So, is Toronto’s CN Tower a must or a must-miss tourist trap?

About 2 million visitors take the ride up annually, making the communications and observation tower one of the city’s most popular attractions. At 1,815 feet (553.33 meters), it is an enduring centerpiece of the Toronto skyline that, from 1975 until 2007, was once the world’s tallest free-standing structure. (It now ranks third, following China’s Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower and the Dubai skyscraper Burj Khalifa.)

The CN Tower offers several different ticket combinations, but, as a first-timer, I opted for the cheapest option, the “Observation Experience: Look Out + Glass Floor.” More expensive packages also allow visitors access to the Sky Pod, a secondary observation level 33 stories higher than the main lookout deck, and some passes include other on-site activities. (Don't forget to show your AAA card for a discount.) After shuffling though security and the obligatory photo shoot (which results in a purchasable print of your group superimposed on a picture-perfect snapshot of the tower), I stood in line for the high-speed, glass-fronted elevator to take me to the central observation area 1,136 feet (346 meters) above downtown.

The wait wasn’t long, and when it was my turn, I crammed in with about eight or nine other patrons and zipped skyward. Although the trip was short, the people standing between me and the glass front of the elevator weren’t, so, alas, I didn’t enjoy much of Toronto’s scenery on the ride up. The elevator floor also featured a couple of glass panels, but with so many passengers packed into the small space, I couldn’t really see through those viewing panes either.

Less than a minute later I was weaving around grade-schoolers giddily circling the indoor observation deck for the best vantage point. My ears tapped in on excited snippets of Japanese and Portuguese as I searched for the entrance to the outdoor viewing area. After a bit of a hunt, I discovered it one floor down. Hip twenty-somethings posed happily for pics taken with iPhones and slim digital cameras. And, though I’m not exactly hip or in my 20s, I did the same.

Overall, though, I was somewhat disappointed by the outdoor area, which is actually hemmed in by large safety grates. For me, all the bars and wire marred the spectacular views; it felt as though I was in a big cage in the sky. But, I guess the “cage” fit in with the circus-like atmosphere I was immersed in. Surrounded by overzealous tourists, I walked the open-air ring for a bit before stepping back inside to check out the CN Tower’s much-hyped glass floor.

“It can withstand the weight of 14 large hippos!” exclaimed the brochures I’d perused earlier in the day. The transparent 256-square-foot area uses 2.5-inch-thick glass panels that, according to the CN Tower’s website, have been “specifically designed for you to have fun on.” And, during my visit, there certainly were plenty of children taking that message to heart. Of course, with so many kids ecstatically crawling, jumping and lying on the special floor, I was initially able to snag only a small perimeter section fringed by (humph!) everyday carpet. After inching my way across the clear flooring, I finally found a chunk with a great view of the Rogers Centre. Close by to the CN Tower, the multipurpose stadium has a retractable motorized roof and is home to Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.

Unfortunately, when I was ready to leave I found the line for the DOWN elevator to be quite long. All in all, I probably spent about 30 minutes looking around the observation deck and another 30 minutes waiting to get back to ground level. But the well-placed multimedia displays describing the history of the massive communications structure helped me pass the time while I waited to shoot back to earth.

Obviously, this place is jam-packed with sightseers, and, from below, the views of this Canadian symbol are almost as impressive as the bird’s-eye panorama found at the end of the tower’s 58-second express elevator ride. You won’t have to shell out a dime or deal with any crowds if you stay grounded, though you might strain your neck a little while taking in this soaring man-made wonder.

I’m certainly glad I had the opportunity to experience the CN Tower, but if you’re tight on cash while visiting Ontario’s capital, I suggest skipping the ride to the top—unless, of course, you’re traveling with young children, who’ll likely deem the observation deck to be the highlight of their trip.