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The best glass-bottomed attractions
From skybridges to boat tours, see the world from a different angle.
If you love vertigo-inducing experiences then you’re in luck, because glass-bottomed attractions are the new big thing.
A brand-new glass-bottomed bar has just opened in New York, where you can enjoy having the world beneath your feet as you sip a Cosmo. It’s aptly named ‘The Heights’ and is located 31 floors up the Arlo Hotel in the NoMad district of Manhattan. The transparent glass floor means you get a bird's-eye-view of Midtown Manhattan. You'll also see the Empire State Building and catch glimpses of the East River. Best of all, it’s free to enter, and you can tuck into square Detroit-style pizzas and try some tasty cocktails at the bar to give you that Dutch courage before stepping out onto the glass. The glass is as thick as concrete too, so you can enjoy the experience and impressive panoramas without breaking a sweat.
Want to feel like you’re walking on thin air, stepping into a mile-deep canyon or within touching distance of some amazing tropical fish? Here’s where you can find some of the best glass-bottomed attractions in our destinations…
A brand-new glass-bottomed bar has just opened in New York, where you can enjoy having the world beneath your feet as you sip a Cosmo. It’s aptly named ‘The Heights’ and is located 31 floors up the Arlo Hotel in the NoMad district of Manhattan. The transparent glass floor means you get a bird's-eye-view of Midtown Manhattan. You'll also see the Empire State Building and catch glimpses of the East River. Best of all, it’s free to enter, and you can tuck into square Detroit-style pizzas and try some tasty cocktails at the bar to give you that Dutch courage before stepping out onto the glass. The glass is as thick as concrete too, so you can enjoy the experience and impressive panoramas without breaking a sweat.
Want to feel like you’re walking on thin air, stepping into a mile-deep canyon or within touching distance of some amazing tropical fish? Here’s where you can find some of the best glass-bottomed attractions in our destinations…
GRAND CANYON, USA
If you’re on a Las Vegas holiday, it’s easy to have a breather from the bright lights of the city and take a day trip to the Grand Canyon. The iconic 277-mile long landmark is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and attracts over 4 million visitors every year. You can take sunset snaps of the colourful, layered rock from the ridge and hike right down into the canyon. Or, if you fancy yourself as a bit of a daredevil, you can try out the glass-bottomed Skywalk Bridge which is suspended over the Grand Canyon West area of the main canyon.
The 10-foot-wide bridge extends 70 feet out over the rim of the canyon, so you’ll feel as if you’re walking right into the void. And, there’s 2,000 feet between the bridge and the bottom of the canyon, which is the equivalent of two Eiffel Towers. You don’t need to worry about the bridge being not sturdy enough either, as the impressive structure has been built to hold the weight of no less than seventy Boeing 747 planes.
The 10-foot-wide bridge extends 70 feet out over the rim of the canyon, so you’ll feel as if you’re walking right into the void. And, there’s 2,000 feet between the bridge and the bottom of the canyon, which is the equivalent of two Eiffel Towers. You don’t need to worry about the bridge being not sturdy enough either, as the impressive structure has been built to hold the weight of no less than seventy Boeing 747 planes.
DUBAI
Dubai is famous for its record-breaking skyscrapers including, of course, the Burj Khalifa which is the tallest building in the world measuring at an impressive 2,717 feet. The Middle Eastern metropolis has even announced plans to surpass this with a new $1 billion tower that will exceed the height of the Burj Khalifa by ‘a notch’. So, you can expect plenty of vertigo-inducing experiences when you visit the millionaire’s playground.
Another plan in the pipeline is a glass-bottomed walkway which will be built on the tallest skyscraper of the city’s new Aykon City development, near Jumeirah Beach and the Ocean View hotel. The walkway will be on the 80th floor of the building, and those with a head for heights will be able to see the Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Canal Project below. On a clear day, you might even be able to see as far as 40 miles away towards the Dubai-Abi Dhabi border.
Another plan in the pipeline is a glass-bottomed walkway which will be built on the tallest skyscraper of the city’s new Aykon City development, near Jumeirah Beach and the Ocean View hotel. The walkway will be on the 80th floor of the building, and those with a head for heights will be able to see the Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai Canal Project below. On a clear day, you might even be able to see as far as 40 miles away towards the Dubai-Abi Dhabi border.
