If you splurge on one view from above, Top of the Rock is my recommendation. Located squarely between the Empire State Building and Central Park, and the 70th floor offers an excellent perspective on both.
It’s the most famous skyscraper in the New York City skyline, and because of that, the view from the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building can almost seem a bit eerie – the 360-degree views all seem to be missing an important piece.
Roosevelt Island was originally known as Welfare Island, since it housed many hospitals – including a smallpox hospital, whose ruins can still be seen.