Hot Air Balloon ride near NYC?

October 19, 2010 10:24 PM

Where can I book a hot air balloon ride near New York City?

Asking for a friend: I need to find a reputable company that does hot air balloon trips relatively close to NYC (something like a half-day trip). A location with great views of the fall foliage etc. would be optimal.

posted by xanthippe to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (3 answers total)

I'm not sure about companies that offer this specifically, but balloons are highly sought after by skydivers. If you give skydive the ranch, skydive sussex, or skys the limit a call they can probably put you in touch with someone.
posted by mewmewmew at 11:47 PM on October 19, 2010

There are a few hot air balloon ride "resellers" and other associated ripoff artists, especially around the NYC area. Basically they will take your reservation and a bunch of others, lump them together, and lease a balloon and pilot for your flight. This ends up costing you more money, and you're not actually guaranteed a flight. Try booking with someone who owns and operates. This link should give you more information: http://www.localballooning.com.

I recommend contacting a hot air balloon club in your area and asking for a recommendation from them.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 5:04 AM on October 20, 2010

I was going to suggest checking with sky's the limit, too, but I found them (for skydiving) just by googling and calling around, so I'd start just by doing that - above the clouds comes up in a search and looks like the sort of thing you want. Just use common sense, and try a few places to get a feel for what you can expect.
posted by mdn at 7:06 AM on October 20, 2010