Sunset at Sandia Peak

To the east of Albuquerque, New Mexico lie the beautiful Sandia Mountains, named for the watermelon color the rocks turn when bathed in the light of the setting sun. Hikers and rock climbers can work their muscles and their skills in these rocky hills, while the rest of us can take an easy ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway.

The tram, which takes visitors up and down the mountain side every 15-20 minutes, provides thrilling panoramic views of the landscape as it takes guest over 10,000 feet to an observation deckk at Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest. To put that in perspective, you can turn your electronic devices back on when your airplane reaches a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet.

Once at the top, the High Finance restaurant offers dinner with a view a few steps from the tram. The restaurant actually relies on the tramway to bring all of its supplies and employees up the mountain every day. A more casual meal can be enjoyed at Sandiago’s Mexican Grill located in the same building as the tram lobby at the bottom of the hill.

Rountrip tickets for the tram are $20 for adults, $17 for teens, and $12 for children. The tram runs 9am to 9pm during the summer and 9am to 8pm during the fall and winter months.

As the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand, Auckland’s 1076-foot high (328 metre) Sky Tower is the quintessential high altitude attraction. Its three circular public observation levels – Sky Deck, Main Observation level, and Sky Lounge – each provide a unique 360-degree view of Auckland.

A base jumper flies toward the ground at 75 kph.

The 597-foot high Sky Lounge, where visitors can enjoy coffee, cocktails, or a light lunch, is the highest cafe in the Southern Hemisphere. A bit higher at 610 feet above ground level, the Main Observation level offers spectacular views, in literally all directions. Looking straight ahead through the curved plate glass windows provides sweeping vistas over the city and across the harbor to the ocean. But looking down provides quite Read More »