- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Skydive the Ranch
- Good for Kids:
- No
18 reviews for Skydive the Ranch
18 reviews in English
-
Review from Wendee M.
Brooklyn, NY
10/18/2011
I had the most exhilarating time of my life last year at the ranch.
The entire staff was awesome and "down to earth". My tandem instructor luckily was way taller than I was so when we landed I was on my feet whilst all my friends had grass ass.
I was calm and cool until I stepped onto the ledge of the aircraft. "1, 2, 3 ... go" AAAHHHHHHHH ... I screamed the entire way down. I bet I annoyed the crap out of my strap on buddy. HAHA.
It's something you must do before you turn 30, or at least once in your life. Next up, bungee jumping in New Zealand! -
Review from Peter K.
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Believe the hype. I jumped today.
Every employee here was polite and fun. The atmosphere of the ranch was laid back and cozy. Adam T was my videographer and photographer. Steve "Utah" Webb was my amazing instructor. Immediately, he made me feel confident and I didn't worry most of the time.
Tips for first timers:
1) Make a reservation. Especially on weekends, this place is so popular and busy that they turn business away.
2) Print and fill out the 7 page contract before you arrive to save time.
3) Breathe, relax and listen to instructions. The butterflies stirred once I got on the plane but they went away once I jumped off. These instructors have a lot of experience (Steve had 9000+ jumps) and want to live for another day.
4) Pay the extra $99 for the video and photos.
After my jump, I watched my video (there is a dvd player there) and laughed the entire time. There is a small cafe for food, snacks and drinks. I needed to rehydrate quickly too.
The experience is difficult to explain but it is an intense and incredible ride. From beginning to end I couldn't find anything bad with this place.
Yes skydiving is expensive ($199 for a tandem jump) and Gardiner is out of the way (about 1.5 hour drive from NYC) but it was worth it. I don't want a discount when it involves my life. I highly recommend this business. I'm a believer.
IFHTP 1Listed in: Pedro Yelp Map, Pedro's Best of Yelp, Work Out
-
Review from Linn C.
Washington, DC
6/6/2011
It's not fancy. It's not high-tech. But it is totally chill, which is a good vibe when you're about to jump out of a plane.
Jumped here for my first time with my boyfriend who was taking his eighth jump - all at Skydive the Ranch even though we don't live in NY.
The instructors were great. I jumped with Batman who was reassuring and fun. Would recommend him to anyone.
Can't wait to go back and jump with them again! -
Review from Mark V.
6/23/2011
Jumped with my dad as his Retirement / Father's Day present. We both had a great experience. The staff on the ground as well as the instructors that jumped with us were professional and seemed to be well experienced. The vibe was relaxing as a majority of the jumpers (including my dad and I) were new to skydiving. It was a bit of a ride, but well worth it.
Oh, if you are going to jump, make reservations in advance and print out the paperwork (the release of any and all legal liability to the ranch) and watch the required videos on the website. It will dramatically speed up the jumping process. -
Review from Mike W.
Manhattan, NY
7/31/2011
Just went yesterday with my friend and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. We both had amazing instructors, Batman and Denes (pronounced "Danish"), who treated us like we were the first and only jumpers they've ever taken to the sky. Ask for them!
The "ranch" itself is very laid back and a great place to chill before and after the jump with friendly staff that are all psyched to give you the best experience possible.
I'm totally going to be coming back soon. Once you become a member of their "skydive family," you're invited to their Saturday night camping parties which is a cool way to get out of the city if you live in New York and hang with some really interesting people.
Skydiving is not as frightening as I thought it would be, just a huge adrenaline rush! -
Review from richard h.
Elmira, NY
9/28/2011 2 photos
My fourth jump, three last year one this year, not bad for beening 80 years old.Best jump I ever had was with Steve Utah Webb, could not ask for anything better. It was perfect. Thanks Utah, I'll be back, looking for you.
-
Review from Rahsaan C.
Brooklyn, NY
6/5/2011 5 photos
"Diving! Waitin' for my turn to come! Kinda nervous, but it sure looks fun! Wonder if my hesitation shows!?!? Diving!" Props to any pop culture guru who knows the source of that tune and its context from way back when.
Thank goodness I had John as my instructor and my sister had "Batman" as hers! They eased our fears. This was actually my second jump in life. The first was a decade prior, and I will tell you I was infinitely more afraid. Guess that invincibility complex wanes as we age.
My sister and I decided to go last spring. We went on my actual birthday to celebrate it as well as her recent retirement as a relatively young woman from a job she abhorred for 20 years. We chose skydiving as being symbolic. We'd decided to take more risks and jump into life at full speed!
We drove up on what proved to be a summer-like day (sunny and breezy with a high of 95F) from Brooklyn. We were über excited by the time we got to the ranch. Especially, my sister who's normally mellow and unexcitable. Yay!
The ranch was great and everyone was so friendly. And these people are jokesters. I wish I'd taken a photo of it, but in the video instruction room where you watch your video tutorial and basically sign your life a way on contract, there's little, cute grim reaper doll. He actually has a name too, but I can't recall right now. So sadistic. HA!
