All eyes are on a man at the top of the grassy field. Next to him is a large pile of nylon and ropes. Leaning over, he shakes the ropes, jiggles them into an orderly-looking collection, yanks the handful of lines and lo and behold, the pile of nylon starts to expand into a colorful, curved, long sail.

FLY LIKE A BIRD

And then it really gets crazy. He starts jogging toward the Pacific Ocean, his man-size steps become Superman high hops and then with one last bound he leaps forward and hurtles off the cliff at Torrey Pines Gliderport, approximately 370 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Soon he’s lost in the cotton-ball clouds blanketing the sky. I look at my husband, Dave, and just shake my head. To each his own…you couldn’t pay me to do that.

The Gliderport is a great afternoon Get Out and Go trip tucked in between the Salk Institute and the south end of the Torrey Pines Golf Course. Thousands of brilliant minds make ground-breaking discoveries in nearby buildings—University of California San Diego, Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute, J. Craig Venter Institute, and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. The list goes on and on.

While the address is 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, the last several hundred yards are a dirt road which can be bumpy or muddy depending on the weather. The site is rather undeveloped, however there are three handicapped parking spots which are on paved surfaces. The porta-potties are well-signed and accessible by a ramped walkway.

FLY WITH A BIRD

Torrey Pines Gliderport is known as a place where you can soar like a bird, few people know that you can actually soar with a falcon at the Total Raptor eXperience which is located here. Consider booking a custom raptor experience or group encounters through their web page.  And for the ultimate experience, try parahawking at Fly With a Bird.

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  Falcon

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FOOD

Pick up a sandwich, soup or salad at The Cliff Hanger Café. It’s usually open 9-5. Picnic tables with umbrellas make the perfect fresh air dining room with spectacular ocean and coastal views.

If you’d like another food option, try stopping at The Bella Vista Social Club and Café located on the second floor of the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine building at 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive.

IMPORTANT INFO

Web site:         https://www.flytorrey.com

Hours of operation:  9 am -5 p Mon-Sun

Handicap parking:  Yes. 3 spots

Accessible toilets:   Yes. Porta-potty

Food:  Yes, Cliff Hanger Café  858-452-9858

Bella Vista Social Club and Cafe  858-534-9624

SEE OTHER “GET OUT AND GO” BLOGS BY LINDA VK OLSON