Best hot air balloon rides

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By Kimberley Lovato, Travel + Leisure
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updated 8:15 AM EDT, Tue May 6, 2014
Letchworth Gorge State Park, New York
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS
A hot air balloon ride above your
favorite travel destination may
rekindle a love of flight
More than 500 colorful balloons
take flight above Albuquerque
each October
Spot lions, hippos, leopards and
zebras from the Serengeti skies
Twisted rock formations of
Cappadocia, Turkey are caused
by 2,000 years of erosion
(CNN) -- Delayed flights, long lines, TSA pat downs—flying isn't what
it used to be.
But stepping aboard one of these hot air balloons is a guaranteed
way to rekindle a love of air travel. It's an opportunity to revel in the
world's most beautiful landscapes, high above the fray. And it's the
kind of worthwhile splurge that you'll be talking about long after
you're back on solid ground.
There's nothing quite like floating over the yellow grasses of the
Serengeti while lions and zebras frolic just a hundred feet below. Or
watching the first rays of sun paint Myanmar's ancient pagodas and
temples in hues of gold. On average, baskets carry four to eight
people, so the ride can be as intimate and romantic as it sounds.
Festivals also celebrate ballooning as a lofty spectator sport. Fans
turn out in droves each October to watch as hundreds of jaunty
balloons ascend en masse into the cerulean skies above
Albuquerque, New Mexico, making it the world's most photographed
event.
Whether you choose the birds'-eye view over a French château à la
the Montgolfiers' original flight or prefer to skim the treetops of the
Costa Rican rainforest, your spirits are destined to soar.
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Greet the day, and Australia's second largest city, from high above
the glistening skyline with a one-hour Balloon Over Melbourne flight.
5/7/2014
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You'll take in views of the city's central business district, its parks and
gardens, and notable landmarks like Melbourne Park and Rod Laver
Arena, site of the Australian Open. Back on terra firma, toast your
adventure with an optional champagne breakfast. From $320 per
person; balloonovermelbourne.com.au
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The Kimball Family and Napa Valley Aloft were floating people above
the Napa Valley long before it became a world-famous food and wine
destination. Weather is best between April and October in Yountville,
the launch site and picturesque town that's home to the French
Laundry restaurant. Soar over green rolling hills and small and large
family vineyards—with views to the Sierras and San Francisco on
clear days. Individual flights from $200 per person; group flights and
private tours available; nvaloft.co
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Serengeti, Tanzania
Lions, hippos, leopards, giraffes and zebras thrive on the grassy
plains of the Seronera River Valley, as you'll witness on a Balloon
Safari. Flights also catch sight of the estimated two million wildebeest
that migrate from Kenya to Lake Victoria each year, often passing
through the valley between May and early June and again from late
October to December. One-hour flights are followed by champagne,
an English-style breakfast under an acacia tree and more amazing
photo ops. $529 per person; balloonsafari.com
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Albuquerque, New Mexico
Each October, more than 500 colorful balloons take flight during
early-morning mass ascensions at the International Balloon Fiesta,
the largest such event and the most photographed event worldwide.
The dedicated 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park just north of
Albuquerque also hosts special-shape balloon rodeos and the
popular evening balloon glow, when pilots fire up their burners at the
same time and leave the balloons tethered. If you're feeling inspired,
Rainbow Ryders operates flights from within the park during the
fiesta. Prices range from $299 to $499 per person for a 60-minute
ride; rainbowryders.com. Advance-purchase festival admission for
adults, $12.