Skip to the neon yellow jumpsuits. We had the option of going in our clothes, but opted to don the suits, so we wouldn't get all dirty and skinned up on our landings. We met our instructors and cameramen. John and Robert (also known as"Batman" to close friends) were fantastic! They've jumped a cajillion times between them and have an obvious jones for this sport! "Batman" really helped my sister, Latrice get over her fears.
I actually was the one that was the one who morphed into a basket case. Last time, I'd gone diving, I was the first to enter the plane and saw everyone else go out and had a little bit of time to brace myself. With skydiving, it's usually a LIFO system, and this time I made the bloody error of going in last!
I'd no idea they were going to keep the doorway open for most of the flight. This scared me terribly and I was practically climbing the walls inside. And then when the winds and turbulence got heavy, they slid the door down, but of course the blasted door was translucent. I was like, "What the fuck!?? Did you steal that off of Wonder Woman's parked invisible jet?!?" Matters were not being helped. At all! And everyone was getting their schadenfraude on; laughing at my exponentially compounding fear of death. Cursed rogues. My sister, included. She even slapped me upside the head, and told me I was making her nervous. Next thing I knew...
Showtime. John and I were up. John had me right in the doorway. Our cam man was position. John told me we'd lean over and fall out on "3." He counted, and "3" came and went. We were still inside the plane. Everyone was gawking. I was gripping onto the sides of the doorway for dear life,, and not budging. Poor John finally had to just knee my legs out from under me and we tumbled out into the open and breathtakingly beautiful sky into a triple-roll-somersault-kinda maneuver. I was screaming and laughing and waving and thumbs-upping for the camera. What a ham I am. A few seconds into the freefall, the fear was starting to subside. If was going to expire, at least it'd be in a blaze of glory and sorta like coming full-circle since it'd be on my birthday and all! Plus, it'd give all you who know me a macabre and gruesome, freak accident, cautionary tale to tell that probably become distorted and convoluted urban legend over the years throughout Brooklyn. "Oh. You didn't hear about that kid from Fort Greene that went skydiving up in the boonies?" The lore. Alas, for y'all, I survived and lived to tell the tale.
Guess what? I may come back for more. And it's all on DVD, bitches! Proof of my graceful landing. Triumph. Please don't hate. -
Review from Denis K.
Parsippany, NJ
9/8/2008 1 photo
"Without delay, the cunning Daedalus fell to work on a pair of wings for the boy Icarus and taught him carefully how to use them, bidding him beware of rash adventures among the stars. "Remember," said the father, "never to fly very low or very high, for the fogs about the earth would weigh you down, but the blaze of the sun will surely melt your feathers apart if you go too near."
For Icarus, these cautions went in at one ear and out by the other. Who could remember to be careful when he was to fly for the first time? Are birds careful? Not they! And not an idea remained in the boy's head but the one joy of escape." (excerpt from the Greek Myth "Daedalus & Icarus")
The joy of escape. The thrill of free falling.
A step towards the airlock. The misty clouds twirling just out of reach. Beckoning me.
The wind whipping and pushing me back. In warning. Against the deadly siren's call.
At the precipice, I wait for a fear that never comes.
The earth pauses below me, watching and waiting.
I jump
Scream at the world or with it.
Cast from heaven's repose
Tumbling about at the mercy of Aether
Falling ever faster to death's sweet embrace.
I care not.
For, I was Icarus for a day.
_
_ |* \
[*)--***|(o) (o) (o)| -)
b b
............
``````` ````````
```````` ~~ ..... ~~ ```````````
~~~````` ... ~ ... ``````~~~
`` ~~ ```` ````~
* * * *
* AHH *
* _ *
\\ //
`` \O/ `` ...
| ~``...````~
/\
````.. ````
~~``` .... ````~~ ~..~
~..~
~..~
It's a bird! It's a plane!
It's.. oh wait..
~ __ ~ \O
~` `~ / \ ~` `~ |
_||_________|___| ___________||______/\___________________
Useful Notes: Jump $195. Photo / Video +$95. Instructors and Cameramen are incredibly friendly and joke around a lot, but run a good operation. A lot of experience on deck.
review 7/21/2008
I.M.Y.Listed in: Cave Scribbles, My Death Wish List
-
Review from Helena H.
9/29/2009 4 photos
First time Skydiver here!
Finally is crossed out on my TO DO list.
Awesome instructors, fun and helpfull.
They were entertaining me soo much that I didn't know how to scream when I jumped out of the PLANE!.
It's an experience that you'll never forget.
I purchase the package that includes pictures and video from getting the plane thru landing!. (About $ 300.00)
Picked this place because you get to see a beautiful land of NY that takes your breath away! -
Review from Sandy C.
9/19/2009 4 photos
Finally decided to give this a try, hey I'm not getting any younger!
Went with a group of girls, a girls only virgin tandem sky divers.
We made a reservation back in August but got rained out and rescheduled for this weekend in September.
It was a perfect beautiful day with great conditions for jumping out of a plane.
We just made it in time for our reservation but had to wait another hour because we wanted to go together on the same plane. Our professional camera men/women were so nice, all introducing themselves to us and getting group pics of us girls. Then we met our tandem professional jumpers who were all very cool. They kept joking and telling us it was their first times tandem jumping, and making jokes about the faulty parachutes.
