Best Skyline Views from any Road

[TheStranger]

I-80 James Lick Freeway and Bay Bridge has a great view of San Francisco.

I feel the approaches from the south are a lot more dramatic:

US 101/I-80 split at the Central Freeway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.766176,-122.404893,3a,75y,352.92h,78.22t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sJDc4WzdCInHEbGOLbHo0-w!2e0

I-280 6th Street offramp
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.77174,-122.397613,3a,43.9y,348.89h,87.28t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1smbkH8zONOQM4K-1pQqQO-w!2e0

[jeffandnicole]

Las Vegas.

When you are in the city, and the buildings tower over you, and what appears to be the next block over is a mile away, appears to be a huge city.  When you are flying in, the views of the buildings with all their varying shapes and themes is unique.

Yet, when you drive towards the city, especially on I-15 South, the city is very small.  After experiencing the desert for hours on end, the buildup is very sudden.  The Strip, where most of the tall, impressive buildings are located, are in about a 2 mile stretch of area, with the Stratosphere and downtown a few more miles away.  If traffic is moving smoothly on 15, you are past the city within just a few minutes, with nothing but desert lying ahead for the next several hours...

[vtk]

Inbound on the Kennedy Expressway:

That photo reminds me of The Matrix: Reloaded.



Columbus looks pretty good from the west, either from 670 or from 70's elevated section.  I also like seeing downtown from the south, particularly in rural areas in the Scioto Valley.  104 in extreme northern Pickaway County has a couple of good views.  Sometimes at night at the north end of the freeway section of 23 at Chillicothe I think I can see a bit of the Columbus skyline, but maybe that's my imagination augmenting some antennas.

[BamaZeus]

I-20 approaching Atlanta at the Six Flags exit.  I would link GSV but the picture really doesn't do it justice.

[kkt]

I feel the approaches from the south are a lot more dramatic:

US 101/I-80 split at the Central Freeway:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.766176,-122.404893,3a,75y,352.92h,78.22t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sJDc4WzdCInHEbGOLbHo0-w!2e0

Yes, this one.

Also S.F. seen from the Golden Gate Bridge:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=San+Francisco,+CA&ll=37.817022,-122.478387&spn=0.012883,0.016544&cid=5354801294080388607&hnear=San+Francisco,+San+Francisco+County,+California&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.817022,-122.478387&panoid=FhqHU4OSrh832jNLskxVHQ&cbp=12,115.31,,0,-1.63

Seattle from I-5 northbound:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=seattle&hl=en&ll=47.577821,-122.319224&spn=0.00391,0.004136&sll=37.819158,-122.478526&sspn=0.013154,0.016544&t=h&hnear=Seattle,+King+County,+Washington&z=18&layer=c&cbll=47.577956,-122.319185&panoid=q7LEZl-MgL8hXGMMzefzzQ&cbp=12,341.02,,0,-3.15

Sunrise, Mt. Rainier:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=sunrise,+mt+rainier,+wa&hl=en&ll=46.916195,-121.614532&spn=0.002521,0.008272&sll=47.57282,-122.273712&sspn=0.352068,0.529404&t=h&hnear=Sunrise&z=17&layer=c&cbll=46.916196,-121.614534&panoid=iieJ-Hnfme_ZH26n9uji5A&cbp=12,254.22,,0,0.23

[OCGuy81]

I've always liked the view of Chicago's skyline from Lake Shore Drive.

http://goo.gl/maps/6dgN6

[2Co5_14]

The ramp from I-580 WB to I-980 SB in Oakland, CA: you get a close-up of the Oakland skyline and San Francisco across the bay.
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.823784,-122.268378&spn=0.000003,0.002064&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=37.823784,-122.268378&panoid=7uuWJjMHX-5SCk__AO-PsA&cbp=12,220.21,,0,4.04

[Brandon]

I've always liked the view of Chicago's skyline from Lake Shore Drive.

http://goo.gl/maps/6dgN6

Gotta love the "curve - reduce speed" sign posted by CDOT in there as well.

[1995hoo]

Montreal from the Pont Victoria is another nice view, especially at night, though driving over that bridge requires enough concentration that I've never gotten to enjoy the view as much as I might like.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.494334,-73.521899,3a,75y,297.58h,87.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1mMhmfhgDP7JPsHNJg8UMA!2e0

[roadman65]

This view of Dallas.

[MrDisco99]

Manhattan from the BQE.  Northbound at night.  Sublime.

The Lincoln Tunnel approach on the Jersey side comes a close second.

More great views from the Queens-Midtown Tunnel approach, Triborough Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, and some parts of FDR Drive.  NYC is not lacking in great skyline views.


In other cities, the southbound connector in Atlanta with the midtown skyline to your left and downtown in front is pretty awesome, particularly now after so much of midtown has been recently built up.

Chicago from the Dan Ryan up to the Kennedy.

Miami from the I-95 exit 2C (Downtown/Miami Ave) ramp.

[roadman65]

Yes the WB LIE heading into the Toll Plaza for the Queens- Midtown Tunnel from the viaduct west of the BQE is impressive.


