Very memorable experience!! It was our first time on a hot air balloon and everything was perfect! We opted for the private balloon and it was worth every penny! read more

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Loved the experience for us as well as my elderly parents. The people are friendly and careful.

Such a great experience from beginning to end! Agile & friendly crew lead by Ryan. Just do it when in Temecula! read more

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An absolutely amazing experience!! My girlfriend and I went for our anniversary and it was definitely an amazing experience!! Irvin and Ash (our crew) were super cool and friendly and made the experience that much more enjoyable!! If you are ever wanting to do a hot air balloon ride, we highly recommend Compass Balloons!! If I could give them 10 stars, I'd give them 100!! read more

WOW what an amazing experience! If you are debating going with Compass, don't think twice. All of their staff were amazing. So kind and helpful in explaining the mechanics and traditions associated with hot air balloons. Any time we asked a question, it was met with happiness and fun! The ride itself was just over an hour due to light winds (I did the sunrise). I can't say enough good things about the entire experience. Yes- it's early, but well worth it. Thank you to our knowledgeable pilot, Josh, and the rest of the Compass crew! You made my 5-year anniversary memorable read more

Had the best experience ever for my birthday!! I rode a balloon with Ryan and he was the best. He made the ride so smooth. Irvin was great he pushed and got everything prepared. Ryan, Jeremy, Josh and Noah were great. You all made my day so much more special. Thank you so much for the best birthday ever @compassballoons! read more

A memorable experience hosted by knowledgeable and professional staff. We loved the views and serenity we felt a few thousand feet above the rolling hills of Temecula. As we glided above the grids of vineyards below and inhaled the crisp air we were able to truly appreciate the area for what it is. Skip the LA and SD traffic. Head for Temecula and fly the friendly skies with Compass Balloons. read more

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This was the best experience with a crew that made me feel totally safe. Highly, highly recommend doing this at least once in your life. Don't go with a cheap Groupon company... go with Compass Balloons and expect an amazing time! read more

I am very money conscious and I had never really thought spending money on a short balloon ride is worth it. However, with a special occasion coming up and having heard "hot air ballooning" previously mentioned in awe by my girlfriend, I decided to take the plunge and give it a shot. The ride was 140 per person, placed at a similar price tier of many Michelin restaurant tasting menus. All I can say is: Worth it! We are taken to the launch site and as they start filling up the balloons, the sun is just starting to come out, consistently providing the best lighting for pictures both on the ground and in the air. We catch the actual sunrise in the air (YMMV). The pilot Jeff is absolutely amazing. He is a quiet, humble guy, but once you start asking him questions, he will definitely open up and will make your trip so much better. Ask him where he has ballooned before (turns out, international ballooner!) or where he wants to balloon (Istanbul, of course!). Jeff is actually a nationally ranked (top 5?) competitive balloon racer! You can absolutely tell with his expertise and precision in ballooning. More on this later. If you are taking selfies within the balloon, Jeff may even try to turn on the flames at just the right moment to give you some awesome lighting and effects! In the air, it is so still and serene (except for the flames every now and then, but you get used to it). Watching the sunrise from the air is absolutely amazing. My two favorite parts: gliding literally inches from the top of orange orchids, where the citrus wafts into your nostrils (think the simulation ride from Disneyland California Adventures, but real) and reaching a mile high. We were up in the air for an hour and it was just the right amount of time. We land, he gets out delicious pastries and we do a mimosa/champagne toast! My girlfriend loved the experience and had an amazing time. She thought the toast that Jeff gave was extremely cute. She gushes about the experience to friends and we frequently revisit this moment through our conversations together. You will get major points, promise! This is a magical experience and while many say it is a once in a lifetime type experience, I can see myself doing this again, and definitely with Compass Balloons. From one cheapo to another, do it and you wont regret it. Some notes: It will be cold, wear layers. Make sure camera is charged and has memory. My only regret: not asking if we could take a picture inside the balloon. Make absolutely sure if you intend on surprising someone, that they are actually actually okay with heights. My girlfriend always said she wants a hot air balloon ride...but the night before, I found out she is a bit afraid of heights, so I let the cat out of the bag (was originally going to surprise her). She was able to get mentally situated and it actually turned out great. If you are surprising someone, you could try saying that it is a "sunrise winery tour". Worked for me! As soon as you are in the basket, staff will offer to take a picture of you. Personal space: in my basket subsection, if there was one more person in the basket, we would all be shoulder to shoulder. To management: Great job! Would love to come back and definitely recommending to my friends and family. One person fewer per basket section would definitely make for a more intimate experience. I highly highly recommend putting some effort into taking professionalish level pictures for people. Definitely appreciate the quick pictures snapped before liftoff, but I think dedicating an extra minute per group would go a huge way for satisfaction. That is the difference between 5/5 stars and 6/5 stars! Feel free to contact me for more info on read more

