Both my mom and I have NEVER gone parasailing before. Before I go on I think I should also say that my mother is absolutely afraid of heights--especially if she moves around. That being said, I wasn't sure If I could talk her into this one. But, let me start from the beginning. We had missed our early ferry to the island and ended up arriving at 11:10. Mind you, our appointment for parasailing was at 11:15. We got there at 11:16 and the boat was just arriving at the dock...PHEW! At sign up you have the option of telling them you want to either go 600ft or 800ft depending on your thrill level--and I heard you can even be dunked in the ocean if you're brave enough! I also advise you to purchase the photo package. Our photos were amazing and I could never replace those memories! The driver and deck-hand were absolutely amazing. As the boat zooms off into the ocean, they turn on the music and you're just cruising. My mom was afraid, but upon putting the life vests on and the deck-hand talking to her, the fear slowly inched away. By the time we were strapped in and smiling for the photos being taken, we were not ready for that wind to take us up. I have to say, it was EXHILARATING! The moment that boat goes faster and your pushed back from the boat, everything is pulse-pounding. You're soaring up about 600ft for 10 minutes enjoying Avalon in all its glory. The boat then slows down a tad bit, bringing you and your parachute lower...and lower...and lower. The water is getting closer and you think to yourself..."Oh, no...I'll be stuck in the ocean." But as soon as you're a few feet from the water's surface the captain of the boat zooms off, bringing you up in the air once again. I highly recommend this for anyone! read more

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Took myself and my two teenage children parasailing today and we had the best experience!! Everyone was so kind and wonderful, most importantly I felt safe!! It was something we have waited a long time to do and I am so glad that THIS was our first experience!! Thank you so much to all of you who made it a perfect adventure!! Definitely the "Only way to Fly!!" read more

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Took my dad 1 year before he passed away. THE most fun I had on Catalina Island. Thank GOD my dad paid the extra 20.00 for the photos or I would have no record of us having the time of our lives. R.I.P. Dad, Love you very much and miss you every day! read more

Island Water Charters - My dad and I Para Sailing in Catalina Island. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

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This was our first time parasailing and we loved it! We came to Catalina Island with Carnival Cruises so we booked through that website. We don't know what the price would be if we booked directly with this company because we didn't do the research although we should have. We ended up paying $92 per person to parasail in the air for about 6-8 minutes each. On our boat, we had 2 groups of three and 4 groups of two as well as one guy who was riding along to watch his wife do it. (I don't know the cost of the ride-along.) The whole journey was about 1.5 hours for us to all do it and get back to the dock. They recommend you to arrive 45 minutes early to do the paperwork but it only takes about 5-10 minutes do sign the waivers. We were there about 1 hour early so we filled out the paperwork and wandered around because the lady said we didn't need to be back until 5-10 minutes before we take off. She does allow you to go a little earlier if the entire group is already present and ready. You can also buy an SD card for the guys facilitating the parasailing to take pictures for you. He just keeps snapping pictures while you're up there so there's a lot of photos to choose from. The SD card is $20 but you can share with friends if more than one group of friends go with you. We split is among 2 other groups of friends so we each paid $6-$7 each. The camera that they use is a dslr with a lens with extra zoom. If you're wondering about how parasailing goes, they take you on a boat out into the ocean. He'll explain to you that you should sit down before take off. Don't try to stand up while in the air because you'll get a massive wedgie. Then just relax and have fun until you return. When you get close to the boat, they'll tell you to hold onto the bar so you can land standing. They help you put on life jackets. None of us fell in the water but fear not if for some weird reason you do, they will just come get you. Seems pretty safe to me. I had a lot of fun doing this and can't wait until I go parasailing again! And tips are always welcome of course! read more

Island Water Charters - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

We were a few minutes late coming from the ferry, but the counter staff were very friendly and helpful and got us through the paperwork in minutes. The boat deck crew was friendly, but there's not usually much interaction with them on other than procedures subjects. The ride was nice and they dipped us in the water as requested. The $20 photo package was worth it and they give you the entire mini SD card to take home. read more

