6 Thrilling Adventure Activities in Las Vegas

When it comes to having fun, there’s no shortage of things to do in and around Las Vegas. If you’re an adrenaline junkie at heart, consider the following adventure activities in Las Vegas when planning your next trip:

1. Roller Coasters and Other Amusement Park Rides

We’re not talking about the highest drop or the fastest ride in America, but the novelty of Las Vegas’ amusement park rides are appealing to many people.

At the Adventuredome Theme Park in Circus Circus, you’ll find the world’s only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, which reaches speeds up to 55 MPH.

The roller coaster at New York, New York drops passengers 144 feet and hits 67 MPH, all while flying by the Vegas version of the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building.

The Stratosphere offers four rides on top of its freestanding observation tower, which is the tallest of its kind in the United States.

Its three primary attractions are Big Shot, which shoots passengers 160 feet into the air at 45 MPH; Insanity, which spins riders over open air at up to three Gs; and X-Scream, which drops riders 27 feet over the edge of the hotel.

Stratosphere’s latest attraction addition is the SkyJump, the highest controlled free fall in the world, high above the Las Vegas Strip.

2. Adult-Only Roller Skating

Though not held on any specific schedule, you can occasionally find adult-only roller skating parties at Las Vegas nightclubs.

Rain Nightclub is the most common venue for retro roller skating, though some of the actual roller skating centers in the city also hold adult-only nights as well.

3. Trampoline Fun

Get your jump on at one of the trampoline parks in Las Vegas.

This is one of the few thrill activities that is friendly for both kids and adults, so it is particularly popular with families.

Everyone can have their little piece of Cirque du Soleil fun at these trampoline centers, which feature floors and walls that allow people to bounce freely throughout.

Check schedules in advance for special events such as dodgeball games.

4. Skydiving

Many people want to live the thrill in Sin City, and for that reason, several skydiving operators in Las Vegas specialize in first-time jumpers.

No experience is necessary to get your heart pumping as you leap from a plane and enjoy the awesome views of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Colorado River and Valley of Fire.

If you’re not ready to throw yourself from a plane, consider indoor skydiving instead.

This simulated version of the real thing is similar to skydiving with the addition of a mesh trampoline floor and foam-padded walls.

5. Paintball

The ideal weather conditions in Las Vegas mean that people can play all year long, and that means paintball is a 12-month activity.

Several paintball centers are located around Sin City, many of which offer lots of fields, obstacles, and scenarios.

And, because there are so many options, playing paintball in Las Vegas won’t set you back a ton of money.

6. Adrenaline for Charity

Though you’ll pay for a thrill in Las Vegas, there are a few charitable adventures that ensure your money goes toward a good cause.

For example, the Special Olympics raised well more than $100,000 in 2010 when people collected contributions to rappel off of the Rio Hotel (a minimum of $1,000 in contributions was required to participate).

The SkyJump at the Stratosphere, which people can pay for as a thrill ride now, has been used as a charity event for children’s hospitals in the past, and there are also philanthropic events that allow people to walk or run up the 1,455 stairs in the hotel as well.

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About the Author: JoAnna Haugen lives and plays in Las Vegas. She writes the popular Las Vegas travel guide WhyGo Las Vegas, which offers information on where to stay and what to do in Sin City. Follow her on Twitter for updates about Las Vegas.