We did this for my 50th birthday, and it was the perfect way to mark the occasion. It felt like a meaningful threshold-crossing experience--celebratory and memorable without feeling over-the-top. As more of my friends have crossed this age milestone, I've seen the full spectrum of responses: people who downplay it and later wish they'd done something special, people who throw huge parties and regret the stress and effort, and people who choose extreme adventures only to find the adrenaline crash leaves them feeling depleted afterward, bringing '50' home in a hard way. This struck exactly the right balance. It was special enough to feel like a true celebration, offered a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and created memories (and amazing photos) I'll carry with me for years. While it's certainly not inexpensive, once you see the amount of equipment, preparation, effort, infrastructure, expertise, and care that goes into each flight, the pricing feels more than reasonable. It's a significant experience without being financially out of reach. If you're looking for a memorable way to celebrate a milestone event--or simply want an extraordinary experience--I highly recommend it. read more

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Such a great experience! The view was unbelievable and seeing everything from above was just breathtaking. A lot smoother of a ride than I thought it would be! Crew was great as well, very professional and informative while keeping it light and fun! Gonna start recommending this to people. read more

Seattle Ballooning - Rainier - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

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Be prepared to be cancelled on... We really wanted to do a sunset flight with Seattle Ballooning last year (Aug. 2025) for our 10 year anniversary, but our flight got cancelled on our way there due to high winds, which was quite the disappointment since it was on our anniversary but understandable for safety. We rescheduled for a few days later, made it out to the launching point for the rescheduled flight only to have it also cancelled... again due to wind. We were told we could reschedule again, but we decided to let Seattle Ballooning hold our tickets until the following summer (2026) so we could do a surprise sunrise flight (since we were told sunrise flights are much less likely to get cancelled) for our son's 10th birthday, which is also in August. And even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky and was a perfectly sunny day on Aug. 20th, we got cancelled on again for the 3rd time... due to fog (even though there was no fog and fog doesn't usually start in western WA until the fall). Needless to say, it's been a very disappointing experience all 3 times, especially since we keep seeing posts about all the flights happening and how now is the perfect time to schedule. While it has been a disappointing experience 2 summers in a row and was also quite the long process to get our money refunded, I can say that the balloon pilots we got to meet last year prior to our 2nd flight getting cancelled were very nice, and the office staff have been friendly. I just wish we could have actually gotten to fly since all the posts I've seen have looked so nice. So if you do book with this company, please be prepared to be cancelled on and maybe have a back-up plan if you're trying to celebrate a special occasion. read more

Our pilot McKenna was such a doll! She was so amazing! Tyler was awesome! I got engaged on a private for 2 ride, it was such a great experience. She took a lot of photos of my fiancé and I, they came out so cute! She was the best! Loved her! We felt safe and comfortable with her, she knows what she's doing! read more

Seattle Ballooning - Our cute balloon - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

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This was an absolutely amazing experience. It was one of the most spectacular things I have ever done and I have done a lot of extreme and adventurous things in my lifetime. It was peaceful, serene, exciting, and surreal all at the same time. This company is extremely professional and is a well oiled machine. Our pilot instilled a lot of confidence in us. He was talkative friendly and professional. The customers were informed of everything we did along the way which was super cool. We even got to help fill the balloon before taking off. This is not a thrill ride so if you are expecting to be scared - don't worry about it and just do it! The champagne and chocolate at the end was also awesome. I learned a lot, enjoyed myself, and loved the scenery. Highly highly recommend!!!! read more

