Enjoy the scenery of Georgia’s Blue Ridge mountains from a unique vantage in the sky on a hot air balloon ride!

Rides are available at either dawn or near sunset (when the weather is most favorable) and allow you to experience the thrill of riding along with the wind. Pilots guide you on your choice of either a private flight or a shared flight on a hot air balloon.

Hot Air Balloon Rides in North Georgia

Fly high with the birds of prey and soar over the mountain tops, or skim across a lake on a hot air balloon ride!

These 4 hot air balloon ride providers are located in and around Atlanta and its northern suburbs. The exact locations of flight launches depend on weather conditions.  Prepare to be flexible with your travel plans to account for a location that takes advantage of the best weather conditions. Generally, you should expect to be contacted with your exact launch location on the day before your flight — after the team can see the weather forecast and plot the best flight area.

 

Balloon Atlanta

Balloon Atlanta offers a variety of flights plus advertising and public relations tools! Enjoy a private flight, shared flight, solo / single person flight, or tethered balloon rides (perfect for parties, festivals, product rollouts).

Discounts are available for military and first responders when booking.

• Phone: +1 (770) 926-4426
• Address: 491 Air Acres Ln, Woodstock, GA
  • Note that the launch location depends on weather conditions
• Website: balloonatlanta.com
• Facebook: Balloon Atlanta has 1,200+ likes

 

Balloons Over Georgia

Located in Cumming, GA, most of the flights will launch from an area about 35 – 40 miles north of Atlanta. There are several different launch sites that are utilized to take advantage of varying wind conditions and directions. Choose either a private ride (with just 2 people plus the pilot), or enjoy meeting some new people on a non-exclusive flight.

You will meet approximately one hour before sunrise or 2 hours before sunset, and experience a flight that lasts about an hour (the typical range is from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours). The flight time will depend on weather conditions and landing sites.

Discounts are available for senior citizens, military & first responders, and children.

• Phone: +1 (678) 283-4033
• Website: balloonsovergeorgia.com
• TripAdvisor: Balloons Over Georgia is rated 5.0 with 4 reviews

 

Fly Wendy Fly

Private balloon rides for up to 3 people — just you, your guest(s), and the pilot! Champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres to celebrate the flight (by request) and weekend flights don’t include a premium. Hot air balloon tether rides are also available for up to 75 people.

Primary and alternate launch sites, plus customer-arranged launch sites may be available depending on the suitability of the site.

• Phone: +1 (404) 488-3311
• Website: flywendyfly.com
• Facebook: Fly Wendy Fly is rated 4.4 with 5+ reviews and 300+ likes

 

Magic Carpet Ride

Atlanta’s Magic Carpet Ride Hot Air Balloon Adventures offers a variety of flight packages including champagne balloon rides and standby flights (for those more flexible with flight timing).

Engaged couples will appreciate that Magic Carpet Ride offers a complete wedding package for the bride, groom, and clergy. Business owners and marketers will love the unique packages that use the balloons to advertise!

Launch sites are chosen to suit your needs based on convenience, what you would like to see, your desire to fly with other balloons, and other safety factors. The most common launch areas are in Cumming and Snellville.

• Phone: +1 (770) 436-9960
• Email: fly@magicballooning.com
• Website: magicballooning.com
• Facebook: Atlanta’s Magic Carpet Ride Balloon Adventures has 250+ likes

 

Hot Air Balloon Festivals and Events

Keep an eye out for events that feature a chance to take a tethered hot air balloon ride. Even if you can not get a ticket to ride in a balloon, it is a nice event to watch even if you stay on the ground!

 

Helen to the Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race & Festival

The 47th annual event is scheduled for June 1-3, 2023. This is the only long-distance balloon race in the USA and runs from Helen, GA, to the Atlantic Coast (*technically, the race ends at I-95). The hot-air balloon race starts at 7:00 am on June 1, 2023, depending on favorable weather conditions. Enjoy local hot-air balloon festival events in Helen at 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (note there are no rides during the middle of the day). Visit helenballoon.com to see more information and past race winners.

 

Other Hot Air Balloon Festivals

Other hot air balloon events happen throughout the year and across the state. Some great examples of Georgia’s hot air balloon events include:

• Calloway Gardens hosts Hot Air Balloon Glow Nights during their Labor Day weekend event
• Atlanta hosted the Atlanta Balloon Glow in Piedmont Park
• Rome hosted the NWG Hot Air Balloon & Aviation Festival

 

What To Take on a Hot Air Balloon Ride

Having a great hot air balloon ride is easy with these tips. These will help you to dress appropriately and bring the right gear with you for a great experience!

 

Hot Air Balloon Ride Clothing

Riding in a hot air balloon is a lot of fun, but it may require that you get dirty, as landing sites are not exact, and you may be walking through a field of mud after your flight.

• Pants – wear comfortable clothing that allows you to climb in and out of the gondola basket
• Shoes – you will be on your feet for the entire experience, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes that can also handle walks over uneven or muddy fields
• Layers – As temperatures change with increases in altitude, it is essential to have an extra layer of clothing to keep comfortable

 

Hot Air Balloon Ride Accessories

These accessories will help secure your items and make sure enjoy your balloon ride as much as possible.

• Sunglasses – take sunglasses for eye protection from the bright sun (even though you will arrive at your destination while it’s still dark)
• Sunglass Strap and Case – protect your sunglasses with Glasskin – an innovative sunglass strap that transforms into a protective sunglass case (designed by local Georgia designer and company Baggual)
• Hats – shield your eyes and face from the sun on a bright day (consider a hat with a strap that won’t get blown away by windy conditions)
• Straps – use lanyards, neck straps, and wrist straps to keep important items from being accidentally dropped

 

Hot Air Balloon Ride Extras

These items can add some fun to a hot air balloon ride and your other North Georgia thrill-seeking adventures!

• Binoculars – scan the horizons a little better with a highly-rated pair of binoculars. Binocular strength is measured by the magnification and size of lenses (e.g., a “10 x 25” pair of binoculars has 10x magnification and a 25mm lens)
• Cameras – bring your cameras and/or ensure your cell phone is fully charged to capture pictures and videos from the air

These ideas should serve as a general guide to a great float in a hot air balloon. Always check with your hot air balloon flight company for more information on what is allowed on a flight.

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Are you ready to take a scenic trip to new heights with a hot air balloon ride in North Georgia?