Above Reality Hot Air Balloon Rides — Attraction in Essex

My wife and I had a blast on the Above Reality hot air balloon ride! The entire staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the view you’ll get from the floating basket can’t be had anywhere else. I’ll give you the run-down of the whole process and try not to be too verbose:

You will meet at the Essex Junction Resort to read over some brief literature and sign your waivers, afterward your very friendly Above Reality crew member will communicate with the balloon pilot (much more on him in a bit) and drive you to wherever he sees fit to launch from. This drive took no more than 15 minutes.

After you get to the launch site you’ll see the balloon crew removing the basket, burners, and envelope (the balloon itself I gather) from the trailer and arranging them. During this time you’ll likely greet the balloon pilot Jeff for the first time. He’s very easy to talk to and as you’d expect, extraordinarily knowledgeable about his operation and the area itself. After he introduces himself he’ll go back to monitoring the current wind and weather conditions and ensuring the crew is doing alright with getting the balloon set up. A brief word about this wait (which was about 45 minutes) – we were waiting in a big open field around 6:00pm in July and the mosquitos were out in force. Like a hungry dog looking for a meal. Bring and USE bug spray or wear long sleeves and long pants. Heed these words. You will get eaten alive. The crew also carries bug spray in the van so just ask for it. Speaking of dogs, we also met Barney who was a rescue dog that Jeff the pilot was fostering and entertaining. He loved everyone at the field and watching the balloon get set up. As of July 21, 2017 he still needed a home so if you’re looking for an awesome, sweet, and happy dog reach out to him!

Right before the balloon was ready to be boarded Jeff gave us a brief training on how the balloon operates, how to get in the basket, and what not to do (jump out, or even joke about jumping out). Once the balloon was ready for lift-off we all boarded just like we were shown and in an instant we had lift off! I’ve been on many different types of planes from small prop to jumbo jet and the feeling you get just floating with the wind is spectacular. I think for our trip we got to between 3,500 ft and 4,800 ft or so but the captain (yeah I’m gonna call him that now) will tell you each flight is different. The views from the basket are awesome (running out of superlatives). You can see everything for miles in all directions. When you’re low enough you can hear dogs barking at the balloon as it drifts by or kids yelling and waving to you from their pool or backyard. You may even skim some treetops and almost drop in on a few friendly folks offering beers as we did. All the while Captain Jeff will tell you who owns which properties, point out all of the local mountains, buildings, random beaver damns and everything else is your flight path. If you see something interesting, just ask Jeff and he’ll know exactly what it is. Having such a knowledgeable and funny person in command of the balloon made the ride all that much more enjoyable.

(Oh, one thing I tacking on to this paragraph about riding in the balloon is to wear a hat and log sleeves. My wife and I both did and we were thankful. The radiant heat from the burners can be uncomfortable, especially if you have fresh sunburn, so wear extra layers!)

We landed in a field adjacent to a church and a neighborhood and I’d say about a dozen people or so came out to welcome us as we touched down. It was pretty cool to see all of those people so excited to see the balloon in their back yards. After the balloon lost some of its heat and we were heavy enough to all disembark we enjoyed a champagne toast led by Captain Jeff and some cheese, crackers, and fudge.

Is it cheap? Nope. Was it worth it? FUC…I mean YUP! When will you ever float with the wind again?

Thank you to everyone at...

An Unforgettable Balloon Ride for my husband’s 80th birthday

On October 3rd at 3:34, my husband and I embarked on a breathtaking balloon ride, as a gift to celebrate his 80th birthday (It was on his bucket list). The experience unfolded in three mesmerizing stages, each leaving us in awe.

Stage 1: The Launch

Upon our arrival in a van where we were picked up at the Essex Inn & Spa to a large field, Jeff our skilled pilot, gathered all 14 guests for a thorough safety briefing. Watching the capable crew inflate the enormous balloon that would carry 3,000 pounds, including a large basket, was captivating. As the balloon gradually lifted, the excitement built, knowing we were about to embark on a magical journey.

State 2: The Flight

The moment we ascended; the landscape below opened up in all its glory. We marveled at the breathtaking view of Lake Champlain, glimpsed Mount Washington in the distance, and could even see into Canada. Farms, fields, colored leaves, and animals grazing peacefully below added to the serenity of the moment. The sensation of floating, weightless in the sky, was like we were drifting on a cloud. One of the highlights was a ‘splash and dash’ over the Lamoille River, gently skimming the water below before continuing our peaceful glide. It was an utterly surreal experience, carried only by the wind, in perfect harmony with nature.

Stage 3: The Landing

After about an hour in the sky, Jeff expertly guided the balloon down, searching for a spacious field to land. The gentle decent was as calm as the flight, making for a smooth and safe landing. To cap off the exhilarating adventure, Jeff and his crew treated us to a toast with champagne and chocolates, shared with our fellow basket mates. It was the perfect end to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This unforgettable balloon ride was not just a birthday celebration that left us with cherished memories, from the thrill of takeoff to the peaceful flight, the camaraderie at the landing. Truly an adventure not to be missed!

We highly recommend Above Balloon...

This was a great tour with a knowledgable and entertaining crew. Well worth the cost. We elected for a sunset tour and upon making my reservation online, the pilot Jeff actually called me and suggested we fly out that night as the conditions looked favorable instead of gambling on the day we reserved for which looked unfavorable. I thought immediately that was a nice bit of personalized attention / customer service and we took him up on the offer. As he predicted, we were - in fact - able to get up in the air that night.

The wind took us over the greater Burlington area, with views of Lake Champlain present for almost the entire trip. Since this was during the summer, everything was lush and green. The ride was peaceful and smooth and the balloon effortlessly rotated a couple times to give everyone a chance to view every direction. We were pretty high up for the first half of the trip and during the second half we descended low enough for us to see and interact with people on the ground, which was also entertaining as we waved.

Jeff pulled off probably the greatest landing in the history of ballooning. Luck took us into a large field with a single lane road running through it. Not only did he land us right in the middle of the road but we could barely feel it. Honest to god, the landing was softer than the pillow I rest my head on at night.

Upon landing, we were treated to champagne and chocolate. My only regret is not getting a hand crafted hot air balloon that one of his crew made from the cork and chocolate wrapper for another rider. Be sure to request one if you go as it is cute as heck.

Overall, a great activity for both tourists and locals who want to "adventure" but relax at...