Up, Up & Away: Hot Air Balloon Rides Over New Hope

Hot air balloon rides over New Hope give you a version of Bucks County that most visitors never see, drifting a mile above the Delaware River Valley with nothing but the hiss of the burner breaking the quiet. Lancaster Balloon Rides, which also operates as the US Hot Air Balloon Team, launches from a site right in New Hope, about six miles from the inn, and has been flying passengers over this stretch of countryside since 1985. The pilots are FAA certified with more than 10,000 hours of combined flight time between them, so the whole operation feels a lot more practiced than it might sound.

What a Flight Actually Looks Like

Plan on two and a half to three hours from meeting the crew to landing back on solid ground. If you want, you can help with the inflation before liftoff and watch the balloon go from a heap of fabric on the grass to something the size of a small building in a matter of minutes. Once you're up, the flight itself runs about an hour, floating over vineyards, horse farms, and the winding Delaware River, with the occasional far off silhouette of the New York City skyline showing up on a clear day. Landing is followed by a champagne toast and snacks, plus a flight certificate to take home along with whatever photos you managed to catch along the way.

September Skies over Lancaster PA

September is a good month to book. Lancaster Balloon Rides flies on a regular schedule from April through November, and early fall mornings tend to bring the kind of calm, cool air that makes for a smooth ride. Sunrise flights are the most popular option this time of year, when the light hits the farmland at an angle and the day hasn't warmed up enough to get bumpy yet. Sunset flights work just as well if you'd rather ease into the evening than get up before dawn, and the first hints of turning leaves start to show up along the ridgelines by late September.

Hot Air Balloon for Two in Pennsylvania

Most flights carry four to ten passengers, but if you'd rather not share the basket with strangers, private couples only flights are available. Romantic hot air balloon rides have become something of a specialty for the company, and their crew has handled more than a few marriage proposals a few thousand feet up. Even without a ring involved, floating over the county together tends to make for a pretty good anniversary story, or just a reason to do something you have never tried before. Pricing depends on the season, group size, and whether you book a shared or private flight, so it is worth checking their booking page for current rates before you plan around it.

Make a Morning of It

Once you are back on the ground, downtown New Hope and Lambertville are both close enough to fill out the rest of the day. Spend the afternoon browsing Lambertville's antique shops, stop into one of the region's wineries for a glass, or wander through a museum or two if you are not ready to slow down yet.

After a morning spent floating over the county, or an evening flight that ends with the sun going down over the river, head back to The Inn at Bowman's Hill and let the day settle. Between the gardens, the gourmet breakfast, and a launch site just a few minutes up the road, hot air balloon rides over New Hope are an easy thing to build an entire weekend around.