Going to start by saying this is my first 1 star review in my life! I'm pregnant so we called to check if I was ok to ride and was initially told we could book if i got it cleared with my doctor. I did get it cleared with my obgyn, in writing, before booking and after speaking with the employee. The day of the flight was told absolutely no pregnant people are allowed under any circumstances which was contradicting to the website and what we were initially told, and was told by the customer service representative that nobody working there would have ever told me that.. and was told by the owners wife that no obgyn would ever clear someone for a hot air balloon ride.. which both were insulting as I'm not a liar. Was even suggested my boyfriend bring someone else on the flight! This was booked as a gift for my birthday. Granted I've never been on a hot air balloon and was unaware how unsafe this must be all I wanted was a refund after all the confusion and taking what i thought were the correct steps to get on a ride. We were only going to be offered a credit we wouldn't even be able to use until next season.. After 4 hours of stressful conversations, and screenshots of proof of misleading info on the website and approval from my doctor, Griffin reached out respectfully and kindly took care of us and got us a refund. Thank you Griffin! I wouldn't recommend this company unless you're comfortable throwing nearly $2,000 at something you may or may not be able to enjoy. Hopefully they change the wording on the website as their insurance doesn't cover pregnant people! Hope this helps prevent anyone else from a similar situation. Edit; i appreciate the safety precautions you guys are willing to take however don't appreciate that you would not admit there was a miscommunication on your part! An employee absolutely told me it would be ok if i got it cleared by a doctor and your website says here the same thing!!! It was a customer service issue not a safety issue that I'm upset over! If a refund was even close to one of the first things offered and i didn't have to fight so hard to get it i would have never wrote this review in the first place. Thanks! read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

This was a wonderful experience! My wife is not so good with heights/latters etc. and she loved it! Very professional from beginning to end. Engaging conversation and interesting information on the history of ballooning though out the trip. Thanks you very much Eliav and crew! read more

Local celebrity, McKenna Secrist who was recently featured in the NY Times and also the youngest female commerical pilot, took my wife and I on an unforgettable sunset flight. She is so knowledgeable, passionate, and the best pilot we could have asked for. Even though I am TERRIFIED of heights she made it fun. She was in complete control. We got so close to the trees my wife was able to grab a leaf! We even got to see her plane instructor do some flips in a yellow airplane next to the balloon. Thank you for the memories and keep inspiring the young aeronauts! Griffen who helped to set up the schedule, balloon, and took care of driving us to/from the launch location was a joy. He is working 2 jobs and only getting 3 hours of sleep a night but still so wonderful, positive, and great to talk with. Tanessa took some awesome photos/videos of us. She also helped to make sure we landed safely and was lovely. After 2 companies and 2 years of cancelled flights due to weather (between our honeymoon and 2 birthdays), we had the most MAGICAL flight today. Totally worth the wait! Would highly recommend the private flight but hear sunrise is even better. Will probably try that next with a group balloon. read more

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Our flight was cancelled due to weather. I appreciate the team assessing the conditions as we witnessed the sudden storm and unpredictable winds. We will be happy to join them at a later time. read more

great trip, thank you to our pilot Amy and ground crew Cooper and Matthew! and make sure to tell them beforehand if you're proposing so they can manage the altitude for you! read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

Epic. A hot air balloon ride has been on my bucket list for years, and this ride blew all my expectations away. We reserved the entire balloon for a group of friends and the entire experience was magical. Eliav and his team made us feel safe while regaling us with entertaining stories and balloon history. The views were amazing and we even tapped the water on Lake Tapps surrounded by waving boaters. Magical. Amazing. Book this adventure. You will treasure the memory! read more

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Eliav and Amanda truly delivered a wonderful experience from the booking, welcoming at the pick-up site, traveling to the launch site, the launch itself, amazing views up & above, and the wonderful landing. We celebrated our memories with champagne. A great time indeed!!!! Thank you!!!! read more

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They really care about their customers and I appreciate the effort they make to not only make you comfortable but that you enjoy the experience. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday last year- especially that even if we rescheduled it's for safety and checking the weather so feeling really safe (my husband and brother were a little apprehensive at the thought of being suspended in a basket by hot air). read more

My only complaint is that our flight manifest had 7 people but we ended up with 12 people (including the pilot) that evening. Understandably, Kyle/Zack and his wife joined us which is not a problem but I have no idea about the other 2 who joined. This trip was a surprise birthday present for my girlfriend. She is pretty short at 5'2" and we were kind of squished between the two other couples in our section of the basket. We were staring at the cascades/rainier most of the time. It was a real bummer that our field of view was narrower and knowing that I paid $689 to stand between four other people who weren't on the manifest, it made the whole experience felt subpar. Disappointing to say the least. I vaguely remember the website stated 6 maximum in large green font but I can only find it stating 6-8 max now. I can only recommend a shared flights if you can confirm how many people will be on board that day. 6-8 people should really be the absolute max. With 3-4 people per section of the basket, that would allow you to shuffle around which would allow for better views and pictures! Unfortunately, we didn't get to snap any pictures of ourselves because of the limited space. Nevertheless, we had a good time. Our pilot was very friendly, knowledgeable and reassuring. With good weather and company, we shouldn't have asked for more... We would love to fly again for the full experience. read more

