We are going to AZ in a couple of weeks - have never been there. Are doing two nights at GC, two nights at Sedona and a few days in the Phoenix area for a wedding. We are trying to solidify our pre-Phoenix time. D texted us all tonight to suggest we do a hot air balloon ride - she had gotten an email from the concierge at the hotel we are staying at in Sedona. I probably have to decide in the next couple of days if I want to do this (separate issue from whether we think it will be a worthwhile endeavor, letting us see things we wouldn’t be able to see otherwise - fwiw…the ride would be at sunrise).
So I’d appreciate it if you could share your positive and negative experiences with riding in a hot air balloon.
Yes, I am aware of the issue of pilots who shouldn’t be piloting for several reasons… have read horror stories of worst-cast scenarios. But I’ll bet 99% of the rides end up being completely safe. I want to know what it’s like to be in one.
And yes, in certain situations I can have a fear of heights, but in others be OK. I’m trying to figure out if this is likely one where I might be pleasantly surprised by my reaction or not. fwiw… last year when H and I took a four-seater sea plane ride off the Vancouver Island coast, I thought I’d freak out. It ended up being one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.
It’s very peaceful, perhaps because there is no relative wind, and the views are nice. And of course, you don’t move that fast. None of the adrenaline rush of jumping out of a plane (whew!) nor the danger. In general, expensive for what it is but if that doesn’t bother you, certainly worth doing at least once. I think most of the trips in AZ are in bigger balloons and are run by reputable outfits. I’d probably go for it if it interests the whole group.
It has been a long, long time but it was amazing. A sunset ride in rural Virginia (horse country) on a warm late August evening. It was really memorable.
If I ever do a balloon ride anywhere in the US, it will be in Sedona. The scenery was breathtaking on the ground. Cant imagine what it would be like in a balloon. Enjoy and let us know.
I’ve done a couple of them, and it is very pleasant and peaceful. Very nice, but nothing I was clamoring to do again or anything. The only thing is that the landings can be quite hard (not always), so I might think twice if I had back problems or something. But a lovely perspective on the landscape.
I think you need a little bit of tolerance for everything not going exactly as planned. I was with a large group that did it at a retreat and one of the balloons got way off course and the folks in that balloon were quite late in returning. A couple of them were super type-A control freaks and were completely livid that things had not gone exactly as planned.
Also, the whole prep process took a while and was a bit tedious. You don’t just get there and jump in your balloon. I recall there being a lot of waiting around before we got going.
I should also add in (if it makes any remote difference) that I’ve done parasailing, and did fine with it, despite an occasional fear of heights. I’m just trying to make sense of differentiating what things I have a hard time with, and what things end up being no biggie… and where a hot air balloon ride might fall into this continuum.
I don’t love heights – I completely freaked out on a Napali Coast hike when the wind was strong, for example – but I felt completely safe in a hot air balloon (probably deceptively so). I would think parasailing would be a zillion times more scary.
On the scariness scale (factoring in a slight fear of heights), I would rate it about as scary as a long ride on a chair lift at a ski resort (without the anxiety of having to ski down the hill). Not very scary at all. Most people would find it totally not scary.
For me, what makes it NOT scary is that someone else – an expert – is completely in control (unlike the Napali Coast hike, for example, when my life was in my own clumsy hands (or feet)). Others may have the opposite feeling.
I did it twice – once in Colorado with my H and once with the whole family in Kenya. Both times it was lovely. I don’t love heights but it was so peaceful that it didn’t bother me at all. Kids were teens when we went and they loved it as well. There was an occasional poof of sound when the balloon was inflated more to steer it that was always a bit startling to me because it was so quiet otherwise.
It is important to check that you go with a reputable company.
Just to add: one of the most remarkable things about a hot air balloon ride is just how quiet and peaceful it is. It is really very calming. Sometimes there is a bit of loud noise when they adjust things but the overall experience consists of quietly floating through a beautiful, natural environment. If you are concerned about anxiety – I found it to be very anxiety-reducing.
I did it in NY, early morning ride with a family friend for my 15th birthday. long ago. I enjoyed it but was surprised by tne noise from the burners while rising (horses below ran away). For a sunset ride, ideally there are no nearby power lines. I’ve heard balloon pilots say that can get challenging.
It’s funny that some mentioned a ski lift. When we were at Whistler-Blackcomb last summer, we took the gondola up from Whistler, the P2P across to Blackcomb, then the ski lift down (I was a bit worried about the P2P, but it ended up being an awesome ride, too). Some ski lifts exude a bit more steadiness and stability than others (and sometimes it’s just a matter of windy weather), but on our ski lift ride back down, it was the most incredibly peaceful feeling I’ve ever felt. And it was a matter of the peacefulness, solitude and quiet that calmed me down and made it so remarkably memorable. Thanks for the heads up about some noises and possible bumpy landings.
Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and courage to face your fears. That’s what I’m trying to work up to… the courage to face a possible fear.
As for safety, this company is coming at the recommendation of the concierge at the hotel (Amara Resort) we are staying at, so I don’t think they would recommend a fly-by-night organization (again, no pun intended).
The worst part is that it’s at sunrise ride and two of the four of us are NOT morning people! It is supposedly about a 60-90 minute ride.
Took a balloon ride over the Serengeti. It was great. The only issue was getting up early in the morning - before dawn. The customary champagne breakfast was also great.
“I enjoyed it but was surprised by tne noise from the burners while rising (horses below ran away.”
Hot air balloons regularly fly over our house in the summer. They are loud enough to wake is up. Our neighbor once sued the co because the drunks in the basket started throwing stuff at his horses… when those innocent animals get spooked, they can run into fences and injure themselves. Thousands of $$ in vet bills is no fun. But I digress…
The lawyers I know who do aviation work say to stay away from them. If anything goes wrong, it seldom turns out ok.
I won’t do it, but my husband wants to. They pass close over our house frequently. I love to see them ( from the safety of my deck)!
I did a hot air balloon ride over the castles of the Loire Valley in France. It was amazing. I definitely have a fear of heights and didn’t want to do it, but was peer pressured by my daughter. I’m glad I did it, but don’t know that I’d do it again.
No one else has mentioned feeling the heat when the burners would huff and puff. We definitely did.
We didn’t have a perfect landing. We were supposed to land on a road, but ended up in a vineyard.
I’ve been up in high performance jets with no worries but don’t think I want to be in a balloon. I prefer the physics of jets/planes that offer options if problems arise at altitude. I’ve considered a balloon ride but doubt I’ll ever do it.
