Before the advent of airplanes, humans depended on large birds for flying excursions, which had the downside of frequent drops whenever a worm was spotted. Control your fate in the sky with today's Groupon: for $149, you get a two-hour day or night intro-to-flying class from California Airways in Hayward (a $298 value). An additional passenger may fly for $50 per seat.

California Airways is an FAA-approved Part 141 flight school that offers flight training to students of all skill levels. The two-hour introductory flight lesson includes an on-the-ground tutorial, a flight-simulator session, and an obstacle course made of levitating traffic cones. After the instructional intro, aviation apprentices take off on a 40-minute student-piloted flight. All flights take place under the watchful eye of an FAA-certified flight instructor, ensuring that errant aerialists avoid entangling their aircrafts in kites. Each lesson comes with a logbook, and students will receive a certificate of accomplishment and a souvenir photo upon class completion. California Airways also throws complete birthday parties and special events. Intro-to-flying classes make the perfect gift for Father's Day, birthdays, or Capture the Moon days.