These cool ideas for high-rise adventures will have you seeking out thrills in urban landscapes, in some of the world’s biggest metropolises.
Photo By: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
Sky-Rise Slide
In Los Angeles, the US Bank Tower has this year added a fun-factor to what is otherwise an ordinary glass high-rise building. They have added a glass slide which is 45-foot-long and sits nearly 1,000 feet high. So if you happen to be on the 70th floor and need to get down to the 69th floor pronto – don’t wait for the lift, just slide down! You don’t have to work there to try, for about US$30 you can visit this cool new attraction. Although a relatively brief thrill, if you’re in down-town LA and area an adult wanting a child-like experience in a office-tower setting, this is your spot.
Petronas Towers, Malaysia
The Petronas Towers in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur are probably one of the city’s most iconic sites and hottest tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. Pronounced petro-nas (where the ‘nas’ rhymes with gas), these twin towers are banded under the name of the Malaysian oil and gas company of the same name. A sky-walk bridge links the two towers, and tourists can head up there for one of the most beautiful views of KL. The Petronas Towers are the tallest twin towers in the world, and for a time it was the tallest construction in the world. The skybridge links the 41st and 42nd floors, but don’t worry a lift will zip you up, there’s no need to clamour stairs all the way up. The skybridge is open to tourists every day accept Mondays and you have to book your time slot in advance (so you may have to come back a few hours later for your time). Also, it’s open from 9am to 9pm so you can choose between the daytime and nighttime view – we recommend both! To ascend even higher, combine the skybridge walk with a visit to the viewing deck on the 86th floor.
Eiffel Tower, Paris
When it was first built the Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair, and it was well-loved by Parisians. However, over time it’s become one of the romantic city’s most iconic sites – and probably the world’s most famous tower construction. Some even say it’s the most-visited paid monument in the world. So, you can’t leave Paris without scaling to its viewing decks – although you’re likely to spend as long in a queue for tickets as you are actually up there. The best way around this is to buy your tickets online beforehand and skip the queue. The tower has three observation decks, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The top level’s upper platform is at 276 meters making it one of the highest observation decks in Europe. The tower is open year-round for both day-time and evening visits.