Today, my childhood wish came true. When I was a kid, I fantasized about flying across the countryside in a hot air balloon. At the time, floating high above the world in a basket seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream. While traveling through Napa Valley this morning, however, fantasy became reality as I flew high above the vineyards in a hot air balloon!
Croissants at Domaine Chandon
Just before 6:00 in the morning, Rick picked me up at the hotel and whisked me off to Domaine Chandon. A winery in Yountville, the beautiful Domaine Chandon serves as the orientation point for those flying with over wine country with Napa Valley Balloons.
As I checked in for my flight in the main hall, a large crowd of eager passengers bantered over breakfast. I grabbed a gooey chocolate croissant and a cup of hot coffee and found a spot to sit on a nearby ledge. Oh, those chocolate croissants! What a delicious way to kick off the day!
Our brief orientation ended as quickly as it started. We sprinted to the parking lot, where shuttles awaited our arrival. We then divvied up into groups and hopped into our assigned shuttles.
Our driver, Mike, also served as our hot air balloon pilot. With over 32 years of experience, I knew I was in good hands with Mike for our flight today. Together, we drove to the staging area at Sonoma Skyport.
Inflating Balloons in Sonoma
On arrival, Mike explained that we would be taking off from the runway at this private airport. Because hot air balloons have no propulsion, direction varies based on altitude and wind. And, our flight length is limited by the amount of fuel on board. So, in short, we have no idea where we will end our journey!
As we walked over to the staging area, crew members inflated three huge balloons on the runway. I was blown away by the size of these balloons! However big you believe a hot air balloon will be, it is definitely bigger. In fact, the balloon itself weighs over 600 pounds. According to Mike, an empty basket–without any people in it–weighs about a half ton!
Inflation fans churned as the balloons came to life. While the balloons inflated, Mike considered weight distribution for our flight. He split us into two groups, from which we would load in evenly on either side of the basket.
Truth be told, there is no glamorous way of getting into the basket. On the left and right sides of the basket, you’ll find two square footholds to help with the scramble up and over. I suspect the whole process of getting into the basket is easier for someone taller, but me? I just threw myself over the side and hoped for the best. Luckily, I landed on my feet!
Once we clambered our way into the basket, we practiced our landing procedure. We lined up in the center, turned to the side, grabbed a pair of thick rope handles, and braced against the side of the basket. At this moment, I suddenly realized that my grip on these two little handles are all I have to secure my position in the event of a crash. Yikes!
Everything Gets Small
It’s time to go. Mike switched out the propane tank and fired up the burners. An aroma of burning propane permeated the air as large flames shot into the balloon. These burners roar!
Moments later, we gently lifted off the ground. Now, looking down, the planes and buildings of Sonoma Skyport looked smaller and smaller. We’re flying in a hot air balloon!
As we continued to lift, we floated like a feather over Napa Valley until we reached an altitude of 3400 ft. From this altitude, we savored sweeping views of the entire valley from vineyards to estates to farmland and wetlands. From this height, we could see the San Francisco’s Salesforce building twinkling in the sun over 60 miles away.
Because hot air is lighter than cool air, the balloon rises as the propane burner heats the air. While hot air balloon pilots control the balloon’s altitude, they lack any means for propulsion. As a result, you float in whatever direction the wind takes you based on your given altitude. As a passenger on this cool morning, I was delighted to find that basket is almost 20 degrees warmer than the temperature outside thanks to that centrally located propane burner.
After 45 minutes, Mike reduced our altitude and started scouting for safe landing locations. We found a suitable landing field with gate access for balloon retrieval. He grabbed his radio, located the chase vehicles, and shared position targets. While we hovered over the field, the crew on the ground requested permission to land from the owner.
Our first attempt at landing was a bust when the land owners denied permission to land. Just next door, however, a couple stood outside watching the spectacle. Mike yelled down from our basket, “Hey! Can we land in your yard?” They confirmed, and we began to descend. Thank you very much, John & Brianna!
We landed in very tight quarters between outbuildings and the edge of the yard. Mike’s 32+ years of experience served us very well on this tricky landing. He threw two drop lines to crew, and they guided our basket into a safe landing position as we descended. We touched down, and then we hopped the basket over to an area of the yard better suited for removal.
Once we finally stopped, Mike opened the deflation port in the top of the balloon. As the balloon deflated, it “gift wrapped” us as we stood in the basket. Yellow, yellow everywhere!
Once the crew removed the balloon from the basket, we scrambled out of the basket and hiked over to the chase vehicles. And, just like that, we did it.
We flew over Napa Valley in a hot air balloon!
We celebrated our event with breakfast and mimosas back at Domaine Chandon. What a wonderful experience to check off the bucket list!
Plan Your Own Hot Air Balloon Flight
Have you always wanted to try hot air ballooning? If so, I highly recommend making that first experience happen in Napa Valley. From my own experience, it’s hard to beat a sunrise flight over lush vineyards and wetlands!
Because these flights leave bright and early, consider staying in either Napa or Yountville the night before. At the time of departure, you’ll find plenty of parking at Domaine Chandon. If you’re staying at a nearby hotel, ride sharing services and shuttles may also be an option.
I recommend booking your hot air balloon flight directly through Napa Valley Balloons. I first attempted to reserve my flight through TripAdvisor, but my preferred dates were listed as unavailable. When I booked directly through their website, I had no problem securing my preferred date and time.
