Those with a passion for adventure are instinctively drawn to the sky. Since the days of the heroes of Greek myth, humanity has yearned to soar through the air with the wind in their hair and the sun on their face as they reach out and touch the wild blue yonder.

While humans have yet to devise how to create working wings as Daedalus did, thrill seekers can nevertheless partake in the exciting sport of hang gliding. Hang gliding combines two of the best parts of a vacation getaway — heart-pounding adventure and incredible vistas — into one unforgettable activity.

Let’s take a closer look and examine the fundamentals of hang gliding with a focus on how novice adventurers can learn.

Championship Competitions

One of the best ways to experience the excitement of hang gliding is by watching the best athletes in the world compete for championship titles. While there are dozens of hang gliding championships throughout the world, four competitions stand out as the most dramatic and definitive events of the sport.

These events include the World Hang Gliding Championships, the U.S. National Hang Gliding Championships, the British Hang Gliding Championships, and the Canung ra Hang Gliding Classic. Locations for these competitions change every year, but organizers generally select sites based on weather conditions and if the location facilitates soaring maneuvers. Ideal locations for hang gliding include mountainous and coastal regions, where wind speeds provide optimal lift conditions.

Of all the major hang gliding competitions, the World Hang Gliding Championships stands as the pinnacle event of the sport. Administered by the World Air Sports Federation, the World Hang Gliding Championships is the oldest hang gliding competition in the world, dating back to 1937. Held every other year, the event typically attracts thousands of spectators and is held over the course of 10 days. Visitors to the event can be simultaneously enthralled by watching dozens of pilots competing for the top spot while also enjoying the calming vistas of the event’s site. In years past, the competition has been held in places as diverse as Texas, Australia, and Poland.

Pointers for Beginners

While hang gliding remains one of the safest adventure sports, there are still a few things beginners should keep in mind before they plan their gliding excursion. Like most sports, practice makes perfect. Before planning your trip, make sure that your destination has a reputable hang gliding school. Hang gliding instructors certified by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association are available at most major hang gliding destinations. Traditionally, instructors take prospective students on introductory flights before teaching them the basics of the sport.

Alongside hang gliding techniques, instructors will also teach students how weather and terrain can affect their hang gliding experience. Since wind is such an important part of the sport, students are taught how to judge optimal conditions for flying by learning about the role of turbulence and wind direction. Instructors also teach students how different types of terrain can change their hang gliding experience. To this end, most schools start students off with glides from low-lying hills before advancing to higher, more rugged environments.

Great Spots for Beginners

Beginner hang gliders have their choice of great locations to experience the joys of the sport. The following places top our list of beginner-friendly hang gliding locations, sites that impress with their powerful vistas while also making for a thrilling adventure in the air.

Moab, Utah

Moab is the perfect place for mountain-based hang glider fun. A picturesque town in south-eastern Utah, Moab offers hang gliders beautiful views of the snowy La Sal Mountains and the red canyon walls of Arches National Park. Temperature conditions throughout the year also make for ideal gliding conditions, no matter when you choose to visit.

Yosemite National Park

Hang gliders flying through Yosemite National Park can experience a bird’s eye view of one of America’s greatest natural treasures. After obtaining the proper permit, hang gliders can launch from Yosemite’s famed Glacier Point, one of the highest points in the park. Along with great views of Yosemite’s famous forests, hang gliders flying through Yosemite will also get one-of-a-kind panoramas of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls.

The Northern Great Plains

The Northern Great Plains offers the gentlest experience for adventurers just getting into hang gliding. This area of America’s heartland includes eastern Montana and Wyoming as well as most of both orth and South Dakota. With its soft winds and rolling hills, this are takes vacationers back to simpler times when nature was untouched by human hands. Veteran hang glider pilots suggest timing Great Plains flights to coincide with sunset to enjoy the final rays of the day from the heights of the clouds.

Hawaii

Hang glider in Maui, Hawaii

Hawaii’s paradise views need no introduction, but they are even more incredible when experienced from on high. Hang gliding enthusiasts visiting the Aloha State head to a variety of locations across a number of islands, including Waikiki, Makua Valley, and on Oahu; Kailua-Kona and Mauna Kea on the Big Island, and Lihue on Kauai. Along with ocean views and the opportunity to check out the state’s famous beaches from above, hang gliding in Hawaii enables visitors to enjoy amazing vantage points of the island’s lush terrain and magnificent volcanoes.

North Carolina

North Carolina’s Outer Banks is a prime hang gliding destination. Along with beautiful views of the Atlantic, the Outer Banks area also provides weather conditions that make the area ideal for the sport. Hang gliding enthusiasts often flock to Kitty Hawk to experience the same beautiful vistas that greeted the Wright brothers on man’s first flight back in 1903. The natural beauty of North Carolina’s shore can also be experienced in glides over Jockey’s Ridge State Park, home to some of the tallest sand dunes in the United States.

Have you ever tried hang gliding? Tell us about it in the comments below!