There’s a new adventure in town and it takes place 1000 feet over the city. A glass slide, running from the exterior of the 70th floor of the US Bank Building to the 69th, is a worthy lure to explore a new icon of city life in LA: a world class observation deck that encircles the tallest building in the West offering 360 views of the Southland.
The OUE Skyspace is a neat new addition to the landscape of LA, and at the top of our Must Do This Summer list. The slide itself is fun but it is the views that will sear into your memory. The slide is great way to get kids up to the top of the building and to spend time pointing out the landmarks and historical elements of our vast city.
The US Bank Building is where your adventure awaits. Timed-entry tickets are required, and there is a fee involved, so be sure to do your homework and book the adventure ahead. It’s pricy (see below) but, as it’s LA’s biggest wow-factor right now, worth the bragging rights.
You’ll begin your experience at an interactive exhibit on the 59th floor. Here you’ll find an Infinity Mirror and a Silhouette Wall, both are fun and interactive. Here’s a nice photo of the Infinity Mirror, a slightly eerie part of the exhibit – you can stand on this and pretend you’re looking down through all the levels of the building.
We also liked the Digital Topography Map which lays out the entire city with images, and offers various points of interest. It’s beautiful and offers chances to talk about various important places in town.
Finally, it’s time to head to the 70th floor to explore the views on the swanky Observation Deck. You’ll be glad you did some orienting downstairs because, at first, the views are so amazing that you can lose yourself a little. There’s nothing like a bird’s-eye perspective to put your brain into overdrive.
And then – to the slide you will go. It’s a thick and sturdy, made of all glass which affords views down (gulp!) of traffic. The ride from the 70th floor down to the 69th only takes a few seconds – you will barely have time to yelp aloud before you’ve landed and will want to ride again!
Here’s a story about the slide from the Today show with live footage of the ride. And here’s a cool mural that you’ll see as you exit.
TICKETING: Click here for online, timed-entry tickets. You can buy an annual pass, as well. You can expect to pay roughly $19 for kids and $25 for adults to enter the exhibit space and $8 per ride down the slide. You can also buy a pass that allows you to return at night, so you get day and night views in one package. Not a bad idea for a DTLA mini-vacation.
OUE Skyspace / 633 West Fifth Street Suite 840 Los Angeles, CA 90071
