2800 Torrey Pines
Scenic DriveThe Torrey Pines Gliderport is one of America's oldest active gliderports. Today, Gliderport offers thrills for thousands of people experiencing the excitement of hang gliding or paragliding at one of the oldest, most established facilities in the United States, if not the world.
Glider Port San Diego in La Jolla California above Blacks Beach provides an exciting ride for those who don't have time to go through a certification process, but want to feel the excitement and see the glorious San Diego coast from above. You can take a tandem flight with a certified professional and see the stunning coastline of California that you may have flown past on your trip to California's playground, San Diego. You can be up and running on your first visit.
You launch above the difficult-to-reach Blacks Beach where nudists (naturists) and surfers hang ten or hang and are adjacent to renow Torrey Pines Golf Club where PGA tournaments have been hosted.
Gliderport is a shared facility that
includes hang gliding, paragliding,
scale models and sailplane flight. Full
scale sailplanes fly only during the
windy months of the year between
February and April. The models, hang
gliders, and paragliders fly all year
around. Flight rules are enforced by the
local Flight Director and Concessionaire
to maintain safety for pilots in the air
and spectators on the ground.
History:
Established in 1928, Gliderport has become an important
facility with a prestigious history--it
is a recognized San Diego Landmark noteworthy for its place in history.
It once served as the training ground for aviation great Charles
Lindbergh. In 1939,
the Torrey Pines Gliderport was
dedicated to the Youth of California by
San Diego Mayor P. J. Benbough.
Many local sailplane pilots became known
through training at Torrey Pines.
During World War II, a lease with the
City of San Diego for the Torrey Pines Gliderport was surrendered so that the
U. S. Army could establish Camp Callan,
an anti aircraft artillery training facility. Over 40,000 troops used it for gunnery training and practice.
At the end of the war and the closing of
Camp Callan, glider enthusiasts began
hosting annual glider contests at Torrey
Pines with over 30,000 spectators
attending. By the early 1970s, Torrey
Pines was a hang gliding Mecca.
In 1991, the National Soaring Museum
dedicated the entire Torrey Pines
Gliderport as a National Soaring
Landmark and the California Register of
Historic Places and the National
Register of Historic Places in 1993 also
added it to their inventory.
Operated through Air California
Adventures, Inc. & Torrey Pines
Gliderport, certified under the
guidelines of the United States Hang
Gliding Association (USHGA), the company
provides instruction, certification,
tandem flights, equipment sales,
adventure tours and repair services.