Took a group of four here including myself in the late morning in early September. Clear skies and perfect weather. Skydiving Parachute Center exceeded my expectations. The staff was friendly, professional, and made me feel at ease. Their top-notch facilities and attention to safety were exactly what I needed to alleviate my nerves for first time skydiving. The jump itself was exhilarating, with breathtaking views and experienced/knowledgeable instructors. The team's passion for skydiving made the whole experience even more enjoyable. The videography and photography services captured incredible shots and videos. If you want a skydiving adventure that will leave you with awesome memories, Lodi Skydiving Parachute Center is the place to go. T read more

One of my family members tragically lost their life during a skydiving jump with this company. What was supposed to be a thrilling experience turned into a nightmare our family will never recover from. We trusted this company with the safety of someone we loved. That trust was broken in the worst possible way. While accidents can happen in extreme sports, there were serious questions about the training, equipment checks, and emergency response. Communication afterward was cold and unhelpful, making an already impossible situation even harder. If you're considering skydiving with them, please think carefully. No thrill is worth a life. We hope no other family has to go through what we did. read more

Finally reviewing this place! I decided to ask to skydive for my 18th birthday present. The staff was extremely fun and nice. I personally didn't have a bad thing to say about my experience. However.... I have no idea how this place is still in business with how many deaths they have on their hands. The latest death was from a tandem jump that was supposed to be with an instructor but the "professional jumper" wasn't rated as such. At least, that's what the news said. My experience? 10/5 stars. Everyone who has passed from this place? 0/10 stars. I went skydiving in Hawaii on the Big Island and they literally know about this skydive location in Lodi being known for deaths. They don't understand how this business is still in business. read more

I love this spot, Bill is a solid owner, you get more than what you pay for here. I've had some of the best memories at this location. Thank you Danny Way, Claudia, Eli and Chris. Much love and respect for the sport and athletes with game. read more

We live just a few miles from here. Locally, this place is known as a deathtrap. KCRA (local): https://youtu.be/G5-8fJ69gUY Inside Edition: https://youtu.be/0tmJi6Tz5js Yes, it's the cheapest place to log jumps in Northern CA, but your life is worth far more than the $50 you'll save on each jump. Why is it still open? Because skydiving is highly unregulated. Caveat emptor. read more

It's been many years since I jumped at Parachute Center, although I still have the certificate I got, signed by Bill Dause himself. At the time, of course, I had no idea about all the deaths -- the whole trip was arranged by other people, I didn't even google the place. What I can confirm, though, is that the building was in terrible shape, the safety briefings were rushed, and everybody was very sloppy and casual about everything. I believe my harness was adjusted wrong -- I had a good time in freefall, but as soon as the chute opened I could feel the straps pinching my legs, which started to go numb, and I was very nauseous by the time we got to the ground. Overall it was not a good experience, but I didn't really think very much of it until (many years later) I learned about the high fatality rate, and the lawsuits against the center and its owner. read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - "Introductory Jump Certificate" from the Skydive Lodi Parachute center - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

https://youtu.be/0tmJi6Tz5js?si=mFbCnKsWLSTK4UxE This video should be watched before deciding to put you or your loved ones in the care of this company. On the other hand, they owe a $40MM judgement to the family of a teen killed while jumping with them, so you could help them pay off that legal debt if you choose to support them. Decisions, decision. read more

Was looking for a place to have fun near the Bay when I came across mentioning of skydiving. Looked into this place and was horrified by the 28 deaths linked. Watched a video of the owner who said he didn't feel bad about the deaths, and that he would pay "nothing" of the court-ordered 40 million to the family of a 18th year old after he died from jumping with an instructor that wasn't certified/licensed (despite the owner's claim that everyone was). They continued operating all other jumps on the same day after a death and didn't do more checking. So just know this: your family has no recourse if anything happened to you. If you don't hate them and don't hate yourself, don't come here. read more

