Awesome staff! Super great experience and felt safe! Loved the souvenir certificates and champagne and history afterwards read more

Adventure awaits!! Today we went on this beautiful serene adventure with our pilot Pete. The crew in general was amazing, the experience is so worth it. I would recommend this for a bucket list check off and for special occasions. It is hot in the basket (hence "hot air balloon") lol, so prepare bring something to cover your head to protect from the heat, I give so much props to our pilot I can only imagine how hot it was for him. He has been a pilot since 1983 I believe he shared with us. I felt very safe and grounded ironically being 4k feet in the sky! At the end we get to celebrate and receive our diploma as an honorary Aeronaut to add to your scrapbook of adventure. read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

This was my boyfriend and I's first hot air balloon ride and our pilot was Brian. Aj accompanied us as well on our drive there and back. Brian was so great! He was informative, easy to talk to and made the experience so enjoyable! Aj as well was friendly and great conversation. I'd highly recommend, we were in the air before the sun started rising and the views were amazing. We went up about 2,500 feet! Our landing was extremely smooth as well so that was nice! PS Give our guy Brian more flights he is GREAT!!! read more

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Such a beautiful experience. Left me so happy & speechless. Staff is so funny, nice & communicative, definitely will be back soon! read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

If you are thinking about doing the Hot Air Balloon adventure for your bucketlist, blisslist (or whatever else they call it these days), I say, just do it. If anything, you will regret not doing this sooner. I made reservations in advance for a party of four and booking online was super easy. I called first as I was so scared putting my family in one basket (literally). I had a lot of questions. I updated my life insurance (kidding). The woman I spoke to on the phone could've been a little more reassuring as she answered my questions matter-of-factly and I sensed a little impatience. I was decided to go anyways so it didn't faze me (but what if I wasn't, just a thought). They communicate well with you via email or through text - so make sure you give them a working cell number. I researched several hot air balloon company in the area and this one tops the list for safety and customer satisfaction. We arrived close to 6am. Dress comfortably. Wear comfortable shoes and pants. Prepare to climb in and out of the basket. You will be on your feet the entire time. They have a van that will drive you in the field to set up. We enjoyed this part as we saw several balloons getting inflated and lots of photo ops during this time as the sun rises. It didn't take long for us to be air bound. It was not scary at all - but then again, Im the girl who likes to sit in front of roller coasters over and over again. Seriously, the ride was very calm and relaxing. If there was even wind, we barely felt it. My 12 year old was looking down at the view below from begginning till end (proud of this kid). Like the other reviewer said, it was more fun than scary. Hey, the view from the top was magnificent- this is what you came for so enjoy the serenity and amazing views! I suggest you secure your phone with one of those rings so you do not risk dropping it as you take pictures, selfies, etc. I had no cell signal from atop for some reason. No Tiktoks. Our Aeronaut was Pete and he is so skilled at what he does. He's also very patient with us answering every question as simple as it may be. The ground crew were also very professional, hard working, and knows what they are doing. This made us feel so safe - which was very important. Actually, we were having so much fun that we forgot that we started out scared. Hah! The landing was so soft - like a feather touching ground (promise, at least for us today hehe). Again, because of Pete's skills. They then have the van drive you back to Europa Village for a Champagne toast and your honorary certificate. We made reservations for a 9 am breakfast at Bolero restaurant after. Overall, it was a 10/10 experience. It was a super amazing day with great people! I reccommend these guys. All I can say after today is, I have the utmost respect for wicker! Thank you for your business - As an ICU Nurse, this was such a welcoming adventure and escape for us healthcare workers, who is continuing to face the dreary outcomes of the pandemic. You have my highest reccommendations. I just can't stop raving about our experience today. Another suggestion to the company, maybe you guys can offer to sell some souvenirs - like a miniature hot air balloon, sweater/shirts, hats, those kind of stuff. My friend would've totally bought one if you guys had it. read more