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Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada
An inflatable amusement park for kids adds to the appeal of the
Montgolfières Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu International Balloon Festival,
just 20 minutes from Montreal. This nine-day August festival invites
local folk groups and international musical acts to perform on several
stages at night. Watch balloons, some in unusual shapes, inflate and
take off into the sky; check out the Balloon Interpretation Centre to
discover the world of hot-air ballooning; or get into the action by
reserving morning or evening flights online. From $170 per person;
ballooncanada.com
Amazing views,
sweaty palms on
Canada's new Glacier
Skywalk
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Cappadocia, Turkey
Twisted rock formations—the handiwork of 2,000 years of
erosion—lend this Turkish landscape an otherworldly look best
appreciated from above. Royal Balloon flies year round, though
suggests dates between March and December for the most favorable
weather. The 60- and 90-minute balloon rides soar up to 1,000 feet
over spires and pillars known as fairy chimneys, plus subterranean
churches and dwellings hewn into limestone. A prelaunch breakfast
is also included. From $242 per person; royalballoon.com
9 intriguing fringe festivals
5/7/2014
Page 3 of 5
Letchworth State Park, New York
Follow the Genesee River as it rolls through the Letchworth Gorge,
flanked by towering slate cliffs, some 600 feet high. Balloons Over
Letchworth is the only company operating within the park from May
to mid October. The hour-long flight swoops over lush woods and the
middle and upper falls. Visibility is great in July and August when the
weather is warm and dry, while September sees the foliage at its
Technicolor finest. $249 per person; balloonsoverletchworth.com
Reno, Nevada
Held over three days in September at Rancho San Rafael Regional
Park, the Great Reno Balloon Race is a free event for the whole
family. Expect food vendors, craft activities for kids and popular
morning glow shows—a predawn spectacle with balloons twinkling
against the dark sky. More than a dozen specially shaped balloons
are on display, including an 86-foot-tall Darth Vader (enter a drawing
on the event's Facebook page facebook.com/renoballoon for the
chance to win a ride). It's neat to watch the actual race, in which
pilots maneuver toward targets and attempt to hit them with
beanbags. Tethered rides for kids, $5; renoballoon.com
Bagan, Myanmar
This journey over Bagan defines awe-inspiring—especially when the
sun's golden rays light up the white surfaces of more than 4,000
pagodas and temples in what was the capital of the first Myanmar
Empire. Since the monuments are scattered around an area of more
than 15 square miles, an aerial view is an efficient way to take in the
scope of this enchanting landscape. Book with Eastern Safaris for a
dawn ride that begins with tea, coffee and refreshments. From $320
per person; easternsafaris.com
Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Colorado Balloon Classic has been held each Labor Day
Weekend since 1977 and draws local, national and international
crowds to the foot of Pikes Peak to watch hundreds of jewel-toned
balloons mass-launch in front of the 14,115-foot mountain. Balloon
rides, evening concerts, coloring and photo contests, a children's
play area and tons of local food and merchandise are the many ways
the event raises money to share with local charitable organizations.
Balloon rides during the festival are $295 per person;
balloonclassic.com
See more best hot air balloon rides
Planning a getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to the World's Best Hotels
Copyright 2012 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.
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11 Comments
Nondi Ploom
•
Disagree. The very best hot air balloon rides are the ones that you survive.
•
•
Christopher Charpentier
•
Look out for those power lines! Where's the brakes on this crazy thing?!
•
•
Nondi Ploom
•
Yes! Trees and power lines are balloons natural enemies. they attack
them when ever possible---even though they know the trees and power
lines will win. The balloons never learn, do they?
•
•
Magdelene Monaco
•
I have absolutely no guts to get into one of these things!
•
•
Nondi Ploom
•
I though about it until I saw how they attach the gondola to the balloon.
They loop ropes around wooden pegs. That hasn't been improved since
the first balloon flight over 100 years ago.
•
Caleb Daniels
•
•
Three Mile Island not on the list?
•
•
Christopher Charpentier
•
You can roast marshmallows on a stick by holding them over the edge of the
basket as you drift overhead.
•
Utopia Travels
•
•
Seeing the balloons floating over the vineyards at 6 am is one of the most peaceful
sights.
•
Alden
•
•
Quechee, VT every Father's Day
•
•
spunkis
5/7/2014
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