My wife and I had a great time doing our tandem jumps at this center a couple days ago. Although fun, it is a little concerning to learn that this center may be the deadliest and most dangerous jump center in the US with a current death count of 28. If I were to rate my jump alone, I would give it 5 stars, but after doing some research on this center, I don't know if in good concious I can leave a 5 star review. According to the most recent data, there were 3.65 million jumps in 2023 worldwide with 10 deaths. That means roughly 1 death per 365,000 jumps. According to online data, the average skydiving center does anywhere between 3,000-20,000 jumps per year. The Lodi Parachute Center in California has gained notoriety due to its relatively high number of fatalities, with reports of 28 deaths since 1981. Based on my calculations (with an an assumed 5,000 annual jumps, the fatality rate at the Lodi Parachute Center is approximately 4653% higher than the national average. This means the center's fatality rate is about 46.5 times greater than the typical rate of 1 fatality per 365,000 jumps. This is far far above the national average for skydiving facilities. Various factors have contributed to the center's troubled safety record, including equipment issues, regulatory violations, and a lack of proper oversight. They have been sued for numerous fatalities, one resulting from a tandem jump from an unlicensed jumper in 2016. There is an obvious lack of transparency and lack of remorse from the people overseeing the operations. While our experience was positive, I can't ignore these statistics and will certainly never jump here again. I encourage anyone considering a jump here to do their own research and weigh the risks carefully. read more

28 people have now passed away from jumping with this company and the owner clearly doesn't care. The instructors aren't certified. Stay safe and alive. read more

Don't believe all the haters out there. The Parachute Center has produced some of the best skydivers in the world, hands-down. Though the media and trolls love to bash the place, ask them if they've ever been here. Also, ask them about their extensive knowledge of skydiving (erm...). Suddenly everyone is an expert. As an experienced skydiver with 15 years in the sport, I can safely say, don't believe everything you read/hear. Come see for yourself! read more

My friends and I came here a couple years ago and it was the most exhilarating experience. Holy shit! Free falling to your death is not only terrifying but liberating. On an early morning weekend we took a spontaneous trip to Lodi to skydive. My friends and I came here to specifically to experience our first free fall, but Why here? Well, the price is right (very affordable including video/photo package) and the reviews/recommendations from other friends seem like a solid place to go for our first time. There was no line when we got there at 11am. When you walk in they will ask you a few questions and ask if you'd like to purchase a video photo package. We did. It's affordable very cool to look back on. (Check out the photos and videos). After we paid, Within the first 15 minutes we were already dressing/harnessing up, walking to the plan and minutes away from our first free fall. No training. No run long boring video to watch. Just a couple quick rules and advice from your Jumping partner and... were already on the plane up in the sky. Yup! It's that fast! So Be prepared and enjoy it, learn to fully let go and go with the flow. And to be honest, I think they do this so you can't change your mind and turn back. But don't worry it's soooooo worth it. THIS WAS SO FREAKING INCREDIBLE! Probably the best thing I've ever experienced. And I'm dying to go back and do it again. Okay... not "dying" probably not the best word to use but I'm thrilled for my next jump. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and check out the photos. Yeee! The only reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because I would have liked to learn the safety precautions/rules/parameters in more detail so not only am I more prepared to jump but it would be very useful for future jumps in case I want to invest into jumping on my own. read more

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I did my first jump here, my instructor was Liana and my camera lady was Breeze and they were both professional I loved my pics and video and the jump was super exciting! Will definitely come back again!! read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

Today I went for my second jump. The staff was very helpful and accommodating. I jumped tandem with Yuri and had Brian aka Doc do the videography. Both times I went I had an awesome experience and can't wait to go again. I would like to thank my first jump instructor, Liana, too because she did a great job back in July when I decided to get the courage to skydive. All around an absolute blast! read more

