La Tour Eiffel

The best views of the Eiffel tower come from the places where the people are not. The side streets and avenues to the south of the tour or from across the river. In these spots just a little bit further away, you get a beautiful view of the tower that truly feels like your own.

I like to avoid the zoo that is the area right below it or near Trocadero. Beware of your items as these are the most popular places for pickpockets to attack!

The eiffel tower is truly magical and not at all overly hyped! Maybe that's the romantic in me, but I sure love it.

This is not my first time but it's my daughter's so I took her to see the top of the tower.
We had lunch at the restaurant on the second floor first to celebrate her birthday. They have good food and the price is reasonable. You can check my review of that and the Seine River Cruise.

I can say that going on top one time is good enough. I'd rather take photos from the ground... lol it's too crowded and the very long lines is a turn off for me.

Just FYI: if you can get a Skip-the-Line ticket do so. There's a very long line on the ground and you have to fall in line again to go to the top. Buy both tickets. There's no point not going to the top once you're there.
Also, if you plan to go visit, don't carry too much stuff with you and be careful with your bags/purses, phones, wallets, passports. There's a lot of pickpockets and it's announced every few minutes. They are fast and it gets very crowded to get to the elevators going to the top so it's easy for them to do their thing. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

STUNNING!

My husband and I went to France for our 10 year anniversary and we both decided from the beginning that we wanted to skip the actual tour up the Eiffel Tower because we knew from friends that it would take quite some time to climb up and we wanted to be able to take time exploring other things as well. We went and viewed the Eiffel Tower, but then ultimately took a tour on the River de Seine so we could get information about all the different key spots in Paris. Highly recommend doing this!

I'd definitely recommend booking early to get a spot to go to the top! Fantastic views and champagne! Don't wait in the line, you also probably won't get to the top!

one of the world's most recognizable structure.
Yes, i've seen countless pictures and movies but nothing compared to actually seeing it in person for the first time. When we saw the tower in all its glory, it was at night time, and it was stunning.

Our hotel was nearby the Trocadéro Gardens, and we walked over at night to get a glimpse of the tower across the seine river. i can't really describe it, but something about the tower at night time with all the lights, i was awestruck.

the next morning, we hired a photographer to take photos in front of the tower (again, by the trocadero garden side) and they turned out really nicely.

Honestly, if you're coming to paris for the first time. I would bet my life's saving that this is one of the top attractions you're here for.

Unfortunately, our europe trip was kinda short so i didn't get a chance to walk closer on my other days to gaze up from really close. next time i'm in paris, i'll do that... and maybe take the elevator ride up.

It really takes a while to take in the spectacle of this massive steel lady that towers in Paris. The weather was perfect on the 19th day of Sept to learn the history, look amorously and touch this historic landmark.

Having paid for a skip the line, tickets for the first floor, summit and having a guide who schooled us on the history of this landmark was invaluable to me.
There is a room at the summit displaying three wax figures. The French engineer Gustave Eiffel, his daughter Claire and guest Thomas Edison. Turning around and the view from over 1000 feet above is thrilling but when overlooking Paris at night, it is spectacular!

We were told that on the hour, for five minutes the tower will twinkle its 20,000 lights to get your attention. And that she does!

Take the elevator or stairs all the way to the top!

Okay so we showed up here without pre-booking a tour. That was a big mistake! The line was longggggggg. It just kept going and going. So many people just waiting to go into and under the Eiffel Tower.

I thought that showing up and going in would be fairly simple. But it was very much like the Louvre. Crowds of people waiting to see it. That is just crazy to me! But everyone wants to see this iconic structure up close, and personal lol

I am a scardie-cat and can't do heights. I wanted to go all the way up in the elevator but could not do it lol I guess I am just not adventures enough! It's not worth the panic attack to be honest. If you can stomach it, go up to the tippy top of the Eiffel Tower! I'm sure that view is amazing!! I will live vicariously through you and everyone else brave enough to go to the top lol

The Eiffel Tower represents and symbolizes everything France is. A place where lovers converge. The realized architect of writer's imaginations. Somewhere Audrey Hepburn is on a French motorcycle riding the perimeter as I write. And on Bastille Day, when I arrived it represents freedom. And yet seeing armed guards surveying the area reminds me of the reality of the world we live in. Vunerable to a terrorist act or recently, two drunken Americans who passed out in one of its levels overnight.

