Skydive Jersey, Pittstown

The Manhattan and Philadelphia skylines are just specks in the distance, as your plane slowly climbs. Once it reaches the proper altitude, the cabin doors fling open. It's time to jump. The instructor strapped to your back gives you a nod, and you tumble through the sky, free-falling at 120 mph for nearly a minute before the parachute opens and you drift gently to the ground.

This scenario fills some with fear and others with an intoxicating wave of adrenaline, but for the instructors at Skydive Jersey, it's just another day on the job. That's because for more than 20 years their company has been specializing in tandem jumps, which retain all the thrill of solo jumps without the months of required training. In fact, this group of experienced skydivers can teach first-timers all the essential skills and safety precautions necessary to take the big leap in only an hour. Skydive Jersey even offers group rates for folks who want to skydive with their friends or bring a pet emu along so it can finally experience the sensation of flight.