I would rate this place zero stars if I could. Why are people praising this place as if it's the best skydiving place to exist? I'm surprised this place hasn't shut down yet. It's had 28 deaths in the past, with uncertified instructors and rushed safety procedures. I was very nervous on letting my son skydive here and after doing my research, I'm surprised people still come here to skydive. Don't do it guys, it's not worth the risk. The company should be shut down and sued; the owner should've taken full responsibility instead of just brushing it under the rug. How heartless, selfish, and greedy this company is. My heart goes out to previously affected families. Avoid this place at all costs if you don't want any unfortunate incidents happening. read more

$100 is NOT what they charge!!! Everyplace I looked said $100 and it was $150 plus $85 for a video. That's $75 for the video PER PERSON plus $10 for the flash drive. I brought my daughter and her friend for a $100 tandem jump. $300 no problem but it was $150 each. $450 Ouch but it was her birthday so what the heck. Everyone is so excited and we all loaded the plane Take off all is good but it's all about the person with the most money. My daughter said yes to a video thinking it would be a great memory if the 3 of us. Well the video was awesome and she loved it but there wasn't even a pic of me or her best friend. I think that's kinda messed up. Ads are not clear that videos are charged per person not group. I guess I'm the idiot but my daughter liked it but I'm left feeling jipped. Like I wasn't even there. I never would have done it for $450. ! Even yelp says $50 for video Fun but don't do it if you don't have a lot of money read more

Was kind of skeptical about jumping here based on past situations that happened here and the reviews. Did some more research and decided to go anyway. It was a fantastic experience ,the staff was great. Overall experience 10/10 for my first time jumping. Definitely plan on jumping here again soon. read more

Apparently there have been 28 deaths in the past couple of decades at this skydive center. The instructors are not licensed and this facility is notorious for not following protocols. Don't risk your life!! read more

Lodi Skydive is to die for! I couldn't for the life of me get myself through the door, but the seasoned instructors made me feel so at rest. Some corners were cut with the execution of everything, but this place is absolutely killer! read more

First of all, we all know this is skydiving. Yelpers shouldn't write reviews solely based on how they were feeling, do that in your own blog! Haha yelp isn't a diary. It is for reviews of the business and used to help other people decide if they think it is worth it to go there or another place. That's what I'll be doing for you guys, cuz I'm an awesome yelper! (but I guess yelp doesn't want to make me elite :( I'll still write a great review anyway.) You're falling off a plane 13,000 ft above ground. Of course I'm gonna research the company I'm doing it at! Haha. There's 5 different locations in the bay area. Cloverdale, Santa Cruz, Davis, Byron, and Lodi. Overall, it looked like Cloverdale and Santa Cruz were the best, both having 5 stars because they not only skydive but also have a view from it. Davis, Byron, and Lodi all were in the middle of no where farther east from the bay, but the reason why I chose Lodi was because it was the cheapest out of all 5, half the price! And we had a group of 4 people! 1) Cloverdale, NorCal Skydiving: jump 199, vid&pics 129 = $328 2) Santa Cruz, Skydive Surf City: jump 249, vid&pics 119 = $368 3) Davis, Skydance Skydiving: jump 199 (for 13k, 1 min), vid&pics 106.18 - $20 discount for 3+ people = $285.18 4) Byron, Bay Area Skydiving: jump 195, vid&pics 125 - $10 discount for student = $310 5) Lodi, Parachute Center: jump 100, vid&pics 75 = $175 !!!! I knew my parents wanted to treat everyone since the cousins were visiting, and that's 4 people, so I wanted the cheapest. But of course, money isn't everything. 1) Professional? The dirty old couches that looked like they were from Craigslist might not look like it, but everything was done professionally to me. They made us sign a waiver form, watch an instructional video, strapped us to the gear (no there are no suits), and taught us how to jump (like a banana) with arms crossed and how to land with legs up. My instructor was Robbie "The Kid" and he was soo awesome! He made me feel safe and have fun at the same time. 2) Safe? Yes, now I did do research about people saying that Parachute Center doesn't maintain their planes and that they're not under the USPA (US Parachute Association). I checked, no they are not. But my friends have all came here and were fine and even recommended it. There's hundreds of people that come here every day flying from the sky. No one has died. I think I got a tiny bruise on my arm from the strap but the experience outweighed the temporary scar that I didn't even notice. They're not in the USPA because they're not a corporation, and I don't think they have to be in it since they're doing such good business without it. 3) Picture and Video qualify? It depends on who you get. I had Dennis, and he was okay. [http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/parachute-center-acampo?select=ZAQMI6LL_fhyxBaEXqwr2w#gM_r9nirIsviBZa1edJprw] My sister had Zach and her video turned out awesome. My cousin had a lady and she held her hand and stayed close with her the whole time so she had good footage and close up pics! So it's all a gamble. 4) Overall? All 4 of us had fun, still alive, so I see no reason to come here and save over a hundred bucks with the same experience. Your instructor and photo person is all a gamble. I had a funny and cool instructor with an ok cameraman. My sister had a quiet instructor but a really good cameraman. I was glad I got Robbie and would ask for him if I went again! He pulled some funny jokes just to make us laugh rather than have our nerves up. I asked him "why do they call you The Kid?" "Because I don't act like an adult" hahah. We did spins in the sky and he even let me steer the parachute!! It's a good place to go for first timers because it's so quick and honestly you don't need a great view your first time since you're so anxious about the jump itself. We got there 1pm and left at 2:45pm. It's that fast. It was awesome. I do recommend this place. If you want to pay more for a more scenic view, go ahead. But don't doubt this place because of safety issues. It was professional, safe, and fun for me that I'd come back for an awesome $100 to spend :) Btw, if you found my review helpful or awesome, please help me become elite and nominate me! Become a fan or at least vote if you think it was helpful, funny, and/or cool. Thanks so much and enjoy skydiving!! :) read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Having the time of my life with my instructor "The Kid" aka Robbie! Taken by photographer Dennis - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

