Fodor's Expert Review CN Tower
The tallest freestanding tower in the Western Hemisphere, this landmark stretches 1,815 feet and 5 inches high and marks Toronto with its distinctive silhouette. The CN Tower is this tall for a reason: prior to the opening of the telecommunications tower in 1976, so many buildings had been erected over the previous decades that lower radio and TV transmission towers had trouble broadcasting. It's worth a visit to the top if the weather is clear, despite the steep fee. Six glass-front elevators zoom up the outside of the tower at 15 miles per hour, and the ride takes less than a minute. Each elevator has one floor-to-ceiling glass wall—three opaque walls make the trip easier on anyone prone to vertigo—and most have glass floor panels for the dizzying thrill of watching the earth disappear before your eyes.
There are four observation decks. The Glass Floor Level is 1,122 feet above the ground. This may be the most photographed indoor location in the city—lie on the transparent... READ MORE
The tallest freestanding tower in the Western Hemisphere, this landmark stretches 1,815 feet and 5 inches high and marks Toronto with its distinctive silhouette. The CN Tower is this tall for a reason: prior to the opening of the telecommunications tower in 1976, so many buildings had been erected over the previous decades that lower radio and TV transmission towers had trouble broadcasting. It's worth a visit to the top if the weather is clear, despite the steep fee. Six glass-front elevators zoom up the outside of the tower at 15 miles per hour, and the ride takes less than a minute. Each elevator has one floor-to-ceiling glass wall—three opaque walls make the trip easier on anyone prone to vertigo—and most have glass floor panels for the dizzying thrill of watching the earth disappear before your eyes.
There are four observation decks. The Glass Floor Level is 1,122 feet above the ground. This may be the most photographed indoor location in the city—lie on the transparent floor and have your picture taken from above like countless visitors before you. Don't worry—the glass floor can support more than 48,000 pounds. Above is the LookOut Level, at 1,136 feet; one more floor above, at 1,151 feet, is the excellent 360 Restaurant. If you're here to dine, your elevator fee is waived. At 1,465 feet, the SkyPod is the world's highest public observation gallery. All the levels provide spectacular panoramic views of Toronto, Lake Ontario, and the Toronto Islands, and on really clear days you may even see the mist rising from Niagara Falls to the south. Adrenaline junkies can try the EdgeWalk attraction, which allows harnessed tower goers to roam "hands free" around a 5-foot ledge outside the tower's main pod. Reservations are required.
On the ground level, the Gift Shop at the Tower has 5,000 square feet of shopping space with quality Canadian travel items and souvenirs, along with a shop selling Inuit art. Displays and exhibits throughout the building feature the history of the Tower and its construction; how the Tower works today, including engineering components that make it such a unique attraction; and a dynamic weather display. Peak visiting hours for the stunning views are 11 to 4.
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