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Booked a flight for my husbands birthday on a Saturday and honestly it was so much fun, I can't wait to do it again. Booking was super easy, did everything online and they don't charge your credit card until the day of the flight. They offer banners for different celebrations as well. We met at Europa winery at 5:30am, and yes it's early but worth it. Check was quick and easy. You have to sign a waiver and then pay the amount. After waiting like 15min, they separated us into 2 groups and we were off. They explained that they have to check the wind conditions one last time to make sure flying would be safe. After doing so they started inflating the balloon which didn't take long at all. Our pilot was Pete, very nice and helpful. Answered any questions people had. So the only challenging part I would not for some people might be getting into the basket. It's high and you basically have to climb in, but don't worry there are holes to put your feet and someone will help if need be. I was a little scared at first but honestly once your up there it's no beautiful. The pilot controls how high you go based on how much fuel he uses but no one knows the direction your headed, it's all dependent on the winds. The total flight time was an hour and then they took us to drink Champaign!! Overall amazing experience and I recommend this experience 100%. read more

Absolutely great experience. Our driver was Pete and he was phenomenal. He provided a lot of knowledge while in flight and answered questions. The scenery was breathtaking but the experience was therapeutic. A must do. read more

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Highly recommend this adventure for any special occasion or just for fun. Rusty and his co-worker are very knowledgeable about the Temecula winery area. We had an awesome time and got to enjoy a glass of champagne after the event. Thank you so much for a wonderful 38th wedding anniversary! read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

I've always wanted to go on a hot air balloon so when my friend decided to visit during her birth month, we thought it would be a good chance to go! We looked up many companies and chose to go with grape escape because of the reviews here and they didn't disappoint. Flight: We checked in for our flight at Europa wine village at 5:30 AM. I think there were about 16 of us to our balloon so it was 4 to a compartment. The flight actually lasted an hour or a little more. The sun had already rose a good amount but the pictures and view were still pretty great. Our pilot was Bill and he was a great fun guy! He took the time to take photos for us and was telling us about the area we flew over. He even turned the balloon around a couple times so people would have a good view in their background. Only part i wish was different was that i wish the Europa Wine Village opened earlier so that we could land, have our champagne toast, and then experience the winery afterwards. Instead, since it was still before opening time, my friend and i took photos around the outside of the winery and went off on our way. read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - View from the balloon - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

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A beautiful morning start to my birthday . The ride was smooth and a a beautiful view of our Temecula Valley ! Pilot Bill and crew were awesome! Great way to start the day ! Highly recommend read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Grape Escape Balloon ! - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

We went hot air ballooning maybe 15 years ago and decided to do this again as a Xmas present for my dad. We met up at 6:30am at Europa Village, 16 of us were assigned to Balloon Master Bill's group and he drove us to the launch site. We watched the balloon get inflated and floated along at different altitudes, catching the wind gusts. Bill was awesome - very funny and professional , took our pics and explained all the sites below and around us. Bill is obviously super experienced (he said he had the honor of flying John Glenn and Mitt Romney) - so you can trust him! We were in the air over an hour due to the wind taking us farther and not having a safe place to land. My dad, sis and I were super impressed by the experience we had and the HUGE amount of work involved in launching and landing this massive 13 story balloon, fueled by 18 MILLION BTU's! Bill and his team were fantastic! At the end we had mimosas, a lovely toast, a little history lesson on hot air ballooning and a personalized certificate. Highly recommend A Grape Escape! read more

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First time on a hot air balloon ride! Bill was amazing and so funny!! We set off and landed perfect. The crew is great as well definitely a great unique experience! PS: bring cash to tip the crew they deserve it! read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Ballon - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

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EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED - Cancelled I am literally sitting here so throughly upset over the fact that our flight got cancelled. It ruined our complete day which was our Valentine's Day celebration. I get it, weather happens. We get there and they are saying there's questionable weather (due to wind). Just sucks that we as well as other people drove over an hour to get there and have them cancel with no warning. The thing is, I wouldn't be upset if driving away I didn't look up and see EVERY SINGLE OTHER COMPANY FLYING. Each pilot is difference, but come on, it was valentines day weekend. It was known that this would ruin a lot of plans. All other companies are going up. Absolutely sucks. I was between two companies when booking and knowing that if I booked with the other company, my girlfriend would of had the great Valentine's Day present I was so excited for. Like I said, I understand weather and safety but when there's a hundred balloons going up, maybe we should follow them as well. Especially on Valentine's Day weekend. read more

The only thing I didn't like was getting up so early but once we got in the air it was awesome.

