DO IT! A must, I loved it. Some tips:
What to wear: If you get cold easily, wear a jacket. Windchill is off the chain and watch your ears, mine were super plugged up, should have held my breathmore on the free fall like swimming under water. The pressure can get to you a bit and takes a little away from your 60 second fall as you're thinking about it. So if it is not 80 or more on the ground, you'll likely want a jacket. Tennis shoes as the landing can be rough your first time,and the ground has little prickly things that get in your ass if you fall, so don't fall. I wore tennis shoes, some tight cargo type pants that hugged my ankles, a tank top and a tight fitting hoodie that zipped up. It was 70 that day.
To jump or not to jump, make sure you TIP: You have to be willing to be free and let go and enjoy the ride. Listen to the basics they teach you, be a banana, keep your head up, they do the rest for you. The fact that they risk their lives many times a day for four days (Fri-Mon) to take people up is incredible, make sure you tip them. I tipped $20, but would have given a lot more! If you chicken out, you can tap out and stay on the plane, don't recommend it though YOLO!
My tandem sky diver: My tandem sky diver was Cyn. She is amazing. She has been doing this for 11 years and there are only 60 women in the world that are sky divers, crazy! If you want a woman or simply someone who is fun, trained and easy going ask for her, she rocks! She weighs a pound but is strong as crap as the parachutes are 50 pounds alone!
Eating drinking before hand: Three hours before have a good solid meal, nothing greasy or that isn't good for you. The jump though short can take a lot out of you, so fuel your body. You will be hungry after!
Bathroom before hand: Go, once you have your gear on its hard to go. Then going to the plane, boarding, taking pics and video, getting up in the air, etc. takes about 30 mins or so. The jump is another 8 minutes and the bus ride back is another 30 minutes or so. So if you don't go, you will have to wait an hour or more before you can go again, assuming all goes normal.
Pics and video, should I pay for it?: YES! Splurge, its a $100 for video and pics, more than worth it. You will relive your experience over and over again. It goes by so fast it is great to be able to go back and replay.
Parking: super easy
Food: they have a small shop, but nothing much around. Gilroy is the closest city with good food.
Can't take anything with you, except you and your clothing: pack it up in the car, sunglasses, earrings, purses, water, jewlrey, cameras, phones, passports, wallets, etc. You are falling tens of thousands of feet in the air, you will lose it all, so if you don't want to lose it, pack it up in your car!!!!
In general: Some of the nicest and very professional people I've met.
10k, 15k or 18k jump?: Got the 10k deal on living social, upgraded to the 15k jump for $50. Was enough for me. You freefall for 60 seconds, then parachute down for about 7 minutes. I went around 2:30pm, sunset is probably the best view. Either way button up, its cold up there (see what to wear above).
When to go: I suggest Sunset and on a super hot day, it is cold up there, so the warmer the better is my guess and the view is probably awesome. The plane ride up will be a little warm on a hot day, but you will have up to a minute plus to cool off free falling LOL.
Goggles: they give them to you right before you jump and they move too, so make sure they are on tight.
Long haired people: tie it up
Endowed women: wear something to hold it in, i.e. tank tops or low cut tops will allow your friends to creep out, sports bra is recommended LOL
Those who wear glasses: they have goggles that can go voer them, but recommend putting contacts in for the dive. Also, make sure your gogles are on tight and when you take them off while parachuting down make sure you aren't doing a whole lot of tricks with your parachute as you will lose a contact(s). So keep your glasses in your car in case you lose one and need to drive home safely!
Lots of waiting around, so be patient. they say it takes up to 3 hours and that is about right assuming no delays for any reason. read more