Best Toronto Attraction?

In light of the fact that I gave my very first official tour today, (woo!), I have been thinking a lot lately about what I would show my American friends if they ever are brave enough to cross the border. What best represents Canada? More specifically, what best represents Toronto? After a little thinking, all I could really come up with was the CN tower.

Now we all know that the CN tower is a great Canadian landmark and really tall blah blah blah—but I’m a little hesitant for the CN tower to be the staple attraction for visitors.

Not that I don’t recommend going, (I mean I myself have been 5 or 6 times), I just feel that our proud, young nation has much more to offer than a really tall tower that has a really fast elevator.  

First off, the CN tower isn’t even the tallest building in the world. It is in fact the second tallest, falling behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa—so that in itself is a little disheartening.

Activities offered at the CN tower include: standing on a 4x4 section of glass floor—usually snuggly with a dozen other visitors, eating at the rotating restaurant and the edgewalk.

What is the edgewalk you might ask? Well, the edgewalk is exactly what it sounds like. For a nominal fee, you get a harness, a helmet and the opportunity to walk around the outside of the CN tower. I don’t know about you, but my hands get sweaty just thinking about it!

I went to the restaurant located at the top of the tower for the first time this year for my mom’s 50^th birthday…. (but she doesn’t look a day over 25!).  Anyways, the restaurant spins and makes one full rotation every 72 minutes. If dining in motion doesn’t make your tummy a little upset—just wait. Through my brother’s dinner selection, I learned that the restaurant offers not one, but two choices of a 20oz prime rib. Just so we’re all on the same page here—that’s 1.25 pounds of meat.

Basically, I guess I feel like the CN tower is a creative and pricey way to make newcomers feel uneasy, queasy and stuffed.

I still have to admit that the view of the Toronto skyline from the top of the tower is absolutely magnificent. I highly recommend seeing at least once in your lifetime.

Despite this, as an Ontario native I would tell you that if you don’t mind the bad hair day—skip the elevator and fancy beef and visit the Niagara Falls. 

p.s. for an even more in depth look at the edge walk, check out this vid!