Enjoy a bird’s-eye view while soaring high up in the air. For decades, hang gliding and paragliding have provided adventurers with a unique way to explore the world. Compared to activities like surfing and sports like soccer, these fancy, high-flying hobbies are a relatively new phenomenon.
Britannica and Smithsonian Magazine claim that modern hang gliding took off in the 1960s when the “fundamental design of the hang glider” came together. Early gliders built homemade, kite-like wings to carry them down dunes in California. In 1979, the United States welcomed its first paragliding school. Since then, the sport has gained a loyal fanbase that thrills at the chance to explore the air and Earth. Experience the magic for yourself at the country’s five best places for hang gliding and paragliding.