A beautiful experience and a lasting memory for our engagement proposal! I scheduled a hot-air balloon ride with A Great Escape Balloon Adventure in order to propose to my girldfriend on Saturday, July 11, 2020. Great Escape was nothing less than fantastic! I selected the Proposal option under Special Occasion and they contacted me promptly to coordinate the details. They gave me some options based on past experiences, etc. They were very attentive and addressed all of my concerns! If you want a great hot air balloon ride experience, A Great Escape Balloon Adventure, will make sure that you have a fun and rewarding experience. Especially noteworthy was the fact that I called them one day before our flight to inquire as to whether our balloon would fly over the Ponte Winery, where my fiance and I had our very first date. They could not guarantee this flight path over the phone, since it would depend on where the balloon ended up launching from, etc. But boy did they deliver!!! As we were boarding the basket, they purposely had us enter the basket first and had us stand right next to our pilot. One of the ground crew then asked me if we would like them to use my phone to take some pictures of us in the basket. What my fiance did not know was that they had very discreetly placed a banner that read, "Will You Marry Me?" on the outside of our basket, right below us. So, they pictures they took clearly show the banner with the words, "Will You Marry Me?," right below us on the basket! My fiance had no idea until I showed her the photos afterward. She absolutely loved it! Our balloon pilot was Pete - and he was OUTSTANDING!!! I found out that the front office noted my conversation from the previous day, calling attention to the fact that if possible - I would love to fly over Ponte Winery to make my proposal. Well, what did Pete do? He piloted the balloon so that we reached our highest altitude (5,000 feet) right over Ponte Winery! He then specifically drew our attention to the Ponte Winery below us, which was my cue to begin my proposal. So, I handed my iphone to Pete so he could shoot some video and photos for us while I said a few words leading up to my proposal. How did it turn out? She said YES!!!! :-) She was so happy and we were both very blessed and grateful that Pete specificlaly piloted the balloon over Ponte Winery at our highest altitude so I could propose 1 mile above the very location of our first date! This made our proposal all the more special! Thank you, PETE - you are the BEST!!! Thank you also to Janna and Gerardo, fellow passengers who took my phone from Pete and continued to shoot photos for us during the initial moments of our engagement bliss! JANNA - you also are the BEST and you took some amazing photos! Thank YOU!!! :-) Afterward, on the ground at Europa Windery they announced our proposal and served us a special cake and a bottle of Champagne. It was all so beautiful and romantic! They also gave us two complimentary passes to wine tastings at the Europa Winery. We can't wait to use these passes as the Europa Winery is absolutely beautiful! It is so peaceful and serene. You feel like you are relaxing at a beautiful Italian villa! Thank you, A Great Escape Balloon Adventure, for giving us a beautiful memory of a lifetime! You made our proposal and engagement so, so special and we will look back on this experience with nothing but very fond memories! Thank you and we can't wait to ride with you again! Love always, Patrick & Andie P.S. Two learings fromt this experience that surprised us regarding hot air balloon rides (a first experience for both Andie and myself): 1. Once you leave the ground, the basket ride is rock-solid stable! It felt like we were standing on a solid floor during the entire trip! It was extremely stable and steady with no jerky movements, etc. 2. When you are descending from your highest altitude, you will get to feel exactly what it feels like to descend in a parachute once it is open. It also is extremely stable and peaceful! You are actually descending at a pretty fast speed, but it does not feel like it at all! What a great experience! P.S.S. - Pete and the ground crew: GREAT JOB landing the basket on the actual trailer behind the truck that tows the basket to it's various liftoff and landing sites! Amazing performance that demonstrated how skilled all of you are what you do! And thank YOU ALL also for your vested interest in making sure that our entire experience was fun and enjoyable! You guys are a great team! read more