Pretty fun. And very scary LOL. I was def more terrified of this than I was of ziplining, because the ropes/harness creaked a lot (which made me freak out) but I think that's supposed to happen so you'll be ok!! It's also bit overpriced, but being one of the more exciting things to do on the island, I would say go for it! I personally opted for 600 ft (vs. 800 ft) which I think is plenty high enough unless you have the cash to spare. Also the photo package that everyone else is so excited about didn't do much for me. You get about 10 shots of your face and the rest are of the balloon/you and your friend 600 or 800 ft in the air aka little black dots in the sky... I mean maybe my photographer just didn't fully grasp the idea of "good lighting," but for my pictures at least, I felt like I could have just googled "parasailing" and gotten the same thing. But if it's really important to you that the black dot is actually you, I guess???? read more

Island Water Charters - Best picture we got - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

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Bought a Groupon for this company since we were already planning on a trip to Catalina Island. We wanted to try some of the island's activities and for the cheap price, we couldn't resist. Just make sure you book ahead of time! The ride itself was pretty awesome. While I am terrified of heights, I found myself comfortable up there in the air. Maybe it's the blue water below that would break my fall or the fact that I have a parachute on my back, I felt very safe for the 10 minutes or so that you are in the air. My girlfriend and I even brought up a camera (just make sure you secure it!) so we can take pictures of the view. They also offer a $20 picture package which isn't so bad. They took over 30 photos of us and you get to keep the memory card. Your choice if you want to spend the extra cash! read more

Island Water Charters - The couple after us. - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

Never come here. The woman here is extremely rude. If you don't buy all her packages, she kind of loses it and is very rude. We chose not to buy her photo package. By that time my 2 daughters were already on the boat, so we couldn't call them back. She got so rude, rolled her eyes and started grinning since I didn't buy her photo package. She did not give me any answers about when the girls would be back. There is one location right opposite to them when you get off the cruise. Go to them instead. We used their services last time and even the time before, very nice people there. Never come here. Silly woman! read more

Island Water Charters - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

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We had an amazing time here. We walked the island and asked a few locals where to go for Parasailing, we usually try and work out a local hook up for this kind of thing rather than book it through a tour. We ended up here and were happy with everything. I've never parasailed before and it was really the highlight of my trip. I thought it would be incredibly windy up there....it's so quiet! So peaceful and the views were amazing. My boyfriend and I went up together and were able to have a normal conversation while we were up in the air. We paid extra to go the higher distance above the boat, and we paid extra to have them take pics of us while up there. I decided that taking my iPhone up there after I just had to replace it a few weeks ago was a bad idea. I would 100% return and do this again. Worth every penny. And I checked in on Yelp and got a free Frisbee! read more

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Very helpful, trustworthy, and friendly staff. This was my first time parasailing and I was pretty scared. The crew handled the trip with ease and their execution was flawless. I would highly recommend taking the $20 photograph option. The photos came out beautiful and we will forever treasure our memorable trip to Catalina. read more

Island Water Charters - Lift off! - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

For my birthday me and my boyfriend decided to get out of town and go to Catalina Island for a romantic getaway. We picked parasailing as the first adventure to do and I am so glad we did because the experience was absolutely amazing. Initially I was a little freaked out of the height because my boyfriend bought the 800 ft parasail but the staff was very nice and courteous with any questions we had which helped put us at ease. We purchased the photo package which was OK, out of the 86 pictures I would say about 10 of them were good the others were too far or dark but of course we were so high in the air I kind of figured that would be the case. I would definitely go back and do this again. 10/10 recommend! read more

Parasailing. What an amazing experience that I will cherish, and check off of my bucket list. It's peaceful. It's being between heaven and earth. It gives you the feeling of being closer to God. Looking out at the blue water and the beautiful island. God is an amazing creator. Parasailing was a blast. Being towed around by a boat eight hundred feet above water for the first time can make a person reflect on some things. I had a lot of fun. read more

Island Water Charters - Don't Cry. Have Fun. - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

Made a reservation three weeks in advance for parasailing because of their "$59 Cruise Ship Passenger" special listed on their website. We were the only ones for the 12:30pm. They were all nice enough, got us out on the water and up as quickly as possible. I had two issues with the experience. First, when you're up there and look down at the rope it looks like there is a fray in the rope. It's probably not far into the rope and no safety concern, but when you're already nervous to be up there it's unsettling to see. They should check their ropes and make sure they're in the best condition possible. The other issue was with the photos. We had to yell to him to take the camera lens off so we lost the first five or so pictures, then the pictures we did have were out of focus, off centered, and there was a huge smuge and a black speck all of the pictures. All he had to do was clean the lens and we would have had pictures we could share :( I think we have one or two we photo-shopped a little, but majorly disappointed when we saw what they took. Not really worth the $20. Basically better than nothing, since it was our only option to get any type of pictures. Also it seems like there's no zoom on that camera, because he didn't zoom in at all while we were up there. I've done parasailing with a company in Hawaii and they took way better pictures, as well as pictures while we were on the boat. I don't think I'd recommend this company, there's a lot of options on Catalina. read more

