- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Balloons Above the Valley
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 5 pm
About This Business:
Beau Wine Tours and Limousine Service offers custom wine tours and luxury transportation services throughout Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Marin and San… read more »
58 reviews for Balloons Above the Valley
58 reviews in English
-
Review from Surge C.
So amazing!
The boyfriend decided that this would be a nice Christmas gift. This has always been on my bucket list and I was ecstatic to be able to finally get in a hot air balloon. He was able to book is on New Year's Eve, despite how last minute it was.
Our ride was scheduled for 7am and we were asked to arrive 15 minutes early. We stayed at the Chablis and the meet-up spot for the balloon ride was at the Marriot, which was only a 5 minute walk. It was a good way to start the morning. They advise you to wear layers, but just so you know the coldest you will be is on the ground so if your comfy when you walk outside you will be fine on the ride despite how cold the weather may be.
We were greeted with warm smiles and had the procedures explained to us thoroughly. The ride includes a pre-brunch and post-brunch. The pre-brunch is comprised of a variety of Starbucks coffee and teas, hot chocolate, and pasties from the local Sweetie Pies bakery. It was a good way to start the morning. Once everyone arrived, we were escorted into vans that would take us to our launching spot. NOTE: the only opportunity you have to use the restroom is before the load you in the vans so make sure to go then!
It takes about an hour before you get up in the sky (including the pre-brunch, driving to the launch site, and having the balloon set up). Our first adventure was getting into the balloon. I have little grace and am not very tall, so I struggled to gracefully get inside. The ride can last anywhere up to 50 minutes to an hour and a half depending on if the pilot finds a launch spot.
Ours lasted nearly an hour and a half and the ride was so pleasant. The sky was completely clear and we could see the whole Napa valley, which was beautiful. Everyone in our basket was so nice and we all took turns snapping photos of one another. This is definitely one of the most romantic things to do!
When we finally found a landing spot we were loaded back in the vans and got to go enjoy the post-brunch (bottomless mimosas, champagne, home style potatoes, scrambled eggs, fruits, pastries, bagels). Yummy! Great way to end such a nice trip. JP who was our pilot even let us know the things that would be open on New Years day, which made the following day a lot easier. He even gave us vouchers for V. Sattui and O'Brien Estates.
All in all the experience was wonderful, the staff was personable, and the money was well worth it.
NOTE: Pictures are $20 a set so just be aware. Also make sure to tip the staff and pilot. They work really hard to make this an enjoyable experience! -
Review from Yvonne P.
Santa Clarita, CA
1/9/2012
I took the trip with them in September. The pilot is experienced and nice. The balloon is kind of large though. One basket holds about twelve people so it is not that suitable for someone who prefers a more private trip. The staff is extremely nice. I lost my sunglasses during the trip either in the shuttle bus or the basket. I called them and they were so kind to find it and mail it to me.
-
Review from Mark R.
Manhattan, NY
7/17/2011
The wind was too rough so our ride was canceled, but the way they handled it was absurd. If you want people to come back, you should probably serve them food (even if the balloon ride is canceled ) - they've been up since 4:15AM and were supposed to have breakfast served. Next time check the weather first.
The competing company somehow got their balloons up, they were having a blast over there.
A grandmother's 90th birthday was ruined. She was crying. -
Review from Alissa C.
San Francisco, CA
7/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
My BF got me a balloon trip for my birthday and I was so excited I barely slept the night before and I was wide awake at 4am to head up to Napa.
Of course we were in the group of people that had to go to Winters to do the ride. At first I was TOTALLY pissed..it didn't seem foggy in Napa to me, but what do I know. So we got into the vans and drove to Winters.
Our driver was quite possibly the slowest thing on Earth. He also stopped, on a curve, on the freeway, still half in the road, to re-close the door because the squeaking was bothering him. I literally thought we were going to die as cars whizzed by us. And it didn't help the squeaky door at all.
Once we finally got there and got up in the air I was a happy camper. Flying over the Winters/Sacramento Valley area is quite beautiful. You are in a small section with 4 people total, we were lucky that the other couple was small and they shared the space with us which was sweet. Scott was our pilot, and he was wonderful, very knowledgeable.
After, the brunch was great. It was about 9:30 or so, and my BF and I were waiting till 10:30 to go to the wineries, so we leisurely sat. Well they just kept filling us up with champagne and OJ, even after we said that they didnt have to, we were just going to wait. They staff (minus our first driver) was great to us. Scott also came by our table after and answered all of our (mainly my) questions about ballooning and his history flying balloons. He said every day they get up and are out in the fields around 3:30am to check the weather...so that made me realize okay, they do knw what they are talking about with the "fog".
Overall it was a great day, I didnt die on the side of the freeway for a squeaky door, and the views were great! -
Review from Carolyn N.
Napa, CA
5/28/2011
Me + my bf came here for my bday and it was great, but not "phenomenal". I've been on a helicopter ride through The Grand Canyon and I thought it would be that spectacular. Don't get me wrong... it was great, but I thought the helicopter ride was better and I thought it was going to top that. My expectations are high, mind you... So in short, if you've done a heli ride, then this may not top it, but it's still worth checking out.
The staff was very nice. We even tipped the pilot and staff $20 for the both of us because you just KNOW that it takes a lot of effort - esp if they are not sure where you are going to fly up and land). The balloon chasers are really young and you can just "tell" they are getting paid less.
Make sure to tip if they did a good job...
The breakfast was "okay" - not decadent, but more of a "Las Vegas breakfast buffet fare" with Mumm champagne.
Wear a jacket FOR SURE and bring tissues. I had snot coming out like a little kid because it was so cold in the morning.
*Checks off Bucket List now* -
Review from Suzanne F.
