Best observation structure for viewing?

[antinimby]

So which city has the best observation structure from your experience?

Is it NY's Empire State Building, Tokyo's Sky Tree, Seattle's Space Needle, Toronto's CN Tower, Chicago's Willis Tower?

Others?

[Centropolis]

I like the open air Empire State Bldg experience the most.

[volguus zildrohar]

Not to bang the homer drum, but Philadelphia City Hall is nice when you look past its shortcomings (size is the biggest). A 360 degree view from dead in the center of downtown. Even though it's dwarfed by the highrises to the west, it's a pretty nice perch with a great dead-on view of The Parkway.

In my experience, Chicago's JHC is pretty boss, especially at night. The city expanding out on three sides and then the endless black expanse of the lake...surreal and beautiful.

[Centropolis]

I haven't been up in JHC, the St Louis Arch is not for claustrophobic people, and it's super hot in summer. It is interesting in a spaceagey way, but they need (and are going to) rehab the thing. It's not the best view, but you can see to the ozark foothills kinda. It's at that weird spot where it's too high to kind of feel out the city see the church steeples and smokestacks, and way too low to feel thrillingly high like Willis Tower or whatever. My favorite observation spot in st Louis is actually an old standpipe tower called the Compton hill water tower which is open once a month.

[mhays]

Space Needle gets my hometown vote. It's low enough that it's less of an "aircraft" view. Every point on the compass combines both city and some combo of hills/mountains/water. The observation deck's outdoor portion is a few steps below the indoor portion, allowing two rows of viewing. The revolving restaurant is a big asset, giving it a total of three rows of viewing, not counting the 100' level added later.

The line was 1:30 Saturday...turns out you can jump most of the line by paying another $15. With apologies to the others for causing them more wait, that's what I did.

[TarHeelJ]

I've been to a few of the famous ones, but my favorite (of those I've visited) is still the revolving lounge atop Atlanta's Westin Peachtree. Have a cocktail and watch the city go by from above.

[suburbanite]

Ironically at the bottom of the page was an ad for the edge walk at the CN Tower.



from: http://www.projectcan.ca/projectcan/...edge-walk.html

I'm not sure if it's the best view I've seen, but it was certainly the most exhilarating viewing experience I've had.

[jd3189]

I don't know about you guys, but I consider this one of the greatest city views in history.

[babybackribs2314]

^Was up there when I was 10.

The Latting Observatory was the first obs platform in NYC, and it stood at 315 feet. Here was the view from the top, looking south (it was just north of what is now Bryant Park)

http://www.newyorkyimby.com/2012/07/...servatory.html

[fflint]

There are many 'best' structures for viewing because there are so many views to be had.

The Space Needle jumps to the top for me because you can drink good, local beer while viewing a panorama of Seattle from a mid-level altitude.

[Jonboy1983]

I've only been to four observation decks: The Empire State Building, World Trade Center (Baltimore), and Seattle's Space Needle and Columbia Center. I guess I'd throw in Grandview Avenue in Pittsburgh, but that city really doesn't have any kind of observation deck. It used to have the Top of the Triangle, but that closed a few months prior to 9-11, and then the likes of UPMC leased the 62nd floor for office space (dammit!)...

I really don't have a favorite tho. I will say this. The gale-force winds that howled around the outdoor deck of the Space Needle was a hell of an experience!

[StethJeff]

The problem with some of the world's best observation structures is that they're often times the most iconic structure within that city's skyline; consequently, you're missing a huge part of the view from these locations (ESB, Eiffel, Willis, CN, Space Needle). With that said, adjacent mountains are always best in my book: Corcovado/Christ the Redeemer (best city view I've ever seen), Table Mountain, Mount Lee/Hollywood Sign.

[The Chemist]

Shanghai World Financial Centre wins it for me on the basis of the height (474m, highest in the world) as well as the sense of vertigo you get looking straight down at the neighbouring Jin Mao Building.

The top of the Lupu Bridge (~100m) in Shanghai gives probably the greatest overall view of any city I've been to, though.

[UrbanImpact]

I forgot what funicular it was but it has a great view of Pittsburgh. Here two pics from a couple years ago:

[MolsonExport]

all time favs for me that I have experienced:
1) ESB
2) WTC (rooftop)
3) Tokyo Tower (skytree was not finished yet when I visited in Fall 2010)
4) Shanghai World Financial Centre (would be #3 except quite smoggy view)
5) Eiffel Tower
6) Oriental Pearl TV Tower (Shanghai)
7) Duomo in Florence
8) CN Tower
9) Seoul Tower
10) Space Needle
11) Sydney Tower
12) Campanile San Marco, Venice
13) Belvedere lookout, Montreal
14) Grouse Mountain Tram, Vancouver
15) GE building, Rockefeller Centre, NYC

[ThatOneGuy]

I would say the top 10 are:
1. Old WTC
2. Sears
3. SWFC
4. Guangzhou Tower
5. CN Tower
6. ESB
7. Tokyo Sky Tree
8. Tour Eiffel
9. Ostankino Tower
10.Skylon Tower for the amazing view over Niagara Falls

[ColDayMan]

It isn't the best (I think that one goes to JHC...bar...of the ones I've been to including the former WTC) but Carew Tower in my city doesn't even have a fence! You can jump right off the motherfucker and get a shot if you want!

[Boquillas]

I like observation towers, especially if they're cheap, because I love to sketch from them.
The ones I've been to, starting with my favorites (these are all my pics/sketches):
Coit Tower, San Francisco:




Torre Asinelli, Bologna: If you don't know this one, look it up.

The stairway:


Tower of the Americas, San Antonio (incidentally taller than the Space Needle ):


Duomo San Pietro, the Vatican:


Campanile San Marco:


Top of the Rock:


Empire State Bldg:


Sky Lobby of Chase Tower, Houston (free!):


Griffith Park Observatory, Los Angeles:

[Shawn]

Roppongi Hills gets my vote, especially if you choose the open air roof upgrade. Hills is geographically in the center of the Yamanote and basically stands alone, so you get an unhindered 360 view of Tokyo.

Sky Tree's height is nuts, but it's way off to the east of everything else. And it's actually tall enough to place you above the marine cloud level, so at times all you see below you is ... well, cloud.

[llamaorama]

I liked the John Hancock viewing deck, because it's 360 degrees and you get to see both the down the gut of the loop and also down lake shore drive, and east into lincoln park and far beyond.

Unlike the Willis Tower which is taller but has less to actually see.