Las Vegas high life by Robert Buttner, February 15, 2008

DANGLING over the edge of one of the tallest buildings in the world would be enough to make a grown man cry, wet his pants or even pass out.

But it happens on a regular basis on the collection of rides at the top of the Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower in Las Vegas.

Standing at just over 350m and twice as high as any building around it, the massive landmark offers more than just gambling.

At the top sit three of the most extreme thrill rides in the world, resting above a 360-degree view of the Strip.

A view like no other is offered from the Big Shot, a 50m tower ride at the highest point of the Stratosphere.

It accelerates at almost 75km/h above its deck, leaving you with nothing but a clear view of the Strip before plunging back... and doing it all again.

There is simply no better way to see the lights and glamour of Las Vegas.

Insanity is perfect

The latest attraction to the sky-top theme park is the X-Scream, which takes a rider to the next level of fear.

An eight-person car without a floor slides on rails nine metres over the edge of the Stratosphere Tower, before propelling them forward at 50km/h to the end of an 18m seesaw.

For those who want to get a longer view of what's on the ground, Insanity is perfect.

It places you 21m over the edge and leaves you facing almost straight down while twisting you around on a mechanical arm.

If you just want to take in the views standing still, the Stratosphere has indoor and outdoor observation decks with a 360-degree view of Las Vegas.

Even the elevator trip to the top is like a thrill ride – an ear-popping journey that travels at 36km/h, or three floors a second, while your guide tries to squeeze in as much interesting information as possible within 40 seconds.

During these 40 seconds you may hear about how the X-Scream was put together – another frightful fact – with men dangling from wires beneath a helicopter screwing its pieces together.

Has it ever broken down? It's a question asked by many people. While the ride itself hasn't, at one stage the power across Las Vegas went out, leaving a group of unlucky riders dangling above 300m of complete darkness for 40 minutes.

New York New York

The Stratosphere isn't the only place with extreme thrills, as other hotels in Las Vegas have their own roller-coaster rides and exciting surroundings.

The New York New York Hotel has re-creations of many of the classic buildings of New York, including a replica of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, as well as a twisting, looping, super-fast roller-coaster that winds its way through all of these attractions.

Inside is a fully lit remake of the streets of New York, with shops, restaurants and a Coney Island Arcade.

In summer, the pool is converted into a surf beach at night, to re-create some of the best waves in the world.

The Sahara Hotel also has its own roller-coaster, while the Circus Circus Hotel, near the Stratosphere, has an indoor theme park. It's called the Adventuredome and contains more than two hectares of rides, ranging from an indoor looping roller-coaster to water-flume ride and plenty of other thrills.

World-famous fountain show

Feel like standing in the middle of Venice? Visit The Venetian Hotel with its remake of the canals of Venice, where you can catch a gondola ride in and out of the hotel with your own guide taking you the whole way, or shop for days in the hundreds of outlets on the footpaths.

Ever wanted to see Ancient Rome? Caesars Palace includes replica buildings, streets and artwork. Even the roof is painted as the sky.

Visit France in the Paris Hotel and Casino, which contains everything French, from food (patisseries and restaurants), to shops and even the writing on menus and signs (there's English as well, so don't worry).

Book a room with views of the Eiffel Tower and be just a few floors away from the beauty of the streets of Paris.

Just across the street, see the Bellagio Hotel and its spectacular facade. It puts on a world-famous fountain show at night, providing just a little more entertainment for visitors.

There's definitely more to Las Vegas than just gambling, and there are days to be filled just visiting hotels. Catch the Las Vegas Monorail (which reaches up to 80km/h) and visit France, Venice, New York, Egypt and Ancient Rome all in a day, as well as reliving your worst nightmare atop the Stratosphere Tower. (Credit: The Daily Telegraph)