Cn Tower

Lonely Planet review

Having recently turned 30, this funky spike remains every bit as cool and iconic as it was when it opened in 1976. Its primary function is as a radio and TV communications tower, but relieving tourists of as much cash as possible seems to be the second order of business. Sure, it's expensive, but riding the great glass elevators up the highest freestanding structure (553m) in the world is one of those things in life you just have to do.

On a clear day, the views from the Observation Deck are absolutely astounding; if it's hazy, you won't be able to see a thing. For extra thrills, tread lightly over the knee-trembling Glass Floor deck, or continue climbing an extra 101m to the uppermost SkyPod viewing area. Alternatively, if you're feeling chipper, you might want to enter the annual CN Tower Stair Climb - a heart-thumping dash to the top of the tower's 1776 steps that happens every October.Various tour packages allow access to different combinations of the various decks (see 'relieving tourists of cash' above), but all you really need to buy is a basic ticket to the Observation Deck. Beware: two million visitors every year means summer queues for the elevator can be up to two hours long - going up and coming back down. For those with reservations and bags full of cash, the award-winning revolving restaurant, 360° awaits (the elevator ticket price is waived for diners).