A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure
31 reviews for A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure
31 reviews in English
-
Review from John B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wasn't able to make get any days off from work for the Valentine's day special, but our experience couldn't have been any less amazing. We arrived promptly at 6am and waited for the rest of the party to arrive.
*A word of advice: Find a place nearby to spend the night so you don't have to wake up at 3:30am to make the ride like we did...Hotel, anyone?*
The trip to the launch point was fairly short and we had a few laughs on the way.
Once in the air, the amazing-meter was put on MAX! The skies were super clear and our pilot, Jeff, was awesome! We went super high and came back down super low over the vineyards...pretty sweet!
Once it was time to come back down, we attempted and successfully completed a carrier-style landing onto the back of the trailer that the balloon was brought on...Pretty nifty!
Definitely thinking of going back sometime this year! -
Review from Joni S.
Camarillo, CA
1/24/2012
Took my friend for her 30th birthday and had a blast! Amazing views and great company. They'll provide pictures that you can find on their website. And the wine isn't too bad. The tour guide will give you recommendations on what wineries to try out as well.
Sad thing is that my computer crashed and I no longer have the photos taken. But at least I have the memory of the experience had! -
Review from Will C.
For my 100th yelp review, I want to write a review on an experience that is as equally monumental. And, that would be my first hot air balloon ride. I've always been fascinated by modes of travel, and as a photographer fanatic, photographing hot air balloons never ceases to disinterest me because of the variety of colors, shapes, and sizes of the balloons makes perfect fodder.
In deciding amongst the several hot air balloon companies in Temecula, I emphasized in my search criteria: cost, pilot ability, passenger experience, and extra services provided. It was one of the easiest decisions I've ever made to go with A Grape Escape. I couldn't have selected a better company for my first hot air balloon ride.
Placing my reservation on the phone with Barbara was a joy. She is a sweetheart and answered all my questions and concerns patiently. She was so enthusiastic about my trip as if she were the one going on the ride herself! She provided all the necessary forms and information on getting to Wilson Creek Winery (the takeoff spot).
Takeoff is at 6:30am from Wilson Creek Winery. There were two hot air balloons lifting off that day. One with 5 passengers in a small carriage + 1 pilot and the other (which I was in) with a total of 10 passengers +1 pilot in a much larger carriage. Each carriage had a ground crew of about 2-3 persons personally manning the balloon such as preparation, filling the balloon with air, and landing the balloon safely.
The ride itself is very thrilling, and the first time you experience being carried by the wind it's kind of jolting because it's an experience that few have ever encountered. Just think about it. Most people when they think of air travel, they think of flying with jet engines on an airplane that passes through the air. Hot air balloons, on the other hand, float on wind currents so it makes the destination and the ride truly a unique experience every time. But, once that initial feeling of floating on air currents is over, it's actually a very smooth ride especially when the winds are calm.
The ride itself lasted about 75 minutes. With about 20-30 minutes for balloon inflation and preparation and another 15-20 minutes for deflating the balloon.
One of the reasons why I'm glad I chose A Grape Escape over other companies was that one of the hot air balloon companies that took off at the same time we did, but ended their flight 15 minutes earlier. Moreover, they were stagnant in position and didn't move for awhile (shows pilot inexperience) and moreover, landed on their side of the basket.
The view of Temecula can be breathtaking depending upon where you end of taking off. Our initial take off position was a soccer field far north of the Wilson Creek Winery (took about 20 minutes to drive there). Once we were up in the air, we were afforded views of the nearby Skinner reservoir, Lake Elsinoir, and even Catalina Island in the far distance.
Once you land, they drive you back to Wilson Creek winery, and offer a continental breakfast of various danishes as well as complimentary almond champagne or apple cider. Not to mention a certificate!
This is an experience that I would highly recommend. And, I'm glad that I rode with A Grape Escape. They went above and beyond what was necessary of them to make this experience a very memorable one. -
Review from Lily C.