I still haven't told my parents that I jumped out of a plane last weekend :-O After going back and forth for a while, I finally agreed to join my friend and her fiance to go skydiving for her 25th birthday. At first we planned to go to Monterey (in order to have bragging rights to having done the world's highest jump), but after much Yelp consultation, she didn't want to risk getting rainchecked, which Skydive Monterey Bay is notorious for. When she called Parachute Center, they insisted there was no need for a reservation, that we would certainly get to jump the same day since there are less customers this time of year, and we figured hey... high is high, right? We waited no more than an hour to make our jump that Saturday. Since I hadn't psyched myself out very much prior to getting there, it only started to hit me as the little propeller plane took off and we lifted higher and higher into the sky what I was really about to do. I had been the first person onto the plane, which made me one of the last to jump. WTF am I doing moment #1: Inching toward the door of the plane, watching other jumpers get sucked out and disappear into oblivion. WTF am I doing moment #2: The seconds after you've "jumped" out of the plane. Seriously, I was like OMFG is this really happening??? But I say "jumped" because if you're going tandem, you really exert minimal effort into getting off the plane. Your instructor more like, pushes you out. Which I was glad for. Once you're up in the plane, there's no turning back. As for the freefall? I fell from an elevation of 13,000 feet, for about 6,000 feet, or nearly 2 miles. That was about 50 seconds of crazy wind, crazy noise, crazy pressure on the ears, and crazy, crazy, crazy!! Type A folks, enjoy the feeling of complete loss of control while it lasts... it's over in a heartbeat. Once the chute went up, my ears returned to normal, and I could actually talk with my instructor, Greg. The cameraman Tim was already long gone... those guys are the first to hit the ground. They're amazing. I enjoyed the farmland view (much prettier from up high than on land), took a few spins, and realized that I was alive. Landing was smooth. DVD and pics were done in less than half an hour. $175 total for everything (I brought cash since I'd read they charge you a little extra for credit/debit). I didn't even have to get suited up (though the tandem instructor for my friend who's the same size as me put her in a full body jumpsuit thinking she'd freeze otherwise... haha... I was fine). The people here are amazingly friendly, and I'm pretty sure it's the best deal you can find in the area for a jump, film, and photos. Don't forget to bring extra cash to tip your instructor and possibly cameraperson, if s/he's awesome. Though I wouldn't call it a life-changing experience, maybe your first jump will be for you. Just knowing you can do it (which you can, if I can!) is enough. Oh wait, my mom's on Yelp. Dammit. Alright, alright, I'm calling her soon... read more

