The following is a list of the tallest tourist observation towers in North America. A minimum height above ground level of 40 feet was required for inclusion in this list. Not included on this list are lighthouses, office building/skyscraper observation decks, bell towers/carillons, air traffic control towers, permanently closed observation towers, and forest/wild fire observation towers. The list is updated through 5/28/21.
Please note that some and/or all of these towers may not be open or have added restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unless otherwise specified, the height is to the top of the tower, not necessarily the observation level. The authors has been to the observation level of the towers that are shown in bold/italics.
Any additions, corrections, or suggestions to this list are always welcome. Enjoy!
- CN Tower (1976) – Toronto, ON, Canada = 1,815 feet – visited the top in 1977
2. Stratosphere Tower (1996) – Las Vegas, NV = 1,149 feet
3. Tower of the Americas (1968) – San Antonio, TX = 750 feet – visited the top in 2016
4. Gateway Arch (1965) – St. Louis, MO = 630 feet – visited the top on 6/10/21
5. Calgary Tower (1968) – Calgary, AB, Canada = 626 feet – seen
6. Space Needle (1962) – Seattle, WA = 605 feet – visited the top in 2005
7. San Jacinto Monument (1939) – Houston (LaPorte), TX = 567 feet
8. Reunion Tower (1968) – Dallas, TX = 561 feet – seen
9. Washington Monument (1884) – Washington, DC = 555 feet – seen
10. Eiffel Tower Replica (1999) – Las Vegas, NV = 540 feet
11. Skylon Tower (1965) – Niagara Falls, ON, Canada = 520 feet – seen
12. Top O’ Texas Tower (2013) – Dallas, TX = 500 feet
13. Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory (2006) – Bucksport, ME = 420 feet * Tallest Bridge Observatory in the world! – visited the top in 2017
14. Gatlinburg Space Needle (1970) – Gatlinburg, TN = 407 feet
15.-16.-tie* 1000 Islands Tower (1965) – Lansdowne, ON, Canada and Sky Tower (1974) – Orlando (Sea World), FL = 400 feet
17. La Cité de l’Énergie Tower (1977) – Shawinigan, QC, Canada = 377 feet
18. Torre Escenica – Cancun, Mexico = 361 feet
19. Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial (1915) – Put-in-Bay, OH = 352 feet – visited the top in 2007
20. Jefferson Davis Monument (1924) – Fairview, KY = 351 feet – seen
21. Sunsphere (1982) – Knoxville, TN = 331 feet
22. Sky Trek Tower (1977) – Chicago (Gurnee/Great America), IL = 330 feet
23. Skytower (1969) – San Diego (Sea World), CA = 320 feet
24-25.- tie* Eiffel Tower Replica (1972) – Cincinnati (Kings Island), OH – visited the top in 1975 and Eiffel Tower Replica (1975) – Richmond (King’s Dominion), VA – seen = 315 feet
26. Bennington Battle Monument (1891) – Bennington, VT = 306 feet
27. Statue of Liberty – New York City (Liberty Island, NJ), NY = 305 feet – seen
28. Oil Derrick (1969) – Dallas-Fort Worth (Arlington), TX = 300 feet
29. Niagara Falls Observation Tower (1961) – Buffalo (Niagara Falls), NY = 282 feet
30. Carolina Skytower (1973) – Charlotte (Fort Mill, SC), NC = 262 feet – seen
31. Pilgrim Monument (1910)- Provincetown, MA = 253 feet
32. Circuit of the Americas Observation Tower (2012) – Austin, TX = 251 feet
33. Kissing Tower (1975) – Harrisburg (Hersheypark), PA = 250 feet
34. Shepherd of the Hills Inspiration Tower (1989) – Springfield (Branson), MO = 230 feet
35. Citrus Tower (1956)- Orlando (Clermont), FL = 226 feet – seen
