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Hanggliding from the Glider Port in La
Jolla at Torrey Pines near the Torrey Pines Golf Course
Adventure travelers are taking
California by Storm to Enjoy the Great Outdoors.
Half of the mature national population in the U.S. has enjoyed what's
considered an adventure trip during the last five years.
Skydiving,
whitewater rafting and scuba diving are some of the more adventuresome
activities that some consider extreme--and of course not all of the 98
million adults who've enjoyed the adventure vacation partake of
activities quite so strenuous, that require training or certification.
An added benefit to having fun or a thrill is the
calorie count of such adventures.
Surfing schools have become popular and offer lessons that generally
will have you up on a board catching a wave within half an hour or less.
You'll find such schools starting at San Diego in the south (Ocean Beach
and Pacific Beach are a few), in La Jolla, and a popular surfing spot
with its own
California Surfing Museum, Oceanside.
Torrey Pines Gliderport is a paragliding schools, offering expert
lessons, a fantastic location and reputation as one of the finest ports
in North America . Hang gliding (including tandem), paragliding or
sailplane flights are all offered with certified instructors. While
lessons and instruction are required for solo flights that you probably
won't get to take on your first lesson, you'll get the "hang" of it soon
and be soaring above California's oceans and beaches with the ease of an
eagle. It's extremely popular and offers quite a contrast to the greens
of Torrey Pines Golf Course at the edge of the Gliderport. Two excellent
hotels on site offer upscale accommodations that are simply worth it if
you have the bucks. And one is nearly double the other in cost. From a
hotel room at
The Lodge at Torrey Pines you'll be able to see the gliding
activity, as you can at its next door neighbor, the
Hilton. Both hotels also sit on the edge of the public golf course,
Torrey Pines Golf Course, a PGA ranked course (one of the only such courses in the United States.)
As you head up coast, you'll find surfing's big every step of the way.
If you don't stop in Oceanside, you have at least five places to learn
how to do it in Orange County. San Clemente is a mecca for
surfing, and you'll find surf rentals and lessons near the San Clemente
Pier. North of there,
Thalia Street Surf Shop on PCH and Thalia Street can suit you up for
your big date with the Pacific Ocean. Moving north, Newport Beach offers
two locations with rentals that will have saying, "Surf's up!" Next to
the Balboa Pier are surf rentals, and right by the Newport Pier are
more. Either choice is fine. But moving on to north Orange County
beaches you may want to learn how to surf from our buddies at Zack's
Beach Resort (catering, concessions and surfing lessons). You can call
them at (714) 536-0215 to set up you appointment. Surfboard, wetsuit and
a lesson are packaged for one price which used to cost around $60 -80
for a n hour of surfing. Over at the
Hyatt Regency Huntington
Beach Resort & Spa, lessons are offered by an on-staff crew.
And if that's not for you, stop and
stay in affordable Seal Beach at the new
Best Western for an overnighter, then a kite surf lesson. ....>
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