CN Tower
First opened in 1976 as a communications tower for Canadian National Railway “The Tower” stands above all other downtown buildings and revals any other attraction on the must-do list in Toronto. The CN Tower has not lost any appeal over the last few decades. In fact over 2 million visitors a year pay for the privilege of riding the glass-front elevators for an amazing panoramic 360° degree view of the city of Toronto and Lake Ontario. Don’t despair, lineups can be long but the queue moves very quickly and efficiently. You can learn about the construction of the tower at the base as you wait for the elevator.
Up until the recent construction in Dubai, the CN Tower was the highest free standing structure in the world. Now it stands in second place at a respectable 553 meters or 1815 feet towering above the city and remains a well-loved icon. Not to be outdone, the CN Tower got a facelift in June 2007, with the addition of 1330 super-bright LED fixtures inside the elevator shafts that lights the tower from dusk until 2 a.m. The colour combinations change every night and here we see the CN Tower lit up with the Canadian colours in celebration of Canada Day, taken from the west with the Rogers Centre in the foreground.
The elevator ride to the Observation Level at 1135 feet / 346 meters takes just under a minute and houses the famous Glass Floor where you can stand or sit and look way down. Or for an additional fee you can go even higher to 1467 feet /447 meters to the SkyPod Level for a better view and fewer crowds. For those that are really adventurous you can step outside for a group walk around the perimeter tethered to a safety-harness with a guide. You will, however, need to book the EdgeWalk in advance to secure your spot. You can even join the thousands who walk the 1776 steps for the Annual CN Tower Stair Climb for charity in October.
Lunch or dinner at the 360 Restaurant is highly recommended. The quality of the food is very good and the breathtaking panorama is definitely worth the price for that special evening out. It’s guaranteed you will be hard pressed to get a better view as the restaurant rotates 5° every minute to complete a complete revolution in 72 minutes.
TRAVERER TIP: You definitely want to go on a clear day and the best time for reservations is right around sunset, so that you get to see the beauty of the city during the day and watch the city light up at night. You’ll also save the elevator ticket price by having lunch or dinner reservation.