If you are considering a hot air balloon experience Aamodt's is it. They are simply the best! Will you get up the first time you schedule??? Most likely not. However, one of the most admirable things about Scott Aamodt and his crew is that they are 100% about safety. Still on the fence??? Read on... Our first attempt at a flight was back in the mid-nineties. We live over 150 miles from Aamodt's and the day we arrived for our flight it was way too hot to fly (98-ish degrees). We were placed on a schedule the next morning but woke to a thunderstorm. Disappointing but understandable. Fast forward several years and we began trying again. Weather was a factor many more times however, we fell in love with Stillwater over the years and considered each cancelled flight a good way to spend time in one of our favorite cities. Also being thankful that Scott and crew are wanting to give the best experience possible, as safe as possible. On June 18th, 2019 we felt as if we had won the lottery as we got to fly! It was at this moment we truly understood why weather plays such a factor, but even more than that we are now aware of how much teamwork and planning actually goes into getting off the ground. This is no joke...every time you feel slighted for being cancelled, they feel it too. Our pilot and crew love to fly and their focus is giving you the best experience they can. The wait is worth every single minute! Our pilot Lindsey was very informative and the entire crew invited us to help in the process from start to finish. After a smooth take off, an absolutely amazing flight with views you can not imagine until seen from the basket, she landed us with the utmost grace! We chose the private flight option which I would not hesitate to do again. Well worth a little extra money. Well??? What are you waiting for? Book the flight! Who knows, you may get up on the first try but if not, have patience. You won't regret it I promise. read more

We were able to take our flight the second time scheduling, which we have been told doesn't happen often. If you purchase your certificate, make sure to keep your eye on the weather and schedule accordingly. We took a sunrise flight and were greeted by Lindsay who was very personable and welcoming for 5:00AM. We reviewed and signed insurance waivers and were escorted out to an open field in the Aamodt's Apple Orchard where the Ballooning staff filled the Balloons right in front of us, very cool. We climbed in the baskets and lifted off where we were able to see some great views of the St. Croix River Valley and a golf course below. The pilot was calm and had over 30 years experience flying Balloons. We were brought up to about 1,600 ft. and then came down to float over the tree tops and were able to view the landscape below. After about an hour in the air we landed in a field not far from the orchard. Our landing was fairly gentle and when we got out of the basket we were instructed to stand near a van and the Balloon crew deflated the balloon. We returned back to the orchard in the van and were greeted with champagne mimosas and some breakfast food. We had a great time and we would totally recommend Aamodt's Hot Air Balloon Rides to anyone. Hopefully this year's weather will allow for a lot of flights so people can have this awesome experience! read more

I highly recommend taking a hot air balloon ride if you get the chance, as long as you understand it takes multiple bookings before the weather cooperates and you are able to lift off. Scott stayed in contact with us, starting the day before and confirming everything. The staff is a well oiled machine, making the flight flawless, from offering to take pictures of our group in the basket to the champagne toast afterwards. Our pilot was Jim, and he was fabulous, we went from breathtaking views to down lower where we could wave to the everybody like royalty. My daughters first reaction when we landed was to say "I want to do that again!" We just may do that. :) Thanks Scott & Staff! read more

We have had a gift card for this since 2014. We have tried 1-2 times a year for dates to go but they have all been cancelled due to weather conditions. Until July 31, 2019 - Perfect flying conditions. AMAZING RIDE. Crew was knowledgeable and you could tell they were experienced. Everything was organized, timely, and most importantly SPECTACULAR as far as experience. I know a lot of people are frustrated with cancellations (myself included) but now that I have completed the experience, I am glad I went with this company that only flies during the most IDEAL, SAFE CONDITIONS. Everyone should do this once - such a thrill!! And Stillwater is GORGEOUS from the air! read more

Went out on my first hot air balloon ride today. Fantastic experience! Scott was our pilot, with 8 in the basket. Started in WI and landed in the Stillwater HS parking lot. Scott answered all our questions about the operation. We did the morning flight. It was absolutely perfect. I will say, it was the third time we scheduled it...darn unpredictable weather...found out it was only the eighth flight since April. Lots of wind and rain this Spring. So if you plan to do this, be aware that the first day you sign up to do it may not be the day you go. The more flexible you can be, the better. read more

Beautiful flight and incredible hospitality! I bought this for my mom who just turned 81 as it was on her bucket list. Our pilot and flight crew took such good care of us and we enjoyed every minute from set up to the post flight champagne toast! I was kindly warned upon purchase that 1 in 20 flights actually takes off due to the unpredictable MN weather patterns but we shuffled things around quickly when we got the message that the weather was looking perfect for a sunset flight. Flexibility is key and we absolutely LOVED our experience! read more

We enjoyed our ride immensely. We got this ride on the second Friday of August, 2018. The going up and decent were amazing and the view was fantastic. Yes, we waited and had several cancellations. I do not see this as a problem. You see, if there is someone making sure that I am safe, I greatly appreciate it. Every cancellation was weather related. It was worth the wait. Thank you for your great service. Thank you. Keep up the great rides. By the way, your orchard is beautiful also. It is too bad that we live 4 hours away. read more

We booked a private-group balloon ride for our 45th anniversary and invited our children and grand children to join us. We were very fortunate to get a perfect evening considering the unpredictable Minnesota weather. We only had to re-book once. We had a beautiful spring evening flight with three of their other balloons joining us aloft. Our pilot and ground crew were fun and informative. They even included us in the process of inflating and deflating the balloon. Peaceful, scenic and definitely memorable!! read more

Thank you for a wonderful ride last night and an overall excellent experience! The ride itself was all I hoped for. It was especially fun to have other balloons in the air to watch and communicate with. Pleasant surprise back on ground with a little party, and a chance to chat with our pilot Jim without the noise of the burners or worrying about distracting him from flying. It took a couple of times to reschedule because of weather, but the wait was entirely worth it! read more

I can't say enough good things about Aamodt's and the balloon ride we took as a family group of 9 this past week. We lucked out and had perfect weather on our second attempt in less than a week. The pilot, ground crew and all the staff were wonderful to work with, and certainly provided us a very memorable experience. read more

Had a fantastic ride in a 3-person basket (including pilot). These guys really know what they're doing. Our pilot landed our balloon like he was throwing a dart. You do have to be patient when scheduling. It took us a couple of months before the weather was good for a ride. Highly recommended. read more

What an awesome experience!! Our flight over the St . Croix Valley was spectacular. Thanks again to Aamodts balloon rides and their staff. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. read more

This was a great experience! Something our family will never forget. Our pilot Scott was very knowledgeable. Couldn't have asked for a better day! read more