Parasailing in Destin, Florida ~ 6 Essential Tips for a Great Flight

Are you thinking of going Parasailing while you are in Destin, Florida? Parasailing might look intimidating or downright scary but it’s actually a very calm and enjoyable experience.

Parasailing is an activity where you sit in a harness suspended from a parachute which is being towed by the boat below. Parasailing is a great chance to see Destin from a totally different and elevated perspective.

Your parasailing experience can vary widely based on several factors such as how high your flight is, how long you fly for, what order you fly in, and most importantly whether you parasail over the beach or the bay.

I went parasailing in Destin many times before I figured out all the factors that make for the perfect experience. This post will cover the six things I suggest keeping in mind while planning your parasailing adventure in order to have the best possible experience.

1. Parasailing in Destin is better over the Beach

When you go parasailing over the Gulf of Mexico in Destin, you will see the beach, the scenery, the turquoise water, and maybe even some dolphins and other marine life.

When you go parasailing over the bay, you will mostly see darker colored bay water which isn’t quite the same experience. You might have a view of Crab Island and Destin Harbor depending where you are, which is pretty nice. The feeling of flying is still an amazing experience but minus the incredibly beautiful scenery of the Destin beaches.

Unfortunately, you do not have control over whether you parasail over the beach or the bay. The Destin parasailing companies want you to have the best experience so they will take you out over the Gulf of Mexico whenever they can, but if they surf is too rough, they will have to take you over the bay.

This is not the fault of the parasailing company so don’t get upset with them if your flight happens over the bay. Safety has to be their top concern.

The following two tips will optimize your chances of making sure your parasailing trip is over the beach.

Check the Destin Surf before Booking your Parasailing Flight

One way to make sure your Destin parasailing adventure is over the Gulf of Mexico instead of the bay is to wait and book your trip the same day or the day before. That way you can simply just ask the parasailing company about it and they might be able to give some guidance on the water conditions with a decent amount of certainty by then.

This move is risky, especially in June, July and on holiday weekends when there is a decent chance the parasailing boats will all be full if you wait until the same day to book.

A variation on this recommendation is to check the Destin surf report yourself and book within a week of your flight so it still has a high chance of being accurate. This will make it less likely your preferred parasailing day will be booked up.

You can check the updated surf report for Destin here: Destin Surf Report. Just scroll down a little bit until you get to the 7-day surf height forecast to see how rough or calm it is predicted to be each day. Here is a screenshot so you can see what it looks like:

In the example above, I would definitely not book my parasailing trip for Monday and I would try to avoid Tuesday and Sunday afternoon as well. The best days to book your parasailing flight in this scenario would be Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

This is all subject to change based on unexpected storms and also because the surf report changes just like the weather forecast does. This is just a tip to give you the best possible chance at being over the gulf.

Book the Earliest Boat for your Destin Parasailing Trip

Another way to increase your chances of parasailing over the Destin beaches, is to get on the earliest boat. In general, the water and the winds tend to be calmer in the morning so this will increase your chances even further. This is especially true in the summer when unexpected afternoon thunderstorms are common.

See Tip #3 below for more reasons to get out on the morning parasail boat.

2. Compare the Differences when Checking Prices for Parasailing

There is a lot of variation in pricing with different parasailing companies in Destin as well as in what each company offers. When comparing prices ask the following 3 questions in order to make sure you are not comparing apples to oranges:

Question #1: How much does it cost? The price of parasailing can generally range anywhere from $60-$100 per person)
Question #2: How much time do I spend in the air? The length of your parasailing flight can range anywhere from 6-15 minutes
Question #3: How high will I be flying? Companies generally have a rope length of anywhere from 400-800 feet or more. The same company might have different options in height.

The above questions will give you several ways to compare parasailing offerings. Looking for the lowest overall price for parasailing is essentially the worst strategy.

Most parasailing companies go out from Destin Harbor. You will generally be on a boat with 6-12 other passengers. You will have a boat ride through the harbor and (hopefully) out into the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone on the boat will then take turns flying.

