Packing a parachute is not unlike packing a bag lunch: it's a bummer when your mom puts old ham in either one. Enjoy a fresh pack with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options

• $159 for a tandem skydiving session in a two-person plane ($299 value) with a souvenir T-shirt ($25 value) for one (a $324 value)
• $315 for a tandem skydiving session with souvenir T-shirts for two (a $648 value)

After launching from the private plane's side door, skydivers free fall at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour while strapped into a parachute with an experienced instructor. Once instructors deploy the chute, the duo gently drifts to the ground. During the 40-second dive and 7-minute descent with parachute deployed, eyes enjoy panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lakes, and rolling forests, as well as the capitol skyline.

DC Skydiving Center

The pilots at DC Skydiving Center fly to heights of up to 2 miles before divers of all skill levels hurl themselves from the plane's side door. Before they ever leave the ground, though, students receive a safety briefing and thorough explanation of the jump process. The center’s instructors specialize in calming the jitters of newbie divers by strapping in with them on tandem dives, but they also regularly shed single tears as more experienced adrenaline junkies pull out their own parachute at the culminating point of accelerated free-fall programs. Once in the air, the small aircraft's large, panoramic windows grant breathtaking views of the capitol skyline and Blue Ridge Mountains, all of which are captured on RVT video by instructors on the descent.