Jumping out of a plane should only be done when skydiving or when the in-flight entertainment turns out to be a slideshow of the captain's baby pictures. Seek the freedom of free fall with this Groupon.
$99 for a 9,000-Foot Tandem Skydiving Jump (Up to $159 Value)
Tandem jumps send adventurers into the wild blue, safely strapped to a USPA-rated instructor. Visits start with ground training, in which guests learn about the ins and out of skydiving mechanics and safety. Next, a Cessna Grand Caravan carries as many as 21 jumpers 9,000 feet into the air, high enough for roughly 30 seconds of free fall. At 5,000 feet, parachutes pop open, floating attached humans gingerly down to earth. After the jump, participants receive a logbook, instructional video, and $20 off their next jump, encouraging future forays through the sky.
Though this merchant sometimes offers a discounted price online, this Groupon is still the best deal available.
Skydance Skydiving
Poised briefly on the edge, jump-suit-clad guests gaze down at Northern California's rolling landscape as it sprawls out thousands of feet below. The whir of the 850-horsepower Cessna Grand Caravan drowns out the sound of a deep breath before a small jump transforms the mechanical din into a constant, enveloping whoosh as adventurers rush toward the ground in free fall. Established in 1987, Skydance Skydiving has engineered such peerless adrenaline rushes for thousands of thrill seekers, ensuring safety through training and expertise. Tandem jumps keep newbies in the able hands of attached professionals, who deploy the ’chutes and prevent their charges from realizing that all humans possess the power of flight. Prospective solo jumpers can enroll in classes that gradually work up to an unassisted jump, following thorough classroom training and assisted jumps.