CN Tower

At 1,815 feet (553 meters), the CN Tower in Toronto is hard to miss, and almost every sightseeing tour of Toronto includes at least a look at this iconic structure. To get a real sense of its soaring height, it’s best to go inside. Regular CN Tower tickets, which you can combine with a guided city walking tour or harbor cruise, give you access to the vertigo-triggering Glass Floor at 1,122 feet (342 meters) and the 1,136-foot (436-meter) LookOut Level deck via high-speed, glass-walled elevators.

You can go to the even higher SkyPod platform at 1,465 feet (447 meters), though this platform is not included in general admission so you need to purchase a separate ticket. For the ultimate thrill, try the EdgeWalk, the highest full-circle hands-free walk around the ledge of the tower’s main pod. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is located on the ground floor. For a novel perspective of the tower, take a helicopter tour over Toronto’s skyline.

• Wear a jacket or outer layer as it can be cold on the Outdoor SkyTerrace, the outdoor observation deck located on the same level as the Glass Floor.

• Access to the observation level is free to those who dine in the tower’s revolving restaurant.

• The Glass Floor, LookOut Level, and the first level of the SkyPod are all accessible to wheelchair users.

• There is a gift shop inside the tower, as well as restrooms.

CN Tower is located beside the Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto. The visitors’ entrance is on Bremner Boulevard. Take the subway (line 1 Yonge-University) to Union Station and walk west along Front Street. It’s a five- to 10-minute walk from the station.

Summer weekends are peak visiting days. Most people come between 11am and 5pm—go in early morning or late evening to avoid the crowds. After sunset, you can witness the tower’s eight-minute light show, which takes place on the hour.

More than just a show-stopping architectural icon and tourist attraction, the CN Tower serves a practical purpose as a telecommunications tower. Prior to its construction, the increasingly tall Toronto skyline was making it difficult to transmit radio and television signals. Though the tower may appear spindly, it is in fact very sturdy. It is covered with thick reinforced concrete, weighs 130,000 tons (117,910 metric tonnes), and is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Yes, it’s worth going to the viewing platform of the CN Tower if you enjoy panoramic views of Toronto and Lake Ontario from high up. A CN Tower tour is great way to get your bearings in Toronto and to appreciate the city’s size and geography.

Both day and night are good times to visit the CN Tower as you can appreciate different views throughout the day. Early mornings before about 11am are the quietest time to visit, and anytime at the weekend is busiest.

It takes around 30–40 minutes to climb the 1,776 steps of the CN Tower. This is only possible for the public once a year, during the Annual WWF-CN Tower Climb for Nature event.

The elevator ride from the ground floor to the Main Observation Level of the CN Tower takes 58 seconds. The elevator travels at 15 miles (22 kilometers) per hour. It's a thrilling experience and provides passengers with stunning panoramic views of the city as they reach the observation deck.

Small backpacks are allowed in the CN Tower, measuring up to 20x9x15 inches (53x23x38 centimeters). Larger packs aren’t permitted, and there are no lockers to store these in. Further, all bags will be inspected before you’re allowed in, so leave the backpack behind to speed up your entry.

There are benefits to going to the CN Tower during the day or at night. You’ll be able to see further during the day, but the sunset from the tower and the sight of Toronto’s twinkling night lights are also impressive.