Best hot air balloon ride? Readers vote Rocky Mountain Hot Air

Hot air balloon flights with Rocky Mountain Hot Air typically include an hour of air time above the Chatfield State Recreation Area in Colorado. Each flight culminates in a celebration with a certificate of ascension and a balloon pin.
Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountain Hot Air

Napa Valley Aloft has been flying the skies of Napa Valley since 1978. Baskets are smaller than competitors which gives passengers better views and a more personalized experience as they float above the rolling vineyards.
Photo courtesy of Napa Valley Aloft Balloon Rides

Grand Adventure Balloon Tours in Winter Park Fraser Valley, Colorado offers year round flights above the spectacular Rocky Mountain Range, within easy day trip distance from Denver, Breckenridge, Grand Lake and Estes Park. Views include the Continental Divide and Rocky Mountains National Park, with the chance to fly low and spot local wildlife or splash and dash in a nearby pond or river.
Photo courtesy of Grand Adventure Balloon Tours

The Sky Riders Balloon Team takes passengers on hot air balloon rides over the rolling hills and forests of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Depending on the winds, it’s sometimes possible to see the Philadelphia skyline in the distance.
Photo courtesy of Sky Riders Balloon Team

Climb into the basked of Firebird Balloons to experience Arizona’s spectacular Sonoran desert scenery from above. Visitors can choose from morning or evening flights, with about an hour of time in the air.
Photo courtesy of iStock / agcuesta

California Dreamin’ takes guests on sunrise flights over the vineyards of Temecula Valley wine country. The experience includes an hour in the air, followed by a post-flight breakfast with champagne mimosas and a voucher for a two-for-one tasting at a nearby winery.
Photo courtesy of California Dreamin' Balloon Adventures

Apex Balloons launches sunrise balloon rides daily from October to May. As passengers float above North Phoenix, they enjoy views of the rugged Sonoran Desert, with a chance to spot coyotes, mule deer, javelina, roadrunners, quail, jackrabbits and cottontails from the air.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Jessica_Ribeiro

Letchworth State Park, located in western New York about two hours southeast of Niagara Falls, is one of the most spectacular spots in the country to take a hot air balloon ride. Balloons Over Letchworth is the only company allowed to launch from within the park, offering stellar views of the Grand Canyon of the East.
Photo courtesy of iStock / JimVallee

Lake Tahoe Balloons takes guests on a journey high above the largest alpine lake in North America for unobstructed aerial views of its cobalt blue waters. It’s also the only balloon company in the world that launches and lands from the deck of a boat.
Photo courtesy of Lake Tahoe Balloons

Black Hills Balloons has been in business for more than 35 years, offering flights over the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. While floating over this unique landscape, passengers might spot whitetail deer amid the ponderosa pine forests and granite spires of Custer State Park.
Photo courtesy of Black Hills Balloons