Paraglide at Torrey Pines State Beach

 
I spent a lot of the time on the beach especially places like Swami's and sometimes I visited Torrey Pines usually up on the cliffs near UCSD in the 1970s to watch the guys and girls in Hang gliders then take off. Now I guess they are flying paragliders too. This makes sense because it is a long hike back up to the top of the cliff and a hang glider is pretty heavy and unwieldy unless you fold it up before doing that. But, with a paraglider all you have to do is to stuff it in a ruck sack and make your way up to the top of the cliff once again.

Swamis Beach in case you didn't know is in Encinitas and next to the SRF Shrine there started by Yogananda in the 1940s? before he passed on in 1952. I used to go meditate in the garden there because his vibes are still there during the 1970s when I lived in San Diego County while I was going to college there. He was a holy man who came here to the U.S. from India around 1914 and was a Swami.
An Outdoor // Outposts Blog

Paraglide and go naked at Torrey Pines State Beach

Torrey Pines offers something for everyone, from surfers to thrill seekers

December 10, 2013 by Johnie Gall

A paraglider lands on the beach at Torrey Pines. Photo by Brandon Scherzberg

Don’t be surprised if you spot a full moon from your paragliding seat—Torrey Pines State Park is an ocean-side playground for thrill seekers of all sorts, including nudists. The three-mile stretch of sand is the epitome of the rugged, bluff-sheltered coastline California is known for, and an adventurer’s pit-stop paradise.
What: A soft-sand state beach back-dropped by steep cliffs where visitors can surf, swim, hike, and paraglide.
Where: 12600 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037.

Shell searching on Torrey Pines beach. Photo by Brandon Scherzberg

What to do: Arrive later in the day when the winds start to pick up between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and start your trip off by booking a paragliding lesson at the Torrey Pines Gliderport off of Torrey Pines Scenic Drive. The consistency of the wind and warm air makes this spot the ideal place to try the sport—$150 gets you a tandem paragliding experience, where you’ll fly with a staff member for about 20 minutes and try out some aerobatic moves. Call ahead of time to make sure the Gliderport is offering flights that day. When you have two feet back on the ground, hike down the cliffs and relax on the beach, or bring swim fins to enjoy the small breaks while taking in views of the city and the mountains.

The bluffs are unstable, so be careful where you walk at Torrey Pines. Photo by Brandon Scherzberg

How to get there: From the 5 freeway, exit at Carmel Valley Road west to Torrey Pines Road south/Pacific Coast Highway. There are four parking options: a large lot on the left side of Carmel Valley, roadside parking along the shoulder of the PCH, and at two paid lots at the Torrey Pines State Park at the south end of the beach (entrances is $10 per car). The Gliderport also offers parking for paragliders.

The sky is full of paragliders at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Photo by Brandon Scherzberg

What to bring: A jacket, cash, and a GoPro for paragliding, sturdy shoes for the steep steps down to the beach, a bathing suit or wetsuit, towels, and soap if you want to use the shower facilities at the north end of the beach.

Cap off your day by taking in the sunset at Torrey Pines. Photo by Brandon Scherzberg

Do: Spend some time at the top of the cliffs doing a little whale watching—it’s not uncommon to see bursts from blowholes or porpoise fins breaking the surface of the water.
Don’t: Be alarmed if you see some naked swimmers. Black’s Beach, a small stretch of sand beneath the bluffs, is known as a nude beach. Even though nudity has been prohibited on the city’s portion of the beach since the ’70s, it’s common knowledge you can let it hang loose from just south of the Gliderport and approximately a mile north.
More photos of the Torrey Pines Gliderport
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Dec 10, 2013 - Don't be surprised if you spot a full moon from your paragliding seat—Torrey Pines State Park is an ocean-side playground for thrill seekers of ...