Walnut, CA
4/18/2012 3 photos
Let me start off by first saying that this has to be one of the best hot air ballooning companies! I seriously believe that. I went as kind of a little birthday present for myself and I really had a great time. You have to meet at Europa winery at 6:30am which was kind of hard for me to find at first since I was a little confused because of the e-mail they send gives you an address of the launch site instead of the winery location so I kept trying to find the winery using the wrong address and it just brought me to a random empty location. I went in circles for like 30 minutes when I was only 2 minutes away but when I finally arrived the staff was super nice and once everyone arrived we headed out to a launch site.
When we got to the location there was another hot air balloon company blowing up their four balloons already. They were taking a long time though so they never actually went up because of the heavy fog that day. Since ours only took about 10-15 min to blow up we were the only ones that got to go up that day so it was pretty cool. The views are not spectacular but it was still a really fun experience and I would go again. -
Review from Kimquyen L.
Irvine, CA
1 of the BEST customer service that I've had at any business. They are nice, friendly, accommodating, very professional & value your service so much. My fiance took me here 4 my bday celebration & it was the BEST experience EVER! =)
If you haven't tried hot air ballooning, then its definitely worth a try!
The views of the wineries in Temecula are beautiful & u can watch the sun rise & the fog starts to roll back! Such a romantic thing to do together as a couple too. =)
BTW, remember to mention Yelp to get the 10% off discount ;)Listed in: Great Places 2 Try =)
-
Review from Callie G.
Santa Monica, CA
9/4/2011
Our family was in the area for a wedding and we decided to book a hot air balloon ride as a fun activity for all. From beginning to end, our experience with the staff was great. From Barbara, who took our reservation, to Rusty our pilot and also the chase crew- all were super friendly, hardworking and professional.
The flight itself was super smooth, as were take off and landing. It's nice to see the vineyards, the surrounding mountains and lakes. Bring your sunglasses, cause it does get bright even though the sun's not quite up when you take off. It gets hot up there too, so dress in layers.
I would highly recommend riding with these guys.
Oh, the breakfast afterwards is nothing, so don't count on that. Pastries are those cheap generic ones in plastic wrappers you see at gas stations. -
Review from Derek P.
San Diego, CA
9/28/2011 2 photos
Wow what an experience! This was our first time doing a hot air balloon ride and we didn't know what to expect, but we had a blast! The pilot, Jeff is a nice guy and has been flying the balloons all of his life. He was telling us stories about Temecula, balloons and wine tasting here. Very knowledgable, friendly and professional staff. If you are looking at other balloon companies in this area, don't even bother. You get what you pay for, these guys are worth EVERY penny.
We actually purchased another balloon excursion through one of their compeitors and cancelled our order after reading their bad feedback and reviews. Also, the other company has no availability for 3 months! Well thank god, we went with the pros!! When we were about 10 minutes from landing, we saw the "other company" dragging the bottom into some grape bushes and ended up landing in a horse pasture! I doubt the owners wanted them landing in the pasture 10 yards from their horses while they were going crazy.
We had an amazing experience. When my family comes to San Diego for Christmas we are planning a family trip to Temecula and using GRAPE ESCAPE again!
Keep it up guys! 10 stars!!! :) -
Review from Normz R.
Redlands, CA
7/29/2011 1 photo
I took an ex here as a surprise the day before he left for bootcamp. I had an amazing time.
I had a private balloon ride for us, I can't remember our pilots name but he was so nice. He made us laugh and we had a great time exploring the grapevines from above.
We ended up at the Wilson Winery, which we were told was the same Winery Mr. Flava Flav himself took the girlies..
We ate our cheeses and we opted for the apple cider because we both don't drink alcohol (funny eh?).
Well, we had a great time and they even made our apple cider cork cap into an air balloon for us to remember them. We got our little certificates and they took us back and they even let us help them fold the balloon up.
I would definitely recommend this company to everyone! -
Review from Cris R.