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We had an amazing experience with Great Escape, they are very professional. No problem or hassle during the entire tour. Our pilot is very knowledgeable and expert at what he does. I also got the video package for my 50th birthday celebration from Wesley. The videos and photos are epic. I highly recommend Wesley to take your photos and videos. It was worth it!!!! read more

Great landscape all I can see is beautiful green places and if u do it right in the morning the sunrise is formidable read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Landscape - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

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Booked a hot air balloon ride with some friends for my birthday and Grape Escape did not disappoint! Super helpful over the phone, great customer service! And the main thing I appreciated is that they don't charge extra if you are over a certain weight. We had some pretty big guys in our group and a lot of the companies we called wanted an extra $75, but not Grape Escape! They offered me a birthday banner and a cake. They made my birthday feel really special. We booked the summer sunrise tour. It gets HOT really fast. So if you bring a jacket for that early morning chill you will take it off quickly once up in the air. Tour guide was funny and knowledgeable about the area. Great take off and landing. Afterwards we had a champagne toast and received certificates. It was a great birthday adventure and I would definitely recommend! read more

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From start to finish, this experience was A-MAZING. His name was Bill and he was our pilot. I guide for Wine Country Trails by Horseback and as I shared my knowledge about the area, he did too! He was professional, funny (as in funny 'Ha! Ha!'), and also very informative about how the balloons work and the area's history. I recommend this business because of my experience with them and their professionalism. It's a really neat experience to go through! Do. It. ...you won't regret it! read more

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Absolutely superb! Bill, Brian were great, funny, informative and the views! Even helped a chubby gal climb in/out of the basket! Would absolutely recommend to anyone who asked and even those who don't. read more

Booking was fast and easy through their website. I called and talked to a lady about some follow up questions and rescheduling and she was super nice and very helpful, great customer service! The day of the ride went pretty smooth. The only hiccup was finding where to park and meet up but I eventually made my way there after a few minutes of searching. After everyone arrived, we all shuttled over to the take off point and got to watch as them and other companies set up and launch balloons. In the air we had amazing views of the wineries. The guide was very knowledgeable about the area and filled us in about the geography. Staff was helpful and knew the drill by asking to help us take pictures both at launch and in the air. It was all in all an amazing experience and I'd definitely recommend this company. Cheers! read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Setting up the balloon - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

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Absolutely the best 1st experience hot air ballooning! Only downside was group of others in the party were 45 minutes late but not the company's fault. Rusty was very knowledgeable and made for a pleasant and amazing experience! Stunning views and great company. Glad I chose this company and would definitely use them again as well as recommend them to everyone! Made for a great late birthday present for that special someone. read more

FANTASTIC and BREATHTAKING! Taking a hot air balloon ride over the Temecula wine country has always been a bucket dream for us, and the folks at the A Grape Escape delivered night dance of a lifetime! Our pilot, Pete, was extremely informative, accommodating, friendly, and made our experience extremely comfortable, and delivered a fantastic experience! Our host, Rusty, was the life of the party! Again, super friendly, very hospitable, engrave it bust some excellent suggestions on local activities, restaurants, and wineries! We 100% recommend A Grape Escape!! read more

What an amazing experience! Our pilot Pete was a great pilot and tour guide! All the staff worked really hard to ensure a safe and memorable experience. I would recommend flying with them! Thanks for making this bday girl's day! read more