Palo Alto, CA
6/14/2011
Celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with a trip in the air.
Was able to reserve our flight date via email and received a confirmation phone call the day before which was very helpful in answering our last minute questions.
We began by checking in at the Napa General Store, it seemed to be a smooth check in process and they had coffee and muffins available to snack on.
Unfortunately due to cloud/fog conditions we were told we could NOT fly over Napa valley, but drove about 30 min. to nearby Winters. Only real difference I could appreciate was instead of being over the vineyards, we flew over fields and orchards. I didn't mind.
The company shuttles you to and from the takeoff/landing areas. We enjoyed our flight, JP was a knowledgeable pilot who made just the right amount of conversation and was able to answer questions when asked. I was surprised by how large the balloon was and how many people flew. The company had 5 balloons fly that day. Our balloon held approx 25 people in 4 individual compartments.
The champagne brunch was well run. The staff and pilots were around to serve juice and champagne and then you could help yourself to the breakfast buffet (just your standard buffet type food).
Overall a wonderful experience that I'm glad to say I have done! -
Review from Jessica M.
Western Springs, IL
9/8/2011
We had a wonderful time, even though the fog forced us to go to Winters. And the brunch was DELICIOUS, which was a big surprise! All in all I would recommend this company highly.
-
Review from Natalie D.
San Francisco, CA
8/19/2011
If you notice a theme in the reviews, it goes something like this " Unfortunately, there was fog over Napa, so we had to go to Winters." Well, I don't believe it. I think this company is deceitful and "a racket."
I just spent $440 plus $30 for photos }(for my niece), plus a tip for the balloon navigator (its not his fault the company is deceitful) for a ride 44 minutes notheast over Vacaville? A few farms and alot of freeways. Not even close to Napa wineries, land and landscaping.
There were 16 people per balloon, approx 6 balloons.....Its a a smooth commercial operation that has you meet at the Napa General Store - intentionally letting you believe you will be going over Napa. I did ask about this specifically when I booked because I saw the suggestion on another website...and they politely told me there was a chance. If I had not asked, I would have never known. Shame on me for booking with them, but thy led me believe it was rare.
Once I saw the size of the operation and the smooth, nice friendly peple....it was all too clear.
Good food and friendly people does not make up for riding over that area. Wish I could sue, but unless I'm a weather expert, it would be hard to prove. And, they could on the naivete of people.
NEVER AGAIN will I go with them. I hate commercial deception. (and by the way, being jammed in with 16 people per basket. Luckily I was on the outside, so I should be grateful. But, I felt badly for the guy on the inside).
Oh.... and one of the people with the company described in detail about all of the issues companies have landing....and I'm sure this is why they fly up there. NOT because of fog. Who knows. I'll never know. I've flown with another company and on a similar weather day, we enjoyed our ride over Napa.Comment from Cindy B. of Balloons Above the Valley 8/22/2011
Hot air ballooning is very weather dependent. Unfortunately… More » -
Review from Dave C.
San Jose, CA
4/24/2011
Our balloon ride was on a very still day, so we basically just went up, floated a half-mile and then landed an hour later. They pack you in pretty tight in their baskets, with 16 people plus a pilot on each balloon.
Our pilot was good - entertaining, funny and seemed to be competent, but when we landed next to a wind machine in a vineyard, the balloon rubbed up against the propeller and ripped the balloon, which he took surprisingly well.. It seemed like the balloons from this company had shorter flight times than a 2nd company that was flying at the same time.
The post flight brunch was better than we had expected.
Overall it was good, but some wind would've helped out. -
Review from Jannifer H.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2011 4 photos
My boy friend surprised me with this balloon trip around 1 year ago for my birthday. I loved it!
We had to wake up extra early, around 5am to get to the meeting site. We got to watch them inflate each balloon, one by one, which was interesting.
The best part was when we were up in the sky, everything was kind of surreal. If you like site seeing, then this is a great ride for you. VERY relaxing. Wish i can take a nap and ride for hours... but it only lasted around 1 hour... View my photos to see how tiny the cows looked. neat! (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
We landed in the middle of a random street. The workers tugged us around till there was a good spot to deflate the balloon.
After that, we had a comp brunch buffet with all you drink mimosas! Food was the basics (eggs, fruit salad, bacon, sausage, potatoes, etc).
Overall it was a fantastic experience! The only down side was that it wasn't long enough, but I would want to do it again. -
Review from Yoon P.
9/11/2010
5 Things you have to be aware of when booking with BAV:
1) Check weather forecast. If it's cloudy or windy, better reschedule.
2) DO NOT buy their gift certificates. Although they are a little bit cheaper, it's a hassle because they don't refund the gift certificates and you don't get highest priority when rescheduling.
3) You have to wake up at 5AM to meet at the General Store.
4) If the weather conditions at the Napa is not good, DO NOT fly over the other area. It's flat and not so pretty.
5) Hot air balloon is not as romantic as you would think. There is fire blazing right above your head every 5 minutes. And it is very loud and hot. Try a ferris wheel instead for much less price.
Overall, me and my girlfriends enjoyed the ride very much, but it was nothing spectacular. I'd say the ticket is a bit too pricey for what it is, but oh well. We liked the vineyards and sunrise and the breakfast buffet, as well as the mimosa. Very relaxing after riding on the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology invented in 1783.
One other note is, they send you a confirmation email with a note saying the pilot would appreciate getting tipped. I never heard such a thing anywhere else, so we thought that was quite odd. We ended up tipping him anyway since we were quite happy to land safely... -
Review from Lisa B.
San Jose, CA
8/7/2011 7 photos
Brunch buffet was a great finish, guides were informative and fun (we tipped ours) and we took lots of great photos! Ask to land near the sunflower patches =D
-
Review from Monica F.