San Diego, CA
2/23/2012
Had our first hot air ballon experience here, did not disappoint! Excellent service!
-
Review from John M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/4/2011
I cannot recommend A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure (AGEBA) highly enough! Our pilot (Jeff) and chase-team (Rick) were fantastic!
My girlfriend and I are paraglider pilots, but we wanted to try something different... for me, the fun of flying is actually doing the flying, so I had mixed feelings about ballooning. However, after our first ride, we were hooked!
Our ballooning adventure actually started nearly a year ago when we purchased a discount ride with one of AGEBA's competitors (SoCal Balloon Tours). After nearly a year of trying unsuccessfully to schedule and take a balloon ride, I wanted to give up on ballooning. However, my girlfriend really wanted to balloon it, so I started researching other companies. I found AGEBA and couldn't be more delighted.
Their prices were very reasonable, their customer service was topnotch, and their on-line booking system couldn't have been easier! (It's also worth mentioning that you get a discount for booking on-line).
The meeting location was easy to find (even at six am, prior to having my coffee). AGEBA's owner personally checked everyone in and directed each couple or group to their assigned pilot and chase vehicle. While we waited, I overheard the pilots and chase crew discussing several possible flight plans and having a mini-safety briefing... at that point, I was sure we made the right choice!
Jeff and Rick were amazing. They were perfectly willing to set up and launch the balloon by themselves... but when I asked if I could help, they were more than happy to let me (then everyone in the group started helping too)! If you've never seen a balloon setup and launch- it's pretty amazing. (You can find videos on youtube). We got in the balloon and Rick offered to take our photo for us (they turned out great).
The entire flight was smooth. Jeff maneuvered our balloon using different wind currents and made sure he slowly rotated the balloon so that everyone got breathtaking views and amazing photos. Even the landing was buttery soft. Jeff maneuvered us into the landing zone and then hovered the balloon three feet off the ground so that Rick could push us an additional 15 feet to a sandy path, where Jeff effortlessly put the balloon down.
After the flight, we all met for a champagne toast and continental breakfast... it was a wonderful way to end such an amazing adventure. -
Review from CheBerks P.
Glendale, CA
6/26/2011
You figure, you go up with the Balloon and as long as you come down with the balloon at a reasonable speed, it's a good ride. I did not really think of reviewing our Balloon ride but we had a great time and the guys did a really great job. We had Bill as our pilot and he knew everyone by name in the basket (there were 7 of us in his basket). He chatted with each of us individually and as a group. He had 2 younger boys helping him on the ground and they offered to take pictures and really just busted their butts off putting up and taking down the balloon. The ride itself was beautiful and relaxing. You can not beat the view from up there.
The champagne toast at the end was a nice finish. Overall, we had a great time. These guys love what they do and you can tell with the service that they deliver. -
Review from Jessica H.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/17/2011
My husband and I received the hot air ballon ride as a wedding present since it was something I had always wanted to do. We had to be in Temecula at 6:30am, which is super early for us since we had an hour and a half drive, but it was sooo worth it. The hot air balloon ride over the Temecula was incredible - gorgeous views, a fabulous pilot (Rusty), and even a great grounds crew (Steven and Dominic- hot dogs!). I am a little scared of heights but Rusty was such an experienced pro in flying hot air baloons that I felt completely at ease. He even landed the massive 12-person balloon on a tiny trailer. After we landed we went to Wilson Creek winery for a champagne toast and some fruit/danishes. Overall, and AMAZING experience that I would highly recomend to anyone. 5 stars and 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up!!
-
Review from Yummy Y.
Torrance, CA
I took my best friend for her birthday on December 23rd.
It was the day after the very heavy rainy day.
The rain washed everything away,,,,dust, smog, and clouds...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I saw a rainbow circular in the sky.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I was in the heaven....
http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Danielle C.