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My three friends and I had an absolutely wonderful time on our hot air balloon shared sunrise ride in Temecula with Compass Balloons! Our pilot, Pete, was friendly and happy to answer any questions we had about what we saw in the area and how the hot air balloon worked. He even accommodated our request at one point to turn our side of the basket to face the sunrise, which we really appreciated. The assisting crew members were all very friendly and got us excited about our flight and made sure we landed safely too. Shoutout to Andrew and his shift partner who added to the experience with some jokes and good vibes! The team also offered mimosas and snacks after we landed, which made the experience all the more fun and celebratory. I would highly recommend Compass to anyone looking for a great hot air balloon ride in Temecula! The views were stunning and truly worth it. :) read more

Compass Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

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Stoked we had such a wonderful team of men. Informative, time efficient and very kind. Such a beautiful experience! read more

Compass Balloons - Hot air balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

We loved it. I did it for my birthday. I/We had a blast.From the man who answered the phone to the pilot who floated us and the guy who helped him down on the ground. They were all helpful and polite. read more

We had a great experience on our hot air balloon ride tour. The guys working were really nice and funny. We were the only balloon up as the sun was raising. Our entire experience was perfect! Thanks guys! read more

Compass Balloons - View from our balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

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Literally just came back from the Valentine balloon ride. This is truly amazing and inspirational!! The host did a great job for introducing and we caught the sunrise in a perfect timing! The small celebration with champagne offered at the end and we are so grateful for this amazing entertainment! read more

Compass Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

We had a super great experience with Compass Balloons! The crew that took care of us were super engaging and gave us the full tour of everything. They helped us take pictures whenever we wanted and were super friendly. I was bit sketch before we got on because I wasnt sure how air balloons worked, but our pilot made sure our experience was as smooth as possible. Give them a look up if you decide to go hot air ballooning! read more

This is the Hot Air company to choose. A very professional group who gave specific instructions and details of what to expect . The timeliness was exact , the cleanliness was very very good and the fun was superb! We felt so special and safe during the entire ride . Compass Hot Air Ballon employees are the best . I would recommend Jeremy and Beans as the team to choose for your next hot air balloon flight . These two totally know what they are doing ! in addition, to them , there is a team of people that assist with the launch and landing . Very professional and knowledge team! You will thoroughly enjoy this experience along with some food and spirits once you land ! Great job Team Jeremy and Beans and the staff at Compass Hot Air Balloon read more

Came up for a weekend get away with my other half. We waited till last minute to book. My bf wanted to hot air balloon for his b-day. Most of the other places were booked solid but this company got us in. We got the last two spots on tge sunrise flight. They were a little less expensive than some of the other places too. 139 per person is not bad at all. The ride was spectacular. Jeff was our pilot and was super nice and knowledgeable. We landed right where he planned, unlike some of the other people we saw. Super soft landing, great over all experience. I would highly recommend if you in the area to give this company a try read more

Compass Balloons - Beautiful views. - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

We had such a wonderful trip with Compass Balloons it was absolutely gorgeous, quick, professional and smooth. It was my first time in a Hot Air Balloon and I will definitely be doing this again with Compass Balloons. I cannot say enough good things. Everyone with the company was great. The trip was something I'll remember forever. read more

