Life with ArielI extended my outdoor activities to the sky this year! My best friend and I went paragliding to celebrate her birthday. It felt surreal to fly in the sky overlooking the California coastline. It’s totally worth the price and my drive to SoCal. Although I’m not sure I will do it again because I suffered bad motion sickness, I loved the experience and encourage everyone to try it out.
Location
I chose Torrey Pines Gliderport in La Jolla, CA because my friend lives in LA and I love ocean views. Torrey Pines is a famous gliding place in SoCal. They offer instructional tandem flights for paragliding and hang gliding. Paragliding is $175 per person and hang gliding is $225 per person. You can either walk in or buy gift certificates online ahead of time. You can also buy add-ons like photos and videos. There are professional photographers taking pictures of everyone when you are taking off, in the sky, and landing. If you purchase photos, you can to download 7 photos for free. If you purchase videos, you will be handed a GoPro with an 8G SIM card before you take off and you can take photos or videos at your discretion.
When you are waiting for your turn, you can hike along the coastline or dine at their cafe. Once you are in the sky, you get to see the stunning La Jolla coastline, Black’s Beach (the famed, scenic & clothing-optional beach), Torrey Pines golf course, and Alicia Key’s house.
Best Time to Fly
At Torrey Pines, it’s said you can fly 360 days out of 365 days in a year thanks to good California weather. However, when you can fly during the day depends on the wind speed and your weight. That’s also the reason why they don’t take reservations ahead of time.
On the day you want to fly, it’s recommended to call in the morning to check the weather. If the wind is strong enough, they will tell you to get ready and wait in line regardless of whether you are a walk-in or have purchased the gift certificate. If the wind is too weak when you arrive, they will tell you to check in first and text you when the wind is up.
Typically, the best time to fly during the day is around 1pm or later. Hang gliding will require stronger wind than paragliding. In winter, the start time will be even later. The end time is always around sunset. Torrey Pines is always packed. But the waiting time is not too bad because they have lots of pilots.
We first went on 12/26/2021 around 2pm. The wind was not strong enough for our weights. By the time flying started, it was almost 4pm and started to get dark. So we didn’t make it for the first time. Our second try was on 4/30/2022. We arrived around 11am, but the wind was, again, not strong enough. We checked in and went for brunch while waiting. Luckily, the wait was not long. They texted us around 1pm that we were good to fly! As soon as we went back, there was no waiting. We grabbed our GoPro and headed to our pilots directly.
Taking off and Landing
Taking off and landing are very easy and typically are at the same spot. Your pilot will take control of the entire flight. There is not much for you to do other than simply follow the instructions from your pilot. For taking off, it goes like standing straight, walking, and sitting in your harness. For landing, lean forward, stand up, and walk.
It felt like magic. No running was needed. When taking off, I walked 4-5 steps and as soon as I sat down, we were in the sky. When landing, as soon as my feet touched the ground, the whole thing stopped – I didn’t even need to walk much. I would till recommend wearing comfortable shoes just in case.
Flying
The wind in the sky is substantially stronger and colder than at ground level. Even if you go during summer, I recommend you wear pants.
After I took off, it first felt like riding a pirate ship but quickly the ride became stable. The flying style of each pilot was different. Mine made some swings in the sky in order for me to take good pictures and added some variety to the ride. He also showed me all the famous sightseeing spots. My friend’s pilot flew higher than mine.
The duration of the fight was about 20 minutes. I got motion sickness 5 minutes into it. Still, I couldn’t get enough of the ocean, waves, beaches, and cliffs (and I kept staring at the nudies taking sunbathing beneath me). The most thrilling part for me was that once we got too close to the cliffs, my pilot made a sharp turn right next to it, which felt like we almost hit the cliffs. In addition, I landed twice because the first time was unsuccessful – we were too fast. It was thrilling to fly just above people’s heads.
I got severe motion sickness and almost threw up during and after the flight, which took me about an hour to recover. I probably won’t do it again but I was still glad I tried it. It was indeed once-in-a-lifetime type of thing for me.
FAQs
- Is there a weight limit?
- No. However, heavier weight will require stronger wind. But in theory, anyone can do paragliding.
- Do I have to be in shape?
- No. As I mentioned above, the pilot will control the flight and there’s not much for you to do and there’s not much running or walking needed.
- Who shouldn’t do paragliding?
- I don’t recommend people with motion sickness to fly – a good way to know this is to see whether you get uncomfortable after riding pirate ships at entertainment parks. I have slight motion sickness and almost threw up after 5 minutes. I felt sick for a long time after the flight.
- What to bring for the flight?
- Nothing. Leave your valuables in your car if you don’t want your stuff to fall out. Bring your ID and credit card for check-in and secure them in your pockets.
- Can I bring your own GoPro?
- Yes. You don’t have to buy the photo / video service if you decide to use your own device.
- What to wear?
- Comfortable and warm clothes and shoes such as those you will wear for a walk during winter because it is cold up in the air.
