CN Tower: Toronto’s Communications Tower That Became a Tourist Attraction

The CN Tower was not built as a tourist attraction. It was built in 1976 as a communications and data transmission tower – the Canadian National Railways and the CBC needed antenna infrastructure tall enough to clear the growing downtown building boom that was interfering with television signals. At 553 metres, it was the world’s tallest freestanding structure when it was completed, a title it held until 2007 when it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa. The tower still does what it was built to do: broadcasting and telecommunications equipment fill the structure. The observation decks and revolving restaurant were practical justifications for the capital cost.

Getting Up

The glass-fronted elevators take 58 seconds to the main observation level at 346 metres. The glass floor section on the observation deck – transparent panels in the floor over the city below – produces the reliable mix of vertigo and giddiness that has made it one of the most photographed spots in Toronto for 40 years.

The SkyPod at 447 metres is an additional ticketed level (around $24 extra) and claims the highest observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. The views from the SkyPod are impressive; the views from the main deck are nearly as good for significantly less.

EdgeWalk (around $195 in 2026, book ahead) is the outdoor ledge walk at 356 metres: you are harnessed to an overhead rail and walk along a 1.5-metre-wide ledge on the exterior of the main pod. The wind at that height is a factor. This is either the most or least appealing experience at the CN Tower depending on your disposition, and if you have booked it, you will not regret it.

360 Restaurant

The 360 Restaurant revolves once every 72 minutes. Canadian cuisine, decent quality, prices that reflect the location – expect $50-90 per person for dinner without wine. Admission to the observation deck is included with a restaurant booking, which makes the math slightly more reasonable.

What’s Around It

The CN Tower stands in the downtown core near the waterfront. Rogers Centre (the retractable-dome stadium where the Blue Jays play baseball) is immediately adjacent. The Harbourfront area south of the tower is worth walking along the lake. The Toronto waterfront has been redeveloped significantly over the past two decades and the view across Lake Ontario on a clear day is unexpectedly large.

The city’s financial district, the St Lawrence Market (one of the better food markets in North America), and the Distillery Historic District are all within 15-20 minutes’ walk. Toronto’s subway connects from Union Station directly below.

Practical Notes

Tickets purchased online include a timed entry to reduce queuing at the base. Day visitors to Toronto frequently combine the CN Tower with the waterfront, Rogers Centre, and a baseball game if the Jays are playing. Admission (main observation deck) costs around $45 for adults. Allow 1.5-2 hours for the experience without EdgeWalk.