I took in the sights and rides at the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas on Jan. 27.
At first impression, it seems a bit pricy ($15 for the ride to the top alone, $34 for a day pass including all rides), and when we heard the Big Shot was closed, we had a little trepidation but decided to do it anyway.
After passing through security (complete with metal detectors and the obligatory overpriced group photo), we began our trip up. The elevator to the top is quick, and the view from the top is outstanding, as expected. In the indoor observation deck there are the standard coin-operated telescopes and placards showing points of interest, as well as a neat little bar. The outside observation deck offers the best views of the rides. After taking in the sights (and some crazy wind), we hopped in line for the first ride.
Insanity was first. For those that aren’t familiar, it’s a spinning ride that sticks out on an arm off the edge of the tower and tilts riders so that they are facing the ground. It was a cool ride for the view alone; the thrills itself weren’t that great. The scariest part was when the ride arm stuck riders out over the edge before spinning. Sitting still 1000 feet in the air is a bit unnerving.
Next was X-Scream. It is essentially a roller coaster with a dead end track extending off the edge. The ride shoots riders to the end of the track before abruptly stopping. The track then bounces up and down a few times before repeating the process. It was a lot more enjoyable than Insanity, and the view was quite a bit better (it faces the Strip). I wish I had gotten a chance to ride it in the front however, I’ll bet that is crazy up there. Regardless, in the back rows, it’s still fun.
All in all, if you’re in Vegas, it’s definitely worth the trip and the cost. But the novelty wears off in a hurry.
My group was in a hurry and there weren’t many great vantage points to snap photos, but I got a few. When I get them uploaded to my computer I’ll post them here.
