Flying in Sonoma County is spectacular. Our region offers serene countryside, miles of stunning rugged ocean coast and some of California’s most beautiful giant coastal redwood groves. Sonoma County’s incredible views, landscapes and mild climate make it ideal for growing wine grapes but particularly special for ballooning!
In addition to the many wineries and vineyards, you’ll see beautiful countryside and the gently winding Russian River. On particularly spectacular days you may even see the Pacific Ocean, the Napa Valley from afar, and San Francisco 60 miles away! This is no run of the mill amusement park ride. Each flight is totally unique and no two flights are exactly the same. After your flight, Sonoma County’s world class wineries, restaurants, hotels, sandy beaches, scenic overlooks and miles of trails will leave you no shortage of things to do!
** While Sonoma County is always our primary flight location, because of our proximity to the Pacific Ocean, there are times when the coastal fog prevents us from flying locally. On those days, we have found alternate flight corridors that weather permitting still allow us still fly safely outside of Sonoma County. We have carefully chosen these locations to provide our guests a flight experience that we feel would be comparable to our Sonoma Flights. Guests are given the option to join us at the alternate location at no additional cost and there are no penalties if guests decide not to go.
Our pilot will meet you at the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport located at 2200 Airport Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Upon entering the airport make a left and park in the short-term parking lot. Look for our van as it will be parked across the street from Costeaux Bakery and the big bus stop, which is located on the southside of short term parking/rental car return lot. Please check your confirmation email for our departure time. After everyone has checked in and a brief pilot orientation, you are taken to one of our launch sites determined by our pilot to provide you with the safest, most scenic flight available for that morning.
As you arrive at the launch site, you will be greeted by the colorful, larger than life balloon that will carry you away on your early morning adventure. Once the crew has completed the inflation and the balloon is standing upright, the pilot will call you to join him in the basket. You climb in and it’s Up and Away!
The pilot adds heat to the balloon and it gently floats into the early morning sky revealing the glorious scenery below. Navigates the morning winds your pilot seconds as your guide, sharing with you points of interests from the local region and stories of ballooning and it’s history. Time stops as you float above it all.
Your flight reaches it’s conclusion and the balloon returns to earth. Your first thought is “let’s go again!” You carefully disembark as your ground crew works diligently to deflate the balloon.