White-Knuckle Vegas Attractions – Go Big or Go Home
White-Knuckle Attractions in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of the most famous cities in the United States, known across the world for its grand casinos, desert heat, wedding chapels and the large quantity of Elvis Presley impersonators. More than 40 million people visit the city every year, attracted by the major events like boxing matches, A-list celebrity shows, and the unique feel of the city. There’s another big attraction to Las Vegas though: white knuckle rides. Sin city has some of the most unique white knuckle rides in the world, from traditional rollercoasters, to attractions that’ll have you hanging off the side of a building.
The casinos are of course the most popular attraction in Las Vegas. There are more than 130 casinos in Las Vegas, all of them offering the typical offering of games like slot machines, roulette, blackjack, and several of the most common variants of poker. These casinos line Las Vegas Boulevard, better known as “the strip”, rising up out of the desert sand with unique landmarks like the Bellagio’s dancing fountains, and a replica of the Eiffel Tower at Caesars Palace. It is perhaps even a better place to see the Eiffel Tower than in Paris since there isn’t a long line to wait in.
So if you love taking adrenaline-fueled trips, here’s what you can do in Las Vegas.
Canyon Blaster
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Located at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, Canyon Blaster is a rollercoaster designed to disorientate and confuse your senses. Its name is appropriate, it blasts riders down steep drops, the biggest of which is 66 feet, before exerting 3.5 G as it twists through corkscrews, helixes, and vertical loops.
There are a total of four inversions across the 2,423 feet of track, and riders will reach a maximum speed of 41 MPH.
The Adventuredome theme park at Circus Circus is indoors, making it one of only two Arrow coasters in the country that isn’t built outside. You’ll find it on the second level.
Big Apple Coaster
The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York Hotel & Casino doubles just about everything that the Canyon Blaster has. Riders will reach a maximum speed of 70 MPH as they descend the 144 feet drop. It’s also twice as long, at 4,777 feet taking riders on a journey that lasts 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
Wikimedia Commons by: Stefan Scheer
The adrenaline rush is heightened by the long, slow climb to the crest of the first hill. The chain lift takes what seems like an eternity, teasing riders of what’s coming next.
A single ride costs $15, which is on the pricey side, although you can ride as many times as you like with an all-day pass which costs $26. For an additional $5, riders can strap on a virtual reality headset that creates a unique story where riders follow an escaped alien from a secret la that then drags the rider through the streets of Las Vegas.
The Strat
The Strat is not a single ride, but a collection of different white knuckle attractions. On top of the 921 foot Stratosphere Tower, riders have four opportunities to get their heart racing.
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The first is Big Shot, which fires them 160 feet into the air at 45 MPH. If you can keep your eyes open, you’ll enjoy some of the best views of the city, looking down on everything else. Secondly, you can take a ride on X-Scream. This rollercoaster is unlike the others on this list. You’ll be launched over the side of the tower, and then hung weightlessly as you look down at the ground in front of you. Next comes Insanity, a mechanical arm that hangs over the side of the tower, leaving riders dangling with nothing but 900 feet of air below them while they experience forces of up to 3G.
If that’s not enough for you, you can leave The Strat by jumping from the top of the down, descending in a controlled free fall at speeds of up to 40mph.
Las Vegas is a paradise for thrill-seekers of all kinds. You don’t just have to head to the casino, you can boost your adrenaline through the many white knuckle attractions too.