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My husband surprised me for our anniversary with a sunrise hot air balloon ride with A Grape Escape. First of all, props for the name, it's adorable and so fitting. We headed to Temecula and met around 6 AM at Europa Village, where we met the team, brewed some Keurig coffee, and waited for the rest of the groups to arrive so we could head out to our balloon launch spot. The team blew up the balloons, took a "happy anniversary" picture for my husband and I, and shortly after arriving at the balloon launch spot, we were up and away. The takeoff was SO easy - I don't have a fear of heights, but the gradual climb up was so smooth that it just puts you at ease. The weather was also absolutely perfect, which I am slightly positive was also orchestrated by A Grape Escape. ;) Seriously though, the balloon is calm - you are not blowing around or even remotely shaking - my biggest fear while being up there was that I was going to drop my phone, which was an added bonus, because it allowed me to put the phone away and really just enjoy being up in the air. The balloon team are incredibly skilled and know what they're doing - there was never a moment that I felt afraid or unsafe. Our balloon captain was Rusty, who was absolutely amazing. He was funny, knew so much about Temecula and where our balloon was flying over, and was a true professional through and through. We flew over numerous vineyards and heard about the landscape, the city of Temecula, the various vineyards and their proprietors, which gave a real appreciation for Temecula beyond just wine tasting. We were up in the air for about an hour and a half, give or take, so were really able to see and take in so much of what the area had to offer. The landing was also smooth and it's truly amazing to see how fast the team is able to put the huge balloons back on the trucks to head back to Europa Village for some champs and breakfast. The provided mimosas and bites (fruit, granola bars, packaged breakfast rolls) was a great way to refuel and just sit in the Village, which is still empty at this point, and admire the views. Huge thanks to Rusty and the Grape Escape team for making our time in the air and on the ground so enjoyable. We truly had the best time and are so grateful for the experience! read more

Truly *blown away* by this experience! The entire crew was friendly and professional. Our pilot Pete was phenomenal - he has a ton of flying knowledge (fun fact: hot air balloons are the oldest form of flight!) and made us feel totally comfortable in our first hot air balloon ride. The views were spectacular and we got to toast our adventure with champagne back at the beautiful Bolero restaurant. If this is on your bucket list, you won't find a better company to book through! read more

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An absolute amazing experience!! From start to finish we felt welcomed, secured, and safe. The staff are extremely friendly, funny, and experienced. Pete was our pilot and he was simply fantastic. We were celebrating my husband's 40th birthday and they had a birthday banner on the basket. After our ride, we celebrated with a complimentary champagne. Overall, this was a breathtaking experience. Highly recommend!! read more

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Wow!!! Great Experience with my family for my 40th Birthday!!! It was the first time for all of us except my dad. The staff arranged for all of us to go togther, they switched around groups because we were only available to do it Saturday. So glad it all worked! Rusty our pilot was extremely experienced. He's been flying hot air balloons since 1991! His crew were also very experienced. What amazing views of the Temecula Wine Country as the sun was rising. This was a bucket list adventure for us all and we were extremely happy with our experience. Thank you to A Grape Escape for making this extremely special. Once we got back to our starting point we were greeted with the traditions of champagne and an Irish prayer. Well done! read more

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I was looking for a great experience to surprise my wife with for our 5th anniversary and grape escape delivered. From the straight forward and informative online booking process to the friendly staff following up to answer any questions to the great communication leading up to lift off this is a company that you can trust to truly create a memorable experience. Bill was our pilot and he was fantastic. It was abundantly clear the level of experience he had in not only flying the balloon but making it fun for all of us passengers. After we safely landed (it was like he parallel parked an RV in NYC with precision) we went back to the winery we met at and had a wonderful champagne toast. Look no further... grape escape has you covered for a hot air balloon ride In temecula. read more

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It was a wonderful experience ! Had a wonderful time! Everyone was so helpful in planning the ballon ride! Would recommend everyone doing it once! read more

We chose A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure for our 1st hot air balloon experience. It was totally worth it. Bill and his team made sure all of us riders had an enjoyable ride from beginning to end. Be prepared for a smooth ride with an amazing view and a glass of champagne to finish off your day. We recommend A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure and we will definitely will come back! read more

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This place was such a fantasy. I brought my mom as a late birthday present and the service is beyond impressive. This was my second time going on a hot air balloon trip & I decided to give this place a try & it was even better than the first. We head out in the morning trying to get there around 6 am. I was worried that we might have to reschedule & cancel the trip due to the weather & fog but they told us we'd be driving out a few minutes until there's no fog. Yay! The place we all met up at was a dream in itself. Beautiful flowers, lights & set up. The hot air balloon experience itself was calming and educational. It was a total of 7 people & it was a comfortable experience overall. The view was BREATHTAKING. Thank you so much for a lovely memory. read more

