Torrey Pines Glider Port in La Jolla

Undoubtedly, La Jolla's first glider was the daring Frazier Curtis who in 1910 attached a pair of wings with a harness to his shoulders and flew short distances from the slopes of Mt. Soledad.

A park area over the sandstone bluffs north of La Jolla, between Torrey Pines Park and La Jolla Farms, is designated specifically for today's gliders. The air currents are made possible by strong updrafts of prevailing westerly winds that meet the 360-foot coastal cliffs, creating ideal conditions for piloting. The graceful navigators riding the sea breezes in their brightly colored gliders attract admiring spectators up and down the Torrey Pines shoreline year-round.

If you dream of soaring like a bird free of the earth without powered assistance, you can register for flight lessons and brace yourself for the adventure of a lifetime. Those qualified, but less dare-devilish, can enjoy the famous soaring site for launching radio-controlled model sailplanes.