THE SKYWALK ARIZONA, USA
This has to be one of the greatest views on Earth. Through the glass bottom of the breathtaking Skywalk you can look down at the floor of the Grand Canyon 4,000ft below. The horseshoe-shaped structure extends 70ft beyond the canyon's edge and is bolted to its rim. According to its architect, it could support the weight of more than 70 Boeing 747 passenger jets and withstand winds of up to 100mph. Its observation deck has shock absorbers to keep it from bouncing like a diving board. Up to 120 people at a time can step out on to the glass walkway in special shoes. Walking out takes a bit of bottle — you'll need a strong stomach and an excellent head for heights — but the views are unmissable.
British Airways flies to Phoenix from London Heathrow.
AURLAND LOOKOUT BERGEN, NORWAY
Home to some of the most dramatic scenery, the Aurland Lookout reaches out over the tributary of Sognefjord, the world's second longest fjord. Three hours east of Bergen in southern Norway, it is a landscape that will leave you lost for words. The Lookout viewing slope, which spills over the edge of the fjord, is a minimalist design created by architects Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen. Walk along the sleek plank and peer down to oblivion through a frameless glass barrier just before the platform's dramatic bend. An experience caught between land, air and the valley below.
BA flies to Oslo from London Heathrow.
5 FINGERS VIEWING PLATFORM DACHSTEIN ALPS, AUSTRIA
Trampolining at the top of a 1,300ft-high rock face is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Fortunately though, it's trained professionals who are the ones taking this risk. Watching them is all part of a visit to the 5 Fingers platform (named because it's shaped like a hand). In the Dachstein Alps, five platforms poke out high above the Salzkammergut lakes, each sporting their own unique feature: glass floors, telescopes, the aforementioned trampoline and a peephole in the floor. One 'finger' also holds a picture frame as this is a view you won't want to miss.
BA flies to Innsbruck from London Gatwick.
TELOK BLANGAH HILL PARK SINGAPORE
If you're brave enough to scale lofty paths among the treetops, Telok Blangah Hill Park is the go-to spot for a bird's-eye view of Singapore's lush forestry. The park offers elevated walkways 120ft above the forest floor as well as the Henderson Waves, Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge, which snakes its rib-like form between the park's two highest points, Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill. With walkways well clear of the rainforest's flora and fauna, this trek is as eco-friendly as it is awe-inspiring.
BA flies to Singapore from London Heathrow.
THE SKYDECK CHICAGO, USA
The tallest skyscraper in the western hemisphere, the Willis Tower is the perfect place to get high. Take a super-fast elevator ride to the Skydeck, 1,451ft above ground. Transparent ledges have recently been bolted on and, from here, you can see the ground beneath your feet some 108 storeys below. Thanks to the see-through floors, walls and ceilings, the views take in Lake Michigan, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Adler Planetarium and Chicago's iconic skyline.
BA flies to Chicago from London Heathrow.