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one of the more exhilarating activities i have done in life. I read the other reviews of the other places and it seems this place is the cheapest ($100) and had the highest altitude drop (13,000ft). I would recommend going at least once in your life. the staff seemed very friendly and professional. They also offer photo and video services for $35 and $55 respectively or both for $75. they let you see the video and photos afterward if you are still deciding to buy. they charge $1 fee for atm/debit and $5 for credit card. one more thing ... you ears might pop/hurt afterwards due to the quick change in altitude. just wanted to give you guys a heads up. read more

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"Over the past 40 years, 28 people who signed up to skydive from California's Lodi Parachute Center have plummeted to their deaths." The owner is unprofessional and does not care for your lives. Some of the workers are not even certified.. you can do better than this place. It's crazy that this place is even running still. it is not worth the risk at all for a somewhat cheaper price, go to a professional sky-diving center. read more

Who wouldn't go here and give five stars just for being kept alive?! This experience was so exciting! They were really quick. As soon as I paid I filled out paperwork and there was Kirk, my instructor. As welcoming as can be. He clearly loves what he does and I only appreciated that so much more. He was talking to be and asking me all kinds of questions to probably keep me from freaking out. He's got this Thor-like accent (he's English) and was just super fun in general. My camera/video guy was Dennis, super rad guy. This seems to be his life (from what I can tell from his pictures. I think he said he's been doing it since '82 or '87. Crazy. Anywho, it was a blast. If I could go back and ask for them all over again I would... And I will! Thanks guys! read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - My jump! - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

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WARNING: A tandem jump here can lead to chronic crippling pain or death. I'm so saddened to hear of the deaths. Truth be told, I also feel lucky I'm alive. BUT I DID SUFFER as a result of a bad landing. A never-ending, severe, burning pain in my leg and back for nearly a year. Finally back surgery saved me. I'm not going to lie, the experience prior to landing was terrifying, electrifying, and among the best of all highs. The question than is: was it worth it? Oh.Hell. No. read more

THIS REVIEW IS FROM A FIRST TIME SKYDIVER. Three stars for three reasons: 1. The number one reason I am giving them three stars is their reputation. To be completely transparent with y'all, this place has some issues. There have been numerous deaths here and several have happened in the last couple years. When you skydive, you certainly know what you're signing up for and the risks. But again, just being transparent. They were also recently (1/30/18) raided by the FBI for unreleased reasons. Rumors of past violations and poor business upkeep, but that is yet to be determined. All I'm asking is please do your research. I did (although not the extent) and still chose to come here. BUT ALSO... 2. My experience with them was great. Not without it's flaws, but the guy I jumped (Kevin) with was friendly, the guy who produced my video did a great job, and the experience overall went as expected. IT WAS NUTS. 3. The owner is not that friendly, but the ladies who work behind the check-in counter certainly were. also, the video desk team are great. My disk they gave me my video + photos on didn't work when I got home, so they sent me a direct link to their cloud. A+ thanks to Rob. Four of us made our reservation for a jump online two weeks beforehand. Check in went smoothly, paperwork was to be expected and we all were strapped in and hurriedly shuffled into the plane with about 10 other solo divers. Each person we worked with was generally nice and they took care of us. Honestly, thats all I could have asked for in this experience. It was definitely an experience. Will I do it again? Probably not. Here? Definitely not. You get what you pay for and the views, although pretty, were not spectacular on a cloudy February day. I also hear they have a decently famous skydive school for those looking to learn to go on their own. If that's your thing, keep reading more reviews below. read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

