Toronto has many things to do, and you can’t read through a Toronto Travel Guide without hearing about the CN Tower. Standing 550 m, the CN Tower, once the tallest building in the world, now holds the title of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. For our trip to Toronto, we planned to visit the CN Tower and decided to pay a little bit extra to visit “The Top”. The Top is 33 stories higher than the main observation deck so we decided to check it out. The CN Tower was a perfect place to visit on our Spring Break trip to Toronto, especially since two years ago on Spring Break, we checked out the next tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, The Willis Tower in Chicago. How would it compare? And was the experience worth it?
Arriving at the CN Tower
The CN Tower is in the heart of Toronto, located right downtown. The CN Tower is next to the Rogers Centre and Roundhouse Park; so, you can pair a CN Tower visit with a Blue Jays game or a stroll through the city’s historic train park. It was nice to walk around the area before and after our visit.
When we arrived, we had to go through a short security queue which only took a few minutes. It was spring break and the tower can get busy, so we booked our tickets ahead of time online which is something I’d suggest. After the line, it was quick and easy to make our way to the observation deck. There were a few signs for photo stops and some information about the construction of the tower on the way up. I also learned a few things about the CN Tower (some which I should have already known):
- The CN Tower was built by the Canadian National Railway (CN) to illustrate Canada’s industrial strength.
- It was built as a TV and radio communications hub and was necessary because of Toronto’s rapid growth in the 60’s and numerous sky scrapers blocking TV and radio signal transmission.
- The CN Tower is struck by lightning about 75 times a year.
- “The Top” can sway up to 15 cm during periods of high wind.
After reading some information and taking a few photos we got in line for the elevator. We arrived early so only waited a couple of minutes. The elevator ride up was fun; it was fast, and the glass façade gave us a great view of the city dropping away below as we climbed higher.
Observation Deck & Glass Floor
The main observation deck, located 114 stories above the city below is where most people go. Despite not being at the top, the view is tremendous. There is also a restaurant/café if you want a bite to eat, a coffee or even a beer. There was something nice about having a beer with an amazing view, all while sitting 1100 feet above Toronto.
There are also pods to lean over top of the glass windows, but that wasn’t anything fancy. And what everyone wants to do is walk on the glass floor. One floor below the observation deck is the glass floor. The glass floor is small, but it allows you to look down, seeing the side of the tower as it drops to the street below. After taking some photos, jumping on the glass floor, a beer and a cupcake, we headed up to The Top.
The Top
For an extra $12 per person, you can go 33 stories higher to “The Top” which is about 1500 feet from the ground. Up there you start to feel the altitude, and you can see the plumb bob, which hangs down and shows the sway of the tower. It wasn’t moving much when we were there, but you could see some movement. We felt much higher but honestly the view wasn’t any better. The windows were smaller and there was less room to walk around. We spent about 10 minutes up there and headed back to Le Café. It was neat being that high up, but was it worth the extra $12 a person?
Final Thoughts: Was it Worth it?
It was an excellent but pricey morning at the CN Tower. It’s a great thing to do with kids, but I wish there was more information and the experience was more interactive. The CN Tower is higher than Chicago’s Willis Tower, but the experience isn’t as fun or engaging. The best part of the CN Tower is that it’s at your own pace so you can spend a casual morning or afternoon there, take in some wicked views and have a snack or drink in the observation deck.
The glass floor was cool and visiting The Top added to the experience but probably wasn’t worth the extra $12 a person, especially if you are going with a family. The cost of the ticket was $47 for each adult, but free for our girl (luckily she wasn’t three yet). Then we spent an extra $12 per adult to go even higher. The experience was pricey, but something you must do once in Toronto. Skip The Top, but enjoy the general experience, it’s a pricey but fun thing to do. And if you’re heading to the CN Tower, try and go early before it gets busy and pair it with a Blue Jays or Raptors game. And if sports aren’t your thing, or the timing doesn’t work out make sure you stroll around Roundhouse Park after taking in the views of the city.
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