blue sky balloons

Bill Hughes is a balloonmaster extraordinaire. If you have never taken to the skies in a balloon, don't miss this. I surprised my husband with a trip in the fall (he thought we were going apple picking!). We arrived at this wonderfully amazing farm (check it out when you get back from the ride), around 7:00 in the morning and actually got to assist Bill in getting the balloon up and ready to soar, an experience in itself. The ride lasts about an hour and is very quiet and peaceful - we passed over wetlands with beaver dams, deer, pastured sheep, and a beautiful countryside, with Bill giving us a running commentary all the while. And when we landed - very neatly on a grassed area in a small suburban development - we helped to deflate, roll up and pack the balloon into a waiting SUV that brought us safely back to the farm. What a terrific way to start the day! Thank you Bill! PS: Watch the video.

First off, Blue Sky is 10% cheaper than other outfits, so that's nice. The ride is smooth and the pilot is skilled, so no worries about safety. In addition to having a fabulous hour of soaring, the takeoff point is an amazing farm that is an absolute textbook example of responsible animal husbandry. In other words, you get to pet a bunch of pampered goats, pigs, cows, etc.Recommended.

This balloon flight was a 50th birthday present and the idea was to see the fall colours from the air. We were visiting New York and this is less than 2 hours drive to the north and works out as a fantastic break from all the city activities, especially alongside the forest walks on Roosevelt's old estate near Poughkeepsie. Never been in a balloon before, have to do it again. To be just off the trees at times was simply spectacular. Lift-off was sublime, so gentle you can't believe it. The pilot has an impeccable background in aviation and made the trip so worthwhile. We met at dawn and after the flight, his ground-crew was waiting to receive us as we landed. You are taken back to the start point and the recommendation for breakfast was excellent. Our balloon was small, just the three of us but I think they have other bigger versions too. You have to do it!