Skydiving San Francisco

There is no skydiving in San Francisco. The city sits under the heavily controlled Class B airspace serving SFO, so no drop zone can operate in the city or anywhere on the peninsula. If you've ever seen someone jump over the city, that was a one-off permitted exhibition, not something you can book. The closest tandem jump is in Novato, about 45 to 60 minutes north. Most of the region's drop zones are 1.5 to 2 hours away. Here's every drop zone within roughly two hours of the city, with prices and requirements taken from each operator's own website in June 2026. If you just want the shortest drive, Novato is the one.

Drop zones near San Francisco

Drop zone	Drive from SF	Tandem from	Top jump	Phone
Skydive Golden Gate	Novato, 45 to 60 min	9	10,000 ft	415-770-4011
Bay Area Skydiving	Byron, ~1 hr 15 min	8	18,000 ft	925-634-7575
Skydive California	Tracy, ~1.25 to 1.5 hr	9	18,000 ft	209-835-7474
Silicon Valley Skydiving	San Martin, ~1 hr 15 min	8	18,000 ft	800-386-5867
Skydive Santa Cruz	Watsonville, ~1.5 to 1.75 hr	9	Not published	831-435-5169
Skydive Monterey Bay	Marina, ~1 hr 45 min	9	18,000 ft	831-384-3483
SkyDance SkyDiving	Davis, ~1 hr 15 min	5	18,000 ft	530-753-2651
Parachute Center	Lodi, ~1.5 hr	0	12,000 ft	209-369-1128

Prices, altitudes, and numbers were checked against each drop zone in June 2026. All tandems are 18 and up, and most add weight, video, and facility fees.

Skydive Golden Gate

DriveNovato, 45 to 60 minTandem from$269Top jump10,000 ftPhone415-770-4011

351 Airport Road, Novato, at Gnoss Field in Marin County. That's 24 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, roughly 45 to 60 minutes from the city. Tandem is $269 from about 10,000 feet ("two miles up"), and it's the only jump in the region that markets views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Pacific coastline. Video or photos $100, both $140. Age 18+. Riders over 200 pounds pay $1 per pound over that; above 240 pounds, contact them first. The official site doesn't publish operating days, so call ahead: 415-770-4011.

Bay Area Skydiving

DriveByron, ~1 hr 15 minTandem from$198Top jump18,000 ftPhone925-634-7575

6901 Falcon Way at Byron Airport in eastern Contra Costa County, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from SF. A 13,000-foot tandem is $198 on a current sale (regular $248). 15,000 feet is $298 and 18,000 feet is $368. Video packages run $99 to $198. Weight surcharges: $25 at 201 to 224 lbs, $50 at 225 to 249 lbs, $75 at 250 to 275 lbs. Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays. Watch the deposit here: rescheduling within 72 hours of the jump forfeits it. Phone: 925-634-7575.

Skydive California

DriveTracy, ~1.25 to 1.5 hrTandem from$199Top jump18,000 ftPhone209-835-7474

25001 Kasson Road, Tracy, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1.5 hours from SF. Tandems by altitude: 10,000 ft $199 (Fridays only), 13,000 ft $249, 15,000 ft $299, 18,000 ft $365. Video $120; video and photos $150 to $199. Age 18+. The weight limit is 225 pounds, though they'll consider waiving it case-by-case for a $20 instructor fee. The $50 deposit is non-refundable but you can reschedule free within a year. Groups of 5 or more get $10 off each. Phone: 209-835-7474.

Silicon Valley Skydiving

DriveSan Martin, ~1 hr 15 minTandem from$188Top jump18,000 ftPhone800-386-5867

13030 Murphy Ave at San Martin Airport, off US-101 south of San Jose, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from SF. An 8,000-foot "canopy ride" tandem is $188. 13,000 feet is $228 weekday, $248 weekend. 18,000 feet is $348 with about 90 seconds of freefall, which they market as the highest tandem in California. Note that published prices are cash prices; paying by card adds 5 percent. Age 18+, no exceptions. Maximum 250 pounds, with per-pound charges over 200. They fly Friday through Monday. Phone: 800-386-5867.

Skydive Santa Cruz

DriveWatsonville, ~1.5 to 1.75 hrTandem from$249Top jumpNot publishedPhone831-435-5169

160 Aviation Way at Watsonville Municipal Airport, roughly 1.5 to 1.75 hours from SF. The longtime Skydive Surfcity operation now goes by Skydive Santa Cruz (the old web address redirects to the new one). Tandem is $249 per person at the group-of-two rate; the listed regular price is $329, and a solo VIP option is also $329. Photos $119; video and photos $149. A 7 percent facility guest-use fee gets added to all listed prices, plus a $50 per-person deposit, and you need to book at least 48 hours ahead. Age 18+. Weight restrictions begin at 200 pounds; call to qualify above that. The part people like: jumps include a 15-to-20-minute scenic flight over the Santa Cruz coastline on the ride to altitude. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Phone: 831-435-5169.