What a fantastic experience with my niece parasailing! We highly recommend this company. Jeanie at the booth was awesome and recommended the photo package(you want this) Jimmy the deck hand took incredible photos they give you all of them on an SD card! Doug the captain drove the boat like a champion very professional and he plays great music! What a phenomenal experience- you will cherish these memories forever and the photos as well! Definitely the best experience on Catalina Island. Thanks Jeanie for reassuring us we would love it Wow you were right!!! xoxo read more

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Our family had a wonderful experience parasailing with Mike and Shane, they are definitely experts at what they do! They ask each person specifically how much you want your toes dipped in the water and personalize the experience for you. We had some fun music and he even took us out to get a closeup of the dolphins swimming nearby. Their photo service is great as well. My kids are already asking to do it again next time! read more

It was so much fun! My boyfriend and I came for his birthday , on the actual day of his bday , and he got to ride here for free . We did the 800 ft , i didn't realize how high it was ! Although I was a little terrified the view is beautiful . read more

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We had a fabulous time parasailing! The crew was so nice, helpful, & fun. They're located right on the pier which made for easy access. And prices were right on target. We'd definitely recommend this company for parasailing at Catalina! read more

Island Water Charters - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

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It was my 65th birthday and my friend and I went over to Catalina and went parasailing with this outfit. We had the best time ever. They were friendly and professional. Each person/group gets their turn. You stay up in the air for what seems to be forever. No one makes you feel rushed. Everyone of the people helped us, answered our questions, and made us feel so welcomed. The driver and crew were very professional. We smiled and laughed so much our faces hurt and to top it off, we got about 100 pictures of our adventure to take home. What a great keepsake. It was absolutely wonderful and I loved it and would do it again and would recommend them to everyone. It's one of the best things I've ever done. read more

Island Water Charters - Island Water Charters....wonderful birthday - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

So if you read my other review about the other company you will find out how we ended up on Island Charters. :) We were glad we did the staff on the boat was great at explaining the rules and getting everyone through in a timely manner. They were good about calming your nerves too. (for those of us scared of heights). It definitely was fun and an experience that was reasonably priced for only $65.00. They will even dip your toes in the water if you want them too. Really nice staff that tried really hard to accommodate us since we were screwed by the other company. I would highly recommend them and parasailing it was a lot of fun! read more

We visited Catalina Island on July 20* We had 2 birthdays in our group. Gave us a great deal! very nice! Nice staff, very helpful no issues/problems. Boat is clean and seemed to be in good working order. All equipment used looks sturdy, working order, etc. This was my first time with a group of 6. My bf and I chose the 800 ft tandem. It was amazing!!! reminds me of Soaring Over California at Disneyland CA. It was not scary at all and I felt very safe with the harness, equipment, and the boat staff (they totally seem like they know what theyre doing, very comforting!) Also, we got the photo package, we have yet to look at the pictures so I cant say how those turned out. I definitely recommend these guys, they are awesome, orderly, efficient, personable.. I cant say enough great things. I was very happy with their service especially after the hell situation with snorkeling at Snorkeling Catalina, dont ever go there. bottom line... USE THESE GUYS!!!! THEY ARE AMAZING AND WHEN I GO BACK IM TOTALLY USING THEM AGAIN!! :D VERY VERY VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER!! read more

What an amazing experience! We were in a small group, only 3 couples, so the tour guides gave us each more air time! The parasailing experience itself is just great, you have to try it! But I strongly recommend going with Island Water Charters. They're easy to access, right at the end of the pier. We opted for the photo package because for just $20 (per group, not individual) they promise 60 pictures on an SD card at the end of the trip. They took OVER 200 pictures, and some of them are really terrific!! There were 2 crew members on the boat, the driver and the person who hooks you in, takes the pictures, and helps you land. Both seemed very experienced and did a great job. They played upbeat music which gave the whole trip a very fun atmosphere. They let you choose if you want to be dunked in the water, they can do anything from just your feet to your whole body. It would have been a great trip with just that, but we also saw dolphins!! The boat driver called it out, there were about 30 dolphins playing in the waves. He drove us by them, then looped back to show us how they liked to play in the wake of the boat. Amazing experience all around. read more

