There are so many unique experiences in Las Vegas that it’s easy to take its offerings for granted. But the fact that this city has an amusement park in the sky is not talked about nearly enough. On top of The STRAT Skypod—the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States, by the way—a trio of extreme rides have been thrilling tourists and locals alike for the better part of two decades: Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity.
But it all started with Big Shot, the original tower ride that opened with the property in 1996. Back then, riding up and down a space needle 1,000 feet above ground was thought of as psychotic. Flash forward to the early 2000s, and riding Big Shot became merely courageous, because The STRAT doubled down on pants-peeing thrill rides with the construction of X-Scream, a roller coaster that teeter-totters over the edge of the Skypod, and Insanity, a carousel controlled by a giant mechanical arm of doom that dangles and spins 64 feet away from the Skypod. Unless you have an ironclad bladder, don’t look down.
The STRAT, 702.380.7777
Click here for your free subscription to the weekly digital edition of Las Vegas Magazine, your guide to everything to do, hear, see and experience in Southern Nevada. As part of your subscription, each week via email you will receive the latest edition of Las Vegas Magazine, full of informative content such as restaurants to visit, cocktails to sip and attractions to enjoy.
