Top 5 Skydiving Bucket List Ideas

Heeeeck yeah! You just did a tandem skydive — and put a great big neon checkmark through the number-one item on your personal bucket list! We couldn’t be prouder of you for doin’ it. Maybe, however, that check mark has just gotten you excited to find out what might be behind that incredible blue veil you just brushed aside. Your initial tandem jump might just have given you a taste for freefall. If you’re wondering what to do after your bucket list skydive, we have an idea: create a skydive bucket list. Consider it a subset of the overall to-dos, right? Here are some super-cool skydiving bucket list ideas to get your cogs turning…

Emma Clarke

Desk writer

Hats off to you for chasing that thrill and making it happen! But let’s be real — crossing that big-ticket item off your list might have sparked a new kind of fire. That rush of freefall through the clouds? It’s probably got you itching to dive deeper into the world of skydiving. If you’re already wondering what’s next after this bucket list milestone, we’ve got the perfect plan: craft a skydiving - specific bucket list. Think of it as a fun, focused subset of your overall life goals. To get your adventure gears spinning, here are some awesome skydiving bucket list ideas…

1. Get Certified for Solo Skydiving

Can you even believe it? When you first stepped foot at the drop zone for your tandem jump, the thought of suiting up in your own parachute and taking the leap alone might have seemed like a far - off dream. But guess what? It’s totally achievable — and if the idea piques your interest, you absolutely should go for it.
Working toward your entry - level solo skydiving certification — the USPA A - License — is a challenge tailor - made for die - hard adventurers, and it’s a journey you’ll remember for a lifetime. Once you complete the program, you’ll hold a “golden pass” that lets you jump with your own gear (and your awesome new skydiving crew) at nearly every drop zone across the globe.

2. Make a Jump From a Hot - Air Balloon

Taking the plunge from a hot - air balloon basket is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most amazing skydiving experiences you’ll ever have. Unlike a plane, a balloon is quiet (save for the occasional loud “whoosh” of the burner) and has no forward momentum. It feels like leaping off a stable platform suspended high up in the sky — a vibe that’s completely different from jumping out of a fixed - wing aircraft. One thing’s certain: No matter how many plane jumps you’ve racked up, a hot - air balloon skydive is a thrillingly unique, breathtakingly gorgeous adventure.

3. Leap Out of a Helicopter

Let’s cut to the chase: Helicopter jumps are a non - negotiable addition to your post - certification skydiving bucket list. Similar to a hot - air balloon jump, helicopters don’t have the forward speed of traditional planes, which makes the entire experience wonderfully distinct. But there’s an extra cool perk too: On certain helicopter models, you can grip the exterior rails like they’re monkey bars, then grin from ear to ear as you drop into the open sky. How awesome is that?!

4. Try a High - Altitude, Low - Opening (HALO) Jump

HALO jumps are a top - tier item on the bucket lists of most seasoned skydivers. Pulling off a HALO skydive means you’ll need to breathe supplemental oxygen during the plane’s ascent, dress for the bone - chilling temperatures at extreme heights, and plan every detail of the jump with precision. Some HALO jumps start at an incredible 26,000 feet — twice the typical exit altitude at most drop zones. From that height, you can even catch a glimpse of the Earth’s curvature.

5. Land on a Sun - Drenched Tropical Beach

For experienced skydivers, a classic beach landing is the ultimate bucket list adventure — it’s like combining a skydive with a tropical vacation all in one. Skydivers will travel miles and miles to check this off their lists, since these jumps usually take place at skydiving “boogies” (special events) in paradise - like locations. Beach landings often require a more advanced solo skydiving license than standard jumps, but once you nail it, you’ll touch down with sand between your toes and be just steps away from a tiki bar. Now that’s the good life, isn’t it?

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