Los Angeles, CA
5/21/2011
We absolutely loved our hot air ballooning with Grape Escape. The whole experience was delightful. The staff was very friendly and made us feel very comfortable about the flight. I could sense the camaraderie amongst the Grape Escape team, they seemed to really enjoy what they were doing, which made our experience so much better.
The pilot, Tommy, was funny and friendly. Made us all feel comfortable and safe.
The ballooning was serene and beautiful. Even though the marine layer had crept in, they found an area for us to go up without a cloud layer.
Afterwards they had a very nice champagne and fruit/pastry breakfast.
Overall , a very enjoyable experience. Great people and a fine time! -
Review from Susan M.
Pasadena, CA
10/20/2011 3 photos
Great experience, thanks Rusty and team.
-
Review from JAM I.
Los Angeles, CA
6/13/2010 7 photos
I loved my first Balloon Trip with 'A Grape Escape Adventure'!!!
Me and my boyfriend wanted to do something different, so we picked this place, based on Yalp! reviews here...They were right!! They worth more than 5 stars!!! It was really early in a morning, but staff were really nice, and our pilot Pete was really great guy! We had a great time, and hope come back again. Thank you!! -
Review from Daniel H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/9/2012
Really nice and professional staff and pilot. Pilot Bill was knowledgeable. Although I'm afraid of heights, i was able to enjoy the flight and the amazing views. It's very serene and peaceful. Afterward, they gave my gf a birthday cake and we had very good almond champagne from Wilson Creek Winery. All in all, I'd recommend this to anyone considering it. A plus (though not for me) is that this company has been used for shows, such as Millionaire Matchmaker. You can tell that to your dates to impress them.
-
Review from Nicole M.
Huntington Beach, CA
7/4/2010
Amazing experience. It was my first time in a hot air balloon and I was nervous, but our guide Rusty made us feel very safe. Hes been doing this for 20+ years, and I suggest you request him. He even managed to land the basket back on the trailer, although he said that doesn't happen too often. You go where the wind takes you and the van chases you down. Unfortunately there wasn't much of a breeze when we went, so we didn't go too far, but it was still fun.
It is hard waking up that early, but its a great time overall. They even give you champane and some fruit and danishes after. -
Review from Ed S.
Reston, VA
8/3/2011
Excellent adventure. The crew has worked together clearly knows what they are doing. They put guests at ease and make you feel most welcome. Our pilot was Rick who is also the owner. Hens knowledgeable about the area and provided a lot of insight on how they use thermals to steer the balloons. After the flight we had a champagne toast with our new friends.
Highly recommended -
Review from Fani V.
Palm Springs, CA
2/15/2011
First time for my bf and I one day before Valentines day 2011, and everything, from the moment I booked online, to the moment I walked to my car was great. No complaints. They really have it down, had a blast!
-
Review from Chad A.
Yelpers really hit it out of the park with this one. I actually started my balloon company search on Google. After checking a few websites and their prices I decided to check out their reviews (if any) on Yelp. None of those companies were on there, but I found "A Grape Escape." I checked out their website and found they were $20-$50 cheaper per person even and especially on weekends. I then immediately booked our sunrise flights for a Saturday.
We arrived at the Wilson Creek Winery about 5 minutes late (since it was dark still we actually passed the winery!) This winery is beautiful and I cannot wait to make it back to try some more of their Almond Champagne. We waited for some of the other people that were also running a little late because the owner wanted all balloons to leave at the same time. Now the other Yelpers agreed that Rusty was an awesome pilot (and turns out to be the owner of the company with 23 years of ballooning experience) and as luck would have it we ended up with Rusty ("You don't like the hat...I don't like the hat!") After loading up our van because we had the biggest basket with the largest party of people we headed over to the launch site. We waited a few minutes while they inflated the balloons which makes for a great opportunity to take some beautiful sunrise photos. After all the balloons were inflated everyone easily entered the baskets and we were on our way. Now if there are any of you out there that has ever wondered what it's like to be a bird, but the idea of hang gliding or skydiving is just too scary then I highly recommend this experience (I actually recommend the experience anyway.) Everything about the flight is smooth from take off, to the flight itself, to landing. You will not experience air sickness or motion sickness at all. So those of you out there that are scared of this idea don't be as you'll miss out on a really cool experience. My mom also approached this idea with trepidation, but after doing it she was ready to go shout it on a mountain to all who will listen! Rusty was so professional, nice, funny, and informative. He shared lots of information about hot air ballooning and the city of Temecula and the spectacular panoramic views of the Temecula Valley at sunrise are simply breathtaking! The whole flight lasts about an hour (maybe more maybe less depending on the wind and landing site availability!)