9/21/2010
I think i wasted money for this "experience". we paid $170 per head for the ride and the champagne breakfast.
It was the most boring ride in my life. well sort of.
okay. so we all met at the general area at 5am. they served some pastries and coffee/hot choc...and then you wait for your van to drive you to another valley where all the balloons are set up.
the most interesting part of it all was being lifted off the ground. and the landing. for a good 5 minutes up in the air, it's awesome to take pictures.
but it's just the same scenery of greens and browns everywhere.
I guess these people could lessen the price and lessen the time of being up in the air because c'mon..there's not too much interesting things to see in Napa.
Oh! Funny...our balloon driver is an ordained minister. So in our balloon basket, a Wedding actually took place! (these two youngsters should have at least booked their own balloon, right?!)... they had maybe 4 guests with them in our same balloon who cheered. and I was given the position to Blow bubbles! so yah. i blew bubbles for these two kids i don't even know. i heard their vows too. but let's not get into that. me and my friends tried our very best to hold our laughter.
After the ride, the van awaits where you land and takes you back to the general meet up area. And continuing with my story. these two newlyweds went Hot and Heavy in our Van..kissing so noisily i had to force myself to sleep! Thank God for Dramamine!
The breakfast was alright. they had bacon. With bacon, im happy. -
Review from Tiffany V.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2010
I was saving my 200th review for my birthday extravaganza. Unfortunately, going to Sonics for the first time ended up being the highlight of my birthday.
My boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Napa and we left the day before my birthday. He purchased the tickets far ahead of time and he reserved a shuttle to take us to the General Store where everyone was supposed to meet. We had no desire to be driving around Napa looking for the place at 5 am so it sounded like a logical decision.
It is recommended to call 30-45 minutes beforehand to check on weather conditions. We called 5 minutes before and they said it was fine. The shuttle picked us up and drove us to the General Store. There were muffins and coffee but the muffins were all gone when we arrived. After waiting a few more minutes, everyone loaded up into the shuttle busses and they drove us to the launch site.
We waited at the launch site for a while and then they finally told us we wouldn't be going up because it was too windy. They drove us all back and our driver said we could reschedule for the next day. The whole ordeal took us two hours and we were left with no compensation and no plans for the rest of the day.
My boyfriend called the company after 8 which is when the office is open. They said Tuesday was the only day we could reschedule. Tuesday? This company is obviously under the impression that their customers have no responsibilities such as work or school.
He left a voicemail for the manager so we could get a refund. He called again and again and he has still not heard back. He e-mailed them and now they are saying they are booked until July which is ridiculous, especially considering that I am moving in August.
So now we are out 1) day of work 2) a hotel night 3) a ruined a birthday 4) 2 hours of our time 5) $370Listed in: Never Again
-
Review from Carmelita A.
Santa Rosa, CA
8/21/2011
Yes, even though its was too foggy to fly over Napa and ending up jumping into the van and driving to Winters ... I still had a great time. The staff we very friendly and surprisingly wide awake at 5:55am.
I had a great experience..
The hot air balloon ride was a birthday gift from a friend, I made the reservations online and its was extremely easy to make a reservation even with my horrible computer skills.
JP was our pilot, he had the humor, knowledge of the are we were flying over and had the conference that he new what he was doing since I have a fear of heights, he made me feel comfortable.. Nick and I had an amazing first experience riding in a hot air balloon..
They served us breakfast after the flight giving us the time to savor the moment and thank the staff... The food was very tasteful..
I would definitely pass on the experience by give the gift of a balloon ride to someone in the near future...
The prices of the photos they were selling at the end of the ride were extremely over priced.. I would recommend anyone to bring their personal camera and save the extra cash.. -
Review from Anele S.
Columbus, OH
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was going to surprise the hubby with this but when he said "as long as your surprise isn't a hot air balloon ride" I thought I'd better tell him so he could get the heebies out of his system. You have to be there no later than 5:30am to leave from Napa but it's a once in a lifetime (maybe) thing so just get up early and don't whine about the early rise. The check process was nice and they tell you who you'll be flying with (3 pilots). They serve coffee and muffins while you wait. I did hear one woman who had to reschedule and the woman said she didn't have her on the list and she said "I drove down from Calistoga and YOU are the person I spoke to so we'd better be on the list!" She said they had plenty of room but it was still not reassuring to hear that if you got bumped you were no longer treated as priority like other reviewers have said. But we really lucked out with the perfect day.
The most scary part of the whole ride was getting in and out of the basket which NO ONE does gracefully and they tell you that. We were lucky enough to have great weather and the most experienced pilot for our flight, Jason. Our flight was 50 minutes long and believe me, you are crammed in there with others, just enough room to turn around but everyone is on the outside so everyone has a view. It's only quiet and peaceful when the burner isn't blaring to keep you moving and that isn't often and even then, you have to hope everyone isn't yucking it up and ruining the zen. It is amazing watching a sunrise from the balloon and honestly, you feel silly for ever being scared in the first place. (I never was for some weird reason) Jason landed with pinpoint precision right where he said he would and when we got back to the store, we tipped him $20 for a good, informative ride. We were a little irritated that it was suggested you tip your pilot especially when you're dropping $200pp already but with the cost of fuel and maintenance, I have a feeling these guys may not get much of the cut when all is said and done so we didn't mind. They have a breakfast when you get back where you can purchase the pics they took of you in the basket/your balloon in flight. Plunk down the $20 if you don't think you'll ever do it again. Will definitely do this again. -
Review from Melissa C.
Emeryville, CA
6/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
We decided to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary with a balloon ride and it was fantastic!