Island Water Charters - Taken as part of the photo package while parasailing with Island Water Charters - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

Went to Catalina on Sunday with my friend and got to film her first parasailing adventure through Island Water Charters. Edited together through Photoshop and Avid media composer. Please follow the link, like then comment if you can. https://youtu.be/9tCugHpWM1o read more

I will say that the guys were awesome! The parasailing was amazing!!!!!! I would have given them a 5 star rating BUT I bought the picture package because it was my sons first time (7 yo) and my husbands firs time as well. He is scared of heights and he still went! ALSO it was my birthday! THEY LOST MY PICTURES! If I would have known that was even a slight possibility I would have taken my own. I saw the charter guy give the guy AFTER me a card with the pictures and I KNOW that guy has my pictures as well. I reached out to the company via FB messenger for his contact information because he said that it was his day off and worked for the other island charter. I PRAY they get back to me and give me his contact information. If they do I will change my rating to a 5 star. read more

Incredible experience! Went for a friends birthday (free for her!) and will definitely go again. I had actually booked a reservation at another place nearby but when I called to change the time a day in advance, there was no answer and the email they provided didn't work. Not dealing with those yahoos. Ended up walking over here to see what they could do and made it on the last boat of the day. The guys on the boat were super cool - great attitudes and truly professional. I felt so comfortable despite the anxiety about going up 800ft. Loved the playlist they had on as well. I think we went up to Tom Petty. The boat ride was worth it alone. Dolphins kept playing in the wake throughout the trip. When the last couple went up, there must have been at least 10 jumping a few feet in the air! The driver started cruising around the harbor, making waves for them to jump off. We were out there an extra half hour! Really appreciated how they went the extra mile to make our day special. What's more, the $20 photo packet was so worth it. Went home and saw that the guy took 116 pictures. Holy cow. Thank you guys! read more

On my birthday, I went parasailing for the first time with Island Water Charters and I absolutely enjoyed it. Aside from flying 800 feet free on your birthday, these guys will definitely give you a great and memorable experience. My friends and I were running a bit later and I received a call from them to confirm the reservation. Told them we were looking for them and the crew waited for us instead of canceling our reservation. The staff was very friendly. The two guys on the boat were very friendly and funny, so the entire trip was entertaining as well. They made sure everyone was having a great time and provided great customer service. I got the photo package which was so worth it because I got over 90 pictures in an SD card. I tipped them before going up in the air with my friends and they did a "birthday dunk" and gave me an extra SD card with a couple pictures. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND these guys if you want to go parasailing in Catalina. read more

Great fun and what a view. Very friendly staff and first rate boat and parasail. Felt like we got our monies worth with the length of the sail and of course they'll dip you in the water if you so choose. read more

The crew is friendly and fun. My brother and I went para sailing ($65 each) and also got the photo package ($20). While up in the air the captain slowed down the boat and it seemed like we were going to fall into the water, but then sped up again...that part was scary. You can tell them if you want to get your feet wet. They told me to be there at 3:15 but didn't leave until about 3:35.No big deal though. It's a good experience, but pretty expensive for the short amount of time you're up there (5-10 min). Also, the crew works for tips, and since we had already paid $150 we thought paying more is a bit much. read more

Great first experience parasailing! We had a group of 10 planning on going parasailing during Labor Day Weekend. Knowing that holiday weekends get super packed, I made a reservation through the phone about a month in advance. I wasn't able to get any email confirmation and they told us to just trust them. When our group showed up, the girls that we signed in with had a little bit of an attitude like sassy valley girls that were trying to rush us into the boat. However, the rest of our experience made up for it. The two guys who took us around on the boat were so much fun!! By paying $60 each (group discount), we could choose to go either 600 or 800 feet. Usually, 600 ft is $65/person and 800 ft is $79/person. We also got the photo package, which is SUPER worth it. They took like 200 pictures on the SD card and it only costed $20. We even got to shoot our friends with a water gun as they were getting reeled back into the boat :). Very fun experience! read more

