots with at least 20 reviews were included.
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Tripadvisor
2 / 9#8. Overlook at Taughannock Visitor Center
- Rating: 4.8/5 (67 reviews)
- City: Trumansburg Finger Lakes New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
3 / 9#7. Ulysses S. Grant Cottage National Historic Landmark
- Rating: 4.8/5 (263 reviews)
- City: Wilton Saratoga County New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
4 / 9#6. Perkins Memorial Tower
- Rating: 4.7/5 (72 reviews)
- City: Bear Mountain New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
5 / 9#5. Astoria Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (320 reviews)
- City: Astoria Queens New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor
6 / 9#4. Belvedere Castle
- Rating: 4.1/5 (550 reviews)
- City: New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
7 / 9#3. Olympic Ski Jump Complex
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,219 reviews)
- City: Lake Placid New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
8 / 9#2. One World Observatory
- Rating: 4.5/5 (29,258 reviews)
- City: New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
9 / 9#1. Top of the Rock
- Rating: 4.6/5 (81,003 reviews)
- City: New
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 24 states.
