The first parachute was invented when Jack, tumbling haplessly from his titanium beanstalk, used a purloined pair of giant underpants to steady his fall. Glide to earth safely with today's Groupon: for $149, you get a tandem jump from Skydive Dallas in Whitewright, Texas, about 190 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City (up to a $229 value).

Your bulging basic tandem package includes classroom instruction, gear rental, and a shiny first-jump Certificate of Extremeatude, Cum Laude. From the private, closed drop zone in Whitewright, the sky is clear for unbelievable views of impossible flatness. As you plunge from up to 13,500 feet in the air, safely tethered to an expert instructor, you'll experience during the one minute of freefall what Wilber Wright called a "perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, bra." People who skydive say the feeling of pure freedom is unparalleled, the adrenaline rush is addictive, and facing one's fears is satisfying. For frequently asked questions, see here.

Owners Lee and Carol Schlichtemeier fell head over heels for the sport after taking their first jumps in 1989. Their fleet includes a Super Caravan, a Cessna Skylane 182, and the world’s most beloved twin-engine skydiving aircraft, the Millennium Falcon. Skydiving is the most thrilling way to celebrate a birthday, to sweat out premarital terror for a bachelor or bachelorette party, or to take a glorious leap into retirement. Buy a few Groupons as gifts and learn to skydive with people you trust; buy a few more and learn to dive with some people you're highly suspicious of while some friends you trust watch them. Either way, you only live once.

Though Skydive Dallas sometimes features discounted prices online, this Groupon still offers the best deal available.

Reviews

More than 2,000 Facebookers are fans of Skydive Dallas. Nine Yelpers award it a perfect five-star rating.

• The whole team at Skydive Dallas was friendly and informative on both of my visits. – Teresa R., Yelp, 1/10/2011
• Awesome professional helpful guys, thrilling and safe experience! Do your adrenaline some good and give this one a go, I promise you wont regret it. – Ganesh K., Yelp, 10/10/10