Skydive Monterey Bay

DriveMarina, ~1 hr 45 minTandem from$269Top jump18,000 ftPhone831-384-3483

721 Neeson Road at Marina Municipal Airport, about 1 hour 45 minutes south of SF by their own estimate. They sell the highest standard tandem in the area: 18,000 feet for $344, with about 90 seconds of freefall. 15,000 feet is $269, and a 10,000-foot option exists without a published price. A 6 percent airport improvement fee is added to all flight services. Photo and video packages $119 to $239. Age 18+; jumpers over 200 pounds may face restrictions. Open 365 days a year. Budget 3 to 5 hours on site. Payments are non-refundable but convert to transferable flight credits that never expire. Phone: 831-384-3483.

SkyDance SkyDiving

DriveDavis, ~1 hr 15 minTandem from$205Top jump18,000 ftPhone530-753-2651

24390 Aviation Avenue at Yolo County Airport, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from SF. They've been operating since 1987 and started the first tandem program in the western United States. Tandems: 9,000 ft $205 (weekdays only), 13,000 ft $265, 18,000 ft $375, with $25 early-bird discounts on some jumps. Video packages $130 to $180. Age 18+. The limit is 250 pounds, with a $20 surcharge over 220. They're also the only NorCal drop zone with an FAA waiver for oxygen-assisted HALO tandems from 28,000+ feet (price on request). Plan a minimum of 4 hours on site. Phone: 530-753-2651.

Parachute Center

DriveLodi, ~1.5 hrTandem from$150Top jump12,000 ftPhone209-369-1128

23597 N. Highway 99 at Lodi Airport, roughly 1.5 hours from SF. By far the cheapest tandem in Northern California: $150, from 12,000 feet, walk-ins daily, riders up to 300 pounds with $1 per pound over 200. Photos or video $60; both $85. You should know the history before you go. This operation has a long, widely reported accident record, and the 2016 death of an 18-year-old student jumping with an improperly certified instructor led to California's Tyler's Law, which requires operators to verify instructor credentials and parachute packing. The website is poorly maintained too. Call first and do your own diligence: 209-369-1128.

Closed: Skydive Sacramento in Lincoln appears permanently closed as of June 2026; its domain is parked for sale. Skip any listing that sends you there.

Indoor skydiving at iFLY

iFLY San Francisco Bay in Union City (31310 Alvarado-Niles Road, 35 to 50 minutes from SF) is a 12-foot indoor wind tunnel that simulates freefall. No plane, no weather. When the coast fogs in, this is the reliable backup. Ages 3 and up, maximum around 300 pounds, open year-round. Each 60-second flight in a first-timer package actually lasts longer than the freefall of a typical 13,000-foot skydive. Prices load in their booking system, so check the official site for current rates.

How a tandem skydive works

You're harnessed at four attachment points to an instructor (USPA-rated at member drop zones) who wears the parachute system and handles the exit, freefall stability, deployment, and landing. After a 10-to-30-minute ground briefing, the plane ride to altitude takes 15 to 25 minutes. Altitude buys freefall time, which is what you're paying for. Figure roughly 15 to 30 seconds from 8,000 to 10,000 feet, 45 to 60 seconds from 13,000, 70 to 75 from 15,000, and 90 to 100 seconds from 18,000 feet, all at a terminal velocity around 120 mph. The parachute opens around 5,000 to 6,000 feet, and you ride the canopy down for 3 to 6 minutes.

Wear close-fitting athletic clothes and lace-up sneakers. No sandals, flip-flops, heels, or boots. Tie long hair back and leave the jewelry at home; glasses and contacts are fine under the goggles they give you. Bring government photo ID.

Paragliding vs. skydiving

	Tandem Paragliding	Tandem Skydiving
Time in the air	Typically 20 to 30 minutes of continuous flight, no hard time limit	15 to 100 seconds of freefall + 3 to 6 minute canopy ride
Location	Mussel Rock, 15 minutes from SF	Novato is 45 to 60 min; most drop zones 1.5 to 2 hours
Price (June 2026)	$189 flat	$198 to $375 + deposit, weight and facility fees, video extra
Age	Ages 14 and up	Strictly 18+, no parental-consent exception
The experience	Quiet coastal soaring at 20 to 25 mph; the pilot can often let you take the controls	120 mph freefall jolt; the instructor controls everything

For a deeper look at the history, technique, and safety of each sport, see our full Paragliding vs. Skydiving comparison. And for the paragliding numbers on their own, our Is Paragliding Safe? guide breaks them down.