As masses of people from all across the globe traverse by car, bike, bus , foot and ship; I realized its scope is infinite. Reading about it in books, seeing it in films then gazing at it in person is an experience I will never forget. Vendors pawn trinkets on you everywhere here: replicas of the Eiffel Tower that light up. Key chains. Along the grounds men carry heavy tubs of beer, wine or champagne to celebrate. And the piece de resistance at 10:30, 11ish or whenever they like at nightfall is the Eiffel Tower's facade blinking. For five minutes.

A few suggestions as you go forward. Pack a comfy blanket and a warm sweater or hoodie. I'm sure as the seasons change that either gets heavier or lighter. By dawn I was shivering cold and it was summer. Pack extra Euros and your patience in your backpack. In addition and this was a thing of contention here is transportation. Parking here is non-existent. Me and my company thought about taking a bus but we saw one pass by with arms and legs of passengers sticking out. The bus driver, who stopped advised us to consider another mode of transportation. Without many options left we rode on a motor-lift that hauls groups. Luckily we shared the expense with another group who saw three crowded buses pass before we got there.

My suggestion Uber if you can. We Ubered back to our Air bnb afterwards in of all cars, a Peugeot. Whilst on the grounds I could sense this intense energy, almost contemplative. I saw families, old and young with blankets sprawled onto the grass. One critique I had was in the crowd control of visitors. As we were approaching the viewing grounds a group of twenty-ish aged men who had a giant blue tooth speaker were an annoyance. They blared their musically loudly, stumbling over people and were becoming drunkenly belligerent. They shaked their bottles( a behavior learned from watching videos on MTV I assume) of beer and started spraying them onto other visitors. I do believe in the power of having a good time. However it should not be at the expense of your fellow (wo)man who want want to enjoy themselves as well.

As the night drew to the close and the twinkling light show ended it did dawn on me. Subsiding the spilt chocolate crepe on my shirt. And being left to the elements it was a magical time. For example I saw a couple use this opportunity for a marriage proposal. An older couple looked like they were celebrating an anniversary. A family of different generations huddled as if this would be a memory they would share forever. If ever a manner existed to impress someone this would be it. It's interesting how a structure that has survived two wars, architectural compromise by tourists and the fickle tastes of the masses still captivates us. On the way out I had to look at it one last time.

The Eiffel Tower is the summit of our imagination. It exists as a pilgrimage for tourists to check off life's wishlist. Was it a pain in the butt getting here? Yes. Were crowds uncontrollable and at times taxing? Yes. Did I wait with my company for almost two hours to use a restroom? Yes. (Then again I was reminded of the restroom lines at the Ozzfest.) In its totality even with the minor inconveniences it was well worth the visit. If you ever get the chance to see the Eiffel Tower I implore you to do so.

Now all I need is to procure a Parisienne accent and walk around eating baguettes like the French do. Never mind I'll probably drop them.

We had a fantastic time visiting the Eiffel tower! We took the elevator to the first viewing platform and enjoyed looking around and then made the hilarious mistake of walk the stairs to the second platform! Our legs were jello and a million stairs later we made it. So fun and a great memory. Needless to say we chose the elevator to the top and saved or poor legs. We enjoyed a lunch at the restaurant and had fun looking at the museum. Later that evening we ate lunch near the tower and enjoyed the beautiful sparking lights. Visiting Paris was truly a dream come true. I can't wait to go back!

Knocking one star off for crowds and lines.

The Eiffel Tower is, of course, iconic. There's no question that it's impressive and that the view from it (especially the top) is amazing. That said, it's basically a zoo to get in and out of. To start, definitely buy tickets online in advance. They can be hard to get, but the line to buy them onsite seemed to stretch on for hours.

We luckily had 4:00pm elevator tickets (second floor and top floor) that I purchased ahead of time. We arrived about 30 minutes in advance, but the security line wasn't that long at all, so we were inside the main area at the base within a few minutes. From there, we decided to immediately wait in the 4:00pm line for getting into the tower. At exactly 4:00pm, they let us through to the elevators. From here, it's simply a lot of lines and waiting as the elevators fill and you make your way to the second floor and then to the top. I'd say it probably took close to 30 minutes to get from the ground floor all the way to the top. Once there, there isn't much space to walk or stand, so we only spent a few minutes getting pictures and then went back down the second floor.

The second floor is much more expansive, with viewing platforms, gift shops, and food. We took more pictures, at some macarons, and then went back down. There isn't as much of a wait for elevators going down, so getting out is much easier than getting in.

Overall, the structure is beautiful and the view is amazing (especially on a clear day), but it definitely feels like a tourist trap with lines, waiting, and people everywhere.