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For a very special Birthday, I booked a full flight with 10 people all family and friends. The flight experience from the beginning watching how the balloon was inflated. The explanation of everything taking place and the actual flight was an experience we all enjoyed. It was cloudy but still very beautiful and all 10 of us enjoyed the crew and experience. read more

We just took the most epic sunrise 4th of July tour ever. I would highly recommend Seattle Ballooning. They are responsive through text, their equipment is clean and crew is friendly and knowledgeable. Don't hesitate, just book it. read more

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My wife and I are senior citizens. They made extra effort to put us in the basket laying down both getting in and getting out because we can't climb in or out. This was the 1st time for my wife and she was very scared. The flight was fun and interesting. We had a young lady pilot Mckena that did a great job start to finish. We went up to 2800 feet and then went down to the White river actually touching into the river. We also brushed through many tree tops, saw a deer and an eagle. My wife was happy she braved her fear and we got many pictures. Excellant choice of entertainment. read more

Very disappointing!! We had a scheduled balloon ride. While I appreciate the fact that safety is important and therefore the ride was cancelled, we should have been notified earlier. Being from out of town, we spent $200 on a Lyft because we were notified of the cancellation 15 minutes before the scheduled meet time. The owner offered a free balloon ride but we will not be back therefore I would have no use for it. He should have offered to reimburse our Lyft ride for the late notice. It says on the ticket that if we arrive late, they will not wait and we will not be refunded our money. Where is this accountability of their late notice? Response to the owners reply: Refunding a flight that was Not done is expected not a courtesy because the service was not rendered- a bottle of champagne does not cover a $200 Lyft. Offering a free flight is of no use because we do not live in the area. However, it says very clearly that if we miss the flight for arriving late, then we would have lost the $800 we paid, therefore for your cancelling late, we should have been reimbursed our Lyft that could have been avoided by letting us know with just a little prior notice. read more

After missing out on our balloon ride due to weather over in Winthrop this past week we were fully refunded and offered a discount for a future flight when able. Impressive family business !! We hope to someday get a chance to get a ride ! read more

Most magical moment of our honeymoon. I am normally afraid of heights but there is something very dreamlike being in a balloon thousands of feet in the atmosphere. I was at peace and loved every second. McKenna was an amazing pilot and we had the best time :) read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

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It was fun! The airplane did a smoke show for us. People from the ground were shouting something and wanted to shoot us but Sean reminded them about the legal consequences. Sean you're the best. Dude if you read this - leave your PayPal account in the comment so that I can tip you. Did not have cash on me during the flight. read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

I surprised my with for our 29th anniversary with an am flight with Seattle Ballooning. Unfortunately the weather forced us to reschedule. Eliav and the crew were great in getting us set up within a couple of days. The flight itself was absolutely incredible. MT Rainier, St Helens and Baker were beautiful as the sun broke the horizon. The flight itself was very peaceful and safe. We really enjoyed out experience and definitely recommend Seattle Ballooning for your next adventure read more

Seattle Ballooning - Green River and Mt Rainier - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

Went this weekend for a birthday celebration. It was an amazing surprise, our pilot was Eliav, all staff members were kind and welcoming despite it being quite early. Only reason this review doesn't get a higher rating is based on the advertising of the Flight Track & Photo Package. Online there were no further details on the Flight Track and Photo Package however, this being a first time experience we wanted to be safe and made the purchase of an extra $50. While we were in the hot air balloon we noticed there were no cameras mounted on top to possibly record or take pictures of the flight//us. All photos provided were from the staffs phone camera. The group photo which was taken did not include us in frame and was not retaken. Eliav also mentioned everyone would be receiving photos via google drive which meant we had spent $50 and received nothing different than those who hadn't bought the package. Really disappointing basically paid an extra amount for something of less quality. Again views a great, lovely unique experience, don't waste your money on the photo package offered here. read more

Excellent experience. Pilot McKenna was great! She made our flight memorable. This was my daughter's 40th birthday and the balloon flight made it so special. We took the early morning flight and saw the sunrise. Mt Tahoma (Rainier) was so beautiful. read more