We made our reservations online as they had a special for a discount if you went to their website to reserve. The process was very easy and they called a day before our scheduled flight to confirm our reservation. We woke up at the crack of dawn (...and it is worth the early wake up time) to show up at the Napa General store where there were muffins/coffee waiting. The staff was very organized and friendly and ready to answer any questions anybody had about embarking on a hot air balloon. There was actually some fog in Napa so they did have to reroute us to a secondary launch site in Winters, so we didn't actually get to see any vineyards during our flight and instead saw more orchards and some farmland...which was fine, the views were still spectacular. They did give you the option if you really had your heart set on seeing vineyards to reschedule your flight for another day if you wished. Scott, our pilot was super friendly and knowledgeable and offered information when asked. The whole flight was about an hour and was very smooth. It was also quite warm once we were in the air due to the propane burners used for the balloon so i would suggest dressing in layers. Overall, this was definitely the highlight of our Napa day trip.
Afterwards we were served a buffet breakfast at the napa general store and offered endless mimosas. What a great way to end a great balloon ride! It's definitely an experience worth checking out if you have never done a balloon ride before. -
Review from Gina C.
San Jose, CA
7/19/2010
My partner and I really enjoyed our time with Balloons Above the Valley. The ground crew and our pilot, Scott, were very friendly and helped keep our flight a pleasant one even though weather did not permit flying over Napa Valley. Fog forced our flight over to the adjacent valley which meant a longer ride to and from the launch site and vastly different scenery, but it was still a nice flight. We enjoyed it enough to book again and hope the weather cooperates for a flight over Napa Valley.
If you live near Napa, be sure to check out the "locals" rate on their website and book as far in advance as you can - they fill up fast. -
Review from Jaimie M.
New York, NY
9/2/2009
Took a flight with Balloons Above the Valley this weekend, as a special weekend treat booked by my partner. So much fun! We met at the Napa General Store at 5:30 and got checked-in and treated to muffins and coffee. After a short wait and briefing, we got in vans that took us to our launch site, smack dab in the midst of a beautiful vineyard. We got to watch the balloons being inflated, then jumped into our basket once we were set.
Take off was beautiful, there were a few other colorful balloons in the sky already, which made a lovely picture. I'd recommend earplugs because while the majority of the time the flight is very calm and silent, when the pilot fires up the balloon, it is quite loud. We went up and stayed up for about an hour, everything was so beautiful. Our pilot JP was great, pointing out key sites and even giving us a very skilled and smooth landing.
After we landed we were greeted by the van and driven to our lovely champagne brunch back at the General Store. Brunch was really nice, with free-flowing bubbly and lots of hearty delicious options. We were seated in the back garden on a beautiful summer day, which made the whole experience even nicer. Overall an amazing experience and a perfect gift! -
Review from MIA N.
8/22/2007 10 photos
I had an extraordinary experience here with my BF for his birthday celebration!
From the first phone call for pricing and availability to the very end when they dropped us back off at the Beazley House, everything was done with great care and enthusiastic hospitality.
It was not scary at all (at least for us..but we aren't afraid of heights) and a fun experience. There wasn't room for that much romance since there were 7 other couples along with the pilot on the balloon with us..but still a good experience.
1. Get picked up at 5:30AM in front of your B&B by one of many of their cool vans with cute license plate names.
2. Arrive at the Napa General Store to figure out which group you're in and to give them time to figure out weather conditions therefore launch sites. Muffins, bagels, coffee, and hot chocolate available as well. Oh yea, use the bathroom here if you're an easy pee-er.
3. Get back into van to specific launch site with tons of other people (around 90 for us during the beginning of August).
4. Gather in assigned groups and listen to the director while watching workers fill up balloons. Oh yea, and take numerous pictures of the balloon, you and your significant other in front of it, etc.
5. Listen to directions about going into the balloons and which sub-group you are in (A1,A2,B1,B2 - for the 4 corners of the balloon basket).
6. Finally jump on in with the help of your significant other. Then stand there for a while..then the photographer comes around and takes some shots (for the souvenir which you will have to end up paying $20 for! Why can't they throw them in..I mean you already are paying $205 per person!)
7. Slowly float off into the air..while the other soon to be passengers on the ground wave you off..
8. Start taking endless pictures of every single thing..vineyard...okay another one..oooh gotta zoom in on that grape vine over there.. (This goes on for about an hour while depending on which pilot..makes entertaining jokes..)
9. Time to land...the pilot walkie talkies with the vans on the ground and they follow the balloon for a while until it gets closer to a landing spot.
10. From landing site..back into the van to the Napa General Store.
11. Be pleastantly surprised by the niceness of the general store as you actually get to go all the way inside into their dining area which has tons of tables set up (you know where you are seated because of the name of your pilot and the souvenir picture of you and your lover and your balloon in the air).
12. Bottomless Domaine Chandon champagne and orange juice = yummy mimosas!
13. A variety of hot steaming breakfast foods on buffet style table..eggs, bacon, potatoes, hash browns, sausages, fresh fruits, yogurt, granola, and other varieties of cereal.
All this goes on from 5:30AM until around 10:30AM depending on how fast you eat and which group you are in..if you're not in one of first groups then I guess you follow other balloons around in your van. That's what it looked like because as we got off..another group was beginning to load into our balloon.
I thought it was going to be freezing but I was fine in my black peacoat and my boyfriend in a regular sweater. It got sunny while in the balloon but of course that depends on the weather.
The view is great! It is definitely a romantic couple outing, especially if paired with a nice B&B stay and fine dining in Napa or Yountville. I would do it again sometime..maybe with another boyfriend because one time is enough with this one...
SEE PICS! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Foster City, CA
5/1/2011
Wow, what an awesome experience. I have lived in the Bay Area for just over 40 years and have been wanting to go on a hot air balloon ride for a very long time. I finally did it a couple of weeks ago and had an amazingly great time!
