Las Vegas Roller Coasters


Las Vegas is about the glitz and glamour, but it's also about the thrills, whether it's the excitement of a great show, or the heart pumping sensation of putting it all on red. Everyone has something different that gets them going, so Las Vegas has a little something for everyone. Las Vegas roller coasters have been springing up in a town that at first didn't have much for the physical thrill seeker.

Having ridden most of them in town, here is my list of the top five roller coasters in Las Vegas :

  1. Desperado. Buffalo Bill's, Primm , Nevada . The best Roller Coaster in Clark County is actually in Primm, about 40 miles towards California . $7 a ride, and worth double that. One of the highest first drops in the US , this coaster takes your breath away, and has a second drop higher than the first of the rest of the coasters on this list. If you can hitch a ride out there, it's the best roller coaster in the area.
  2. Speed, the Ride. The Sahara . Very fast, but over too quickly, which prevents it from being number one--just 45 seconds long. However, the fact that you then do the whole thing backwards brings it near the top of the list as the best LV Roller Coaster. If you are staying on this side of the strip, give it a shot. It's $10 a ticket, but for $19 you get an unlimited pass, including the Cyber Speedway.
  3. Manhattan Express. New York, New York. Great view of the strip, nice first drop, plus a full loop in the middle. Better than the original Coney Island coaster. A little pricey at $12.50 a ride, but the second one is just $6.
  4. Canyon Blaster. Circus Circus. Inside the Adventuredome, it's a good value at $6 a ride. With four inversions, that's pretty cheap for tickets. Get a day pass, and ride it a number of times for the full experience.
  5. High Roller. Stratosphere. This coaster should be better, and I can't decide why I just don't like it as much as I should. Could be that though it is 100 stories in the air, the 30 mph ride and the $11.95 ticket just isn't quite worth it. Great view, though.

For more reviews of Vegas Roller Coasters, www.vegas.com has some good reviews, and check out the hotel websites for the individual rides: