All I can say is WOW! I found Darrek through a referral, and I wanted to thank him by giving him…read moresome well-deserved props on Yelp: I called Darrek and told him I was planning to propose to my girlfriend on his hot air balloon. He was great from the start--he gave me really good advice about waiting until the end of the flight (she was of course a bit distracted from the view once I asked her!). We spent over an hour in the air and went up to 3000 ft. Darrek had great control over the balloon--he touched down briefly on some water and steered us like a pro (I believe he has 15+ years experience). One thing I would note is that I did research some balloon companies that were slightly cheaper. A lot of the cost of the ride goes to covering fuel etc, so there isn't all that much variation in price. After riding with Darrek, I decided that it was 100% worth it to pay a little bit more in exchange for having an experienced pilot. Darrek stressed that hot air ballooning is quite safe, but I still felt better having him in control. When we arrived on the ground, he surprised even me by breaking out some celebratory champagne. The whole experience was almost surreal. My fiance couldn't have been happier!

One of the most amazing experiences you will have! We were privileged to book a ride for just two,…read moreand loved every minute. *If you want to really enjoy your trip try to book the whole flight for just your group. Since Balloons of Vermont's balloon rig is built for speed, it accommodates fewer passengers than large sightseeing balloons which are slow and less agile. This allowed us to book a private trip for 2 at a good price (for a private trip, the extra large balloon rigs charge for 4-6 people even if only 2 are going).* Derrick, the owner, is an avid balloonist. You can tell he really enjoys taking passengers with him on trips around the Quechee Gorge and the surrounding mountains. He even keeps packages of Southwest Airlines roasted peanuts to hand out during the flight as sort of a joke. Oh, and if you're comfortable with the ups and downs, make sure you ask him to venture down for a closer look at the fish in the small lake nearby . . . it will be the highlight of the trip!

Incredible experience gently ascending from the Green of Quechee VT, floating along the waterway,…read moreover the golf course, close enough to see a dog's warm breath in the crispness of a late October morning. Skimming within reach along treetops ablaze in Autumn foliage as the day gently awakens in softened sounds only heard from a close distance above the ground. Sharing in a celebratory experience with new friends-maybe a birthday, or a 'thank you' gratitude moment with loved ones, or maybe an item off their bucket list of life's adventures! It was an exceptional treat for me--thank you Mom! Thank you Gary and your chase crew! Your outstanding safety record(since 1983?!! Wow!!!) was evident in your demonstration of weather assessment, thorough balloon set up and instruction to passengers-and never a compromise in the balance of fun and safety. It was an awesome experience! (And a soft enjoyable return to earth).

Such an amazing experience, and breathtaking views. The crew was amazing as well, very friendly and…read moreeager to get us up in the air, and make sure we had fun. Gary was an awesome pilot, very experienced, he knew the answer to all our questions and guided us through the balloon ride. Definitely recommend them if you're planning on going hot air ballooning in Vermont. The ride ended with a champagne toast and some goodies to share. Experience of a lifetime.

We enjoyed our voyage with Above Reality in September 2022. It was a bucket list item for us and…read moredid not fail on any level! The team was 100% professional from booking to pre-flight through landing, including thorough training and answering of all questions presented. For me, the most exciting part was during landing, where the site was not known until the last moment, and it was pulled off without a hitch due to the excellent communication and ability of the entire team!

My family and I just had the most AMAZING experience in the sky with Above Reality! We got to…read morecheck this off our bucket list. And Jeff and his crew were so friendly and made the whole evening a delight with jokes and laughter most of the time. Such an easy take off and well done landing that was gentle. Also got to meet his dogs and everyone was just so friendly! I recommend this to anyone because this is a once in a lifetime experience! Thank You Above Reality for helping me check this off my Bucket list!