Skydiving wins on one thing, and it wins big: nothing else delivers true 120-mph freefall, and Northern California's 18,000-foot jumps give you 90+ seconds of it, among the longest tandem freefalls available anywhere. If that's what you're after, make the drive. We'd rather spend 20 to 30 minutes actually flying, which is why we run paragliders off the coast 15 minutes from the city instead.

Frequently asked questions

Is there skydiving in San Francisco itself?

No. There are no drop zones in San Francisco or on the peninsula. The city sits under the tightly controlled Class B airspace serving SFO, with Oakland and San Jose traffic close by. The closest tandem jump you can book is Skydive Golden Gate at Gnoss Field in Novato, about 24 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, roughly a 45-to-60-minute drive. It's also the only local jump that markets views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

How much does skydiving cost near San Francisco?

As of June 2026, standard tandems from roughly 10,000 to 13,000 feet run $198 to $269 depending on the drop zone, and high-altitude 18,000-foot jumps run $344 to $375. The outlier is Lodi's Parachute Center at $150. On top of the base price, budget for video or photo packages ($60 to $239), a roughly $50 non-refundable deposit, weight surcharges above about 200 pounds, and at some drop zones a 5 to 7 percent facility, airport, or card-payment fee.

What are the age and weight limits for tandem skydiving?

You must be 18 or older with government photo ID at every USPA-member drop zone. No exceptions, and no parental-consent workaround. Weight limits vary by operator: 225 pounds at Skydive California (waivable case-by-case with a $20 fee), 250 pounds at SkyDance and Silicon Valley Skydiving, and up to 300 pounds at the Parachute Center. Most operators add surcharges starting around 200 pounds, typically $1 per pound or $25-to-$75 tiers.

How long does a tandem skydive take?

The jump itself is short: 15 to 100 seconds of freefall depending on exit altitude, plus a 3-to-6-minute parachute ride. Plan on 2 to 4 hours at the drop zone, though, between check-in, waivers, training, and weather or aircraft cycles. SkyDance says to allow at least 4, and Skydive Monterey Bay says to budget 3 to 5 hours on site. Add a 45-minute-to-2-hour drive each way from San Francisco and it's a full-day outing.

Is tandem skydiving safe?

Statistically, yes by adventure-sport standards. The United States Parachute Association recorded 9 fatalities in roughly 3.88 million jumps in 2024, a record-low 0.23 per 100,000 jumps, and tandem skydiving has averaged about one student fatality per 500,000 jumps over the past decade. Worth knowing, though: the Parachute Center in Lodi, the area's cheapest jump, has a long and widely reported accident history, and the 2016 death of a student there under an improperly certified instructor led to California's Tyler's Law, which now requires operators to verify instructor credentials.

What happens if it's foggy or windy on my jump date?

Jumps don't go in rain, high wind, or heavy cloud. Drop zones reschedule rather than refund; deposits are non-refundable almost everywhere but convert to credit. Skydive Monterey Bay issues flight vouchers that never expire, and Skydive California reschedules free within a year. If you want a sure thing whatever the weather does, iFLY's indoor wind tunnel in Union City flies year-round and takes ages 3 and up.

Should I go skydiving or paragliding?

They're different things. Skydiving is a one-to-two-minute adrenaline spike at 120 mph, after a 1-to-2-hour drive and 2 to 4 hours at the drop zone, for $198 to $375 plus extras, strictly 18 and up. A tandem paragliding flight is typically 20 to 30 minutes of continuous flying with no hard time limit at gentle speeds, 15 minutes from San Francisco, $189, open to ages 14 and up. It's also the only option for anyone 14 to 17, or for a family that wants to fly the same day. Go skydive if the freefall is what you want. For real time in the air, come fly with us. Plenty of people do both.

Or skip the drive and fly today.

Tandem paragliding over the Pacific, $189 per person, no experience needed, ages 14 and up. Typically 20 to 30 minutes in the air with no hard time limit. We fly 7 days a week from noon to sunset, 15 minutes from San Francisco.

Book a Tandem Flight Online

Prices and details checked June 2026 and subject to change. Drive times are approximate. Call before you drive.

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Hero photo: Pacific Southwest Region 5, U.S. Forest Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.