Soar like an eagle in a hot air balloon flying over the Temecula Valley in Southern California.
Last updated: July 25, 2024
Hot Air Balloon Ride in the Temecula Valley
It’s my birthday. I invite you to meet me up in the sky observing square particles of land, precisely divided by paved and dirt roads and scattered across the Temecula Valley, from Bounty, one of the two largest hot air balloons in the area.
A special corner along the Southern California coast, Temecula is known for two things: vineyards as far as the eye can see and hot air balloons rising up in the air 365 days a year, if the weather allows.
And the weather is quite obedient in this part of the Golden State and the U.S. for that matter. Even Albuquerque, with the largest and longest-running hot air balloon festival in the country, can’t boast as many air balloon flight days as Temecula.
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Phill, our pilot with 35 years of experience of flying hot air balloons, admitted that after a few years of living in Albuquerque, he moved back to San Diego. Temecula is roughly 58 miles (55 minutes) north.
With its abundant restaurants that serve food made with local ingredients and even more wine tasting rooms, the city is a perfect day trip from San Diego for many. For Phill and his hardworking team, it’s an “office” with the sky as a ceiling where work starts way before dawn most days of the year.
Why Should You Ride on a Hot Air Balloon in Temecula?
Sheena, our driver who picked us up at a shopping plaza parking lot in Temecula and took us to the hot air balloon arena, stated one interesting fact. Temecula has more days appropriate for hot air balloon flights than any other place in the country.
Phill, the balloon pilot or, as they call them, aeronaut, backed her up while filling us in on the details of his hot air balloon flying careers, Albuquerque, local businesses and residents of the houses we flew above, and any other questions our flying group of 21 had.
How Many People Fly on a Hot Air Balloon in Temecula?
Bounty is one of the biggest hot air balloons in the Temecula Valley. Yet despite the large number of people it could fit, our flight didn’t feel overcrowded or overwhelming.
The basket of the air balloon is separated in four sections. Each compartment comfortably fits up to six people. So even though there were many people flying on the same hot air balloon, five of us were separated from the rest of the fliers. So, the entire flight felt like an almost intimate experience.
Normally, hot air balloons can accommodate from one to twenty people, depending on the size of the balloon and basket. The more intimate experiences come with higher price tags. We along with the other hot air balloon fliers were offered room on a smaller air “vehicle” that would fly only 10 people for an additional $50 per person. A few accepted this offer. Most, us including, declined.
HOT AIR BALLOON EXPERIENCE IN TEMECULA
The hot air balloon adventure in the Temecula Valley starts at a local shopping plaza parking lot (31963 Rancho California Rd, Temecula). You get detailed instructions from your flight provider beforehand. We flew with Magical Adventure. So upon arrival, we had to park precisely between Wells Fargo and CVS.
You are expected to be at the parking lot at 5:00 a.m. Temecula hot air balloon flight organizers pick you up from here in a van or a few vans, depending on the number of fliers, and take you to the field.
Considering the early start, you may want to spend a night in the area. We, however, decided to drive all the way from Los Angeles early in the morning. After leaving LA at 2:40 a.m. (and still managing to get stuck in the traffic in the downtown area due to road construction and a partial closure of the freeway), we arrived in Temecula a good 15 minutes before the vans pulled over in the same parking lot.
Initial Phase of the Hot Air Balloon Flight in Temecula: Arrival and Check In
No shops are open at this time. The only people at the parking lot are usually the ones that are flying on a hot air balloon. A few companies offer balloon flights in the Temecula area. So for the first few minutes, van drivers try to locate their fliers and gather them in one area.
The next stage is to check it, pay any outstanding balances, if you still have, and sign waivers. And only after that, you are asked to step on a scale with all the belongings that go with you in the basket of the hot air balloon (small purses, water, etc.)
TIP: Nothing should be strapped around your body when you fly on a hot air balloon. So either leave your purse with a long handle that straps across your body in your car or be ready to hold it in your hands during the flight.
