If you're looking for a unique spot for a first date, a romantic setting for a proposal, a special place to celebrate your 50th wedding anniversary or even your 100th birthday, then why not try a hot air balloon?
For 30 years, Mike Gerred, chief pilot and president of Light Flight Hot Air Balloons in Bel Air, has been taking people on the "ride of a lifetime." Gerred describes the aerial adventure as a "quiet, calm respite from the everyday hectic lives we lead."
While floating 1,000 feet in the air may seem a little nerve-wracking at first, Gerred assures riders there is no reason to worry. "It's as though you've been suspended, motionless in the air," he says. "There's no swinging, no swaying. Sometimes people are afraid of heights, but there's no sensation of height in a balloon."
At the end of the flight, passengers can participate in a champagne (or sparkling cider) toast—a French tradition that began in the late 1700s. In addition to hot air balloon rides, Gerred's company also offers balloon pilot lessons and charter flights on vintage open cockpit biplanes.
The standard one-hour champagne charter flight is $220 per passenger, while the half-hour flight is $150 per passenger. A private charter is available for $800 per couple. The minimum age to ride a Light Flight hot air balloon is eight.
Light Flight Hot Air Balloons
P.O. Box 837
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-836-1116
fun-flying.com