The Stratosphere Vegas truly is at the top of Vegas. Not only does it stand as a sentinel at the top of the famous Las Vegas Strip, but it is also the tallest structure in Vegas, offering an amazing view of the whole of the city and beyond. At 1149 feet above the Strip, the Stratosphere presents some of the best photo opportunities in town!
Of course, the reason many visitors to Vegas head to the Stratosphere is to experience the ultimate thrill rides at the top (or at least to watch in horror as others enjoy them). If you are an adrenaline junkie and love your scary rides, they don’t get much more terrifying than this. Probably considered the most tame of the three rides, Big Shot takes you to the highest point possible on the tower; but this is no gentle elevator. You are raised 160 feet in just 2.5 seconds, enjoying the same feeling of weightlessness as astronauts, with 4Gs of force.
Then there are the 2 rides that actually take you over the edge of the Stratosphere Vegas. Insanity hangs its riders over the side of the tower using a spider-like arm. Then you are spun in a circle causing you to tilt forward slightly, giving you a great view of the tarmac nearly 1000 feet down.
Finally, X-Scream involves a giant teetertotter (seesaw) that shoots a rollercoaster car out over the side of the Stratosphere tower. Just when the rails run out the car stops suddenly to give riders an awe inspiring view (if they still have their eyes open). Finally, the arm is tilted up again and they roll back to the tower. Let’s just say, that if the car didn’t stop you’d probably end up in the Sahara’s Nascar cafe!
Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the delights of the Stratosphere tower. On busy days you will be given a time slot when you buy your tickets, and even then there is usually a queue for the elevators to the top (and the standard security checks).
But there’s more to the Stratosphere Vegas than a great view and thrill rides. The Stratosphere Tower Hotel offers over 2000 rooms in two 24-storey buildings and an 80,000 square foot casino. It has everything you would expect of a Las Vegas resort – shopping mall, theatre, swimming pool and leisure center.
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