When my husband and I visited Scottsdale, Arizona, one of the things he was anxious to do was go on a hot air balloon ride. I, on the other hand, was anxious to stay firmly planted on the ground, cheer him on and take pictures. I had a great experience of my own though, riding along with one of the men on the ground who follows the balloon to where it’s going to land (which is always a bit of a question), and watch him assist with the landing. As Real Food Traveler’s Eco-Friendly Food, Travel and Adventure Editor, my husband Jimmy loved the experience but found out there’s a whole lot more to the hot air balloon experience than meets the eye. Read his account of the ride so you can be better-prepared for this amazing experience.

Save this article to Pinterest to help you prepare for your hot air balloon ride. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Hot Air Ballooning: A memorable mix of terror, delight, and incredible views

For an unforgettable way to see the Valley of the Sun, a balloon ride can’t be beat. To ensure the safest and most enjoyable flight, rising before the sun rises is necessary. After a half hour drive out of town, our driver with Hot Air Expeditions drove our van into the desert brush, bumping along to the launch pad where a team of balloonists was unfurling the silky fabric that would lift us into the clear, blue Arizona sky.

After much action, including safety instructions that involved ducking for cover if the landing was rough, eight passengers joined the balloon pilot and soon the scorching blow torch above our head had filled the giant 10 story fabric pouch with enough hot air to slip the force of gravity – we slowly floated into the sky, along with about a dozen other balloons in various stages of lift off, and waved farewell to our chase truck crew. At the whim of the winds, the balloon offered a silent and peaceful perch to take in Arizona’s beauty. Jagged mountain ranges reared up in all directions above a perfectly flat valley floor speckled with desert plants. To the west, Scottsdale blushed green and the skyscrapers of greater Phoenix gleamed in the early morning light.

Watch the video of our lift-off, here.

The passengers watch the hot air balloon being inflated as the sun rises on an early Arizona morning.

In the air, it’s clear flying, with beautiful views.

The tranquility was occasionally broken by the roar of the burners that kept us afloat- and the burning heat from them was quite a shock – making us wish for a tin foil hat as a hat shield! A mixture of terror and delight, the ride lasted about an hour, and then the adventure began of safely landing the basket and its precious cargo (us!). As the weathered pilot explained, there is only so much he could do to land the beast – much was up to the winds and luck. As we floated within feet of rooftops at an exurban perfect rectangle oasis carved into the desert floor, pajama-clad children ran out in the streets to wave hello to us lofty intruders. Happily, no nudists were sighted bathing or swimming in the backyard swimming pools, as we had been warned. The balloon descended ever closer to the ground and a large Palo Verde tree seemed doomed – sure enough, we struck it head on, and everyone ducked into the basket for cover as we tore off half its branches. One of the basketeers plucked tree branches from her hair.

The first attempt was aborted, so up we floated again to navigate to a bit of open ground, and finally, we landed fairly hard, thanks to the capricious wind. Scraping the ground, grinding over scrubby bushes and narrowly missing needly cactus clusters. “DUCK!” our pilot demanded, as the basket tilted almost fully onto its side, then popped upright. Danger past, our heads slowly levitated above the basket rim – our chase crew cackled that we looked like scared kittens peeping out of a giant laundry basket! Once safely secured, we climbed out of the basket, relieved to be back on terra firma. The crew set about taming the colorful silk giant, deflating and rolling and then stuffing her into submission.

Safely on the ground, the balloon is deflated, inspected, and gathered up.

Rides conclude with the crew setting up a post-ride brunch. For our ride, out came tables, chairs, linen tablecloths, glasses and China plates for a French-style breakfast buffet amid the cactus and creosote. Amazing! Under cloudless skies, we ate as the pilot shared stories of the history of ballooning and the tradition of a champagne toast for those who “survived.” We clinked glasses in celebration of our time in the sky and our safe landing. Learn more about the various offerings here.

-Story and photos by Jimmy McDonough, Real Food Traveler Eco-Friendly Food, Travel & Adventure Editor

Hungry for more? Let our 4-day itinerary in Scottsdale be your guide.

Please note, we were provided the balloon ride for free as part of a travel writer experience in Scottsdale, Arizona to help facilitate being able to tell prospective travelers what they can expect. Learn more about this in our Disclosures.