Balloon Rides • Air Tours

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Southern Tier Balloon Tours

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

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5.0

294 reviews

Excellent

291

Very good

2

Average

1

Poor

0

Terrible

0

Kalindi

1 contribution

Summer Balloon Ride

Jun 2021

Dar and his team made my this experience incredible! It was an incredible evening for a ride and we were able to enjoy views of Cayuga Lake as well as the surrounding hills. Throughout the ride Dar shared insight with us about the Ithaca area and about flying hot air balloons; it was a fun and memorable experience, that taught us something new. My boyfriend got to help inflate and pack up the balloon, which he really enjoyed. At the end we sipped some strawberry champagne, which was delicious! I highly recommend flying with Dar and the crew!

Written August 1, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

njnerd

Morganville, NJ26 contributions

A fantastic experience, well worth the $$ & time.

Aug 2021

This was the highlight of our trip to Ithaca and the finger lake region this summer. Our ride was fantastic and Dar and his crew made the experience even better. It is safe, but you do have to climb up into the basket/gondola, so if you have constraints please be aware of this.

As this experience is fully predicated on how the weather is, and if you are committed to doing this, I would recommend reserving a slot early in the trip. Dar actively monitors the local weather and determines when it is safe to fly so there is a chance things may get shuffled around a bit. This seems to be the norm all over the planet.

Dar and his chase crew include you fully in the process from inflating the balloon and answering all questions before/during/after the ride.

Finally we met some wonderful people in the ride along with Dar.

Written August 14, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Susie S

1 contribution

Spectacular trip from takeoff to landing!

May 2022

A fantastic experience from takeoff to landing. Dar was really communicative in advance about the weather - and it is clear that he will reschedule if there are any concerns about tricky conditions. Breathtaking views, smooth ballooning, and a gentle landing all made the trip perfect.

Written May 19, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Phil S

1 contribution

Above the Clouds of Ithaca

Oct 2021 • Couples

The balloon tour over Ithaca was absolutely amazing, fantastic, stunning, (insert your favorite incredibly positive adjective here). Dar pointed out really cool sights to see from high above and his experience made us feel safe and secure up in the air. I think this amazing thing about this adventure was that it thrills both casual sight seeing folk and thrill seekers alike. I’m highly recommend Southern Tier Balloon Tours!

Written October 11, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Nikita

1 contribution

Amazing experience!

Sep 2021 • Couples

My husband and I went on a flight for our anniversary. We got lucky and were able to book our flight same-day. We met at Cass park and were transported to our launch site for the night. This seems to differ based on wind movement. I’m normally petrified of heights, I get extremely nervous on Ferris wheels, I truly didn’t know if I could stand being 2,000+ feet in the air! This experience was the opposite of my fears. It was such a smooth ride, and the sights of Cayuga and Seneca lake as well as the countryside of Trumansburg were just so breathtaking, you don’t even feel scared of the height you’re at! It’s the opposite. It was so peaceful and relaxing. Dar was explaining the sights and landmarks to us as we flew, got us nice and high over the trees, and low in the corn fields. Since we took the evening flight, our champagne toast at the end was during sunset which really was the sweetest end to the evening. I would highly recommend Dar! Beautiful experience along with a very personable and knowledgeable pilot.

Written September 19, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

k b

Owego, NY2 contributions

Memorable

Apr 2021 • Family

My son and I went on a balloon tour recently. We had an absolute blast!! We were both nervous while waiting for the crew to set up the balloon as it was our first time on a hot air balloon. We flew over cayuga lake and around Ithaca. The balloon captain, Dar, was awesome, hilarious, and very informative. He and his crew provided a very memorable experience for us and we highly recommend an air balloon flight! The taking off and landing were just as fun as the actual flight!

Written May 2, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Laura G

1 contribution

Not as scary as I expected - lots of fun

Oct 2021

Excellent experience. I can be nervous with heights, but the operators were clearly very skilled which put me at ease. First time in a balloon - was surprised how smooth the ride was. Wonderful views, and lots of fun.

Written October 24, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Paul W

5 contributions

Bucket List

Jun 2021

As everyone else has said, we had a great trip with Dar and STB. After living in Ithaca for a few years, a hot air balloon ride was an amazing way to see the city and its surroundings. Highly recommend checking this off your bucket list!!

Written June 25, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Susan E

Ithaca, NY1 contribution

Wonderful

Aug 2021

The ride was fantastic. The views were wonderful and you fly low enough to see deer running through the woods. The crew is friendly and great at making sure you have a good time. I waited 30 yrs to do this, it was well worth the wait.

Written August 18, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

MKC

2 contributions

Amazing!

Jul 2020

Amazing! We left from Ithaca Brewing Co (south of Ithaca) and flew south from there, landing in Danby..beautiful views of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca, Cornell, Ithaca College and the mountains. For those concerned with Covid precautions, my opinion is that the balloon basket is large enough that you can all face out at an edge so I felt there was plenty of fresh air and distance while in the basket (though you are not truly 6 feet from everyone, but you are all facing away from each other). But I would definitely recommend masks for the ride home in the van as you are in one vehicle with as many as 13 other people. (This is assuming you are in the large basket that holds 14...I can't speak to any of the smaller baskets).

Written July 19, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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