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Went with my whole family and family friends. 7 of us jumped and we had absolutely zero complaints. Breezy, Doc and Sam were amazing behind the camera and Xbox and Liana were great as tandem instructors!! Highly recommend! read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

Do not go here. I've jumped here multiple times...Drogue didn't open first jump, next jump cords are tangled, next jump plane goes down right after and 2 weeks later I found out that the guy I jumped with died and wasn't even certified to jump with other people. They walk over the parachutes they are packing and the owner Bill doss is a complete ass hole....could go on and on but I'd type forever! Go SKYDIVE MONTEREY, way more organized and way more fun!!!!!!!! https://www.skydivemontereybay.com/ read more

I have wanted to skydive for a very long time now and promised myself a few months ago that I will satisfy the curiosity and experience the adventure of jumping out of an airplane. Well, Sunday 2/8/2009...I did just that!!! As some have mentioned, Parachute Center isn't the nicest nor the cleanest looking place. Some may see this as a warning, I on the other hand took it as good sign, it's worn out look and beat up furniture's showcased that this company has been here for a very long time and those are its badges of honor... making its ironic statement that they can be trusted with my life because they are very experienced!!! My instructor was Mike, a white hair man-a very experienced older man is what I kept telling myself....the thought of this older man having some kind of a heart attack in the air didn't cross my mind at all...yap, I was positive that I was in great hands!!! I also remember him from some youtube videos I've seen and his jumps always seen to turns out great!So...I was confident! Mike by the way was very funny, joked a lot with me. We even giggled about him falling as sleep during the jump and to just elbow him to wake his a** up!!! He became very serious, all business like and professional once we got in the airplane. He was great!!! My camera man was Jimmy, a shy Ok-looking young man was my first impression. He was very pleasant and soft spoken. Although we didn't exchange much conversations, in his own way, he made me feel comfortable...like today was just like any day...any good day!!! Tandem Skydiving :$100 Dvd/Pics Package: $75 Awesome Adventure at Parachute Center : PRICELESS!!! Hit me up if you would like to see my video, this site won't allow me to link it!!! P.S. The video they have you watch before the jump seem like it's over 50 years old...they really should update it.... Just a thought! read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Just me with my instructor Mike - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

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My first time ever skydiving and I couldn't of had a better experience. my instructor "X-Box" was very friendly, informative, funny, yet very professional and made me feel safe. Everyone there was super friendly and made me feel welcome. we showed up, signed some forms, watched a video then had a small lecture then off we went. The jump was as safe as possible with zero issues. I had so much fun and had such a great experience that I'm planning on going back to take their solo class to jump on my own. highly recommend coming here for your first time or reoccuring jumps!! read more

Funny how fallin' feels like flyin'! I've jumped several times here and it has always been the greatest adrenaline rush ever. Anytime life starts closing in on me, I go and make the jump to realign myself and remind myself how big the world actually is. It's the greatest feeling ever, and the high lasts for days. If you haven't done this yet, you need to go. Like, now. read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

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If you want to go skydiving then you're in for a treat! I went here with friends to jump out of the airplane and it was very eye opening to say the least. I'm afraid of heights but skydiving is on my bucket list so I went ahead and tried it out. Totally worth it! You watch a video on safety procedures then you get dressed. You'll of course be jumping with someone (tandem) since it's your first flight. Thank goodness because it's a little bit scary! You will need to jump out of the airplane; you cannot "not" jump out. A very thrilling and interesting feeling when you're free falling but once the shoot opens and you stop screaming, the view up above is miraculous and breathtaking. Totally recommend it! Enjoy the jump! Toodles~ read more

