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!

Quencher balloon rides is an awesome experience! Chris is a expert navigator and knows the area…read morevery well and points out all of the main landmarks. It's a beautiful ride and Chris is a wonderful host/pilot!

I bought a voucher for a balloon ride for 2 through groupon for my boyfriend's birthday. Neither of…read moreus had ever been on a hot air balloon ride before. I've skydived and zip lined, parasailed and gone gliding so I was a little unsure if it was going to feel like someone my grandmother would enjoy- it was a blast. We met Chris and his father in Quechee green and then actually got to help them set up the balloon which was awesome. We are both very hands on people so we really enjoyed getting to lend a hand in the process and see how it's done. We took off over the absolutely beautiful town of quechee- stunning. Chris was a GREAT pilot and really knowledgable about his trade. He was very interesting to talk to. He actually recommended a winter time flight- who knew?! i didn't realize hot air balloons went up in winter. The three of us chatted (my boyfriend and I in awe of the beauty and height) the entire time. We were able to spot some wildlife in the fields below and then we touched down in the yard of this amazing Swedish couple who invited the then 4 of us (his father met us at the landing site to pack up) up to their house for a glass of wine. It really couldn't have been a more perfect ending to a fabulous ride. Two thumbs up for Green Mountain Ballooning. Thanks for an awesome time Chris!!

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!

I had a very fun trip today with my mom! Our poorly was Jeff and he was very funny and kind when…read moreflying! Afterward we had champagne, apple cider, truffles, along with a frame of my mom and I in the hot air balloon. I would recommend this to anyone of all ages!

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.