Is the Eiffel Tower Everything I Dreamed?
The Build-up
The Build-up
As a little girl I grew up with the dream of visiting Paris. The city of lights. The city of love. A city of my dreams.
I arrived in Paris midafternoon after a red-eye flight across the Atlantic Ocean. My mom and I were running on adrenaline, riding a crowded train of grumpy travelers to the Gare Du Nord station. From the station to our hotel was a long adventure of confusion, exhaustion, and honestly, we were just lost. That being said travel isn’t perfect and we ended up missing our first experience of our, “Trip of a Lifetime”.
River boat cruise on the Seine – maybe an early dinner will suffice instead! This experience was heartbreaking for me, I imagined my first Eiffel Tower experience to be picturesque and iconic. It simply ended up being a walk along the river wall searching for a place to eat before the grand event that night.
Despite the less than perfect night, I was in Paris. When in Paris (or on any adventure) you can’t let one mistake taint the trip and thus we carried on creating the most magical memory that night,
“I had spent hours agonizing over fears of feeling underwhelmed or like all my childhood dreams had come crashing around me. Luckily for me, it was a dream come true.”
Paris, France
The Eiffel Tower
Back to the tower, hunger satisfied, no longer frazzled from the mishap earlier and my moment has come. Standing 1,083 ft/324m, it was exactly what I pictured! I had spent hours agonizing over fears of feeling underwhelmed or like all my childhood dreams had come crashing around me. Luckily for me, it was a dream come true.
If you’ve feared the same as me, wondering if the dream is too good to be true, let me set some expectations. First off, it is old!! This means you cannot be disappointed when there is a new paint job being done (it was being repainted during the time I visited). The city that surrounds this monument is also packed with historical architecture meaning the view of the tower is obscured on narrow streets and from distances away.
As I wandered to the base of the tower the street walkways were lined with vendors, each carrying the same selection of sparkling tower replicas, robotic dogs, and wooden trains of common names. I was showered with shouts of a busy city bustling with the anticipation of my climb to the top. In line for the lift, I was about the check top of the Eiffel Tower off my bucket list.
Pro Posing Tip: The Celeb Shot
Move away from the Eiffel tower to get the whole thing in one photo! The best spots are either across the Siene (usually less crowed) or the gardens in front of the tower.
The Top of the Eiffel Tower
I always believed that June was peak tourist season in Europe, Paris specifically. However, my experience at the Eiffel Tower was no wait for our ride to the top. I did purchase tickets beforehand and go on a Monday evening so this could impact your experience in the future.
The ride on the elevator was one of my favorite parts of the experience. I felt so immersed in the history of the city watching the metal structure fly by. The elevators have stayed in place since the 1889 World’s Fair, which the tower was constructed for. I was standing in history.
All of Paris is visible from the Eiffel Tower (except the catacombs of course). It felt as if I was floating on a metal hot air balloon above a world frozen in time. Why frozen in time? The buildings below could still belong in a period film, just with modern families roaming through them. This is the moment I lived my childhood dream.
There are a few main floors you can visit, whether you want the restaurant on the lower deck, or the tip top open skydeck, I definitely say the experience is one worthy of the bucket list!
Looking for a little something extra special? On the top deck a macaron and Champagne bar will swipe away a few extra Euros! Top of a sparkling night, on a sparkling tower, with a little sparkling beverage! Or if you’re looking for a little underaged fun, sparkling lemonade, water, and those iconic French cookies may be you’re treat of choice! Cheers!
Traveler Tip: Tickets, Tickets, Tickets
I recommend getting a skip the line ticket, this doesn’t mean no line as the elevator to the top has a limited capacity, but it shortens wait time. Most of these tickets come with a tour, I preferred exploring on my own. If you want to climb the stairs to the top tickets are only available day of.
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