5 Tips and Tricks for Visiting the Hudson Yards and the Vessel

On Friday, March 15, 2019, a huge centerpiece installation, the Vessel, was opened in the Hudson Yards, the hottest new neighborhood in town. Hudson Yards, located on the west side of Manhattan (34th and 11th Street), is estimated at $25 billion. And it's one of the world's most expensive projects. The heart of Hudson Yards is the $150 million Vessel. The Vessel, which is now looking for a new name,  is a public structure covered with copper and designed by a British designer Thomas Heaterwick. The structure is similar to a beehive, surrounded by gardens and rises to a height of 150 feet. It consists of 16 floors, 154 staircases, 80 terraces, and 2,500 steps. A visit to the building feels like stepping into an Escher painting, which depicts fantastic structures of staircases that seem to rise and fall at the same time. The Vessel is also accessible to people with disabilities; inside the Vessel, there is an elevator that will take you all the way to the top.

1. Online Tickets

Although it is a public sculpture, tickets are required to climb the Vessel. The tickets are free and can be obtained in one of two ways. The first, which is also the most effective, is to reserve tickets in advance. Every day at 8:00 a.m. tickets are being released on the website for that day and two weeks later. You can reserve your place on this site, which is also the official site of the Hudson Yards: www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel

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2. Walk-in Tickets

Your second option is to get to the Vessel and stand in line for the walk-in tickets. Every day, they distribute 5,000 tickets on a first-come, first served basis. The three times I visited the place during the opening week (during the middle of the week) the waiting time for the walk-in tickets did not exceed 10 minutes. By the end of the week, on Saturday around 3:00 p.m. there were no tickets left.

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3. Best Time to Visit 

Try to avoid visiting during the weekends, especially now when it's the newest and hottest attraction in town. If you do end up visiting the place during the weekend, try to arrive as early as possible to avoid the crowd. As for the weather, try to avoid windy days. The wind around the Vessel, which is located next to the river, is significantly stronger than the wind you encounter within the city. Also, try to aim your tickets for sunset as it will give you the perfect view.   

4. The Edge, Hudson Yards Observation Deck

The Edge is a 65 feet viewing platform on the edge of one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city. This attraction, soon to be New York highest public balcony, is still under construction and will be officially open only in 2020. Group bookings for events can be arranged by contacting groups@hudsonyardsnewyork.com or sales@edgeny.com. All other interested in visiting the Edge can get on the list here.

5. 3den Lounge

Across from the Vessel is the Hudson Yards Mall, where you can find a variety of activities, luxury brands, restaurants, galleries, and observation decks. One of the mall's most refreshing attractions is the Eden Lounge, located on the fourth floor. The lounge has a large observation window overlooking the Vessel, armchairs and sitting areas, swings, yoga room, free Wi-Fi, loading stands, mini conference rooms, showers, pampering soaps and drinks. It's a place where people mostly stop for refreshments and work meetings. Payment is made based on the amount of time you spend there. To access the lounge, download their app. The app reads 3DEN and you will get 30 free minutes in the lounge if you add my special 3DENMICK coupon code.

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Tips and tricks for watching the Christmas Spectacular

After hearing all your warm recommendations about the Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City, I finally got tickets! We went to the show last night, on Saturday, November 17th, 2018 and I've collected some tips and tricks for you to use before you purchase tickets for this event. Your Christmas overdose is right here and it's spectacular.

Buying tickets:

1. Tickets around Christmas time will be significantly more expensive. So my first advice is: "the sooner the better". Try to get your tickets around mid-November, you can get them for as low as $36 per ticket.
2. If you are buying via Ticketmaster, they will charge about $15 extra per tickets. Buying the tickets directly from the box office will save you all these extra Ticketmaster fees.
3. Go to Ticketmaster, choose your dates and look at open seating options that best fit your price. Write down 3 or 4 options for each date and when you go to the box office ask specifically for the seats you choose online.

Choosing seats:

1. Avoid orchestra 1 and 7. You can hardly see the stage from there.
2. Don't seat too close to the stage. They use a lot of space during the show so the best viewing points start around row KK.
3. During November tickets for the show are usually not sold out. If you buy a few days before the show, look for empty rows. If no one shows up when the Rockettes are up on the stage, you can upgrade your seat.
4. Middle seats have the best view, so aim for Orchestra 3, 4 or 5.
5. First rows of the mezzanines also have a great view, you can see the whole stage from up there.
6. Obstructed seats are usually not a good option, get them only if you think you'll be able to upgrade yourself once the show starts. Otherwise, it's a waste of money.

7. These videos were taken from row RR, seat 206.

Attending the show:

1. Arrive early so you'll have time to enjoy the venue. The show gives you an excellent opportunity to explore Radio City from the inside. It's a gorgeous venue and it looks extra fancy around Christmas time.
2. Don't forget to take the 3D glasses when you enter the theater. The people directing you to your seat should also provide you with these glasses.
3. There is no flash photography, but you are allowed to use your phone and capture memories. Just be considerate of your fellow viewers.

What to expect:
Enjoy the show! It's a great show and I've got very sentimental seeing them riding the bus around the Christmas decorated NYC. Also, the use of drones during the show and the Rockettes are absolutely Spectacular :)

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