Look, I'm already the kind of person who's up before the sun -- but I've never been rewarded for it…read morequite like this. Turns out sunrise hits different when you're floating a few thousand feet above the Sonoran Desert in a giant colorful balloon. Jonathan was our pilot and honestly the man is half comedian, half science teacher -- and somehow nailing both roles simultaneously. He kept the whole basket smiling the entire ride, cracking jokes while dropping knowledge about the desert landscape, wind patterns, and balloon mechanics like it's a TED Talk you actually want to attend. The guy just has a gift for keeping people entertained and informed at the same time. The views? Absolutely unreal. One moment you're staring at rugged Sonoran mountain ranges looking like God's personal screensaver, and then you drift a bit and you're peering down at a run-down commercial district that looks like it lost a fight with the 1990s. Honestly, the contrast is part of the charm -- nature's majesty on the left, a sketchy strip mall on the right. The desert keeps it real. Now here's my one PSA: bring a hat. Nobody warned me that every time Jonathan fires that burner, the top of your head gets a little preview of what a rotisserie chicken feels like. I now understand my scalp on a spiritual level. If you're tall, may God have mercy on your hair follicles. But seriously -- Hot Air Expeditions nailed it, and Jonathan made the whole experience unforgettable. Part tour guide, part entertainer, full send. 10/10, would risk mild scalp roasting again.

We recently did a sunrise hot air balloon ride with them and it was phenomenal! The process to make…read morereservations was easy and thorough, the site provided lots of information ahead of time. I appreciated that the default breakfast choice is vegetarian. The entire staff was great. From our driver to the guy who flew the drone to the balloon pilot- everyone was friendly and really informative. I appreciated the option to purchase drone footage and it turned out amazing. Our balloon was brand new and we were the first group to fly in it, which was cool. Picnic breakfast after was really cute and delicious. The burritos were nice and hot! Cannot say enough great things. Definitely check them out!

In a nutshell, the Aerogelics team is a little rough around the edges - don't give up just yet…read more They are great at what they do, operate successfully team, and ensure your safety is prioritized and your experience is wonderful :) We found Aerogelic Ballooning when my friend was visiting from out of state and saw a discounted balloon ride on a couple websites. I attempted to contacted Aerogelic via phone to inquire about scheduling with no answer so I tried texting. I did hear back at the end of the day and the answer was quite short. We ended up booking and the confirmation email with instructions indicated meeting at a nearby Starbucks at a specific time but there was fine print on the email saying this might not be the actual time and to contact the office. I again texted the number and received a response regurgitating what was written in the email that I perceived as rude (commence practicing this thing where I don't take things personally which is super easy to say and extremely hard to do - I was just trying to be a thoughtful, organized, reliable rider). The morning of the ride, we met at the Starbucks and ran inside to use the bathroom which is for customers only so the staff wasn't really thrilled about that. We met at the van and shortly after, a crowd of people were yelled at to hurry up and told (scolded it seemed) that they didn't have time to get coffee. Not off to the best start but trying to keep a positive attitude here. On the way to the location we'd take off from, my friend and I sat in the first row of van seats and chatted with Shane and Michelle who opened up and were actually very friendly and knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Maybe the perceived shortness was really just focus and the perception wasn't reflective of their intent. The crew inflated the balloon very quickly to erect it and we were off within maybe ~20 mins of arriving at the site. This was my third balloon ride (first with Aerogelic) and they were by far the speediest; it was quite impressive. Our section of the basket had an extra person than the other sections so Shane offered my friend to stand in the center with him for a more authentic pilot's experience ;-) Shane told us stories and history about the landscape and geography and offered to help us capture some unique and special photos. The toast at the end is a nice ritual to conclude the experience and kill time while the crew packed up, which again, was super speedy! My advice to future flyers is to arrive a few minutes even earlier (I know, it sucks!!) to use the bathroom, if needed, and to give the crew a break. They are truly doing so much with such limited resources. They love what they do and it shows.

They could have more respectable business practices. Absolutely terrible. If someone pays for your…read moreservice, you provide the service, not insult and kick them out in the middle of the desert due to your narrow views. I would never recommend this type a business whose workers lack integrity.

Had the time of our lives! Truly a bucket list activity. Jon and Lindsay were great. I reserved for…read more3 people and were joined by an amazing couple from Wyoming who had previously done a hot air balloon ride with Jon. If that doesn't say something I don't know what you're waiting for! We drove to office where the baskets are of all sizes! From there we're driven out to where we would take off. We flew over Peoria a lovely neighborhood and saw some wild life in the way. Jon educated the group in how everything worked and the back story of how hot air ballooning came about. Finishing off our trip with mimosas. Will have to bring the family back here for sure, thank you! You also receive a certificate from your flight

So much fun. A bucket list for both my good friend and I. Everything was safe, informative and…read moreenjoyable. The flight had breathtaking views. We even flew above my friend's daughter's house. What a coincidence! I want to go again!!!! Thank you Ron and Lindsay. You made another on the bucket list

Great experience! Our guide Bob was so informative and fun…read more You can't ask for better scenery!

Wrangler Bill was great. He educated me about the people, culture, history, flora and fauna in the…read morearea. It was beautiful. My horse was super chill and easy to ride. I had a great time!

