Ike’s has been flying people over Perdido Key for decades, which in beach-concession years makes it an institution. Check-in is on the sand at the Flora-Bama — you park in the Bama’s free lot, walk through the bar (a feature, not a bug), and find the yellow kiosk on the beach. From there a banana boat shuttles you out to the parasail boat, and you take off and land seated off its back deck.
The flight
They let out 800 feet of line, which puts you around 400 feet up for a flight of roughly 8 to 10 minutes, which Ike’s bills as nearly double what its competitors give you. Up to three people can fly together if you’re under 450 pounds combined, so nobody has to go up alone and pretend they’re not nervous. Boats are U.S. Coast Guard inspected and the captains keep current first-aid and CPR certifications, which is the kind of detail you want from people dangling you over the Gulf.
Good to know
Banana boat rides run too, usually four to six riders at a time. It’s seasonal: the office keeps 9-to-5 hours Memorial Day through Labor Day, varies them in the shoulder months, and is closed November through February. Flights run on the booking calendar’s hours, not the office’s (hourly from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm on an October Saturday), so check there for times. Land, dust off, and the Flora-Bama is right there for the debrief.
