For decades the Skywalk Observatory on the 50th floor of the Prudential Tower was the only place in Boston where you could see the city laid out below. In 2023 it was relaunched as "View Boston" with the addition of an outdoor terrace on the 52nd floor — the highest outdoor view in New England.
The view stretches from the Boston Harbor Islands to the Blue Hills, with the Charles River carving between Boston and Cambridge and the brownstones of Back Bay neatly arranged below. On clear days you can see the Cape Cod canal. Interactive screens identify the landmarks; a short film traces the history of the city's growth into the harbor.
Tickets are timed and expensive. Sunset is the best slot if you can get it: the city lights come on and the harbor glows red. The cheaper alternative used to be a drink at the Top of the Hub restaurant — which is now closed, replaced by a more upscale (and still pricey) bar called Stratus inside View Boston.