We had the best time ever! Elias was amazing host and made the whole experience so fun! read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

My wife and I enjoyed our first ever Hot Air Balloon ride on Saturday, August 1st. Shawn was our pilot and did an amazing job of describing points of interest and finding a spot to get us back on the ground. Prior to this event, I had no idea the skill a pilot needs to get the balloon back to earth. We thoroughly enjoyed this new experience! read more

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First booked our trip pre-Covid, for later that year. Had to reschedule that, and twice more, due to delta and omicron. Was finally able to schedule for the Winthrop Balloon Festival and it was AMAZING. Would highly recommend!!! Our pilot, Casey, was knowledgeable and personable. Smooth lift off, ride and landing. Great company and great personnel. They were all super nice and helpful. I would give them 10 stars if I could. read more

A perfect experience for first-time ballooners! We did a Saturday sunset flight on a perfect, clear evening. It was a birthday present for my wife who had always wanted to do a hot air balloon ride. I was more skeptical and thought it would be kinda boring and I also have a minor fear of heights. Well I'm sure glad we ended up doing it! Not only was it beautiful, it was actually very relaxing and not scary at all! The basket is very large and sturdy, and our pilot (Eliav, the owner) was awesome! Not only can he control a balloon like no other, his knowledge was amazing! He was always telling us about balloon history, his experiences, and making sure we enjoyed every second. And we did! Oh I can't forget to mention the champagne and croissants after we landed, which were AWESOME. read more

Bucket list item for sure! Awesome staff and most amazing scenery. Highly recommend for locals or anyone just visiting the area.

I had the best time of my life! My boyfriend bought us tickets months ago on my birthday for us to take a ride this summer and I'd been looking forward to it the whole time. Being in a hot air balloon has always been on my bucket list. Even with all the build up, it didn't disappoint one bit! It was amazing!!! The views were absolutely stunning all around. The staff was all so fun, friendly, and knowledgeable. And it was also very interactive. We got to help hold part of the balloon as they filled it with air. I'm so SO glad we did this. Seriously one of the best moments of my life. My boyfriend also proposed to me during the ride so now he's actually my fiancé! Even though we shared the ride with other people, everyone kinda had their own corner of the basket and the proposal as actually very personal. He pulled out the ring in front of me as we looked at Rainier together and then whispered the question. I doubt the other passengers even knew what happened until maybe they saw me crying and kissing him lol. The staff also surprised everyone with champagne after! Seriously if you're considering doing this for any reason (proposal, birthday, anniversary, divorce, or just for fun) I HIGHLY recommend it! And I also HIGHLY recommend Seattle Ballooning!!! read more

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A big thank you to Eliav and Kyle for a perfect hot air balloon ride experience. We opted for the sunset flight and everyone had an amazing time. It was obvious that this is a true passion for Eliav. He did a wonderful job explaining the history of ballooning. Plus, he explained everything as we went along including safety procedures. Helping with the set-up and take down is part of the adventure. You get a better understanding of what it takes to fly and you build more appreciation for the trip. If you help, remember to take a moment to step back and view the whole balloon after it is inflated. We reached 2,200 feet. The Auburn valley, White River and Lake Tapps were all gorgeous. And of course, Mt. Rainier is majestic. We went in late August, so there was still some haze from the wild fires. If you are planning ahead, consider going in the early part of summer. I found it amusing that we could have a perfectly clear conversation with folks on the ground. This came in handy when Eliav needed to ask permission to land at a home owner's pasture. The evening ended with a champagne toast with our new friends. And I need to.mention.the scrumptious chocolate croissants. Again, absolutely perfect! read more

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My 8-year old daughter and I had a sunrise flight. It was amazing! Great views of Mt. Rainier, Lake Tapps, even Seattle and Mount Saint Helens in the distance. The morning fog made for pretty pictures from above. Everyone had a fantastic time and our pilot was friendly and we learned a thing or two about hot air balloons. Up in the air, it's so quiet and peaceful! read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

This is my husband's best birthday gift ever. Now I can't b**ch that he never did anything for my birthday. Eliav and his team are very professional. They were on time, efficient, experienced and made us felt safe from the beginning until the end of our journey. Plus he gave us excellent cava for our toast at the end. We landed on someone's property and the owners graciously let us sit on their spacious backyard and served us hot coffee. I would totally do this again with out-of-town friends. read more

