Riding a hot air balloon has been on my bucket list for just about forever. I constantly daydreamed about sailing away among the clouds in a hot air balloon basket looking out at the view. And in May 2024 I finally got the chance to cross this off of my bucket list.
Choosing A Hot Air Balloon Excursion:
I searched many websites to find the best deal, and found that Viator offered the best deals and the most excursion options for hot air balloon rides. So I searched Viator for hot air balloon excursions and reviewed countless reviews and photos. I wanted to make sure that I had a great view once I was up in the clouds. I saw hot air balloon excursions over mountains and over vineyards, and I finally decided to book a hot air balloon excursion over the vineyards in Temecula, by A Grape Escape Hot Air Balloon Adventure. The views looked absolutely stunning.
You can book your very own hot air balloon ride over the vineyards in Temecula here: https://www.viator.com/partner-shop/travelonapaperplane/Temecula-Hot-Air-Balloon-Ride-?medium=link&medium_version=shop
Preparing For Your Hot Air Balloon Excursion:
I was not aware of all of the technicalities involved in hot air balloon rides. Below are just a few things that are helpful to keep in mind before booking your hot air balloon excursion:
You cannot participate in this excursion if you have any heart problems or any other serious medical conditions
You must be able to physical get in and out of the hot air balloon basket - there are no doors so you must climb in and out of the basket
It is not recommended for pregnant travelers
There are a maximum of 16 spots available per basket, and they seem to fill up quickly!
Your hot air balloon excursion can get cancelled due to the weather and wind, even up to the morning of the flight! If this happens you can reschedule for a different available day or you may request a refund.
This hot air balloon excursion departs early in the morning, so that you can see the sunrise over the vineyards. Check-in is at 5:30AM and the ride itself lasts about an hour.
You must wear jeans and tennis shoes for this excursion, and it is recommended to wear warm clothes as it can get cold up there.
My Review of My Hot Air Balloon Excursion Experience:
I had booked a hot air balloon excursion for 2 people on a Saturday and was biting my nails as the date was approaching because the weather seemed to not be ideal and I was scared that my flight would get cancelled. I would be making a trip out of this and booking a hotel, so I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be going to Temecula for nothing. Around Thursday (a few days before my booked excursion), the excursion company reached out to me to inform me that there was a high risk of my flight getting cancelled due to weather, and to consider rescheduling. They were so helpful in helping me decide whether or not to reschedule, and also in helping me reschedule so that my companion and I could get on the Sunday hot air balloon ride. I rescheduled with no problem at all, and by Sunday I was so nervous and excited to get in the hot air balloon basket!
That Sunday, we arrived at Bowlero at Europa Village (a beauty on it's own!) at 5:30AM and did our check in, met with our pilot, got prepped for the flight, and got on a small bus that took us to the take off location. When we arrived at the take off location there were other excursion companies also lifting off hot air balloons and it was just a beautiful sight to see the hot air balloons with different prints and patterns get inflated and then take off into the clouds. If you were celebrating a special occasion like a birthday or wedding anniversary you could let them know and they had complimentary celebratory banners that you could take photos with.
Once we were up in the clouds, the view was absolutely stunning! Your stomach did not feel uneasy, there was no fear of heights, and it felt absolutely relaxing. Our pilot was amazing and offered to take pictures of everyone (with our own cell phones, not for sale) in the best backgrounds, he was hilarious and made us have a wonderful experience. The landing was incredibly smooth and an hour flight time flew by (pun intended)! After our hot balloon landed, we hopped into the small bus and were taken back to our original meeting point for a celebratory champagne, mimosa, or orange juice toast! We were also given souvenir flight certificates. And we arrived back in time to get breakfast at our hotel before checking out!
I highly recommend booking this hot air balloon excursion, because the experience was incredible and the excursion company is so thoughtful and attentive in communicating any concerns as far in advance as possible. As an extra plus, if you book it through Viator you get credit back to use on any future adventure or reservation! Cross this off of your bucket list, because it truly is a once in a lifetime experience!
You can book your very own hot air balloon ride over the vineyards in Temecula here: https://www.viator.com/partner-shop/travelonapaperplane/Temecula-Hot-Air-Balloon-Ride-?medium=link&medium_version=shop
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