I spoke with Doug, THE owner. He told me this evening that he couldn't tell me my family was safe or even going to enjoy the parasailing... " just show up!" He was rude as was the girl that initially answered. DONT TRUST THIS COMPANY!! read more

We visited recently and Waylon and Carlos are THE best!! Great guys, very safe and fun at the same time, glad we got to experience this with them! Bought the picture package and it is way worth it, Carlos took around 100+ pictures! read more

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Probably the most scariest thing I've ever done in my life, so far. I was terrified half the time but the view was just breathtaking. I highly suggest you give it a try because being up there changes your perspective so much! The guides were super kind and informative. I really enjoyed this experience and I plan on coming back with my boyfriend. read more

Island Water Charters - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

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I made a reservation at Island Water Charters two weeks before my boyfriend's birthday. I planned our entire trip out to Catalina island mainly for this parasailing event. On the day of our reservation, we took the boat out to Catalina and showed up at Island Water Charters 20 minutes before our appointment time (the person I spoke with on the phone said we should get to the dock early). We waited for about 45 minutes. Nothing. No one was at the office, no one was answering the phone, no one on the dock knew what had happened. We could hear the phone ringing inside the empty office. I left a voicemail explaining the situation but still have not heard back. We went from being excited to being extremely frustrated that we had taken all the time and effort (and money) to come all the way out here for nothing. Island Water Charters has still not contacted me to let me know what happened. I understand if you have to cancel a parasailing trip due to bad weather or other safety concerns, but I do not understand when you do not contact the people who made reservations to let them know. read more

Went parasailing for my boyfriend's birthday and it was hands down the best experience we've both ever had! It was so much more fun than we thought it would be. If you're hesitant to do it because of the price, fear of heights, etc. I say just do it, it's SO worth it and the two guys are the coolest and make the entire ride so much fun. Definitely gonna do it again! read more

This was the best time ever on our entire trip to Catalina! I have never been parasailing before, but been a water skier all my life... This was so fun, so easy and so cool! If you are six or eighty I recommend this to you! Its easy on your back and body. No work needed, and not scarey! Just so fun! Great views, fun on the water, warm in the sun! Dallas and Dan were our crew and they were fun and professional! Just the best! read more

Bucket list item check off complete! Thanks to this team! We were on the island for 2 days and I've always wanted to parasail. I was worried they wouldn't have a spot since we waited until the day off to make a reservation. We got lucky and they got us on the boat! We walked down to the pier and signed some forms then waited to meet the captain. We were on the boat with a few other people. The captain had one assistant who was also the camera man. We were given instructions and life jackets. He helped us into our harness and set up us for the best experience. We were up in the air for a while and they give you the option of being dunked in the water or not. We opted to stay dry. We were told we would receive 90 photos on a memory card. We ended up with over 100! It was a great experience and a great company. I would do it again in a heart beat! read more

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I'm going to be honest, I was terrified to parasail. I'm scared of heights and wasn't even 100% sure I wanted to go. I got here and got on the boat fully expecting to be the photographer. I was with a party of 6, and after watching the other family that was with us have a blast I was ready to try it. I got to go three to the parasail with two of my best friends and I had an absolute blast! I felt so safe and we even ended up going 800 feet! It was amazing to see the island and the water from that height! Such a fun experience and not scary at all! Even for me! We got our feet dunked, tons of photos taken with the photo package, and it was truly an incredible experience! I fully recommend it to anyone considering parasailing! read more

Island Water Charters - Boating Near Me - Avalon, California

Many schedule available on a Saturday in summer time, approx 1 hour per tour Birthday buy 1 get 1 free Staffs are friendly It was the high-light of the entire trip, highly recommended. Tips: ask to dip your feet, bring a water proof camera to take pictures up there. read more

The staff did a great job in making our experience a good one! I highly suggest spending the extra $20 for the photo package. We received an SD with over 100 photos! Granted, half of them were blurry, but that's expected since the photographer is taking pictures from a moving vehicle (and the water was pretty choppy!). read more

Best experience ever. Best part of it was the staff made it funner by showing us a bit of the island. So I will sure return for their service again. I'd like to thank them in making this birthday surprise even funner for my girlfriend. read more

My first time ever parasailing and I had the most amazing time. From the time I spoke to the girls in the booth til the time I got back from my trip it was awesome. Friendly knowledgeable staff. Definitely will be going again. read more