36. Bunker Hill Monument (1843) – Boston, MA = 221 feet – seen
37. High Point Tower (1930) – High Point State Park, NJ = 220 feet
38. Liberty Memorial Tower (1921) – Kansas City, MO = 217 feet
39. Hot Springs Mountain Tower (1983) – Hot Springs, AR = 216 feet
40.-42.- tie* Coit Tower (1933) – San Francisco, CA; Tower of History (1968) – Sault Ste. Marie, MI – seen; and Kemah Boardwalk Observation Tower (2004) – Houston (Kemah), TX = 210 feet
43.-45.- tie* Star Tower (1979) – San Jose (Santa Clara/Great America), CA; Sombrero Tower – Dillon, SC; and Heights Tower (1968) – Peoria (Peoria Heights), IL = 200 feet – visited the top on July 2, 2021
46. Tejas Observation Tower – San Marcos, TX = 190 feet
47. Bicentennial Tower (1996) – Erie, PA = 187 feet
48. Aloha Tower (1926) – Honolulu, Hawaii = 184 feet
49. Vulcan Tower and Statue (1939) – Birmingham, AL = 182 feet
50. Sky Cabin (1974) – Los Angeles (Knott’s Berry Farm), CA = 180 feet
51. Heublein Tower (1914) – Talcott Mountain State Park, CT = 165 feet
52.-53. – tie* Summit Park Observation Tower (2018) – Cincinnati (Blue Ash), OH and Lawson Tower (1902) – Boston (Scituate), MA (former water tower) = 153 feet
54.-56.-tie* Vessel (2019) – New York City, NY; Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower (2010) – St. Louis (Hartford, IL) – visited the top on June 11, 2021; and Main Station Observation Tower (2020) – Dallas-Fort Worth (Grapevine), TX = 150 feet
57. Sailor’s Memorial Clock Tower (1922) – Montreal, QC = 148 feet
58. Manaca Iznaga Tower (1816) – Trinidad, Cuba = 147 feet
59. Rastin Observation Tower – Mt. Vernon, OH = 140 feet (total tower height is 280 feet)
60. Highland Park Tower (1928) – Twin Cities (St. Paul), MN = 134 feet (former water tower)
61. The Water Tower (1926) – Nassau, Bahamas = 126 feet
62. Astoria Column (1926) – Astoria, OR = 125 feet – visited the top in 2003
63. Kalberer Emergent Tower (201?) – Cleveland (Kirtland), OH = 120 feet
64. Cruceta del Vigía (1984) – Ponce, Puerto Rico = 110 feet
65. Prospect Park/Witch’s Hat Water Tower (1913) – Twin Cities (Minneapolis), MN – 107 feet (open one day/year)
66. Cordova Observation Tower (1998) – Otley, IA = 106 feet (former water tower) – visited the top on July 1, 2021
67. Golden Spike Tower (2008) – North Platte, NE = 104 feet – visited the top on June 30, 2021
68-69. – tie* Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun (1935) – Colorado Springs, CO and Prayer Tower (1967) – Tulsa. OK = 100 feet (total height 200 feet) – seen
70.-71.– tie* High Rock Tower (1905) – Boston (Lynn), MA = 85 feet and Platte River State Park Observation Tower – Omaha (Gretna), NE = 85 feet
72.-75.– tie* Abenaki Tower (1978) – Tuftonboro, NH; Gottschalk Tower – Kearny NE – visited the top on June 30, 2021; Sheboygan Marsh Observation Tower (2009) – Sheboygan, WI; and Enger Tower (1939) – Duluth, MN = 80 feet
76.-81.– tie* WW II Lookout Tower #7 (The Observatory) (1940s) – Lewes, DE; Jackson Ferry Shot Tower (1807) – Max Meadows, VA; Nicollet Observation Tower – Sisseton, SD; Lake Walk Observation Tower (2017) – Bryan, TX; Potawatomi State Park Tower (1932) – Sturgeon Bay, WI; and Rockford Tower (1901) – Wilmington, DE = 75 feet
82. Myakka Canopy Walkway Tower – Sarasota, FL = 74 feet
83. Pulpit Rock Watchtower (1944) – Portsmouth (Rye), NH = 73 feet – only open occasionally
