Prudential Center Skywalk
800 Boylston Street (between Gloucester and Exeter Streets)
50th Floor
(617) 236-3318

Although not at the very top of the Prudential Tower (that honor is reserved for the Top of the Hub restaurant), the Sky Walk offers spectacular views of Boston and beyond. As you walk around the Sky Walk, do your best to ignore the decades-old decor and focus all your attention instead on the huge windows, which are marked to help you locate some of Boston's well-known features. You will see all of Boston's major sights, including the John Hancock building, the buildings in the Christian Science complex, the Boston Public Library, Trinity Church, Fenway Park, and many of the parks that make up Boston's Emerald Necklace. The observatory also offers good views of Cambridge and the suburbs that surround Boston -- and on a very clear day, you can even see bits of Cape Cod! Note the Sky Walk is completely indoors, so don't expect to find an outdoor balcony here.

The Building's Background
The Prudential Center opened in 1965 and with its 52 stories, reigned as the city's tallest building until the 60-story Hancock tower was completed 11 years later. The building features 10 acres of glass curtain walls and 4,000 windows. While the tower itself is mostly used for office space, it is also part of a complex that includes almost 50 shops (including the Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue department stores), plus numerous restaurants and services. The "Pru" center is also home to several apartment buildings, and is connected to the Hynes Convention Center and the Sheraton Boston Hotel.

Logisitics
Visit the Skywalk web site for updated hours and admission fees. And unless you are in the area anyway, call ahead to make sure the observatory is open because they do occasionally close to the public when they have special events in progress.

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