My 90 year old dad had a fantastic balloon flight last Saturday evening. Granted, not all 90 year olds are as spry as my dad, but he did great! His review: "Absolutely fabulous!" He was grinning from ear to ear when he boarded the balloon and was still smiling when the balloon landed. Kyle did a great job of piloting the balloon and safely landing it. The weather was perfect, and the scenery of the river, Mt. Rainier and Lake Tapps was fantastic. read more

Seattle Ballooning - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

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From the first call with Eliav to arrange the booking it was a first class experience. It was our first Balloon ride and can certainly say it will not be our last after this wonderful experience. The morning flight was incredible and the view of Mt Rainier was perfect. I still can't figure out how they managed to part the clouds for the perfect view. Thanks Again!!! read more

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We had so much fun, something I would have never done if it weren't for the fact my vacation club is associated with Seattle hot air ballooning. Thank you Eliav for trusting our club and giving back 30% of the cost in vacation points! WOW!!! If you have any other guests that are interested in finding out how to get 30% back in vacation points please have them go to www.leopotts.worldventures.biz Thank you again for an absolutely amazing experience!! read more

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Wow! What an amazing experience my wife and I had this morning with Seattle Ballooning. The air was crisp and clear as our fearless captain Eliav and his crew set about getting the balloon ready for flight. The balloon itself is brand new and is vibrant and grand in color and size. It looked spectacular against the rising of the Sun. Once the balloon was inflated Eliav gave us the run down on safety procedures and various scenarios in the event anything went wrong. My wife and i felt that all things concerning our safety were addressed and Eliav made sure to answer any questions we had. So whwn prompted we climbed into the hot air balloon basket and got ourselves settled. The basket is tall and study and we felt quite safe and secure. The scenery and views were breathe taking of the Mountains and valleys. When the trip was almost over Eliav reminded us of landing preparations and then he looked for a spot to touch down. The landing was smooth and we ended up in a local farm pasture. Eliav has good relationships with the locals and it all went very smoothly. This was such a great experience and I would definitely go again and recommend this to family and friends. Fun and professional from beginning to end. Jon and Ana Nagel read more

Seattle Ballooning - Fun and professional from beginning to end! - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Burien, Washington

We had such a wonderful time during the sunrise flight on 6/27! This was a surprise for my husband's 40th birthday and it was worth every minute of it! I'm afraid of heights and on top of that, I was so nervous about the weather but Eliav is such a pro and was very reassuring that it would turn out to be a beautiful morning--he was absolutely right! We flew over the Green River, saw Lake Tapps, had a gorgeous view of Mt Rainier, Cascade Mtns & downtown Seattle! We also saw horses, llamas, cows & other farm animals. Eliav is a great storyteller as well and I learned a lot about ballooning that I even did more research after it! And, the champagne toast & croissants to top it off, was such an elegant/romantic touch! Thank you guys for being flexible with keeping this a surprise for him & setting the tone for the entire day! We LOVED it! read more

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I purchased a sunset private balloon ride for my husband and I as a surprise for my husband. Neither one of us have ever been in a hot air balloon before so we did not know what to expect. I can wholeheartedly say in the 25yrs that my husband and I have been together this was one of the very best dates we've ever been on. It was absolutely spectacular! Not only is Eliav amazing at what he does but he was a wealth of information. It was so interesting to hear the history of ballooning and some of the amazing fun facts. We will definitely be raving for months to come and be sending our family and friends his way. Seattle Ballooning will see us again. read more

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My wife and I just got done with our first ballooning experience through Seattle Ballooning. I purchased these tickets last year for my wife's birthday but unfortunately we were unable to go due to the fires. This time we were able to go on the sunrise shared flight with Captain Eliav who was fantastic! He lightened the tension for new flyers like myself with jokes and witty humor, along with the history of ballooning and his personal story of how he first got into it! He did an amazing job making sure all of his passengers were accommodated and felt safe! Seeing how I am afraid of heights he also did an excellent job making sure we were all well informed and ready for the trip. The trip was absolutely wonderful and as calm as the demeanor of the captain piloting the ballon. I highly recommend this lovely and romantic experience through Seattle Ballooning along with Captain Eliav and his fantastic crew! My wife and I thank you for sharing your gift and experience with us! read more

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