I have flown twice since this summer with A & A Ballooning. Andre and his crew are awesome. I was…read morelucky with two beautiful mornings. The flights and landings were smooth. The views with summer greenery and fall foliage. I have learned so much about ballooning from Andre and his many followers known as the "crew". Thanks Karen W

My husband and I surprised my mother-in-law with a ride today to celebrate her 80th birthday. Andre…read moreand the crew arrived promptly at 5:30 AM at the meeting location. We were able to view and help with the balloon set up and breakdown. There was a child under 10 on our ride with us and she was a bit nervous. Andre cooled her nerves and at the end she said she wanted to do another hot air balloon ride with him. The experience was stunning and the take off and landing were flawless. We enjoyed the champagne and cheese toast as well! Andre's a great communicator and I'd recommend choosing this crew for any hot air balloon adventure. Also, one of Andre's trainees was doing his first solo today. It seems like he has trained everyone in the area. If you ever want to get into ballooning, he seems to be the guy!

I was very pleased with the professionalism of the pilots and ground crew. Everyone worked well…read moretogether to make sure we had a safe and enjoyable flight. I highly recommend SunKiss Ballooning.

This was such a fun thing to do! Absolutely amazing ride and not at all what i expected, in a good…read moreway. Such a calm and smooth ride, no dips or sways, no real sensation of moving. Wasn't scary at all. Todd was happy to explain the physics of it all, and how everything works. He even lets you help out with the set up and break down, if you want of course. Totally unique experience that i think everyone should have a chance to do.

Brooke is professional, polite, and fun. The entire flight experience was unforgettable! He is one…read morewho explains everything that he was doing and really includes you in every step of the process. Safety is a priority throughout the flight and it is very calming and enjoyable - no worries at all!! This is something everyone should do at least once! We did a morning flight - be prepared to get up early, but it is well worth it! We got to see them launch the test balloon, then went to the take-off site. It was really cool to see two other balloons launch with us. Brooke then got the balloon partially inflated with a large fan, then he lights the burners, and a few minutes later, you're off! The flight was majestic and beautiful. He does a signature approach to his pics, and they turn out great - both candid and traditional. Once you spend about an hour and a half in the air, you have a nice soft landing, and pop some bubbly as per tradition, and you pack up and go. 5/5! Thanks Brooke!

What a memorable experience from beginning to end! Our pilot, Brooke Owen was awesome. He explained…read moreeverything to us clearly and had a great sense of humor. At the end, he presented us with certificates, a pin, and we all partook in a champaign toast (a ballooning tradition as he will explain.) I set this up for my boyfriend's 40th birthday. We stayed in Lake George which is a beautiful mini-getaway and CLOSE to the meeting point for take-off. Totally worth it and NOT SCARY. Just awesome.

Had a great time! Owner/ pilot and crew were friendly and courteous. Owner answered my booking…read moredates in a timely manner and kept in touch with us a couple of days before the flight. Would Highly recommend! I will go through Ballooning Adventures again!!!!

Our Balloon Adventure was one in a lifetime experience. Very very professional, very responsible,…read moreand very much fun. We will do it again in the spring. Can't wait. Mike was a lot of fun and the chase guys were also fun to be with. Helping with the balloon was great way to be apart of the total experience. After our ride mike and a few of the chase guys set up an impromptu celebratory champagne crackers cheese and cake "tailgate" party! So much fun!!

such a nice pilot, love the whole crew. i went here for my birthday and it was phenomenal. This was…read morea memorable experience and it was so serene. Me and my family felt safe the entire ride and the entire crew was very comforting and helpful. This is definitely something that needs to be checked off your bucket list. i highly recommend!! Thank you again

I surprised my husband with this for his 50th Birthday. Jason was a great pilot with a fun sense…read moreof humor. He was very knowledgeable & informative throughout our flight. His crew was very friendly & set up & took down balloon quickly which was nice cause we didn't spend a lot of time just waiting around. The fight was about an hour and was absolutely gorgeous from the colorful leaves below us to the sunrise. Everything was handled in a very professional manner from our booking to the end of our flight. I see other people who have made reviews that were mad because they could not fly due to the weather but I actually respect the business that they were not willing to fly & took safety seriously, we were fortunate that we were able to fly but if weather did not permit us too I would have be disappointed but certainly would not have left a bad review as the crew cannot control the weather. We had a fabulous time & Jason made it fun & memorable. We would highly recommend this company to anyone. Thanks again to everyone involved for giving us a great balloon ride.