Compass Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

We had the most amazing experience, we had a smooth ride ,our tour guide explained everything to us.........how the balloon worked .It was a beautiful day and I recommend to other's if you haven't tried it or thinking about ,you must try compass balloons, love the story at the end with the champagne, didn't know it has been a tradition that has gonna on for decade's read more

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Amazing experience would definitely recommend! They pick you up from a spot off the 56, you leave your car and hop in their van and they take you to a launch field. From here we enjoyed some champagne and watched them fill the balloon and get it ready for our trip. The pilot was great with explaining what to expect. There was little wind so we went straight up and enjoyed spectacular views of Rancho Santa Fe and all their stunning properties before landing in a field about an hour and half after take off. The rest of the crew met us with the trailer to take the balloon down, while we enjoyed another glass of champagne, we all hoped in the van and they drove us back to our cars. A thoroughly enjoyable experience! read more

Amazing experience! I called 5 other places and they were the friendliest and got back to me the quickest. DO NOT book other places from Groupon. Call Compass Baloons directly! You will not be disappointed. We were the first balloon up and had the longest ride with the best photo ops. What are you waiting for? Cross it off your bucket list already read more

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No no noooo. JUST DO NOT. Had an emergency day of flight (called them as soon as I knew we were not going to make it) It was a medical emergency that landed my fiancé in the ER. I completely understand not being able to refund, but we couldn't reschedule without a $200 reschedule fee. They do not care or have empathy for paying customers. Please contact me and I'll send you another place that will handle a situation like this so much more gracefully!!!! If you ever have that worry that something could go wrong -- don't waste your money. A business that claims to be "so so busy we're sold out" but also so so desperate that they will keep any $ they can. Embarrassing. read more

We chose Compass because of their past reviews on Yelp. This was our first Hot Air Balloon ride and it didn't disappoint! We met up at a winery at 5:30am, signed a waiver and hopped in their van with 7 other customers. They drove us to the launch site which was only a few minutes drive away. We stayed in the van while they set up the balloon as it was a little chilly in the morning. The balloon team gave us a briefing and all 9 of us climbed into the basket and were off the ground in no time. The pilot was friendly, professional and very knowledgeable. The ride lasted an hour and we even skimmed right over the top of a grapefruit orchard! The land was a little bumpy and rough, but they say that can happen. Even though I think I have whiplash now (started the next day), I still gave these guys 5 stars! I would do this again! read more

What a wonderful experience. Ryan was an awesome pilot. Funny dude and made sure you felt safe the whole time. Tanya was an amazing photographer and great spirit. Highly recommend taking the sunrise ride! read more

Compass Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

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Ash and Jeremey were a great team! On time, good communicators, and great experience. Exactly what we expected. Even got up to a mile high in the balloon. read more

What a wonderful flight. After searching for quite some time to find a hot air balloon experience out of San Diego area, I was really excited to find Compass Balloons. It was easy to schedule/make reservations and be kept informed by email with advanced paperwork and reminders. The meet up location was easy to find, and the team was timely in getting us all to the lift off site. If you want to go on a hot air balloon ride fly with this amazing company. The flight was beautiful, and the pilot and crew were experienced. They had the balloon unpacked, inflated, and ready for flight in record time. The same can be said of the pack up once we landed. Very quick and efficient in putting everything back together to leave. Never realized we had taken off until I looked down and the pilot gave updates and informed us of the scenery as we flew. The landing was perfect. If you are searching for a balloon ride, this is the company to go with. read more

What an amazing experience! The staff was super friendly and insightful about the region and hot air ballooning. My one tip that they did tell us beforehand- WEAR A HAT, the fire will make your head rather toasty. other than that, couldnt have asked for a better time! :) read more

Nice ride but am disappointed - We enjoyed the ride, but we were very disappointed for a number of things: The van was too crowded with passengers and the windows were not opened. The driver and another staff in the van did not wear masks nor did the river and pilot when going up and down the hot air balloon. The staff who handled payments wore a mask and made effort to communicate with us. We are deaf; however, the pilot not make any effort to communicate with us. We did not have access to information shared with other passengers. We lost out a lot yet yet we paid the same price. We asked if the balloon could go higher while the other balloon with the same company went very high and moved to different areas. They have better views while we were stuck with the same view . The pilot responded by laughing, you want to go higher. Did not appreciate it. The website stated all the staff wear masks, but this was not the case. Violated Covid-19 protocols. read more

WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!!! Do yourself a favor and book elsewhere! I booked a hotel for 2 nights to surprise my husband for his birthday with a hot air balloon ride. We showed up at 4:30am the day of the flight just to find out it was canceled. My family was extremely disappointed. Also, the only form of communication that I received was an email at 10:45pm, just a few hours before our ride. I spoke to the owner and he told me to contact the 3rd party that issued the gift certificate for a refund. That company in return told me that only Compass Balloons could issue the refund, which they have refused to do. Last, there were other balloon companies that did not cancel their flights that day. Compass Balloons is obviously hard up for cash, or they would have processed the refund. To be honest, I would be scared to take a a balloon ride with them given the fact that they are so desperate for money. Also, I see that someone else had a review of a cancelled flight, which means that this is a reoccurring issue with this company. read more

Highly recommend Compass Balloons,went up twice with Ryan he's an awesome pilot, went for my birthday 2019 and went coworker's 2020 some who are afraid of Heights, they loved the balloon ride!!! Thank You Ryan , I'll be calling you soon !! read more

Joined my best friend & her husband with some of our friends to celebrate their anniversary. I was terrified and obviously had no idea what to expect. The guys at Compass Balloons made us feel so comfortable and it was easy to trust them! They are energetic, professional, and most importantly fun!! Working to get our group to go out with them again, this time for sunset!! read more

These guys are seriously the best. Firstly, the customer service is superb. One of my bridesmaids had to cancel last minute because she got food poisoning. Even though they have a strict no refund policy within 48 hours of cancellation, they still made an exception, which we were so grateful for. The guys shuttling us to and fro the take off and landing grounds were also really nice. Our pilot guy was awesome (we think his name is Ryan, but picture attached for visual representation). Secondly, the ride was so fun! There are only 8 people to a basket. It feels way nicer and more intimate to fly with a smaller group. Lastly, the price is relatively cheap, especially in comparison to other places. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and would highly recommend for people to try it out. I can't wait to do it again! read more

Compass Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

It was an amazing and once-in-a-lifetime experience. Jeff and Steven were extremely organized, extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Jeff was an excellent guide and hot air balloon pilot. He made the trip even that much better as he explained the balloon , and view below.The view was spectacular and we were up even before the sunrise due to their ability to figure out the best place to launch. The mimosas and pastries afterwards were a great ending of a perfect sunrise hot air balloon experience. Highly recommend this company and the tour is a must!! read more

