Soar at Sunrise: Unforgettable Hot Air Balloon Ride in Temecula

I seriously regretted my decision to sign up for this, when my 3rd snooze alarm went off at 4:05 AM to violently rip me from dreams. Let me just tell you: Wine tasting and getting up at 4 AM does not mix well at my age! Argh….

But then again, when would I have the chance to go on a hot air balloon ride in Temecula again? Hot air balloon rides are magical and I loved my experience in Scottsdale last year so much, so once the last sleepy cobwebs were flushed away by the first sips of coffee, I was ready to go. (Pro Tip: don’t drink too much coffee before your flight though… there are no bathrooms up there…)

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Abduction aka Pick-up at 4:30 AM

Pick up was at 4:30 AM at the Ponte Vineyard Inn lobby (a fabulous hotel, by the way), where I also met one of my fellow writers on this press trip. We were picked up by a member of the Temecula Wines Marketing team and off we went to go meet with our balloon crew of Cielo Balloons.

I am not sure if every balloon ride is like that, but both of mine felt a little more like a black ops abduction and not like your regular tour operator pickup. You meet up in some random remote location in the pitch dark. Then you transfer to a van, where you are mixed with the rest of the balloon riders, and you take off to an even more remote area, usually a random field in the middle of nowhere. The driver and assistant jump out and do random tests to check for wind conditions. All the while, you sit in awkward silence in the van, as some people are sleeping and the others are too grumpy to talk to. If the wind is good, you are told to get out. If not, you check the next spot.

Ok, I know this doesn’t make the hot air balloon ride over Temecula sound very enticing and worth getting up for. But it is. Trust me. Let’s get to the good part now 🙂

Getting Ready for Takeoff

We found a good spot for takeoff on our second try and arrived just as the deep night was fading into dusk. The team from Cielo Balloons set up the balloon quickly and before we knew it, we were ready to get into the basket.

Easier said than done. In case you didn’t know, but Hot Air Balloon baskets do not have doors. You have to climb into the ~4ft tall basket. Just for reference, I am 5 ft 0 in. No, there are no pictures. No, there is no graceful way to get into that basket. Just for G*d’s sake, don’t wear a dress and high heels as I did during my first time! (In my defense, that was at a fancy resort and included dinner and wine pairing before the tethered balloon flight!)

So Worth it All: Hot Air Balloon Ride over Temecula

Once we clambered our way into the balloon, we took off pretty much immediately. We slowly ascended from the field just after the sun peaked past the horizon. The valley below us was doused in the golden light of early mornings. Thin layers of marine layers wafted over the gentle slopes of the vineyards.

This is actually one of the reasons, why Temecula wines are so delicious. Thanks to the unique topography, the cool ocean air streams into the valley to cool things off and give the grapes a break from the hot temperatures. That allows the wine to retain more acidity and bright flavors over a longer time.

It was so cool to see all the stunning wineries and the elegant lines on the sloped vineyards from above. We could even see Lake Skinner Reservoir from above. It is such a unique and beautiful way to see Temecula! It is hard to describe how stunning the view was, so I let the photos speak for themselves.

A Cool Surprise Over The Clouds

After takeoff, it didn’t take long for all the passengers to fully wake up and warm up to each other. The sheer beauty of our views turned even the biggest morning grouch into a morning person. We shared the basket with a couple from Quebec and family from nearby Vista. And then of course there were our two captains.

Of course, we bombarded the captains with questions. “How high are we?” “How do you land this thing?” “How long have you been doing this?” etc.

One of the questions was:”Is this your fulltime job?” One of the captains smiled and said that he was actually a winemaker and this was his passion side gig. He also said that he had a surprise for us, meaning my fellow writer and me. He revealed that he was Brian Marquez, the wine maker at Wiens Cellars, which would host us later that day for a blind wine tasting competition. How cool is that?

That is one thing I really like about Temecula. Everyone has a cool story. So many wine makers I have met there chose this as their second career. A career of passion rather than profits. I met a pharmzeutical chemist turned vineyard manager, a winemaker, whose dad got busted for selling moonshine wine before becoming a legit winery and of course our hot air balloon flying winemaker Brian.

When you go visit the tasting rooms of Temecula, I highly recommend talking to the people you meet there. Go say hello to the winemaker and get to know their story. It’ll be worth your while.

A Toast to A Good Flight

Did you know that it is a tradition that hot air balloons carry a bottle of sparkling wine on every flight? The reason: Steering the hot air balloons is more of a go-with-the-flow kind of thing, and there is only so much control over where you land. So, just in case you land on someone’s private property and are greeted with less-than-friendly vibes, the bottle of bubbles is supposed to be a gift and peace offering.

Luckily, we did not land in someone’s backyard (yes, that has happened before), but on an empty field. Even more lucky for us was that we could enjoy a glass of champagne ourselves, ha. What an experience! If you ever have a chance to go on a hot air balloon ride in Temecula (or anywhere, really), don’t hesitate to do it. It is such an incredible experience and sooo worth getting up for!

Ready to book your Temecula Hot Air Balloon Ride?

If you are looking deals for your Hot Air Balloon flight over Temecula, check out these offers:

– Romantic Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two (Private, perfect for a proposal or special occasion)
– Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride with Cielo Balloons (Shared flight, but more budget-friendly, great for groups, families, or couples)

Disclaimer: This article was written by Maria Haase for San Diego Explorer. As customary in travel writing, the trip to Temecula was hosted by Temecula Wines and Visit Temecula and the stay and experiences were free of charge. This has not influenced their opinion and the content of this article.

Last Updated on August 15, 2024 by Maria Haase