You’ve seen it before. Every city you visit there’s a big, obvious, pretentious, touristy tower with an observation deck just waiting to take your touristy money. And you want to give it to them right? Because you want that birdseye view of the city. You might just want an overview to put things in their place, or you might be incredibly autistic and want to put a map together in your head using your overview of the roads you can see from high up (the view from the plane window didn’t quite do the job).
In any event, it is your mission to get as high as possible – and not like last time you visited your grandparents in Colorado either.
The entrance fee they charge is always overpriced, and we expect this. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It seems really obvious, but opt not for the tourist filled sky deck and choose a tower with better liquid facilities. One where you can enjoy your view with something refreshing in your hand instead of a brochure and a flat penny. (No disrespect to flat pennies, I may or may not have filled one of those folders of them).
In any decent city there will always be skyscrapers with a restaurant and/or bar at the top. Opt for this instead of the tourist tower.
Yes, the drink will be expensive, but not more than the entry fee for the alternative. Think of the extra few dollars you pay as an ‘incredible view tax’. You get the pleasure of enjoying a view fit for a king and enjoying a drink in the process. It’s the best of both worlds.
I’ve been up the Sydney Tower, Australia, and yes, the view is fantastic. That is once you can actually get to the window through the crowd three people deep. The view from the Shangri La is just as good and it’s free – with any drink purchase of course. And being a fancy bar, the atmosphere is also much more enjoyable.
More impressive though is the view from the John Hancock Building in Chicago. Most people go up the Willis Tower for the view of the city, and yes, the view is fantastic as well, but I didn’t have to queue or pretend to be fascinated by the trivia about Chicago, Obama and Oprah up the Hancock Tower. (It was also my birthday so, you know, that helped as well).
So we’re pretty much done here. I haven’t been to every city in the world, but I bet that in every city that has tall buildings at least one will have a bar with an observation deck that does not require an entrance fee. Save your dollars and for another drink.
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Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories are awesome. Two towers, sweeping views of Tokyo as far as you can see, and maybe even Mt. Fuji on a clear day. Free, of course, and no purchase required. My favorite place with sweeping views of the city, by far.
That’s a very good tip too. When I make it to Tokyo I’ll certainly keep that in mind. Thanks!