Our family group of 7 took our 17 year old grandson on a balloon ride for his birthday. It was a first for us all and we all had a wonderful experience. Our pilot, Pete, and his crew were fantastic! Pete's calm confidence and humor eased any nerves we experienced. He shared lots of interesting information about ballooning and the Temecula area. Getting to watch the set up was fascinating! Pete and his crew even landed our basket back on the trailer where we began (which I wouldn't have believed if I didn't see myself. wow.) Low flying, skimming along the trees and vineyards, was the best!
Tips: There is no graceful way in and out of that basket so dress casual and comfortable. Jeans, a tee shirt, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt were perfect for our June morning. (The sweatshirt came off as soon as we gained altitude.) Keep your cell phone on a string or ring. (You don't want to drop it!) The basket is built with sections so there are interior walls to hold onto while you stand. (The higher we got the more center of the basket I got so limited shifting with others in the basket to become more at ease, was not a problem.) There is absolutely no sense of falling out of the basket. It is rock solid but I wouldn't recommend it for kids under about 16 years old because of the tall height of the basket. Other than that, just take a deep breath and enjoy the beauty of flight. Your in good hands at A Grape Escape!