Aerial activities in California

Scenic flights in Northern California and along the coast

California lends itself to aerial activities thanks to the diversity of its landscapes. In the north, hot air balloon rides in Napa let you cross the wine valley, while gliders find good conditions in the Sierra Nevada, near Minden and Truckee. Light-airplane flights are offered in the San Francisco area, with routes that pass over the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Farther south, the coast between Monterey and Big Sur attracts ultralight and light-airplane circuits that follow the cliffs and beaches of the Pacific Ocean. These activities are for those who want to discover wide natural areas without necessarily going through the big cities.

Introductory flights in major cities and deserts

California’s major metros concentrate another kind of offer. In Los Angeles, helicopters are widely used to show the city from the air, with routes that pass by Hollywood, Downtown, and the surrounding hills. San Diego offers similar circuits around the bay and the coastline. Skydiving is very common in the south of the state, particularly in the Inland Empire valley and near Palm Springs, where tandem jumps take place in open areas.

Some inland airfields also organize aerobatic flights for those who want a more specific activity. California therefore brings together an offer that mixes scenic flights in natural areas and aerial activities departing from major cities.