This list was last updated on Nov. 27, 2023.
Las Vegas was built on extremes.
All day, and each and every night, you can get your fix of gambling, booze, and just about anything else.
Beyond the gilded golden towers, mobs of tourists, and 99-cent margaritas, there are attractions waiting for those who live life with their adrenaline pedal pressed firmly down on the floor.
The list seems to be growing with each passing year, so this list will no doubt expand along with it, but for now, here are our votes for the top extreme attractions in Las Vegas in no particular order.
Speed Vegas
Speed Vegas combines a few experiences at one convenient location, making it perfect for families, bachelor/bachelorette outings, or a fun afternoon with friends.
The main draw of Speed Vegas is the opportunity to choose any exotic car from their extensive line-up and take it full speed around their race track. It’s crazy fun to zoom around the track at speeds in excess of 100mph in a Lamborghini Huracan STO, for instance.
Maybe you’re in the mood to drive a Aston Martin Vantage around the track for 20 laps. You can customize a race package to do just that.
Or maybe you and the crew want to take the fun offroad in a Baja Race Truck to get a taste of the ultimate offroad thrill: jumping dunes and tearing ass through the desert landscape. Yep, Speed Vegas has that as well.
Younger drivers (14 years of age or older) can opt for the go-kart experience and take the 4-stroke gas engine powered screamers for a few races and all the bragging rights.
No matter what your group is in the mood for, you’re going to find the thrills you want at Speed Vegas.
Where: 14200 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89054
Gunship Helicopters
Sweet Jesus.
I don’t care if you’re the Waffle House’d-up Southern Redneck or the most California Vegan-ased Liberal — This has got to be on your bucket list.
The website screams it in your face, just in case you’re one of the dense ones:
“SHOOT A MOTHER F*CKING MACHINE GUN FROM A MOTHER F*CKING HELICOPTER”
Ok, they’re not so liberal with the “MFers” as I am, they’re not savages after all, but the point is clear: this is wild.
You load up into a bad ass A-Star 350 B2 helicopter. They mount a M249 Saw machine gun to it. You mow down steel targets, zombies, planes, couches (?!)… you know… like you’ve always wanted to do but were too afraid to do because government stuff. ‘Merica, amirite?!
For the solo adventurer this might be a bit pricey, but this experience is meant to be lived with friends at either a bachelor / bachelorette party, graduation party or some other significant date in life.
Did we mention that you shoot a freakin’ M249 SAW from a HELICOPTER?
TAKE. MY. MONEY.
Where: 2735 South Sammy Davis Jr. Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (Sales Office)
Sky Combat Ace
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot? Do you ever dream about what it must be like to be in an air-to-air dogfight with some Russion MIGs or maybe the Red Baron himself?
Do you insist on people calling you Maverick and break out in cold sweats whenever someone mentions ‘Goose’?
Sky Combat Ace is here for you.
But please understand… this is not a flight simulator. You’re not on the ground in some blacked out room playing a video game.
This is real. And this is awesome.
More from the Sky Combat Ace website:
Get behind the controls as YOU fly the plane under the supervision of one of our highly trained SCA fighter pilots. As with all of our flight packages, absolutely no flight experience is necessary!
Skycombatace.com
Flip, turn, tumble, barrel roll, dogfight… it’s all up to you. Yes, you’re under the watchful eye of seasoned professionals, but the stick is in your hand.
There are four different experiences to choose from: aerobatics, air combat, combination, or flight training. Prices vary within those experiences.
Where: 2705 Airport Dr., North Las Vegas, NV 89032
Big Apple Coaster at New York New York
The famous Big Apple Coaster (formerly known as the Manhattan Express) opened in 1997 and has since become a staple of the Las Vegas Strip experience.
Since it opened, nearly 1.5 million people have zoomed around the iconic New York-inspired hotel and casino at speeds of over 67mph.
The coaster twists and dives its way in and around the property and includes a heart-pounding 203ft drop that will have you begging for another lap on this thrilling ride.
Pro tip: try to schedule a ride for the evening when the lights of the Strip are on full display. It’s an amazing sight that will complete your trip!
Where: 3790 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
FlyOver Las Vegas
FlyOver is one of Vegas’ newest thrill attractions on the Strip offering travelers a chance to “fly” through immersive, state-of-the-art technology.
Visitors will soar, dive, and glide over beautiful landscapes and feel the rush of flying through the air in their flight motion seats and a wraparound screen. Special effects will have gusts of wind blowing through your hair and you’ll feel the mist of nearby waterfalls on your face in a mind-blowing experience suitable for all ages.
Where: 3771 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (next to Hard Rock Cafe)
Channel your inner adrenaline junkie
Once you’ve had your fill of the endless buffets and round-the-clock parties, you need to escape the Strip for just a little while and channel your inner adrenaline junkie. Its been there, like an itch you can’t quite scratch because you haven’t experienced any of these attractions on this list. But luckily, now you can.
And it’s worth visiting Las Vegas again and again until you count them all done.
