I tried parasailing! Have you ever tried this fun and exciting water activity? 
Two weeks before my daughter turned 22 last November, I surprised her with an invitation to fly high above Southern California via Marina del Rey Parasailing on her birthday. I’m not much of a daredevil, but I love doing my travel reports and she was intrigued…by the invitation AND by seeing her usually overly cautious mom give this high water ride a try. What was our verdict on parasailing out of Marina del Rey? Read on to see our review, details and video of our ride. Read all of the specific details, pricing and more under the video…
Our verdict:
My daughter and I had an absolute blast riding high above the Marina del Rey Parasailing boat! Our only dislike is that once you are up in the sky, communication between you and the boat is left up to your waving arms. At 800 feet up, I’m not sure that the crew would see us if we tried to get their attention. But this is my one and only concern because the rest of the experience was perfection! Just know that going up. Most people don’t give that a second thought and I think 99.9% of the time, that doesn’t matter. Now, let’s get to the good stuff!
The Company:
What a fantastic mother & daughter experience!
Marina del Rey Parasailing (MDRP) was great to book and work with from start to finish. Captain Vinny and his assistant, Simon were absolutely fantastic! Before we signed up, I did research to be sure that I felt safe with this particular company. I was pleased to read that the crew members consist of captains that are US Coast Guard licensed masters with 16 years experience and over 80,000 completed flights. The company website fully explains everything from pricing to expectations and includes a thorough Q& A section. Plus, I was pleased to observe an extensive number of positive reviews with photos and videos of the parasailing experience. MDRP has been in business for 12 years with zero complaints listed with the BBB. This made me feel comfortable enough to turn me into a first time parasailer
The Crew:
Our 1 hour, 15 minute excursion was led by Captain Vinny and his assistant, Simon and both guys made us feel safe, secure and relaxed.
Captain Vinny was excellent!
After very specific instructions, they drove us out to sea with enjoyable tunes humming out of the boat speakers. We were surrounded with friendly smiles among the additional 8 passengers, who were all going up in the parasail in doubles (rides for three passengers at a time are also offered). Our entire experience was an absolute blast and we loved parasailing above the beautiful Pacific Ocean with sweeping views of Venice Beach, Santa Monica and Mailbu. We requested to go up first, which I like to do so I can enjoy the rest of the boat ride watching the other passengers go and not wondering myself about what the experience will be like once up in the air. Vinny and Simon were very thorough with their safety instructions and boat rules that keep all safe.
Simon was also so fantastic!
Once out on the open seas, each rider was fitted with a life jacket. Both men were professional and personable and knew exactly what they were doing each step of the way. I really can’t recommend these two gentleman enough! From our takeoff to our landing, Vinny and Simon explained what to expect and celebrated our excitement with us.
The Experience:
Let me explain it like this…
Fun! Relaxing! Beautiful! Calm! Gentle! A little chilly up there so dress appropriately according to the season. Exciting! Memory making and unforgettable!
How it went…
- Life jackets strapped on and safety briefing from Vinny and Simon.
- We sat down on the front of the boat anxious, excited and ready for takeoff!
Riders take off and land on the front of the boat. We were ready! My daughter is clutching the Go Pro that we rented from Marina del Rey parasailing.
3. Up we went with Simon snapping professional pictures (we purchased this additional service with all pricing information below) and we were immediately smitten with delight and surprise about how calm the ride up felt.
4. Once we reached our cruising altitude of 800 feet, we took it all in! The sights, the soaring, the calmness and we conversed about what a special experience we were creating right then and there. My usually fearless girl did comment that we were pretty high up, but she was enjoying the ride and our time together. Pretty special!
5. We shot video footage of the pristine blue sea below and of the Santa Monica coastline. We truly took it all in. It was almost complete perfection with our only qualms being that the harness was getting a bit uncomfortable and we were getting a little chilly towards the end of the ride, so when Vinny and Simon began reeling us in and down, we were ready to be back on the boat. The landing was smooth, gentle and controlled with no water contact, which was our preference. Riders can opt for a toe dip in the ocean while landing, which makes for great pictures, but we decided against it when we were told that we must go up barefoot as we figured our toes would get cold and we were correct. However, if I parasail again, I will go when it’s a bit warmer and dip my toes next time around!
6. We landed. We laughed and we told our excited fellow passengers that they would love it! Once in the boat, we sat back and sang along to the popular catchy songs that our crew played for us onboard. It was truly a memorable day!
The Cost:
*Standard 500 feet up flight – $105 per person
*Magnum 800 foot flight – $115 per person
*Optional Addition – Digital Photo Package includes between 40-60 photos and are taken with a Canon 60D digital camera fitted with a zoom lens that capture shots of take off, scenic shots in the air and the ocean toe dip. All photos are stored on an SD card that riders keep – $35
*Optional Addition – A high definition video with the state of the art GoPro HERO2 video camera. The video is stored on an SD card which customers keep – $55
*Optional Addition/Good Value – Combine both options and receive both photo and video package – $80
We purchased one Magnum flight for two plus the $80 video package so my total cost was $310. I thoroughly enjoyed giving my daughter an enriching experience that the two of us will always cherish. In my opinion, this was money well spent.
Overall Opinion:
I recommend the Marina del Rey Parasailing adventure because the crew was professional and made us feel safe, the experience was both energetic and relaxing at the same time, the views were beautiful, the boatride was fun and gifting experiences and adventures is what I budget for and look forward to!
Age Requirements:
Minimum age is 6. Participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign their liability waiver. Minimum combined weight is 160 lbs and maximum combined weight about 450 lbs. Weight requirements change daily due to wind conditions and are subject to Captain’s approval.
Season:
Marina del Rey Parasailing is closed in January for the season and reopens on Valentine’s weekend. Normal business hours are Fridays from 10am to 6pm. Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 6pm. Closed Mondays through Thursdays
Contact:
13717 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 (behind the El Torito restaurant)
Reservations (highly recommended) – 310-306-2222
For more details and to book a parasailing with Marina del Rey Parasailing, visit their informative website. Happy travels…and happy parasailing!
