My wife and I hade never been ballooning. Dave, our pilot explained every step of the trip. Every thing was very relaxing and laid back, just what we wanted. The flight was so graceful and peaceful. This was a fanstic experience! Volunteering to help in the set up and take down made us feel so much part of the sport. Highly recommend doing this with these great people. Thanks Dave & Crew! read more

Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures - Beautiful morning! - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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AMAZING experience! You have to try this! Dave and Brandon were wonderful. We were concerned about the weather but it turned out to be a stunning balloon morning. They kept us apprised of their thought process regarding weather and safety. We met up with some other balloonists before take off. The entire process was fascinating and it was amazing because they involved us in every step. We felt safe and taken care of the entire duration. I loved hearing about the history of hot air balloons and the tradition of the champagne toast. The views in the balloon were spectacular- it is so peaceful above the trees. We loved seeing the different bird species below and even a couple of gators. We waved to pedestrians and people in their homes along the way, as well. Our landing was way smoother than expected. We also really enjoyed the Bob Evan's brunch afterward. They have a max capacity of 5 on the balloon. We lucked out with no other passengers for a more private ride. You have the option to book it privately if you want to ensure a private ride. The price was $550 which I found to be incredibly affordable considering the bucket list item it is. This included the ride, champagne toast, and Bob Evan's breakfast. You essentially also get a history lesson and a beginners guide to hot air balloon operation if you pay attention and listen closely! I can definitely see how someone could get hooked. The feeling is almost indescribable when you are in the air! What a wonderful experience right here in Tampa! read more

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The day started really early, before the sun came up. We watched as the sun rose and our balloon filled with air. Dave took care of us and I 100% recommend first time flying with him. It was the most peaceful, serene experience! My girlfriend and I were terrified of heights and flying but he set us at ease and we are both super happy we went. This experience is one we will never forget! read more

Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures - Big red balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I used this company to help with a proposal over a year ago and felt the need to commend them on a job well done. Dave was a great guide and give us an awesome experience! read more

Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Was on my bucket list for decades. The only way I was going to get someone to go with me was to buy their ticket! My daughter and I showed up before dawn on Sunday morning. Dave was concerned about the weather but we rode around in the companies van checking different locations. Sadly it just wasn't going to happen. On the way back to the Dale Evans restaurant he said he might could get another balloonist to fly the next day. My daughter and I were thrilled. She was only visiting from Nashville for the long holiday weekend. Monday was out last chance and we jumped at his offer. Monday morning we met at the restaurant and weather was on our side. He offered for us to help set up the balloon and I was happy to help. We went up in the red balloon and the other balloon was multicolored. Later I was happy it worked out that way because we got to see that one floating by. Dave answered all our questions with enthusiasm never hinting that he was tired of the same old questions he's probably answered a thousand times already. It wasn't what I had envisioned, hoping for a gust of wind to get the adrenaline going, LOL but rather a peaceful floating along. Very pleasant ride and definitely worth waiting all those years for. read more

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Booked hot air ride for my husbands 59th. Absolutely wonderful experience and highly recommend. The pilot was very knowledgeable and explained everything in detail. I am scared of heights and was nervous but I ended up loving it. It felt like an elevator slowly lifting and the landing was gentle. I didn't know what to expect but we both truly loved the experience. read more

We had a an awesome adventure! It was so much better than all of our expectations. From the start, Dave provided an explanation of what to expect, then we got to assist with getting the balloon flight ready, which helped with a lot of the nervousness. Then the flight was peaceful and quiet. Dave even gave us a little history and a lot of info on ballooning. What a great time we had. We would def recommend! read more

Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Like other clients, I had never been ballooning. I found the booking process to be easy and transparent. Be aware that no matter what, Dave will call the night before to let you know if conditions will allow a flight the next day. They care about safety, and I appreciated it. It added a tiny element of uncertainty, but that applies to any [travel] situation. Right? I booked a flight for a second proposal on our 10th anniversary. My wife was surprised and loved it, though she was initially a little scared of being in a basket in the air---that's her issue, though. The burst of hot air to keep the balloon up initially unnerved us, but we quickly got used to it. It was so peaceful up in the air. I could have stayed in the air for hours with no complaints. Dave and Dante (driver, gear assistant, and ad hoc photographer) were fantastic. Their explanations and stories were lovely. I didn't feel like a client, but rather hanging out with a friend of a friend. The post-landing ritual was great! read more