We started very early (6:30am) at the Napa General Store, were driven to the launch site (unfortunately the wind in Napa was too strong, so they took us to Winters). We arrived after a couple of balloons were already inflated, but were able to watch the remaining few be inflated. That was amazing too! Then we were quickly ushered into the baskets (about 5-6 people per side, so a total of 20-24 + the pilot) and lifted off. Once we were off the ground it was so smooth, and calm, and not what I expected. I thought there would be some 'turbulence' - you know, like on a plane. This was...well, surreal. The sight-seeing was great, even though we weren't over Napa. After a little over an hour we landed in a field. Our pilot, JP, had prepped us for a bumpy landing, but it was really smooth - like stepping on the brakes in your car. He drove us back to the Napa General Store for all-you-can-drink mimosas and coffee, and a hot breakfast that included fresh-baked scones, fruit, salad, eggs, bacon, sausage, bagels and toast, and other breakfast breads. Yummy!
From the moment we checked in with Rosie, to the ride with JP, this was such a great experience. After waiting my entire life to take a balloon ride, I can't wait to do it again! -
Review from kim n.
1/7/2009
I've learned very early on that Im a night owl. It's easier for me to stay up until 5am than get up at 5am. Unfortunately for an adventure like this you have to get up at the ass crack of dawn. Oh the pain....grogginess...must hit shower....
After getting a blast of steam inducing water I was ready to do this. We got a shuttle ride out towards the Napa General Store where we were to meet the rest of the passengers. We were then transported over to the launch site, which was provided by the Napa Valley Wine train in Yountville. After watching the inflation of the balloon, we hopped into the basket and off we went.
A slow ascent to 3000 ft and 16mph drift over the valley. We got a history lesson of man y of the landmarks in the area and every once in a while the sharp charge of the jets heating the balloon. It seems really surreal floating like that in the air and height didnt really seem to be much of a bother to anyone. The descent was really interesting as the pilot talked about the different places and ways he could land. He even talked about a competition he was in where he took the balloon on to 10K ft. Now that would have been cool. As much as I don't like being up that early in the morning, it was an a great experience that I wouldn't mind doing again. -
Review from Mark B.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2007 4 photos
I'm just going to second the one previous (and well done) review here:
this was a great experience!
everything was well-organized and marvelously handled from start to finish. the ride itself was magical, and a perfect way to get a feeling for the napa valley.
our pilot was knowledgeable and super-friendly. the buffet after the ride was a great way to cap-off a great experience. it was truly remarkable. I'm sure the other three friends I was with feel the same way.
if you plan on visiting napa, absolutely pencil yourself in for a ride with these folks. you'll leave with some incredible memories :-)
P.S. -- being a commercial pilot myself... I'm a *huge* critic of stuff like safety and competency when it comes to flying around in things. I was thoroughly impressed by our pilot... and his ability to maneuver the balloon within inches. trust me -- after being a flight instructor for years, I'd know if someone is a putz. no putz-ism here -- great pilot! :-) great fun too. -
Review from Henry S.
Pasadena, CA
8/11/2010
Took my girlfriend here as part of our tour of NAPA. Woke up at 5am to meet promptly at the General Store. They set up breakfast for us and introduce us to the whole process. It was unfortunate that we could not fly over Napa Valley itself because of fog but it's not their fault. They do let you reschedule if you insist on flying over Napa itself. We have to drive 30 minutes out to a different valley for our ride. By the time we got there, 2 of the three balloons were already set up and ready to go. Our pilot was Jonathan and he was an ex-royal navy helicopter pilot and he was very funny. The balloon basket holds like 16 people so it's a little cramped. The whole ride was pleasant and a very nice experience.
We had a champagne breakfast afterwards provided by the company as part of the deal. It was overall a very relaxing and eye opening expereince.
We got to do this half off so it was a great deal... I don't know if I would do this if I have to pay full price. It's not the most exciting thing to do but I guess it's something you would want to do once in your life. -
Review from henry s.
Concord, CA
7/19/2007 8 photos
"up, up and..." song sucks and it still sucks after all those years (yeah I'm THAT old, fuck off...) When I found out that my co-workers and I were going hot air ballooning my first thought was YAWN! Floating slowly around 1500 feet looking at munchkin-sized vineyards didn't sound as exciting as say, rafting Class 5 rapids or sailing San Francisco Bay in heavy winds. Where's the adrenaline? TRIPLE YAWN for the fact that we had to meet-up in Napa at 5:30 AM and I'm in the East Bay which meant I had to drag my sorry ass out of bed at 3:00 AM... WTF! There better be enough room in that gondola for a sleeping bag!
When we arrived we found out that Napa Valley was fogged in so we'd be flying over farm fields in Winters by Davis... corn and alfalfa right? zzzzzzz...
Well, my stupid whine-a-tude was quickly dispelled once the pilot lit the burners for lift-off. Ever have those cool flying dreams? We floated gently over farm fields and orchards, cruising with the morning breeze, the silence occasionally punctuated by a burst of fire. The scenery was insane with slow motion views that you can only get from a balloon. We were all stoked to see the snow capped Sierras on the horizon. Great photo and video ops!
It was apparent that the pilot was very experienced and knew his shit. He expertly guided the huge balloon over treetops, farmhouses, roads, and even descended to just a few feet above the corn fields. That's right, CORN! When was the last time y'all had a FRESH TASTY COB O CORN! Anyways, he was also informative and entertaining as he answered questions and joked around a little. After an hour of ballooning, we touched down on a country road. The staff efficiently deflated and packed up our monster-sized balloon and we all headed back to Napa for a nice champagne brunch. There were even some veg options -- BONUS.
If you ever get a chance to go hot air ballooning, DO IT! You'll be stoked. It's definitely a memorable adventure and this all pro crew will do it up right.
