Birthday Bucket List: Why a Skydive is the Perfect Way to Celebrate
If you need milestone birthday ideas … look no further! Going skydiving is the quintessential bucket-list birthday item, and we’re thrilled to make someone’s special day extraordinary. Read on to learn why jumping from an airplane is a top-notch bucket-list gift, answers to common questions, and tips to ensure an epic skydiving birthday experience.
Skydiving Age & Weight Requirement
What are the weight and age requirements for skydiving? These are two questions we’re asked a lot! Let’s start with: “What is the minimum age for skydiving?” You must be 18 years old to jump at a United States Parachute Association (USPA) Group Member Dropzone. The USPA provides a set of Basic Safety Requirements (BSRs) for dropzones to follow, and this is one of them!
Unfortunately, this means you can’t take the leap even a day before your 18th birthday. BUT if you book your birthday skydive when you’re 17 and show up on your 18th birthday, we’ll gladly show you the beauty of the skies! (Don’t forget your valid, government-issued ID to prove it!) And hear this! As long as you’re in general good health and your doctor is good with it, you can jump til you’re 106!
Now let’s talk about the maximum and minimum weight for skydiving. At Skydive Cross Keys, the maximum weight is 250 lbs for a tandem student (with clothes and shoes). Weight maximums are issued by gear manufacturers and are determined for matters of safety and comfort. Proportionality in body size is more of a variable than minimum weight – as long as the tandem student fits securely in the harness, we’re good to go!
Is Skydiving A Good Birthday Gift?
Is the sky blue? Yes, skydiving is a fabulous birthday bucket list gift!
Why? Here are just five reasons skydiving makes the perfect birthday gift:
- Unforgettably Memorable. Making your first jump is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Even if you go on to pursue your solo skydiving license, you’ll never get the first time back! This novelty creates a memory that will outshine any traditional birthday celebration.
- Picture-Perfect Proof. Photos and videos are ways to preserve memories and freeze time. Some of our happiest moments – weddings, graduations, marriage proposals – are caught on film, and so are skydives! If you opt for a video package, your skydive AND birthday will be on film. Not only does this give you a personal storybook to look back on, but photo proof to share AND post (if you’re in that whole social media thing).
- Potentially Life-Changing. Skydiving is often pegged as a life-altering experience, but why? It’s the perfect combination of exhilaration and empowerment which delivers healthy doses of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. This all translates to a wonderful sense of freedom that’s beyond compare and helps to put our ground-bound stressors at ease.
- 10/10 Bonding. If you choose to celebrate your big day with friends or family, skydiving doubles as a bonding experience. Even if your group of pals is less adventurous and would like to observe from the ground, they’re still a part of the experience! Plus, it gives you all a great topic of conversation for the post-jump festivities.
- Bragging Rights. Skydiving doesn’t make you cool, but cool people skydive! Taking the leap gives you the opportunity to talk about how cool you are – it gives you stories to tell for years to come!
Tips For Birthday Skydiving
Skydiving isn’t just about the jump; it’s about proving to yourself that you’re unstoppable. Is there a better feeling on your birthday?! If there is, we don’t know about it!! To make the experience even richer, make sure you:
- Choose a reputable dropzone. We know you want to get the party started, but when you’re booking a birthday skydive for yourself, make sure you do your research! We recommend searching for dropzones who are Group Members of the USPA (like us!), have consistently awesome reviews, and give off the best vibes.
- Get the add-ons. They say that the best gifts are things you really want, but would never get yourself. If your dropzone offers a photo or video package of your skydive, GET IT! You’ll never get this special jump back! This is the time to splurge.
- Plan ahead. Spots can fill up fast, especially during peak season! Make sure you book in advance. We suggest aiming for a morning spot to give yourself the rest of the day to celebrate.
- Make sure you want it. Is your body made of adventure-seeking bones? Do you have at least one? Then consider booking a birthday skydive! When it comes to getting yourself a gift, make sure it’s something you want – not just something you’re doing for clout or because other people are pushing it on you. Consider your why.
- Think smart. How fast do you fall when you skydive? Around 120 mph! Humans reach terminal velocity when we skydive – it’s not an extreme sport for nothing! It’s important to prepare your mind and body for what’s ahead: get sleep, eat right, stay hydrated, and dress appropriately.
Your birthday isn’t just any other day (no matter how many times you insist it’s “really not a big deal”). It’s your chance to set the tone for the chapter ahead and put a final stamp on the year you just accomplished. This is your moment to shine, crush your fears, and commemorate the day you were born in the most epic way. We can’t wait to celebrate you – book your jump at Skydive Cross Keys today! Blue skies.