Totally safe in spite of a few people going splat in the last few years. It's not like they accidently switched the laundry bag with the parachute as in the movie I just saw. I look at it like covid in that 99% of the people survive and that applies to this outfit also. What a thrill ride it is knowing there is an extremely tiny .1% chance that this might be your non stop express doing what you love. I'm getting goose bumps right now thinking about it and plan on heading down to the jump center tomorrow. read more

I came to Lodi Parachute center to get my A License and I had an amazing experience. My instructors were Ronnie Shuman and Michelle Hart. They were so committed to making me a well-rounded, educated and aware skydiver. After 25+ jumps together I can honestly say they've become good friends of mine and there's no better way to learn than from people you love and trust. The environment at Lodi is relaxed and really allows you to soak up information without pressure and learn from the knowledgeable regulars. No one minds when you ask amateur questions because they all recognize people trying to better themselves and become better, safer jumpers. I made a lot of great friends and would recommend Lodi to anyone looking to receive their skydiving education. read more

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DONT BELIEVE THE ONE STAR REVIEWS. These people have never step foot into this place. All the fake reviewers should understand people go at their own will to skydive and know the risks that are involved. GREAT drop zone!! I came here to finish my A license because I heard the turn over for loads were high. And it was TRUE!! Bill puts up at least 14 load a day and at least 23 on the weekends. That's intense! Bill is also very knowledgable. I never got mean short vibe from him. Yet, maybe because I wasn't doing a tandem here and had a billion questions. I had Shiny as my jump coach and he was GREAT! He was patient and also very knowledgable. He taught me how to pack a parachute with one demo! I learned a ton from him. I was recommend him for your tandems or coaching. He def knows how to keep you calm. read more

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I had always REALLY wanted to go skydiving, but didn't know where to go. My friend ToAsTy T (no, not his real name) had jumped with the Parachute Center and recommended I give them a try. I jumped April 10, 2010. It was amazing! My tandem partner was great! The video guy was hilarious! From the moment I landed, I've been trying to convince friends to go with me. Unfortunately, I have very unadventurous friends and as much as I love each and every one of them... I'm thinking of trading them all in. read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - My 1st jump - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

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This place is great. $100 a jump?!!!? Where in the Bay Area can you find a thrill for that cheap and safe. Just an FYI, if you will be paying with plastic, there is a $5 charge for credit card and $1 ATM card. There were 5 of us and the lady at the counter made sure we all were on the same plane. Thank You lady at the counter!!! I thought I was going to go through a 2 hour video/instruction class. Nope, they made it as simple as can be in less than 2 minutes. The jump was awesome. The landing was smooth. I signed my instructor's jump book afterward and saw he has over 6500 jumps to his resume. Rest assure your tandem instructor has enough jumps to their name. I would mos def jump again here. I think I am going to wear a dress next time for shits and giggles. read more