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This was my first time in a hot air balloon ride, and it was great, except for the pilot Michael. I can't believe someone like him has a job like this. He had absolutely the worst customer experience ever. He was very rude to my mother, his co workers, and other people. I can't believe how he carried himself and he works here. The other people that participated in the hot air balloon ride were even shocked and upset. One of them said under their breath to their partner, "I wish I wouldn't have given them a tip beforehand." 1) Michael said to be careful of the fans, and my mother repeated what he said because she didn't think someone else heard him. Michael got smart with her and said, "Why are you repeating what I just said? You know I just said that. They heard me. You don't have to say anyrhing. There's no need to talk. So just listen when I speak." I can't believe he spoke like that to my mom. And he kept going about it!!!! He said, "I need everyone's attention and for everyone to listen to me because I'm the pilot." He kept going about how stressful it is to fly a balloon, it's not a Disneyland ride, and he can't be dealing with people. 2) Michael asked my man and this other girl's man to help set up the balloon. ?!?!?! He was "volun-telling" people to do stuff. 3) He was very rude to Tristan and Jake. He would ask them a question, they would respond, and he would then say, "Did you not understand me? I didn't ask that. I asked..." Michael was very condescending. If I was either dude, I would have told him to piss off and quit. He did this multiple times to the other employees. 4) My mother told Michael that it was my birthday 4 times. He never once said "Happy Birthday" to me. She told him twice before the flight, and twice after. Even Jake and Tristian told him. Nothing. 5) There were multiple times that my mom would speak to me or my man or just speak, and Michael would jump into the convo and correct my mom. 6) After we landed and we got out of the basket, my mom wanted to sit down in the van because she was in pain, she can't stand for long periods of time. Michael flat out said, "No." 7) We landed in someone's yard and it was a dirt pile/dust bowl. We literally "had the picnic" there. There were flies, mosquitoes, and ants everywhere. I was shocked, I figured we would have waited to find somewhere more decent. 8) During Michael's story about why champagne is traditionally served after balloon rides, two boys came up to us and asked about balloon rides. Michael got upset because these POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS "interrupted his story time." He asked Tristian and Jake, "Do we have any business cards?" Jake responded and said, "We don't have any." Michael got frustated and retorted with, "Did you not understand what I said? Does that mean we don't have any at all or we just ran out?" I couldn't believe it. Even the other people were like "What the hell is wrong with this guy?" 9) Right before we got to the parking lot, Michael said, "I hope I wasn't too rough with you earlier," to my mom. His lame way of apologizing was pathetic. When my mom said, "I'm okay," he said, "Good, because I was just..." And came up with all these excuses as to why he was a total jerk to her earlier. 10) Michael had us get in the van, but then he left the keys in the ignition and the doors open. All these flies came in and the van was making the "ding" noise. He was so inconsiderate and rude. Even Jake came over afterwards and apologized that he did that. Michael is absolutely neurotic. I can tell he is the type of man that needs everything to go his way and he needs to be in charge. Tristan and Jake were really cool and kept their composure. We did not leave a tip because of Michael, unfortunate for Jake and Tristan. I'm making sure everyone that participated today leaves bad reviews. read more

I had an amazing experience today w/ Compass. Josh is an amazing pilot. All the other guys helping with the equipment were great too. Josh took us up a few thousand feet and then go down almost scraping the tops of trees as we flew over orchards and grapevines. Wasn't expecting that and it was a lot of fun. The view of Temecula is gorgeous and you can even see the ocean if the fog has cleared. Ended the flight with some mimosas when we landed. Nice, efficient and professional. Hope to do it again soon. read more

Ryan, Tristan and ash were amazing! They were informative, energized and fun which made the experience enjoyable. They hooked us up, we were the only ones on the flight. They gave my boyfriend and I an unforgettable anniversary! They were very cautious about the weather because of the fog that morning. So we drove to another location in hopes of it clearing up. They released a helium balloon as a test to see if we could fly. They made alternative decisions so we could make this flight happen! At last, we they said it was a go :D We flew above the clouds and the view was breathtaking. We were all amazed! Ryan, our pilot, said this view only happened 5 out of 100 flights so despite the weather delay which was not by much and it was for our safety... it was worth it!! They all were nice enough to take our pictures. They made great conversation and made us feel very comfortable. I would definitely recommend! Thanks for the flight and experience guys! read more

I can't say enough about these guys!!! Awesome to say the least. These guys definitely know about hot air balloons and were more then willing to answer any and all questions we had... mainly me. Lol.. but our daughter who turned 22 wanted to go on her birthday and she and my wife had a great time. I will definitely recommend Compass Balloons to all our friends and family! These guys made it a great experience and I can't thank them enough!!! We can't wait to go back! read more

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Had the best time with Ash and Irvin! This crew was spot on with their kindness and friendliness towards their guests. Ash was extremely knowledgeable about the balloons, location, and more! We couldn't have had a better experience with this company! read more

Compass Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

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I planned out a surprise for my boyfriend and I and it was the BEST one yet! Our pilot Josh and chaser Jeremy were the absolute best! With the experience we got, we'd definitely would try again, especially with Josh and Jeremy! read more

Highly recommended. They're very knowledgeable and efficient. Our ride was perfectly smooth. They truly made my special day. To add on, they are worth the price. Will definitely do it again with them. The whole crew really did a great job . Thanks Compass Balloons for a great and fun ride. read more

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