I love adventure and trying new things & activities that others consider risk type behavior. This ranked up there with some of the more fun things that I have done, especially when I got to fly the glider. Just a plain fun experience & if you use a Groupon, well worth the price!

I took my first glider ride at Cross Country Soaring on my birthday. It was a beautiful Minnesota spring day and the soaring forecast was great. I flew with Don Ingraham, the owner and pilot of Cross Country Soaring. He has a ton of soaring experience and a fabulous reputation. My glider flight was absolutely AMAZING!! The ride was smooth and exhilarating. Don has a really cool communication style and an obvious love for his job - flying gliders! He explained everything before, during and after my flight so I felt prepared. As we soared, he would point out areas of interest and even let me take the controls for a short period of time. The time literally flew by and before I knew it, my flight was over. Now I can’t wait to take another flight! I enjoyed the experience so much that I have encouraged many of my family and friends to check it out. All who have taken their flight has had a similar experience to mine. The drive from the Twin Cities to Faribault is easy and approximately 40 minutes via highway. You can make a great day trip which could include lunch in Faribault afterward or a stop in Northfield for food and shopping on the way home. You will NOT be disappointed.

You are pulled by a plane to get off the ground. You are sitting in the front of the glider. You are then told to release the tow rope. You are soaring above Faribault then the pilot asks you if you want to fly the plane. You take the stick and you're flying a plane!! I had a wonderful time and I would recommend it for anyone.

When my husband and I took glider rides, it was an experience like no other. We had an easy time working with Don on getting the scheduling worked out, but be prepared: gliding is weather-dependent, so be flexible when you decide to do this. The equipment is well-maintained, and the friendly attitudes and experience record of all the people involved put us at ease so all we had to do was enjoy our remarkable rides. Thanks so much!

We worked the gliding into a trip from Wisconsin Dells. My 7 year old daughter, 10 year old son and I all went up with Don. Absolutely wicked. Not at all scary when you get into it, but like most cool things, one is a little apprehensive at first. Don is laid back and professional. Really enjoyed it, and it kids have bragging rights over their mates at school!