Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower must be seen at night! It is pretty during the day but at night it is truly glorious! If you arrive from the south you walk through Champ de Mars, a park. The views of the tower just get better and better as you approach. You can no longer casually walk directly under the tower, as it is blocked off by a glass wall. But once you enter with a ticket, you're directly under it, and then you can't believe how enormous it is! Get your tickets online in advance so you don't have to wait in extra lines. With your ticket in hand, you wait only for a short while- if you're lucky in timing- and then take the elevator to the first level (to go to the very top requires online reservations far in advance). The first level is called the 2nd floor in France. It's fun to watch each metal support bar zoom past as you go up the elevator. Once at the first level, you can walk around and see the view on all four sides of the tower. It's lovely to watch the boats gliding along the Seine river, or to watch a wedding in the park below.

If you have kids, check out the playground in the southern end of Champ de Mars. It has plenty of play equipment plus a carousel where kids must hold a stick and try to grab the ring from the ringmaster. A picnic on the lawn in Champ de Mars is always a great idea.
Or ride the adorable, pink two-storey carousel below the Eiffel Tower, by the Seine river. You can also stand on the bridge over the Seine, Pont d'Iena, and watch the boats go by- this area is popular with crazy people standing in the middle of the road, despite cars, trying to get the perfect selfie. Or you can walk north over the Seine and try one of the great ethnic cafes in the Trocadero neighborhood. There are some good museums here too. There is also a walkway, Port Debilly, on the other side of the Seine river, with good views of the Eiffel Tower. It is loud from the roar of traffic. People descend stairs to the river level and sit with their feet dangling over the wall or bank of the river, admiring the tower. This looks like a nice thing to do! Passerelle Debilly, a charming pedestrian bridge, also has good views of the tower.

Directions

The Eiffel Tower is located at 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France. The nearest metro station is Ecole Militaire.
Tickets to get to the first level (2nd floor) cost 23 euros for adults, 12 euros for youth aged 12-24, 6 euros for children aged 4-11 and handicapped people.
You choose a time to go up, when you make your reservation, sometime between about 9am and 11pm. Many times are sold out, so buy your tickets ahead of time!

Click on map for interactive view