After we smoothly touched down and the staff packed the balloon we headed back to the winery where we enjoyed a complimentary continental breakfast and glass of their famous (and delicious) Almond Champagne while we chatted about this special experience that we just shared. We were all given cards that are good for 2 for 1 wine tastings at the Wilson Creek Winery which wouldn't be open for several hours. If you have a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary not only will they put a banner on your basket but at the breakfast you will be provided with a mini cake to share.
If you've ever considered going hot air ballooning then stop procrastinating. The prices are more reasonable than you think they would be and it's such an incredible experience. Please check out their website and book yourself and your loved ones a flight as soon as possible!Listed in: Non Restaurants
-
Review from Jason C.
Santa Monica, CA
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great Place to fly and drink wine
-
Review from P D.
Beverly Hills, CA
5/28/2011
My husband booked us a flight for our 10th wedding anniversary and it was great!
Very organized, professional and accommodating to special requests.
Nice almond champagne celebration at Wilson Creek Winery after the ride - enjoyed it all. -
Review from Tonya S.
El Segundo, CA
11/25/2011
This was an amazing experience with a top notch company. Everything was well organized and they were great in making sure I knew everything I needed to know about the experience ahead of time. Rusty was out pilot and he was knowledgeable and funny. The ride itself was an amazing experience. And after they treated us to champagne and even gave me a cute little birthday cake for my birthday. Great company!
-
Review from Fran F.
Murrieta, CA
8/29/2011
We had the most amazing time a couple weekends ago! The entire experience from start to finish was magical. My husband said we were going fishing... instead we pulled into Wilson Creek Winery to find several hot air balloons staging for take-off. Little did I know that my husband had booked us passage on one of them! Our pilot Rusty and crew knew everything about everything in the valley. Their playful and hilarious banter made my pre-flight butterflys vanish. We sailed through the sky, soared over vinyards and flew so close to citrus trees that we could almost pick the fruit. Our amazing crew, Ricky and Dustin, were waiting for us as we re-connected with earth. We sipped champange, laughed with our new friends we made during our flight and left with a memory that we will never forget. Thank you Grape Escape!!!
-
Review from Naomi C.
Chicago, IL
5/19/2009
It was my first time in a hot air balloon and I enjoyed every minute of it. I thought the height would scare me, but I felt very safe. Our guide was the best. He was funny and very outgoing, made us feel comfortable. The trip was just over a hour long. The guide pointed out all sorts of stuff from the sky.
-
Review from Annie D.
8/20/2010
It was our first hot air balloon ride and it also happened to be the perfect day to go. It was a nice cool morning with calm skies. We were half awake when we arrived at the Wilson Creek Winery, but watching the sun rise over the mountains and seeing the little plots of vineyards was worth waking up early. We had 8 people in our balloon plus one pilot. Rusty was our pilot; he was fun and friendly and made us feel like we were in experienced hands. After the landing, we toasted with almond champagne and there were some fruit and store bought pastries for us in a basket. Not much of a continental breakfast, but that's okay. We drove down the street to the Original House of Pancakes and got our grub on. =)
-
Review from david p.
Corona, CA
9/15/2011
Took my wife for a Balloon ride with Grape escape for her birthday. Best Birthday present ever! The whole experience was great. Thanks to Rusty, Dustin and Ricky they were the best!