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Amazing experience. To start we meet at Europa Village Winery (5:30am) then they take drive you about 5 min away to an open field. It didn't take to long for the balloons to be ready. Mean time you can watch inside the van or outside. Bill was extremely pleasant and fun. The ride lasted around 45min. I wish we would have gone higher, but I do understand that everything depends on the winds. Regardless it was breathtaking. The landing was superb. Same vans take you back to Europa and they toas with that sparkling wine that is delicious from Europa Village (which by the way is one of my favorite wines in Temecula) We waited until 8am for Bolero to open and have breakfast which is right there at Europa. I definitely recommend and would do it agian, it's a great experience read more

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I hate being sour, all and all it was good experience, I booked it last minute, BUT: They were late. The sun was up, other balloons were up, guys were still getting ready. Magic moment of sunrise was missed by at least 30 minutes. Not a single person from the team was wearing a mask. I'm not sure if they are vaccinated, it wasn't discussed. They just appeared like we're not in the pandemic. I later realized a lot of people in Temecula not wear masks while doing business. But even behind "mask required" signs inside of a vineyard they were mask-less. Customers were confused - some showed up mask-on, others on a chin. As a result they packed 12 people in a basket and no one, no one had a mask on, including pilot Bill (who hasn't had a mask on for a second from beginning till the end). I felt uncomfortable the entire time, because I signed up for this, thinking that the business practices are up to date with the California health requirements (and mask were a requirement in the confirmation email). Again, all and all it was on my bucket list for a while and I'm glad I made it, but looking back I wish I chose different company for that trip. As a New Yorker I really don't want to support anti-mask businesses. read more

I cannot rave about how much of enjoyable experience this was. I hope I got her name correctly ...Tracy in the office was so very helpful with not only making my reservations but answering all my questions. I did research before I decided on A Grape Escape and I truly believe that I made the only and best decision. My party of 4 were warmly welcomed by the staff. Check-in was smooth without complication. Our pilot for the experience was Rusty. Where do I begin? Rusty and his crew made this such a memorable experience. The staff as a whole was very accommodating and really friendly. My party and I felt safe and cared for the whole time. I had total confidence with every aspect of the hot air ballooning experience. Though one might think that this is a once in a lifetime experience,I am now an aficionado of ballooning and definitely will be coming back to A Grape Escape to experience it again. Thanks to Rusty and the entire A Grape Escape staff. Hope to see you all soon! read more

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Rusty and Bill and the crew were amazing! They were very organized and efficient and we were up and going quickly. They were informative and made it fun! I felt safe the entire time due to their combined 60+ years experience. I would recommend this company to my friends and family! read more

Grape Escape Balloon Adventures - Great experience for all occasions! - Tours Near Me - Temecula, California

The best balloon flight experience ! I truly recommend it ! It's part of everyone's bucket list in life ! read more

This is long overdue. I took my wife on her first hot air balloon ride here back in November 2015. We were up in the air when I popped the question. Rusty, our pilot helped me plan ahead of time and he recorded the whole thing. Oh, she said Yes. We definitely have Grape Escape to thank for one of the most memorable and significant days in our lives. Reading some of the recent reviews, I'm glad to see that they are still doing so well and Rusty is still around. Will have to stop by for our 10 year anniversary! read more

Overall wonderful experience. Highly recommend. Not at all scary (& I'm afraid of heights). The ride was calm & I felt totally secure. Staff is very friendly & fun. Beautiful views. Bucket list checkmark! read more

For our 29th wedding anniversary this was a new and great experience! Bill, John and his crew were amazing! This is a great time to spend, doing something different and enjoying, "life from above!" I would highly recommend this for most any special occasion ~ early morning (yes), but the setup is fairly seamless and once your are up & above, it is well worth the early wake-up call!! [as a side benefit: you get to meet new folks that you can share with or take from, experiences and history - as we were on our 29th anniversary we bonded with those who were on their 4th!....] read more