Since I had the afternoon off I took a looooooooong nap once I got home. I think I've added a few more scenes to my floating dreams... COOL. -
Review from Earlene C.
East Bay, CA
1/3/2009 2 photos
Thanks for Balloons Above the Valley for helping my boyfriend surprise me on our 2 year anniversary! It was a dreamy way to be proposed to! The sites were breath-taking and romantic!
Fabulous hosts and pilot. The brunch was delicious too. -
Review from Joan B.
Santa Cruz, CA
10/10/2011
We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary with a balloon ride. What a fantastic adventure. The team at Balloons Above the Valley were wonderful making the experience even better than we thought possible. Scott was our pilot and provided us with great stories and information about the balloon, the Napa Valley and some of the characters living there. Later he graciously poured us some champagne! Now that's a multi-talented man! Everyone was friendly and thoughtful. The day was perfect the brunch was fantastic. Thanks for the great time!
-
Review from Jennifer S.
Chicago, IL
5/20/2011
This company was fantastic to work with! I was visiting the area and had always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon. I had questions regarding the fees if weather conditions did permit ballooning on the day I had scheduled. (I have had two previous rides canceled because of weather where I live) I received prompt responses to my questions and booking online was easy.
Yes, you have to get up at 5am but how often are you riding in a hot air balloon?? You have the most breathtaking sunrise views. Yes, it isn't cheep but the prices are average, if not better, than other places in the U.S. (And the experience is priceless).
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I rode with the owner, who answered all of our questions and was a real pleasure. I was exceptionally pleased with the overall service and experience. I would recommend to my friends and would definitely do it again, if I'm in the area. -
Review from Mona Lisa M.
San Jose, CA
8/9/2009
I just had my first hot air balloon ride experience this morning here during my romantic getaway in Napa. I was so excited that I woke my date up at 2:45 AM in the morning (which he's still giving me a hard time about) thinking it was already 5 AM (the time in which we had the alarm set).
Scott was our pilot and he was knowledgeable in what was where. He was also a good sport with the questions that were asked by people (including mine about how long he's been doing this for - and found out that he's been doing it since the year after I was born).
It was exciting to see the flames shoot out in bursts (which I was right underneath and never got used to) and it was not too cold or windy. The baskets fit 16 passengers + 1 pilot and you do stand the whole time which may not sound appealing to some but I absolutely loved it cozzying up to my date and enjoying the beautiful scenery (which included the sun rise). It's definitely a romantic setting for kissing.
Oh, and do note that their bay area residents' discount is the most reasonable price out of all that I've checked out (they usually run in the $200 range but this special discount rate was $169/per person and is purchased online). You do have to reserve when you would like to use the tickets though, so make sure you do that.
Even though my date I knew we were going to return to our bed and breakfast for breakfast, we did stay for a bit for the post-flight champagne brunch. The rest of the staff members were very courteous too and even served us orange juice/champagne (together for mimosas or separately) - even Scott, our pilot came to the table twice to make sure our glasses were filled. It was definitely the basics so nothing particularly fancy (fruits, yogurt, granola or cereal, muffins, scones, eggs, and bacon) but it was cool to see that our photos that were taken before flight were placed on the table where we were to sit at (which can be purchased for either $20 for one or $30 for two - we purchased 2).
And to those like myself who are/may be concerned about becoming air sick or getting motion sickness (which I get on very long airplane rides) you don't feel any of that at all, so don't even worry about it. -
Review from qirk z.
Los Gatos, CA
10/10/2007 5 photos
Yawn, but it yields an awesome reward for waking up before the crack of dawn to drive up to Napa.
Bring some gloves and a warm jacket, it'll be cold until you're up in the balloon.
Very professional and friendly staff, including Frank our expert balloonist. We had about 12 people in the basket, which is a tight fit since you and three others are in the same "section" of the basket, with not much elbow room to move around. Standing "room" only, no room to crouch down. This day, they had 5 balloons, so it's a busy day.
Here's how the morning went:
* Arrive at Napa General between 6-6:15a, staff arrives around 6:15a to check you in, name your pilot, sign a wavier, etc.
* Snack on some tea/coffee/muffins until about 7am where they split up to group by pilot and pile into the shuttle vans.
* Take a 10min drive to the launch site, watch then lay out the balloon, take pics, blow it up, watch it rise, hop on board about 30min later.
* Before you know it, you're off the ground without realizing how far you've gone up.
* There must have been 12 other balloons flying over the valley on an awesome crispy fall morning.
* It's very peaceful up there, the views are wonderful, the height didn't seem that bad, winds calm, nothing scary about this ride. We did float very high, at times wind changed our direction back to the launch site but Frank rose the ballon so we drifted back to our bearings.
* During flight Frank the pilot answered questions, and talked about various topics, and even explained his portable GPS (altitude, speed, bearing), and explained the "other" GPS... Good Passengers Spit.
* Before you know it, the ride's over. The hour passed so quickly (50min float + 10min deflate).
* Frank then described the landing procedures, but it wasnt as bad as I imagined. Just brace yourself for a mildly bumpy landing (the chase crew was below catching the basket).
* Once we landed, watch the balloon deflate, jump out of the basket, take photos with pilot, then a short hike down the trail to the shuttle van; we'd landed in a hiking trail.
* Shuttle back to Napa General for a well deserved brunch buffet; eggs, muffin, scone, bagel, sausage, bacon, fruit, salad, breads, etc.
* At Brunch, the pilots even help pour champagne and OJ, as well as talk to everyone and bus tables.
* You receive a pin, a flight certificate, and are offered to buy pics $20 for 1 set or $30 for two set.
* Finish eating by 9:45-10a.