The whole process can take 2 hours or more. For that reason, it is highly recommended to book the longest flight you can at the highest length of rope. It is just not worth it to fly lower or for a shorter time just to save a few bucks given that the whole process of going parasailing is a bit of an ordeal.

3. Go out on the Earliest Parasailing Boat

Most people don’t get up early on vacation so going out on the earliest parasailing boat is your best chance of having a less crowded experience.

In the morning you also have a better chance of seeing dolphins and other Destin marine life because you will be out there before other boats and swimmers are stirring everything up.

Another reason to go early is that it is far less likely your parasailing trip will get cancelled due to thunderstorms which usually come in the afternoon during summer.

Also, as mentioned in Tip #1, you will also have a better chance of flying over the beach because the waters tend to be calmer in the morning.

4. Ask to be the last to go up Parasailing

I will be the first to admit I’m a detailed perfectionist who spends too much time thinking about how to make everything perfect, so take this one or leave it. Maybe it’s just me but I have found parasailing to be way more fun if I am the last person on the boat to go rather than one of the first.

The first time I went parasailing I was chosen to go up first. The next time I went I was chosen to go last. Both experiences were fun but I found that I much preferred going last. When I was the first one to parasail I had to wait for 3 more groups to go after my flight.

I found it much more enjoyable to spend the time on the boat eagerly anticipating my parasail flight rather then having it be over and waiting an hour or more for everyone else to go.

Sometimes you have no control over this because the parasailing crew might have a certain order they want to go in for whatever reason so in that case it’s not really a big deal. But so far I’ve never had a problem just nicely and quietly asking the boat crew if I can go up last.

Most people will have never given a minutes thought to what order they want to go in so it’s usually not be a problem if someone does has a preference.

5. The Parasailing photo package is usually worth the Money

I’m not generally the type to purchase add-ons with anything but in the case of the photography package that most parasailing companies offer, it’s usually worth the money.

In most cases the photo package will cost between $25-$45 and include tons of photos of your entire parasailing experience. This frees you up to just enjoy the experience and let someone else capture the memories for you.

You might be thinking that your family or friends on the boat can just use their phone to take pictures but then you have to worry about it getting wet and damaged. They also don’t likely have the zoom lens required to catch the joy on your face as you fly up into the air.

So just relax and let the parasail crew take the pictures for you. You’re on vacation after all.

6. Bring Cash to Tip the Parasailing Crew

Tipping is customary for any watersports activity you do in Destin. The boat crew work really hard in the sweltering Florida sun giving you a great experience so they deserve those tips. If you have ever worked on a boat for even a day in the summer you know how hard it is.

As far as how much to tip the parasailing crew, I have seen people typically tip anywhere from $10-$20 per person in their group.  If you are unsure, it’s always a safe bet to tip 20% of the total cost of the ride depending on the service you received–similar to a restaurant.

Best company to go Parasailing with in Destin, Florida

I would recommend using Pelican Adventures for Parasailing in Destin. Full disclosure I do some social media and website work for them, but I would still only recommend them if I thought they are the best. It’s a family run business and they have been operating on Destin Harbor for over 20 years. Plus they have the smiley parachute! Pelican Adventures Website ~ 850-650-3825 ~ Have fun!

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I hope this post helps you plan the perfect Parasailing adventure in Destin!

Be sure to comment below if you have any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you and prefer to answer questions on here so my answers can help others as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss any posts!

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Hi, I’m Sarah–the creator, writer and photographer behind this site. I sell prints, books, journals, and calendars all made from my Emerald Coast photography and I also manage a few vacation rentals on beautiful Holiday Isle in Destin if you want me to be your helpful, knowledgeable host when you visit.…..🌴😃🐬 I have a few rentals including a large house with a boat slip, a 2-bedroom condo, and a 1-bedroom apartment. All are directly on Destin Harbor with private gated access to the most beautiful beaches in Destin. If you enjoy my posts, please consider supporting my blog by shopping my products. I appreciate every sale, and it helps me continue to put out quality free content for you. Thank you SO much 🙂