LA GOMERA, SPAIN
La Gomera has its very own glass-bottom viewing platform, the Mirador de Abrante. This platform opened in November 2014 and is located 50 minutes’ away from San Sebastian. The structure juts seven metres out over a cliff, and from here you can see views of the coastline. The small valley of Agula can also be seen 400 metres below the platform, and you’ll spot tiny clusters of houses and terraces sandwiched between the cliffs.
You'll also get fantastic views across the sea all the way to Tenerife, and of one of the Canary Islands’ most impressive natural attraction - Mount Teide. The snow-capped volcano and the surrounding national park is a World Heritage Site, and it’s the highest point in Spain at 3,718 m above sea level.
You'll also get fantastic views across the sea all the way to Tenerife, and of one of the Canary Islands’ most impressive natural attraction - Mount Teide. The snow-capped volcano and the surrounding national park is a World Heritage Site, and it’s the highest point in Spain at 3,718 m above sea level.
GLASS-BOTTOMED BOATS
If you want to see shoals of fish and colourful coral reefs without getting your hair wet, a glass-bottomed boat trip is the way to do it. You’ll be able to stay nice and dry, as the boat takes you out to some amazing sea life-spotting locations to watch the likes of turtles, trumpet fish and barracudas glide by. Glass-bottomed boat trips are so popular, they’re offered in loads of our destinations – close to home in Europe and in Africa and the Caribbean too.
If you’re heading to Mauritius, you can’t miss exploring one of the many colourful reefs on the island. The sea is so clear, you’re pretty much guaranteed great visibility of some coral-dwelling creatures. And if you take a trip to Blue Bay, in the south-east of the island, you’ll be able to spot blue tangs, clown fish, trumpet fish, and even turtles if you’re lucky.
If you’re Balearics-bound, make a beeline for Majorca, where you can discover waters rife with squid, cuttlefish and even the odd barracuda. The best glass-bottom boat trips leave from Formentor Beach, which is one of the island’s best stretches of sand, so once you’ve had your sealife fix, you can chill out here. Over in Ibiza, you can spot seahorses, colourful fish and even dolphins from a glass-bottom boat trip that leaves from Port de Portinatx. Here, the waters are crystal clear, thanks to the abundance of sea grass that pumps oxygen into the water, and you might even spot an ancient shipwreck en route.
Or, if you fancy a Greek getaway, pick the pretty village of Lindos in Rhodes, where you can pair beaches and historic sites with exploring the turquoise waters of St Paul’s Bay. You can take a glass-bottom boat trip around the Aegean waters enjoying views of both the marine life and the whitewashed village of Lindos.
If you’re heading to Mauritius, you can’t miss exploring one of the many colourful reefs on the island. The sea is so clear, you’re pretty much guaranteed great visibility of some coral-dwelling creatures. And if you take a trip to Blue Bay, in the south-east of the island, you’ll be able to spot blue tangs, clown fish, trumpet fish, and even turtles if you’re lucky.
If you’re Balearics-bound, make a beeline for Majorca, where you can discover waters rife with squid, cuttlefish and even the odd barracuda. The best glass-bottom boat trips leave from Formentor Beach, which is one of the island’s best stretches of sand, so once you’ve had your sealife fix, you can chill out here. Over in Ibiza, you can spot seahorses, colourful fish and even dolphins from a glass-bottom boat trip that leaves from Port de Portinatx. Here, the waters are crystal clear, thanks to the abundance of sea grass that pumps oxygen into the water, and you might even spot an ancient shipwreck en route.
Or, if you fancy a Greek getaway, pick the pretty village of Lindos in Rhodes, where you can pair beaches and historic sites with exploring the turquoise waters of St Paul’s Bay. You can take a glass-bottom boat trip around the Aegean waters enjoying views of both the marine life and the whitewashed village of Lindos.
Ready to tick off those glass-bottomed attractions?
Book your break today.
Or, read about the best long-haul destinations.
Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.
Author: Selina Akhtar
Last updated: 15.06.2017
Book your break today.
Or, read about the best long-haul destinations.
Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.
Author: Selina Akhtar
Last updated: 15.06.2017