My instructor was Chris who was awesome, he was very kind and professional. He explained the jump thoroughly, let me pull the chord, steer the parachute, and etc. I felt comfortable and safe at all times and that he was following the rules of tandem skydiving.
The 3 rules of tandem jumping are:
#1 Have fun!
#2 Hold onto your straps when exiting the plane
#3 Look up when jumping out and arch your back
I really thought the landing part of this was going to get me, but we came in pretty slow to the ground and landed ever so gently on our tushies.
There's a food truck at this place, called Elia's food. I didn't get to try it but my friends got a wrap to fill up while we waited our turn to jump. They also provide jumpsuits if you want to wear them so you don't dirty your clothes (free of charge). All the equipment was in order and restrooms were being renovated and clean.
We all gave a big hug to our professional tandem jumpers after we removed our equipment, and received our Official certificate for making our first jump! After all they made sure we all landed safe and well!Listed in: Let's get physical physical!…
-
Review from Natalia J.
New York, NY
10/22/2006 2 photos
It was our first time skydiving and we chose the Ranch.
They took good care of us because they knew we were scared out of our minds.
"Training" was very short because we didn't really want to check the altimeter or pull the chord. We just wanted to jump. We asked our instructors to do everything for us.
I watch the DVD from time to time and I still get goosebumps. -
Review from Priya O.
Brooklyn, NY
9/8/2009
The Ranch is a great operation -- reasonable rates, lovely location, easy enough to get to from the city, very cool staff. My friends and I jumped over Labor Day weekend (two first-timers, three second-timers, though only one friend had jumped at The Ranch before) and everyone had a blast. They are a busy joint (at least on holidays!) so make sure you are on time, and fill out your paperwork beforehand if you can.
My advice (and the reason I reserved that last star) is that if you want to be hands-on, you should probably make that very clear to your instructor. My friends got to do more turning, pull the parachute themselves, etc, and I really wanted to do more of that (since it was my second dive), but I barely met my instructor before we jumped. He was a nice guy for sure, but he didn't seem AS concerned with my personal experience as my friends' instructors were. Still, no complaints -- jumping out of the plane was fun as hell!
Lastly, if you want to camp on-site, bring a tent. We stayed over and it was a blast. -
Review from Kelly P.
New Paltz, NY
4/18/2011
Such the most wonderful experience! Went for the first time today along with a coworker, and it was absolutely fantastic. Everyone that works there is super friendly, and my instructor, Adam, was a gem! The best. It was an absolute blast and I'm definitely looking forward to going again once the summer is in full swing ;) Thanks, guys, for being so great! I totally recommend this to anyone thinking about going!!! So so so worth it.
-
Review from N. M.
New York, NY
10/23/2006
I went on my second skydive here (my first was at Skydive Sussex, which I highly recommend). This place is great fun - you can camp there (and if you're close to the pond, you can hear skydivers swoosh by your tent in the morning as they land).
When we were there some of the most experienced jumpers were having a competition of sorts, where they would see how precise they could be at putting their toe in the water of the pond as they landed, keeping it there, splitting the waters until the end of the pond, after which then they'd land as close to the pond edge as possible. It's better than TV kids.
And then there's the big bonfire pit where everyone hangs out after a day of jumping. It's definitely a scene. There are the first-timers, the gurus and the groupies. It all makes for good story fodder at the very least.
p.s. The vast majority of skydiving related deaths occur when experienced skydivers get too comfortable, i.e. sloppy. It's very similar to skiing that way. -
Review from Mike J.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2007
I've done two tandem jumps at the ranch. The staff was was always thorough and professional.
The second jump took place at the end of the season. We actually had to return three weeks in a row; the first two weeks, conditions were too windy to jump safely. Of course we were disappointed not to jump, but it was reassuring that the staff wouldn't just take our money at the risk of our safety.
The third week, when we finally got to jump (10/31/04), I had paid to have it documented on DVD. I just came across that DVD, and watching brought it all back. Now I can't wait until spring to head back up to Gardiner. -
Review from Barbara J.
New York, NY
11/11/2010
Another item checked off my bucket list! After months of planning, arguments & disagreements we finally decide to do it. We all signed our lives away (7pgs) stating repeatedly that they are NOT responsible for you at all. The experience was beyond AMAZING! The staff was GREAT!!! Everyone should do it at least ONCE!!!
-
Review from Adam P.
West Hartford, CT
11/23/2010
Simply one of the best thrills of my life was my first tandem jump here. They did a great job explaining what I needed to know and do. To my own astonishment, fear never crept in. Just a great time.
-
Review from Kara H.
Boston, MA
5/18/2009
Visited The Ranch with a friend for my first skydive attempt. Was the BEST time of my life. The staff was relaxed, friendly, helpful and made the whole experience as relaxing as possible. My instructor was friendly and informative making me feel safe the entire time. I opted for a video and stills of my jump, which I would definitely recommend if it is your first time. The video and pictures came out fantastically. If you have ever wanted to skydive, The Ranch is definitely the place.
