Thrillseekers and daredevils, be still your adrenalin-ridden hearts. If you have already tested your mettle on the scariest, highest and most stomach-churning amusement park attractions around, the rides at the top of Stratosphere Tower on the Las Vegas Strip take the thrills to the next level in more ways than one.
Located atop the 350m-high Stratosphere Tower, America's tallest freestanding observation tower offers the world's highest extreme rides for a heart-thumping experience that's definitely not for the faint-hearted. The Insanity ride has you dangling 19m off the edge of the tower from a mechanical, open-air arm that then diabolically spins faster and faster at speeds of up to three g-forces until you're in a vertical position. The X-Scream rollercoaster tips passengers 8m over the edge of the tower and then dangles them above The Strip before being pulled back for more, while Big Shot shoots 16 riders 48m into the air at 72kmph from the 280m-high platform up into the tower's mast and back down again. SkyJump is the newest ride for the world's highest controlled freefall jump from the edge of the 108-storey tower platform.
If you'd prefer a more sedate view of Las Vegas, Stratosphere Tower also contains an outdoor and indoor observation deck for unobstructed 360-degree views of the Las Vegas Strip and valley. Visit The Strip's highest sky bar, AirBar, within the indoor deck on level 108 and take it easy with their signature drink, Jet Fuel. To access the rides, you'll need to buy tower admission for US$18 for adults plus US$15 each per ride, except SkyJump, which is US$109.99 per jump. For US$34, you can get tower admission plus all-day rides (not including SkyJump), and for an extra US$10 you can purchase an Express Pass to avoid the queues.
To visit Stratosphere Tower, the venue is located on Las Vegas Boulevard South at Baltimore Avenue West. The closest bus stop is Las Vegas @ Stratosphere, which stops right outside.
