Best Places for Hot Air Balloon Rides in the US

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Hot air balloon rides across the US offer one breathtaking, memorable activity ideal for couples.

If you’re looking for a unique experience to bond with your partner then look no further than hot air balloon rides and festivals.

Get a bird’s eye view of these picturesque locations or look skyward at dozens of colorful hot air balloons for some postcard worthy pics.

10 Vacation Destinations for Couples for the Best Hot Air Balloon Rides and Festivals

1. Albuquerque, NM

Hot Air Balloon Festival Albuquerque, NM | Photo Credit Wikimedia.org

Many see Albuquerque as the cultural center of the Southwest. The city is surrounded by beautiful watermelon-colored mountains and the Rio Grande runs through it.

Best Hot Air Balloon Rides in Albuquerque

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta takes place in October and is a world-renown event and one of the most popular hot air balloon festivals on the planet.

Click here for more information and exact dates for this year’s festival.

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2. San Diego, CA

Hot Air Balloons near San Diego, CA | Photo Credit Wikimedia.org

The only US city with beautiful sunny and warm beaches, surrounded by mountains, and with a downtown located right by the bay. San Diego is my all-time favorite US city to visit.

Just an hour north of San Diego you’ll find the mountainous wine-making city of Temecula.

Best Hot Air Balloon Rides in San Diego (and nearby)

  • Compass Balloons | 1969 Villa Cardiff Dr, Cardiff, CA 92007 | (760) 704-7407
  • San Diego Sky Tours | 3717 John J Montgomery Dr, San Diego, CA 92123 | (619) 757-6419
  • Balloon Safari | San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, CA 92027 | (760) 747-8702

Hot Air Balloon Festival in San Diego (and nearby)

The Balloon and Wine Festival takes place in June.

Click here for more information and exact dates for this year’s festival.

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3. Park City, UT

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Utah | Photo Credit U.S. Forest Service on Wikimedia.org

Visitors to Park City, Utah can take advantage of the more than 400 trails used for hiking, biking, snow sports, and more!

Best Hot Air Balloon Rides in Park City, Utah (and nearby)

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Park City, Utah (and nearby)

Autumn Aloft features more than 20 hot air balloonists from around the world and takes place in September.

Click here for more information and exact dates.

4. Lakeland, FL

Hot Air Ballons in Florida | Photo Credit “Hot Air Balloon Ride 2008” by highlander411

Lakeland, Florida boasts one of the best locations in the state of Florida, right in the middle between my home of Orlando with all of our world-renown theme parks and the Tampa Bay area, including the numerous world-renown Gulf Coast beaches nearby.

Best Hot Air Balloon Rides in Central Florida

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Lakeland, Florida

Up, Up and Away Florida Hot Air Balloon Festival is one of the biggest hot air balloon festivals in the state of Florida and features live entertainment, food and craft vendors, balloon rides, tethered rides, balloon night glows, a car show, carnival, helicopter rides and so much more!

Click here for more information and exact dates.

5. Driggs, ID

Hot Air Balloons in Idaho | Photo Credit FDSLR on Flickr.com

3 Things to Do in Idaho

Best Hot Air Balloon Rides in Driggs, ID

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Driggs, Idaho

Teton Valley Balloon Rally features more than 40 hot air balloons that ascend into the sky with the Teton mountains in the background. The festival takes place in the first week of July.

Click here (Facebook page) for more information and exact dates.

6. Plano, TX

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Plano Texas | Photo Credit FireFlyer on Flickr.com

3 Interesting Facts About Plano, Texas

Hot Air Balloon Rides in Plano, Texas

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Plano, Texas

Central Market Plano Balloon Festival became an annual event in the hot air balloon capital of Texas back in 1980.

Click here for more information and exact dates.

7. Indianola, Iowa

Hot Air Balloon festival in Iowa | Photo Credit Jason Mrachina on Flickr.com

3 Notable People from Indianola, Iowa

  • Inventor of the modern hot air balloon Ed Yost
  • Botanical researcher and agronomy educator George Washington Carver.
  • American painter and printmaker John Paul Jones.

National Balloon Museum and U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame is located in Indianola, Iowa

Hot Air Balloon Rides in Indianola, IA

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Indianola, IA

The National Balloon Classic brings the skies of Indianola, IA alive as it sends 100+ balloons in the air every summer.

Click here for more information and exact dates.

8. South Lake Tahoe, CA

Hot Air Balloon festival in Reno Nevada (northeast of Lake Tahoe) | Photo Credit Jason Sanborn on Flickr.com

Time to put your phone away! Lake Tahoe is a nature lover’s paradise replete with picturesque mountain and lake views. There’s a reason more than 15 million people visit here yearly.

3 Reasons to Visit Lake Tahoe, CA

  • You’ll want to witness Lake Tahoe’s (the actual lake itself) blue-green with clear pool-like water.
  • Go in the summer to view the waterfalls including the 200-ft tall Lake Tahoe Waterfall.
  • Check out one of the world’s premier ski and snow sport destinations. Click here for a list of some of Lake Tahoe’s best resorts and lodges.

Hot Air Balloon Rides in Lake Tahoe, CA

Hot Air Balloon Festival (somewhat nearby) South Lake Tahoe, CA

The Great Reno Balloon Race takes place about 40 miles away northeast of South Lake Tahoe in Reno, Nevada.

Click here for more information and exact dates.

9. Napa Valley, CA and Sonoma County, CA

Hot Air Balloons in Sonoma County | Photo Credit Wikimedia.org

The first time I visited Napa Valley and Sonoma I swear time stood still. Looking out on the rolling hills filled with grapevines while sipping on world-class wine I realized this became one of the best moments in my life. rolling hills.

3 Reasons to Visit Napa Valley, CA and Sonoma County, CA

  • Built for wine lovers with more than 375 wineries with tasting rooms in Napa and another 300+ in Sonoma
  • Beautiful European-style visitor centers at the wineries.
  • The natural beauty … and of course, including the hot air balloons! Check out the most photographed spots in Napa Valley.

Hot Air Balloon Rides in Napa Valley, CA and Sonoma County, CA

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Sonoma County, CA

Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic experience the country’s most famous wine country during their popular hot air balloon festival.

Click here for more information and exact dates.

10. Rocky Mountain , CO

Hot Air Balloon Ride near Rocky Mountain National Park | Photo Credit Bryce Bradford on Flickr.com

I’ve yet to get to this breathtaking part of the country (except for a flyover and layover in Denver). But just like the last two hot air balloon places on this list in California, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado is another time-stands-still, bucket-list-worthy vacation destination.

3 Places to Visit in the Rocky Mountain National Park, CO (and nearby cities)

  • Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the US and connects Estes Park, CO to Grand Lake, CO and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountainous region and vast free-running wildlife.
  • Bear Lake offers hiking trails to view the glacier-made body of water and two towering mountain peaks- Hallett Peak (12,713 ft.) and Longs Peak (14,259 ft.)
  • Visit Denver, CO: botanical gardens, theatre, breweries, museums, dining

Hot Air Balloon Festival near Rocky Mountain National Park, CO and Denver, CO

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Rocky Mountains, CO

Hot Air Balloon Rodeo in Steamboat Springs, CO (nearly 160 miles northwest of Denver) celebrated its 40th annual hot air balloon festival in 2021.

Click here for more information and exact dates.

Where Would You Like to Go for Hot Air Balloon Rides?

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