Then the view of Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry is awesome, especially at night when all the office lights are turned on in each skyscraper.

[Pete from Boston]

Yes the WB LIE heading into the Toll Plaza for the Queens- Midtown Tunnel from the viaduct west of the BQE is impressive.


Then the view of Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry is awesome, especially at night when all the office lights are turned on in each skyscraper.

I used to look forward so eagerly to coming up the Gowanus at night to that turn westward at the Prospect Expressway, where it climbs over the Gowanus Canal.  Lower Manhattan stood just close enough, with the World Trade Center so impossibly big at the center of the view.  It is hard to feel as good about it now, even with the various replacement buildings there now. 

[JakeFromNewEngland]

This is a cool view of Boston from Burlington, MA on I-95: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.488215,-71.191849,3a,15y,142.15h,90.01t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sdz7zTnAhdJ5fx2Skxjv_ew!2e0


I've also seen Boston from I-90 eastbound just before the I-95 interchange.

[OCGuy81]

Love the view of San Diego from Coronado!

http://goo.gl/maps/6aJ5c

[dfwmapper]

Some of my favorites of Dallas.
http://goo.gl/maps/RkoVQ - south end of the DNT over I-35E
http://goo.gl/maps/RRydc - I-35E SB to Woodall Rodgers EB ramp
http://goo.gl/maps/7mnJ4 - I-345
http://goo.gl/maps/eJLce - I-30 EB to I-35E NB ramp

[KEK Inc.]

Seattle from I-5 northbound:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=seattle&hl=en&ll=47.577821,-122.319224&spn=0.00391,0.004136&sll=37.819158,-122.478526&sspn=0.013154,0.016544&t=h&hnear=Seattle,+King+County,+Washington&z=18&layer=c&cbll=47.577956,-122.319185&panoid=q7LEZl-MgL8hXGMMzefzzQ&cbp=12,341.02,,0,-3.15

I'd argue the winner for that would be I-5 SB over the Lake WA SCB.
https://goo.gl/maps/4sIbR

Other cool shots of Seattle:

SR-520 WB.  EB, you can see Bellevue too, closer to UW.
https://goo.gl/maps/WeQLX

Ever since the Columbia Center installed the LED lights earlier this year, it gives Seattle an eerie futuristic feel driving across Lake Washington from Eastside at night.

I-90 EB for Bellevue (you can also see the Columbia Tower in Seattle if you look to the west).
https://goo.gl/maps/9mBYp

Harbor Ave near Alki Beach has a nice view of the city center
https://goo.gl/maps/wOZRk

[ajlynch91]

All freeways into Chicago have excellent views of the skyline. This Google Maps view doesn't do it justice, but the view coming in to the city on I-55 I freaking love every morning.

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.837839,-87.666462&spn=0.002809,0.006486&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=41.837838,-87.66646&panoid=XEToqKobFDUUmP2YfjmM9g&cbp=12,22.73,,1,-2.52

[GaryV]

Eastbound I-196 coming into Grand Rapids, just past the Lake Michigan Drive exit.

[Bickendan]

I-5 (both directions), I-405 (from Fremont Bridge top deck) and westbound I-84 all have great views of various points of downtown Portland.

[slorydn1]

I agree with those that mentioned any view of the Chicago skyline from any of the inbound freeways. My fave was always the view from the Dan Ryan right at the I-55/McCormick Place Interchange. Growing up in the NW suburbs I only got to see it from that angle a few times a year coming home from trips (luckily for us kids my dad shunpiked the Tri-State Tollway every chance he got).

+1 to the mention of Grand Rapids from I-196 as well- I haven't seen it since July 1979 myself, I am sure its even more spectacular now!

[TXtoNJ]

Two views that aren't from highways:

One of my favorite view of Philly comes from an unassuming site about 10 miles away from the city.  It appears to be a cloudy day so the city isn't viewable in this link: http://goo.gl/maps/7WLuB , but the view can be impressive at night, mostly as you wouldn't think you would be that close to the city.

Another view of a Philly landmark that frames perfectly between the trees is this: http://goo.gl/maps/HNcTr  Assuming the link comes up zoomed in (if it doesn't, zoom it in yourself), you are looking at the Cira Building next to 30th Street Station.  Again, it's more impressive at night with its various lights lit.  As the crow flies, you're about 8 miles away from the building. 

I always liked this view of Philly from Jersey myself: https://goo.gl/maps/DelgK

[Zeffy]

Cheating a bit, but nothing beats the cool breeze on the Delaware at the Camden Waterfront with great view of Philadelphia:

[Terry Shea]

Eastbound I-196 coming into Grand Rapids, just past the Lake Michigan Drive exit.

http://710studio.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/grandRapidsNight.jpg

[TEG24601]

Seattle, from the top of the Alaskan Way Viaduct (SR 99).


Portland, from the top of the Freemont Bridge, especial on the western end, as I-405 drops to below grade.  It always makes me feel like I'm in a Tie Fighter heading for the trench of the Death Star™.


Flint, from the upper ramps of the stack interchange between I-75 and I-475.


Chicago from the Skyway just before the Dan Ryan.