I made my first jump on my 18th Birthday (5/22/2011). Great place! It might not have a state of the art setup but lets be honest, you're more likely to die driving here than you are jumping! The building itself is nothing fancy, but it has a super cool feel to it. Lots of couches and stuff to look at. There's a big desk you go to, easily pay. They tell you to go watch the skydiving video and fill out your form. Videos pretty basic, safety, know that this is a dangerous sport. Etc. Paperwork ask how much you weigh, height, to you have any health problems, and yes, you do have to "sign your life away". Once you watch the video and fill out all your paperwork you're given a number and told to kind of wait around. (I went on a Sunday and waited for about 10 minutes. Another time I went on a Tuesday and waited about 30.) Once your number is called you go to a small back room where you meet your instructor and are given a harness and gone over your safety information. (Really simple, once its your turn walked (more like waddle) to the door, stand on the edge, arms crossed, head back and roll on 3.)You might have to do a little more waiting after this, while they make sure everyone is ready and the plane is fueled etc. Once the plane is ready you take a short ride (a minute?) to it before hopping on board. The ride takes about 5 minutes to get to 13,000 feet and the whole time people are talking and laughing like you're not about to jump out of an airplane! I was trying so hard to act like it was no big deal but I was freaking out! (I can feel the adrenal just type this! :D) You're instructor will go over the procedures once last time and tell you to put your goggles on when it gets close. This is usually a good time to take a nice deep breath! Once it comes time they slide the door open and people take their turn. Once it comes turn you waddle with your instructor to the door, you stand there maybe a whole 5-7 seconds before the count "1-2-3" and you're out the door! The first time I jumped I kind of went blank and was just praying to God! You get about 60 seconds of freefall before they pull the parachute. While 60 seconds doesn't sound that long, it can feel like it when you're going "...are they going to pull the chute?!" What a lot of people don't realize is you can't tell how far up you are as you fall! It's just like floating and absolutely NOTHING like a rollercoaster. But once they pull the chute it's a 3-5 minutes ride down to the ground. Super fun, ask your instructor to do spins or even let you steer! It's a blast! Both times my instructors where hooten and a hollerin' with me! I have zero complaints about this place! A lot of people talk down about it because they don't make you wear helmets, scary videos and what not. Oh to heck with it! These people don't let you just walk onto the airplane without making sure you feel safe! Ask questions! They're all super nice and are easy to talk to! It is an amazing experience and I'd recommend to anyone, this place or another! Just splurge and get the video and/or photos! You can never get your first dive back! I got over 100 photos and a 4 minute video I hope you LOVE skydiving! :D read more

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Pros: * Crazy cheap. I've never heard of a $100 tandem jump before. * Good weather. It's inland, so your odds of a nice jump day are high. * Fast. We were in and out in about an hour and a half, and that includes sitting around afterwards since we were dizzy. * 60 second free-fall. More typical values appear to be 30 or 45 seconds. * Some of the instructors and cameramen are good. My instructor was matter-of-fact, to the point, and generally gave me confidence. Cons: * The guy at the register (also appearing in the safety video) is a smartass. He made non-stop awful "jokes" and didn't give us important information, such as how long until the plane came for us. * Some of the instructors are awful, and mean. One old guy was just plain weird to a female friend, yelling at her when she tried to tuck her money away in the same cubby hole I had used, and accusing her of loosening her harness when, in fact, she hadn't even touched it. * Two of the instructors, or an instructor and a cameraman, got into a verbal fight (including profanities) on the way out the plane. I was long gone by then, but you can see them yelling at each other on my friend's video! This is not the sort of unprofessional behavior that you want to witness seconds before leaping out the side of an airplane. Our more experienced friend, who organized the trip, wished that she had taken us to a more professional place. It would probably have been worth the extra cost. read more

Skydive Lodi Parachute Center - Outside - Skydiving Near Me - Acampo, California

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Holy Shit! I JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE!!! I may be the wimpiest individual alive.. so based on that statement you might be wondering wtf were u doing at Parachute Center?? My girl was getting married and her psycho maid of honor (I love u Michelle) planned this as our bachlorette party kick-off. She paid for us all in advance so I couldn't back out! They harnessed us all up, put us on a plane and I made amends with Jesus. I don't even like to fly! So by the time we reached 13,000 feet I was a hot jittery mess. I was the last one to jump, so I had the privilege of seeing everyone leap before me. Awesome. When it came time for me to take the crouching walk to the open door, I decided to tell my diving partner that I no longer wished to jump. LOL! He replied, "watch your head!" and jumped out of the plane. I was FALLING!!!! There really is no other way to describe that immediate feeling. Scariest thing I have EVER experienced BUT once we were positioned belly down, it was the most EXHILARATING feeling I have EVER felt! Totally worth it and when we made it to the ground I truly felt like a different person. Okay, so I hate super long yelp reviews so I will end by saying that if this chick who doesn't even step foot into theme parks can do it, so can you! (cheese ball). PUT IT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST! read more

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