This June, the ability to see Boston from on high dramatically improved with the opening of View Boston, 52 floors and more than 700 feet up in the air.
View Boston, the new observatory deck at the top of the Prudential Tower, the city's second-tallest building, took over and expanded what had been a much more basic experience at the Skywalk Observatory, which shut down in 2020 after 54 years atop the tower.
View Boston is spread over three stories with interactive experiences, indoor and outdoor observation decks and two places to eat and drink.
The indoor-outdoor Stratus bar on the 51st floor offers what might be Boston’s best spot for sunset cocktails and bites. Photo Credit: Johanna Jainchill
The first and highest stop, on the 52nd floor, has windows offerings a 360-degree panoramic view of Boston. Stations throughout offer information to visitors about the different landmarks and neighborhoods they're seeing, such as the gold-domed Massachusetts State House, the boats along the Charles River and the buildings of Harvard University.
They'll see clearly why locals call the Longfellow Bridge between Boston and Cambridge the 'salt and pepper bridge,' look right onto the seats at Fenway Park and directly at the nearby 60-story 200 Clarendon (which locals will forever call the John Hancock), which at 790 feet is the tallest building in all of New England.
More to explore
The winner for most people, especially on a beautiful summer Sunday, was the open-air, wraparound observation deck, The Cloud Terrace, on the 51st floor. The indoor-outdoor Stratus bar offers what might be Boston's best spot for sunset cocktails and bites.
The 50th floor has several interactive exhibits that kids especially enjoy, including a 3D model of the city with projection-mapping to show what the city looks like during different seasons and events, such as the Boston Marathon. Explore Boston has games and lets people focus on different experiences by theme (culinary, women, kids) and then use their ticket to save an itinerary they can later print.
Seats with a view at The Beacon, the 50th floor bistro at View Boston. Photo Credit: Johanna Jainchill
The final stop is a 270-degree theater that gives viewers a street-level look at different neighborhoods and attractions.
It's worth staying for lunch or dinner at The Beacon, the 50th floor bistro. Its 22-seat raised bar has the best views, 700 feet up. Service was top-notch; everyone in our party raved about the goat cheese fritters, soft pretzel bites with beer cheese and chicken with leek fondue and Israeli couscous.