84.-86.- tie* Desert View Watchtower (1932) – Grand Canyon National Park, AZ – visited the top in 2019 and 2020; Lambert Tower (1896) – New York City (Paterson, NJ); and Pembina State Museum Observation Tower – Pembina, ND = 70 feet
87. Yokahú Tower (1963) – El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico = 69 feet
88.-89.– tie* Weston Tower Observatory (1897) – Manchester, NH and La Tour d’Observation de Preissac – Preissac, QC = 66 feet
90.-92.– tie* Shipwreck Museum Lookout Tower – Key West., FL; Tree Tower (2012) – Dayton, OH; Pincon Ridge Tower (1965) – Cedar Rapids, IA = 65 feet
93. WW II Lookout Tower #3 – Dewey Beach, DE = 64 feet (not open yet – being restored)
94.-95. – tie* Washington Tower (1854) – Boston (Watertown), MA and Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower (1926) – Kitchener, ON, Canada = 62 feet
96.-98. – tie* War Department Observation Tower (1897) – Hagerstown (Antietam National Battlefield), MD – seen; Parnell Tower – Plymouth, WI; and Rib Mountain Observation Tower (1959) – Wausau, WI = 60 feet
99. Means Observation Tower (2018) – Kansas City (DeSoto), KS = 58 feet
100. Timm’s Hill Observation Tower (1983) – Tomahawk, WI = 55 feet
101. Hubbard Tower (1930) – Montpelier, VT = 54 feet
102.-109.– tie* Palmetto Islands Observation Tower – Charleston (Mt. Pleasant), SC; Manatee Viewing Center – Tampa Bay (Apollo Beach), FL; and Lake Erie Bluffs Observation Tower (2016) – Cleveland (Perry), OH; Cabot Tower (1900) – St. John’s, NL; Falls Park Observation Park (1999); Falls Park Observation Park (1999) – Sioux Falls, SD; Paynes Prairie Observation Tower – Gainesville, FL; and Sooner Park Play Tower (1963) – Bartlesville, OK = 50 feet
110. Height of Land Lookout Tower – Prince Albert National Park, SK = 49 feet
111.-113.– tie* Clingmans Dome Observation Tower (1959) – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN/NC and Shark Valley Observation Tower (1947) – Everglades National Park; Clapham Peak Observation Tower (1940) – Milwaukee (Delafield), WI = 45 feet
114.-118.– tie* Ethan Allen Tower – Burlington, VT; Hannah Robinson Tower (1938) – Providence (South Kingstown), RI; Nipigon Lookout – Nipigon, ON; Perkins Memorial Tower – Fort Montgomery, NY; and High Cliff Observation Tower – Sherwood, WI = 40 feet = 40 feet
Height unknown:
- Bear Hill Tower – Stoneham, MA
- Blackbeard’s Castle Watchtower (1679) – St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Brasstown Bald Viewing Tower – Hiawassee, GA
- Bunker Tower (1934) – Cheaha Mountain, AL
- Exploration Tower – Port Canaveral, FL
- Gathering Place Castle (2018) – Tulsa, OK
- Grand Isle Observation Tower – Grand Isle, LA
- La Guancha Observation Tower (1998) – Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Lake Crabtree Obesrvation Tower – Morrisville, NC
- Longstreet Observation Tower – Gettysburg, PA
- Lookout Towers (3) – Samana, Dominican Republic
- Quabbin Observation Tower (1940) – Ware, MA
- Sands Observation Tower – Port Royal, SC
- Sleeping Giant Tower (1936) – Hamden, CT
- WW II Lookout Tower (1942) – Cape May, NJ
- Wright’s Tower (1937) – Medford, MA
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If you find observation towers to be as fascinating as I do, here are weblink to a couple of books available through Amazon.com* on two very special ones here in the United States.
*A small commission is earned from purchases that are made using these links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
SOURCES:
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