Hot air balloon rides in San Francisco, California
10 balloon rides around San Francisco, 7 with prices from the operators' own sites (from $250). Open a listing to see its menu, then request a time. No phone tag.
What hot air balloon rides are actually like
Up before dawn, then drifting with the wind while the sun comes up and the ground goes gold.
- Meet in the dark, usually an hour before sunrise. The crew checks the wind and picks a launch field.
- You help hold the envelope while fans and burners inflate it. It's a show in itself.
- Climb into the basket. Liftoff is so gentle you may not notice you've left the ground.
- Float for about an hour. Balloons go where the wind goes, so every flight is a different route.
- Land in a field, sometimes with a bump. Many operators pour a toast after touchdown.
Bring: Layers, it's cold at dawn, Closed-toe shoes for wet grass, A hat, the burner is warm overhead, Camera with a strap. Good for: Anniversaries, proposals, and anyone who wants calm rather than adrenaline.
Questions
How many balloon rides are there in San Francisco?
Outset lists 10 balloon rides around San Francisco, including places in Napa, Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Yountville. 10 of them have photos.
How much do balloon rides cost in San Francisco?
7 of the 10 operators publish prices on their own site. Starting prices run from $250 to $649. The full menu is on each listing.
How long do balloon rides in San Francisco take?
Listed durations include 45 min, 60 min and 3 to 4 hours, as stated on the operators' own sites.
Which balloon rides in San Francisco have the most reviews?
Sonoma Ballooning (5.0 stars, 2,480 reviews), Napa Valley Aloft Hot Air Balloon Rides (4.9 stars, 1,897 reviews) and Napa Valley Balloons, Inc (4.8 stars, 426 reviews). Review counts are from public listings.
Do the listings show opening hours?
5 of the 10 show hours copied from the operator's website. The rest do not publish them on Outset yet.
Where does this information come from?
From each operator's own website and public listings, one source per fact. Operators can claim their page on Outset and correct anything.