Top 10 Wheels in the Sky in the U.S.
You might have a memory of riding a giant Ferris Wheel on your first date, or your memory may involve getting sick from the motion and the height. Good or bad, there aren't many of us who don't have childhood memories of riding on these carnival mainstays. According to Ken Martin, an amusement ride safety analyst and consultant in Richmond, Va., these rides first appeared in America in 1893. Although rides have become more extreme over the past 120 years, these wheels have remained a staple at many amusement parks and boardwalks across the country. Martin reminds riders it is important to note that "Ferris Wheel" is a brand name, and these wheels are also commonly referred to as the Century Wheel, the Expo Wheel, the Gondola Wheel, the Giant Wheel, and the Observation Wheel. However you refer to them, MainStreet wants to help you make some memories of your own on a wheel in the sky. We've compiled 10 of the top wheels in the country, all of which have something that makes them special:
This Giant Wheel seats 140 passengers and is illuminated with nearly 12,500 lights primarily red white and blue that adorn the center star. The chasing lights go through approximately 70 sequences every four minutes. This wheel is unique in that it's the only Giant Wheel in California with fully accessible gondolas, allowing those in wheelchairs to remain in their chairs while riding.
This wheel sits at the foot of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the most visited national park in the country. The 20 minute journey provides visitors with panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains while riding in one of 42 climate-controlled gondolas, seating 6-8 guests each. The experience is transformed at night with an electrifying LED light show that includes over 1 million lights, totaling 24,000 square feet of brightness.
This wheel has been around since 1936 and stands more than 100 feet tall. Located at the end of Main Street, it shows off views of the Rocky Mountains and downtown Denver. This park is one of the only theme parks located in an urban downtown area in America.
Located in the second-oldest amusement park in the country, this wheel holds 36 passenger cabins and stands 136 feet tall. It offers not only a spectacular view of the park, but also beautiful Lake Erie. At night, the Giant Wheel lights up the skyline with more lights than any other ride at Cedar Point.
The SkyWheel stands 200 feet tall and includes 42 temperature-controlled glass gondolas, providing scenic views of the Atlantic coastline. The ride spans two ocean front lots and is placed as the centerpiece of Myrtle Beach's 1.2 mile long Oceanfront Boulevard. The SkyWheel offers a spectacular view of a colorful light show every evening and even has its very own restaurant, the Landshark Bar & Grill.
Morey's Piers' Giant Wheel was added to Mariner's Landing Pier in 1985. At 156 feet high, it stands as one of the largest wheels on the east coast and provides beach and ocean views to its riders. A new LED lighting system was added in 2012, but its most unique feature is Breakfast in the Sky a first class breakfast served with fine china and white tablecloths as you enjoy your ride.
Named by Travel + Leisure as one of the "World's Coolest Ferris Wheels," the 13-story Pacific Wheel is the world's first and only solar-powered Ferris Wheel. From a seat on the Pacific Wheel, riders take in panoramic views of the Los Angeles coastline and mountains from more than 185 feet above the Santa Monica Pier. For those who get to experience the Santa Monica Pier in the evening, they will see the Ferris wheel's 160,000 energy-efficient LED lights create a colorful, 85-foot high, computer-generated light show for nighttime beach-goers to enjoy.
Standing at 100 feet tall, the Galaxy Wheel sits at the southern end of the Pleasure Pier and overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. Covered with more than 6,000 multi-colored incandescent lights, the Galaxy Wheel displays a spectacular LED light show. This pier was damaged during Hurricane Carla in 1961 and only just reopened in 2012, making for a great and unique comeback story.
We can't resist two good comeback stories, and the City Park Ferris Wheel is another. The 67 foot tall wheel in the Carousel Gardens looks onto the hustle and bustle that is the Big Easy. It's impossible to forget how severely damaged New Orleans was after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, and not surprisingly, the City Park Ferris Wheel was not spared. The one that stands in the park today replaced the original after it was destroyed in the storm.
We couldn't have a list of Ferris Wheels without including this one, which has been an iconic landmark since 1920. The wheel has cars that are stationary and also ones that swing out, but what really makes this ride unique is its impeccable safety record no accidents in all of its 93 years of existence.