Up Up and Away.... but for now, it's nap time, been up for 6hrs already. -
Review from April S.
San Jose, CA
11/14/2009
So I know that this review is outdated since it's been over 3 years, but my experience was enjoyable nonetheless. My friend was taking his mom on a balloon ride for her birthday (October), and I tagged along because I'm awesome. We actually left San Jose around 3:30am to get to Napa by 5:00am. We couldn't find the General Store for about 20 minutes, so I'm glad we left San Jose pretty early.
Once we were there, we were shuttled off in vans to go to the site. It was great seeing those balloons get blown up. I didn't realize how enormous those balloons were until I saw them close up. There were three balloons that day and two flight groups for each balloon. We were in the second group. Since we were the second group to go, we followed the balloon around in those vans until it landed. When the first flight group landed and were out of the basket, we had to trek over to the landing sight. The only downside was that the balloon landed in a field with really tall weeds. Once we were in the basket, we had our own little corner and it was boxed off from the other riders. None of us were touching elbows or anything, so the area was pretty roomy.
Frank was our pilot (AWESOME, btw) and he kept us in the air for over an hour and a half. He told us stories about the times he would get stuck in vineyards that he wasn't allowed to be on..it made me laugh. So as we were landing, Frank was trying to find a safe place to land and tried to avoid vineyards. Unfortunately for him, we still landed in a vineyard, but incredibly close to a ditch. Once we were out, we drove back to the Napa General Store to have brunch. Brunch was incredible! Unlimited eggs, potatoes and bacon! Mmmm..bacon. AND..unlimited mimosas. Frank kept refilling my glass.
My experience overall was really great, we didn't have any issues. If I had more money to go on a hot balloon ride, I'd go again! -
Review from Julie D.
8/31/2007 3 photos
Just fabulous!
What an amazing way to spend my husbands birthday.
We didn't end up floating over the napa valley because of fog. We actually drove inland towards sacramento. Who cares, It was still amazing. The staff is so helpful and incredibly nice. We enjoyed all aspects of the balloon ride. The brunch was also excellent and we loved the photos at the end. I suggest a balloon ride to EVERYONE!Listed in: Napa
-
Review from Nate M.
Brooklyn, NY
6/14/2007 1 photo
I think anything I say or anyone will say in the future will be over shadowed by Sharon's wonderful review. I took time from my ADD/OCD/TRL habits and actually read her entire review. It was spot on!
Let me just say this in summation of my ballooning experience: I had a great time!
Awesome balloon. Nice staff. Funny pilot. Amazing view. Great brunch.
It was a life goal of mine to ride in a balloon and I am glad I did it with these guys! -
Review from Kyung P.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 6/9/2009
Unfortunately, there was not confusion on all sides.
Balloons Above the Valley was completely at fault, and it took me over 1 week, and 5 painful phone calls to finally receive a refund.
Horrible!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/18/2007
NO STARS!
Absolutely horrible customer service.
I had called at 5AM the morning of September 7 to see… Read more »
Comment from Cindy B. of Balloons Above the Valley 5/27/2009
Balloons Above The Valley has 4 legally permitted launch… More » -
-
Review from Patty S.
Chicago, IL
7/15/2009
We went for a balloon ride on July 8th. I found them by Googling and booked through their website. I called the day before just like they asked and they were courteous and happy to answer any question we had.
We met at 5:30AM at the Napa General Store and were greeted with coffee, hot chocolate, and muffins. At that time, the temp was quite cool, so I would definitely recommend layering up. From there, they shuttled us to the launch site. They were starting to inflate the balloon when we got there, so the wait was only about 10 mins before take off. The only negative thing is they try to squeeze 4 ppl into one of those compartments in the basket. There definitely isn't much room to move around if there are 4 ppl in there.
The ride was about 1:15 mins. The sites were breath-taking and just absolutely beautiful. It is such a peaceful, calming, and romatic experience. I would highly recommend it for EVERYONE!
We ended the ride and the experience with a champagne brunch back at the Napa General store on their patio.
The staff and pilot at Balloons Above the Valley are fabulous and extremely courteous. I highly recommend going through your experience with them! :) -
Review from Sonal P.
San Jose, CA
9/6/2009
I did a LOT of research before booking our Balloon ride with this company and I have to say IT WAS AWESOME!!! Have to admit though, waking up at 5am is NOT my idea of fun. But the friendly staff who register you as you arrive at the Napa General Store, as well as the main pilot who talked us through the day's itinerary were all so nice that it does help put you in a better mood! Plus, they provide coffee (in TINY cups) and fresh muffins to start the day off well.
Highly recommend this excursion if you're visiting the Bay Area/SF/Napa, or if (like us) you are a local and want to try something different in the wine coutry. The only negative (besides waking up at the crack of dawn) is the risk of the weather being bad & (a) the flight being cancelled or (b) having to launch from David because there's fog rolling into Napa Valley (which is what happened with us yesterday!). -
Review from Alan J.
11/11/2010
This should be listed under "depends what your looking for". As mentioned in previous reviews you have to be there at OH DARK 30. This is the nature of the beast, not their fault. i too would prefer to have to meet at 10 am but this is not the case. We met at 0630 (probably depends on the time of year as to what time you meet) and they drive you to the site. remember folks these guys have to get permission from the land owners to use their property so this depends on where they launch. Our pilot (Jonathon) was at the balloon when we arrived and had it almost ready. We climb in (16 people in all) and he hits the gas (yes there is a gas burner there, hence the title "hot air balloon") we did an hour flight and landed in a nearby vineyard. Only real disappointment was the pilot was very conservative and other balloon companies were more aggressive they went higher and further. Great time overall. The brunch is more of a breakfast (bacon, eggs, pastries, fruit).