***READ ENTIRE POST** DO NOT RECOMMEND!!! We were super excited to go on our first air balloon ride, from the reviews we saw that this was a good company to go through. However... Our experience quite the opposite. We started the morning at the Bob Evans parking lot, then the driver got lost and went 30 minutes in the wrong direction. The advertised hour of flight time was quite the opposite, we had a questionable 15 minutes in the air. After landing in a unauthorized field, which we locked in, we had to pack up our balloon while our captain searched for a way to get us out. After being stuck in the field for at least 1 hour, we proceeded to spend 2-3 hours searching for another balloon that was lost from our group. After finding the balloon and making our way back to Bob Evans, we were finally offered our complimentary champagne toast in the rear parking lot of the Bob Evans. There was no breakfast in the air instead, we received a 20$ gift card to Bob Evans, which was closed when we go back. We reached out to Big Red Balloon about our unsatisfactory experience and they seemed to not care and stated that it is an unpredictable experience based on the weather, they wouldn't even give a discount for our time. 400$ For me and my boyfriend, for only 15 minutes of flight time. Do NOT recommend. read more

My first time up in a hot air balloon, and Dave's experience and knowledge made this a truly wonderful and memorable experience. Clear communication, set expectations from booking, takeoff to landing. It was a truly serene and peaceful experience. My boyfriend and I had a great time. Highly recommend! read more

Wow what an experience! Was a surprise for my husband on our 30 th Anniversary Dave was fantastic and we had a flawless flight! Would highly recommend this company! Had champagne and breakfast after! read more

** I would HIGHLY NOT recommend using Big Red Balloon agency ** "Wow what an experience!" This is what I WISH I could have said. Planning a hot air balloon ride may actually be the hardest reservation to make, so I booked it early online, sent my credit card info and waited. I received confirmation by Dave within 24 hours that your private balloon ride is confirmed for Saturday! Plans made, schedules cleared. Then 72 Hours prior to the flight, I get a call that the balloon that was going to be used will no longer be available and Big Red Balloon needed to cancel. Scrambling to rebook through another Balloon company was impossible, and I was out of luck. Then brief moment of hope, I got a message back from Big Red Balloon saying an flight has opened for Sunday morning due to a previous cancelation by another balloon goer, so we are back on and now just 48 hours until liftoff. Now Plans are back on and just a slight hiccup to the weekend plan, I shifted to Sunday. Bad news again CANCELED 12 Hours Prior to flight. Now typically after a confirmation, and cancel most company's would work with you to keep your business since a Hot Air Balloon ride costs $500+ Dollars, but no. No help to reschedule for a later date or provide any compensation for the multiple cancelations hardship, Now trying to scramble to reschedule for the next weekend with other Balloon agency's (again close to impossible) I thought maybe I could re-schedule with Red Balloon since we had a history. I still had to re-book myself online, redo the online application and reach out myself to find nothing was available for 3 weeks. No help what so ever. I would HIGHLY NOT recommend using Big Red Balloon agency. Proceed with caution since we get charged $75.00 if we cancel 72 hours prior, but if they cancel it's no big deal. Beware and don't have the same problems frustrations as I did. read more

So... I proposed to my now fiance during this hot air balloon ride!! She said yes! :) The whole process was seamless - great service from start to finish, very caring... They asked if we'd like to get involved in setting up the hot air balloon and we did which was super cool and interactive. Also, the whole time we got all our questions answered for how hot air balloons operate and work which was so interesting. The flight was beyond amazing! If you think about it, there's no way to get that kind of view in such a quiet and peaceful and open-aired way... Helicopter, plane, skydiving... It just isn't the same. We saw a beautiful morning, with frost on the roofs, deer running and a gorgeous hazey fog over some of the trees. This is wow - all the way to the champagne toast at the end - with the history of why you do a champagne toast after a hot air balloon ride. My fiance and I both loved it and HIGHLY recommend it! read more

Top notch operation! Our pilot, Dave, was extremely competent, knowledgeable, and entertaining. If you want a balloon ride in Tampa, this is the operation to fly with. read more

If you are in the Tampa area and looking for something fun to do, I highly recommend Big Red Balloon. Dave and his crew are very friendly and will make you feel right at home. You can be part of the balloon set up and take down process as much or as little as you'd like. The staff are very knowledgeable and will tell you what they are doing throughout the whole process. Breathtaking views and outstanding service make this a memorable experience. read more

Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Awesome company. Very easy to work with. Dave is the best and even gave us a history lesson on the reason why there is a chamgagne toast at the end of each flight. We were cancelled because of weather a few times, but was easy to rebook each time. Breakfast coupon for Bob Evans to boot! Had a wonderful flight. read more

Awesome! A major item checked off my bucket list and I would do it again in an instant. Floated for a bit over an hour over farmlands, residential, and wooded areas. Dave (owner) was scrupulous regarding safety both during the ride itself and having to reschedule due to unfavorable wind/weather conditions. Landing was perfect. Highly recommend. read more

amazing experience best birthday gift ever bob and little dave and big dave were amazing and super nice me and my friends loved every minute of it definitely recommend this if its on your bucket list read more