Vegas coasters

You don't need to go to an amusement park to go on a roller coaster.

If you're looking for thrills of a different nature, Las Vegas offers all of the excitement you're looking for. Stratosphere has three of the world's highest rides located 100 stories above the ground: Xscream (which teeters riders over the edge of the tower 900 feet above the ground), the Big Shot - a thrill ride that shoots fun-lovers 50 meters into the air at a force of 4G's before letting them free-fall back to the launching pad - and Insanity, an appropriately named, dizzying spinning ride that dangles passengers over the edge of the tower before whirling them around at speeds approaching 40 miles per hour.

Speed - The Ride at the Sahara takes passengers around a roller coaster loop and up a 224-foot climb at speeds topping 70 mph and then retraces the same path...in reverse. The Manhattan Express at New York-New York is an exciting roller coaster with twists, loops and dives around the resort. It features the first-ever heart line roll, which provides a sensation similar to that felt by a pilot during a barrel roll in an airplane.

The Desperado, one of the world's tallest and fastest roller coasters, is located near the California/Nevada border just 30 minutes from Las Vegas at Buffalo Bill's in Primm, Nevada. The ride begins with an initial lift height of 209 feet and a breathtaking 225-foot drop.

America's largest indoor theme park, the Adventuredome at Circus Circus, offers 21 rides and attractions.

Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton features an outer space shuttlecraft thrill ride and re-creations of the U.S.S. Enterprise's bridge, turbo lift and grand corridor.