Now only a couple of very minor things. When we arrived at the general store there was nobody to greet us, and no sign saying meet here. The coffee was pushed out on a cart and nobody knew if it was ours or not, figured it was but didn't want to drink in case it wasn't. Would have been nice to have some person to be there when they recommend being there at 0615 when they don't show till 0635. Pricey yes, worth it yes, once in a lifetime event. great view. great ride. Maybe another company is better? Check them all out, this one was recommended by the hotel. -
Review from Cassie H.
Seattle, WA
9/21/2010
Great tour!!! Had a little too much vino the night/day before but it was still perfect. Our tour guide was super fun and very informative. The entire tour was extremely well organized. I would definitely recommend this tour above others.
-
Review from Sharon T.
5/19/2007 9 photos
My boyfriend took me here while persuing me in the beginning of our relationship for our very FIRST date. I told him to impress me, and he far exceeded my expectations - along with the staff and accomodations they made for our champagne brunch after the balloon ride. Although we were the youngest couple there, its a great adventure to go on, and an experience you will NEVER forget... If you have the money, and that special someone you want to make a memorable moment with - THIS is the adventure you are looking for.
The drive to the address listed is tedious from SJ, but rewarding, none the less. There, you will be picked up by vans to the launch site - and do not forget your cameras if you can appreciate wine country by morning... These vans WILL take the scenic route, and seeing the mist roll through the wine vineyards early morning gave me an eerie temptation to run amongst the grapes with a good bottle of red wine in my hand... happy with my new-found "bottle" friend.
Upon reaching the launch site - you will witness the daunting task of inflating these monsters... with fire occassionally spewing upward into the mouth of these cavernous air beasts, its quite a sight to see. Amazing to realize once setting foot into a basket, the flame-spitting monsters are NOWHERE near scary beasts that conquer the air... but you will find that floating in a basket, 1000+ ft. in the air, is even easier than riding an elevator. The hardest part was mounting the basket... and everything from there was easy peezy. Your guide will give you some information about the vineyards you pass and local monuments... The scenery of napa/sonoma valley is beautiful. Although a romantic moment cannot be shared privately due to all of the other people that joined your basket grouping, its still a wonderful experience to share with a signifigant other, loved one, or family member. Landing is somewhat easy if your pilot is knowledgable in what he is doing, AND YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU LAND... hahah... Our basket landed in a neighborhood park, and all the locals came out to see us land right behind their backyards with cameras like we were aliens... it was quite a funny experience! Sorta' reminded me of Mary Poppins though... but for YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, I cannot guarantee you where you land, but it will be safe.
AFTERWARDS, there is a buffet style champagne brunch outside of the meet up spot - where you first are initially grouped into your vans in the morning. The patio area they set up your brunch is quaint, and if you never take the time to sit there and enjoy your surroundings, I suggest you open your eyes that very day you have your balloon adventure. The sun is shinning, there is a fountain bubbling away in the background, your self served choice and portion of food is in front of you while the staff is running about to fill your champagne or choice of refreshment to the brim - making sure you never hit rock bottom. GREAT CONVERSATION ALL AROUND YOU...
YOU GET ALL THIS FOR ONE FLAT FEE charged per person... there are also digital photographs snapped of you/your group in the basket right before takeoff that is availible for purchase during the brunch for $20.00 each.
Check out their website online and call to make a reservation - mention their website and you will get a cheaper, discounted price for you and whomever it is you will be flying away with... although my boyfriend and I were one of the youngest couples there, it was nice to see the older folks age 30-senior citizen smile and wink at us for even being there.
For you Cassanova's questioning whether cheesy adventures this outrageous really work as a first date to get you the girl, I'm living proof. my boyfriend and i made it official in the air, and we've been inseperable ever since... 03.10.2007... I only hope there are many more adventures in store...
And for you family folks that seek the little thrills in life, I strongly suggest hot air ballooning for children that are 4 ft. tall or more. The baskets somewhat limit the younger children to be able to see over the basket. Unless you don't mind holding them for the full hour or more you are in the air or the really young small ones that might be afraid of the fire and height. Other than that - it is a safe adventure the family can go on as well, because we also shared our basket with other couples, and families... You will realize EXACTLY what I mean when I say, "It is easier than riding an elevator..." - when you embark on your adventure. Take off!Listed in: Grab life by it's short and…
-
Review from angela l.
10/6/2009
so i decided to step my game up for Paul M's birthday. however, i am nowhere near ballin' enough to take a crazy trip anywhere so i thought napa is close and nice enough for a one day excursion. but what to do in napa? eat? spa? that's so .. cliche.
what can you do outdoors.. WTF HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES?! hell yesssssssss. i purchased tickets through google checkout so they were discounted and yes... they were still pricey. but hey, how often are you gonna ride a hot air balloon?
just a warning: if you are not a morning person [like me] you better prepare yourself to get up at the asscrack of dawn because you have to check in at 6 A.M. honestly, i was too excited to care about how early it was. the staff was extremely nice and everyone seemed to have a great sense of humor. by 7 A.M. we were off to our launch site [in the middle of a vineyard!] watching the staff set up the balloons.
also sidenote: it is FREEZING in the morning so make sure to wear layers! we hopped in a balloon with a good 12 other people and up we went. seriously, if you're scared of heights or you're nervous.. don't be. you can barely tell you're moving because you're just floating with the wind, and you get an awesome view of napa valley. it's also cute to see all the other balloons dotted across the sky.
after the ride you are taken back to the napa general store for a brunch buffet complete with bottomless mimosas.
i'm sorry. let me reiterate. BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS. and the breakfast was pretty yummy too, although it's nothing too special or fancy. if you guys are reading this, thank you SO MUCH for making my boyfriend's birthday an especially memorable one! we had an awesome time =]
