Thrill seekers ages 3 to 103 looking to experience the excitement of skydiving without jumping out of a plane should head to iFLY Chicago! Any of their three Chicagoland locations (Lincoln Park, Naperville and Rosemont) are the perfect places to take flight.
My wife Jen and I took our first flights at the newest iFLY location in Lincoln Park, just a few blocks down from North Avenue in Chicago, just west of the Lincoln Park Zoo. When we arrived, we were immediately impressed with the polished look of this brand new building. We were so happy to see that they had a parking lot so we didn’t have to search for parking. Right away we were greeted by friendly staff members who quickly guided us to the check-in station. We signed our waivers and they gave us wristbands before sending us back to prepare for taking flight.
We made our way into the “tunnel” room and were fascinated by the giant tunnel that looked to be about 40 feet tall. The room was laid out in a circular formation and was surrounded by stools and comfortable couches for spectators to get a great view. Instructors escort flyers into the video room to watch a 3-minute video that includes safety tips and information on how to fly. After the video our instructor Daniel came in to go over a few things and make sure we were ready to go. We found out that Daniel was an experienced flyer with over 700 career skydiving jumps. He made sure we all felt comfortable with the safety signals and the journey we were about to embark on, and then he took us off to get geared up!
Jen and I were soon met by more helpful instructors who helped fit us in flight suits, goggles, helmets and earplugs. With all the flyers in our group prepared, we headed into the tunnel where we all took seats around the outside of the tunnel. First up was Jen, who was scheduled for two, 1-minute flights. She put her arms up and leaned forward into the tunnel with Daniel there to guide her. The extremely powerful winds lifted her right up. He made sure her form was correct and gave her support as she grinned from ear to ear for a full minute of free-fall.
It was an intense feeling knowing I would soon enter the tunnel. Before I knew it, it was my turn. My adrenaline was flowing as I was suspended in air by the extremely fast winds. I was flying! It was the rush I dreamed it would be. Believe it or not, the minute was plenty of time for me in flight as I moved all around the tunnel. We had our chance to catch our breath and watch other participants fly before we entered for our second and final 1-minute flight. I was able to focus in on how much fun I was having throughout the second flight as I knew how to position my body and make sure I relaxed, which was our most important tip from Daniel.
We enjoyed our trip to iFLY in Lincoln Park and we both agreed we will be bringing our two boys with us the next time we go. This experience is perfect for anyone age 3 and up, and Jen and I give it two thumbs up. iFLY is the perfect place to go for birthdays, parties, corporate events, families and groups! This is definitely a top spot for fun in the Chicagoland area and a must-do for all thrill seekers.
iFLY Chicago – Lincoln Park
800 West Scott St. | Chicago | (779) 368-4359
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iFLY Chicago – Naperville
1752 Freedom Dr. | Naperville | (779) 456-4359
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iFLY Chicago – Rosemont
5520 Park Pl. | Rosemont | (779) 368-4359
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Disclosure: The writer of this post received a complimentary iFLY experience in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are his own.
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