Our flight was exceptional. Our pilot Taylor and his crew we so friendly, knowledgeable, and fun…read more Our take off and landing could not have been more smooth. We were the first balloon up due to the efficiency of Tayor and his crew We took off closer to deer park I think next time I would like to go up by cave creek But being up for the sunrise was well worth it

Took my sweetie on a hot air balloon ride for her birthday, and in celebration of our 1 year…read moreanniversary of being a couple, with Arizona Hot Air Balloons and WAS NOT disappointed! Had a WONDERFUL time, it was perfect and went beyond my expectations. If you live in the Phoenix area and are looking to experience hot air ballooning first hand, and would rather not experience it with a gondola full of out of town visitors, then I highly recommend this outfit. They are smaller than the competition, so they provide a more personal experience IMO, with fewer people along for the ride. Because they are a smaller outfit, be prepared to be an active participant and part of the "crew" as the balloon is being prepared for launch and when it's time to put it away (this is a more "hands-on" outfit and adds to the overall experience IMO), so dress accordingly. My sweetie had no idea and was totally thrilled to say the least when she found out what her surprise was. The "tail-gate" party with Mimosas and varies delectable treats at the end of our balloon journey was the icing on the cake (hearing more of the history of ballooning while enjoying the drinks and treats was a welcome plus for us, very interesting). AZ Hot Air Balloons gets two "thumbs-up" and we can't wait for our next adventure!

I can't recommend this company enough. Debbie and Kevin made the experience absolutely…read moreunforgettable and helped my fiancé plan a surprise proposal. Kevin kept us entertained in the air with some cool stories and fun facts about hot air ballooning and Debbie was so energetic and pleasant while on the ground. The basket is small and intimate but we preferred it that way. We were worried about the landing but it couldn't have been smoother.

One of my bucket list items was to ride in a hot air balloon, and for my recent birthday, my…read morehusband surprised me with this epic adventure! We met the team early on a Saturday morning, and I couldn't believe that we were going in a small basket. I almost jumped in the van with the 15+ group, but instead it was basically a private ride - just Kevin, his niece, his wife, and the two of us. (The other two were helpful when we landed, not to mention photos. Kevin's wife is an expert at getting the best photos. She took the rising sun shot of me that is no doubt the best photo ever taken involving me!) Kevin is a seasoned pro, and the trip showed. We went up high, where we could see the mountains by Flagstaff, the mountains by Tucson, and everything that lay in between. But then, being a smaller, more maneuverable balloon, we were able to skim along the desert hills. We soared just over the tips of the saguaro cacti, and Kevin told us all about the desert flora and fauna. We saw several jackrabbits and even a coyote. This is not the experience you get in the larger balloons, and it's absolutely magical! We eventually landed in the middle of a housing community, which brought a crowd of interested onlookers, but the chase team showed up quickly to load up the balloon while we heard the tale of the first balloonists and then drank a champagne toast to the rising sun while we listened to the Balloonist's Prayer. It was truly a special event, and it did not disappoint in any way. It is hard to live up to something you've always dreamed of doing, but somehow Kevin and his team made it all that and then some.

Knocked off a bucket list item celebrating my birthday by getting on a hot air balloon ride in…read moreArizona!! This was an experience!! Great views! And kinda scary just a tad lol! @arizonaballoonsafaris was a great company to book with. Per person this was $199 which included breakfast and champagne. This is a sunrise flight so you need to be there at 4:30 A.M. No exceptions!!! This was dope though, someone even got proposed too on our ride Would I do it again? Idk! But 10/10 experience

Up up and away! I…read morewent to Arizona with my family for Christmas and while we were there we went on a hot air balloon ride with Arizona Balloon Safaris! This was the best price for a family of 4! Breakfast is included! We signed up on their website and then they emailed us instructions on where to meat and an estimate of how long the whole ride would be. We parked in a grocery store parking lot. There was two white unmarked vehicles and a white truck pulling a long trailer. When we arrived we signed the waivers and got in the vans. We drove north for a few minutes to find a nice open spot where they unloaded the basket and balloon! It was amazing to watch them put everything together! The basket did not have a door/latch system. Everyone had to climb in. They did have a stepstool for those who needed it. My dad has little mobility in his legs so we had to use the stepstool both times, entering and exiting the balloon. It was a little bit of a challenge but we made it :) Once in the air, the pilot was nice and funny! He answered everyone's questions and pointed out fun facts and etc. When it came time to landing we had a rough time but the crew on the ground was great to jump right in and help! They then helped unload everyone and began to set up breakfast! We all got a mini quiche, croissant, fruit, and mimosas! After breakfast we all got back into the vans and they took us back to the grocery store parking lot. Over all it would a little less than 4hours. Such a great and amazing experience. Highly recommended! Great crew!

Halloween is my favorite holiday. So, I thought to myself, it's been a long time since I checked…read moreout a haunted house. We're talking 12 years or so. So when I saw an ad about 13th Floor Haunted House on Facebook, I knew it was time to get back in the mix. I checked out this haunted house on a Sunday at 8:00 p.m. It was their last day on November 2nd. Parking was a cinch in the spacious parking lot they share with other businesses. Once you arrive, you'll see a line outside of the building which winds in the same way that you would see at an amusement park. This was my least favorite part of the experience. It took about 30 minutes to get through the line outside and the line inside of the building. And then the haunted house itself takes about half an hour. You can pay extra to skip the line, but I'm not about that life. I just wish they had a system in place logistically where you can get through the line quicker. I imagine that Friday and Saturday evenings are even more crowded than the Sunday evening I attended. I won't ruin all of the surprises about the haunted house itself, but I will say it's a good time. There are parts that are pitch dark. There are people jumping out at you left and right trying to scare you. There are parts of the rooms that are set up to scare you. There are different themes throughout the haunted house. It's well done. My favorite area made it seem like you were wading through water, when you in fact were not. It was an optical illusion created through light. My words can't really do it justice. If you're not super scared of haunted houses, give it a try. You'll have a good time once you get in there! And after you survive all of the ghouls and demons, there's a food truck posted up outside if you're hungry.

Best haunted house I have been to in a long Time. Make sure to empty your bladder first or you just…read moremay pee your pants. VIP tickets are worth the purchase