Prior to 2014 there were a few favored places on the Strip that enabled high-altitude views of Las Vegas. Whether at a spinning restaurant on the north Strip, a plush lounge atop a tall resort on the south Strip, or the Eiffel Tower replica that rises above Paris Las Vegas, vistas were available, if not always accessible without a reservation. Then came High Roller.
The observation wheel was assembled at the east end of The Linq Promenade in 2014 and became instantly iconic. Pod-like passenger cabins rose slowly in a 30-minute, 360-degree journey that revealed Vegas incrementally. The rooftop of the Flamingo, the skylines and ever-present construction cranes on the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard, familiar fountains and the forest-covered mountains beneath the western horizon in the distance all came into view in a way never seen before.
The views remain incomparable, and the cityscape has evolved quite a bit in 10 years. There was no Allegiant Stadium, no T-Mobile Arena, no Golden Knights, no Raiders and no Aces. Downtown Las Vegas had yet to top off the tallest towers it now counts in its tourism corridor. The properties reimagined as The Linq Hotel, The Cromwell and Horseshoe Las Vegas existed in previous incarnations under different names.
It would be five years after the wheel began turning before Jimmy Kimmel would open his comedy club at The Linq Promenade, but the destination had already become a hub for Vegas visitors and locals. Any concert at Brooklyn Bowl, any round of beers at Yard House or any sojourn to satisfy a sweet tooth at I Love Sugar could be complemented by a rotation reaching 550 feet in the air.
High Roller is a destination on its own, of course, with contrasting experiences depending on whether a round-trip is taken during the day or at night. Sunsets are spectacular, while night rides rise above a neon wonderland that now includes the high-tech architectural marvel Sphere, visible by gazing in a northeast direction from a perch in a pod.
A Happy Half Hour cabin option is available for adults from noon to 5 p.m. daily, while families can download a curriculum sheet that lists fun facts to share. For example, each cabin weights 44,000 pounds and has a diameter of 23 feet. The entire wheel weighs more than three-and-a-half tons and is reinforced by 5.3 miles of cable.
A cabin at the apex of the High Roller skyward journey is the highest place on the Strip to tie the knot. Wedding experiences include flowers and music accompanied by 2,000 LED lights after dark, with an optional Elvis minister for a classic, only-in-Sin City nuptials atmosphere.
It’s the same ride every visit, but views change with the evolution of the city. There was no annual Formula 1 race in Vegas 10 years ago, and the idea of U2 having a Vegas residency may have seemed far-fetched. Then again, the idea of a 550-foot-tall observation wheel in the middle of the Strip may have seemed like a far-fetched idea at one time. Now it’s reality.
The Linq Promenade. 855.234.7469. caesars.com
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