-
Review from Carolyn T.
Temecula, CA
7/8/2011
We loved our ballooning adventure with Grape Escape. The reservation process online was simple and quick. They reminded us twice with an email reminder of the meet-up location and rules. They called us once to see if we had any questions beforehand. Every encounter was professional and courteous. When we arrived, we were very excited. We had the birthday package with a birthday banner and cake. Rusty, the owner, was our pilot and he was interesting and entertaining. There is only ONE way to get a perspective like that of the beautiful Temecula Valley, and that is up in a beautiful balloon. Afterwards, we were treated to champagne and orange juice, as well as fruit and pastries. A wonderful birthday treat. Thanks Rusty and Grape Escape!
-
Review from Raul P.
Orange, CA
2/19/2010 5 photos
First I fly for a living and really didn't think I would have liked this but my girlfriend always wanted to give it a try, after all was done I absolutely changed my mind. We were referred to G.E.B.A by the owner of the Castle Bed and Breakfast (where we were staying). The online reservation process was simple and easy to complete (you can get a better price by reserving online). Here I was able to note that my girlfriend and I were celebrating our anniversary (which I'll address later). We first started off meeting in the parking lot of the Wilson Creek Winery. There are two parking lots, so look for the one that has the van or truck with the grape escape advertisements on the side. Here I'll advise that make sure you bring a jacket or something warm, and a hat. I didn't tell my GF and she was quite cold at 6am, but someone was nice enough to loan her a sweatshirt for the flight. We signed the paperwork, completed the billing, and met our pilot Rusty. We loaded in the van and started our journey, there were a few stops where they let out small balloons to see what the winds were doing. Getting the balloon setup was an experience in itself, watching the crew work together in unison was impressive. We had a much better experience loading in the balloon than the one that left before us. I'd also like to point out that since I noted we were celebrating our anniversary, the crew had a happy anniversary banner on the side of the hot air balloon basket!! The lift off was amazing and so much more relaxing than any plane or helicopter I've flown. Here you will be glad you brought a hat, because the burners send out huge flames and it feels like your hair is on fire and your face sunburned, (I just put my sweatshirts hood over my head and was fine). Our pilot was very knowledgeable and had an immense passion for hot air ballooning (I think Rusty said he's been doing this for some 20 years!). The altitudes ranged from around 2,500 feet to above the orange groves, by this time your jacket or sweatshirt was off because the burners keep EVERYONE warm in the basket. It was awesome!!! Now the landing... I was expecting to bend my knees and brace for impact, but our pilot (with the help of the ground crew) actually touched down very very lightly on the TRAILER!!!! yes the trailer!!! After getting the balloon dismantled and secured we drove back to the Wilson Creek Winery. A continental breakfast (muffins, light breakfast pastries, and fruit) were waiting on the tables for us. Here all the passengers were given certificates commemorating our first hot air balloon ride and had a toast (cider or the delicious almond champagne from Wilson Creek). After that then small cakes were presented to those celebrating Birthdays and... Anniversaries!!!!! I highly recommend this company their equipment (balloons, transportation) was immaculate and top notch. The staff, whether it was the reservation agent (who called and confirmed the day prior) the ground crew, and pilots were very professional and you absolutely knew who was a staff member. I look forward to using G.E.B.A in the future when I visit again with friends.
-
Review from shan s.
Los Angeles, CA
9/27/2010
I can't rave enough about my experience! I was lucky enough to get Rusty and he was worth the hype:) He was very funny and extremely knowledgeable of the area. I was a little nervous about the actual ride because I have a slight fear of heights but the entire trip was surprisingly smooth from take off to landing. Plus can't be the almond champagne toast when it's over! Hot air balloon ride is a once in a life time experience that should be on everyone's 'bucket list'. I highly recommend Grape Escape. Request to be in Rusty's basket if you can:)