By 5:15 a.m. all the guests are checked in, assigned to their hot air balloons and pilots, divided into groups according to how they will be positioned in the air balloon’s basket, and the vans are ready to depart.
Note: The closest restroom at this point is inside Starbucks, which is not open until 5:45 a.m. So the first stop of the journey is the SoCal Winery to use the bathroom before heading to the hot air balloon fields. After that there are only bushes and trees.
Hot Air Balloon Inflating
On the day of our hot air balloon ride, the sun didn’t bother to show up. Thick clouds clogged the sky high above. But the morning light dissolved the darkness of the night that had still held us in its grasp when we left the parking lot in Temecula.
One of the hot air balloons was ready to soar high about the Temecula Valley when we reached Bounty, our assigned air transportation. It looked like the crew (Sheena joined them at once) just started inflating the massive bird. In reality, though, they might have spent an hour or so transferring the air balloon to this particular location, unfolding it, and doing all other necessary steps before the new fliers could witness this awe-inspiring (jittering for some) inflating phase.
Once the envelope, a parachute of the balloon, ascended above the ground, the crew put the basket in the upright position and the fliers climbed in. Everybody according to their assigned compartments and groups.
Up In the Air
We booked our hot air balloon flight with Magical Adventures that fly in Temecula, San Diego, and Palm Springs. The balloons spend anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour in the air. But trust me, this time is enough.
Despite some gloomy weather, our flight was smooth, not a bump. The air balloon unhurriedly gained elevation, increasing the distance between the fliers and those left on the ground and unveiling pleasing views from above.
At around 1,300 feet, the highest our hot air balloon rose over the Temecula Valley that day, all vistas vanished. Dense fog locked us in its firm embrace. With zero visibility, the chances of bumping into another hot air balloon or a jet increased. Staying lower was both safer and more reasonable.
The hot air balloon rose up into the sky and descended so low that you felt that it would touch the ground any moment a few times before landing several miles away from where it had ascended.
Celebratory Drinks and Certificates
The hot air balloon adventure in the Temecula Valley ended with celebratory drinks: champagne, juice, or mimosa – the choice was yours. Individually wrapped breakfast that consisted mostly of trail mix, granola bars, and jerky sticks was also provided.
And while a few members of the team were wrapping up deflating and packing the envelope of the air balloon, the pilot with the rest of his crew presented each flier with a commemorative certificate.
Last but not least, the Temecula hot air balloon package included a whole bunch of discounts to local wineries and restaurants. The team claimed these alone could save you over $150.
The Best Time to Fly on a Hot Air Balloon in Temecula
Our experienced hot air balloon crew advised us to come back in September when the views over the Temecula Valley are the most vivid.
July is associated with “July blues”. We haven’t experienced them. But I assume the weather is somewhat similar to June, lots of fog at higher elevations and sunrises that often fail to paint the sky in bright colors.
Yet if the summer months don’t work for you, come and catch a ride on a hot air balloon in Temecula any time of the year. As we mentioned earlier, the hot air balloons rise up in the air in this part of Southern California 365 days a day, if the weather permits.
Can You Get Motion Sickness on a Hot Air Balloon?
It’s highly unlikely to get motion sickness on a hot air balloon. Normally balloons travel no faster than 8-10 miles per hour. The basket remains relatively stable during the entire flight.
What Do You Need to Wear?
Wear anything you feel comfortable in. Yet remember the higher you go the colder it gets. I had my jacket on (like most of the fliers). Inside the basket, the temperature may be 10 degrees warmer thanks to a fire from the burner system that doesn’t let the envelope deflate.
Another thing to remember is that not all hot air balloons have doors in their baskets. You may be offered a ladder to get in and out. We just climbed in and out using tiny handles woven into the side walls. Considering this, skirts may or may not be an optimal dress code for a hot air balloon flight.
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