What people say about their hot air balloon ride with us...

Testimonials • Recent Groups/Memberships/Affiliations

Dear Nielsen & Carol Ann Rogers
A note to thank you & your crew for the wonderful time we had on our hot air balloon flight. What a superb way to see the Napa Valley! We would like to extend a special thanks to Mark, our pilot, for the informative tour from above. This was the highlight of our California vacation & a birthday present to remember!
Grant & Marlene (British Columbia)
Dear Carol Ann & Nielsen;
I would like to tell you what a wonderful time Myself and Pat had hot air ballooning with your company on July 2nd. It was a significant lifetime experience!! Donna, our pilot, did a great job of flying and calming down Pat, who was a little bit nervous. Our pictures will forever remind us of you and our great adventure.  
Bruce D. (Tampa, FL)
Recreation Director
The Tuscan Inn
425 Northpoint Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

We had the pleasure of staying at the Tuscan Inn May 18 - 22 and consulted with you regarding the various companies which pro- vide hot-air balloon rides. As a result of your recommendation we booked with Above the West Hot Air Ballooning for the following Sunday a.m.

Talk about service! Nielsen & Carol Ann Rogers picked us up at our hotel in Napa at 5:45 a.m. and drove us to Yountville. We were all given nourishment and a briefing and introduced to our pilots and co-flyers. what followed was the experience of a life time. Perfect weather, perfect flight, perfect scenery. Our pilot, Mark Proteau, doubled as an informative and amusing tour guide and after more than 60 minutes of flight treated us to a soft and accurate landing.

The delight continued with a scenic drive back to the launch site, a wonderful breakfast, and safe delivery back to our hotel.

The purpose of this letter is to let you know your recommendation was "right on" - THANK YOU! For us it was a memorable experience and we can't wait to see our photographs.

I would like to add we enjoyed our stay at The Tuscan Inn. We found the staff helpful and hospitable and the room was spotless. The evening wine parties were fun too! We shall recommend the hotel without hesitation.

Thanks again.
Sincerely, Bill & Diana H. (Vancouver, B.C.)
Dear Carol Ann and Nielsen,
Gary and I want to express our thanks for a most memorable time. The balloon ride was one of the "high" points of our visit to San Francisco. We would like to express our gratitude for your warm and gracious hospitality. From the initial phone conversation with Nielsen, who was both friendly and informative, until the end of our morning via returning by your van to our hotel, the day couldn't have been more perfect! We would also like to thank Donna, Mark and Steve for making our flight "exhilarating". Thanks again for making our first, and definitely not our last, hot air balloon flight a pleasant memory. We look forward to seeing you again the next time we're in San Francisco!
Sincerely,
Lisa & Gary (N.Y.)
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rogers,
My wife and I recently had the pleasure of a balloon ride in "the valley" provided by Napa Valley Aloft. Before scheduling the flight, I researched and contacted various companies in the area. My first impression after the initial call (I spoke with Laura and Carol Ann) was overwhelmingly positive for Napa Valley Aloft. Not to slight the other companies in the area, but Napa Valley Aloft stood out for the personal touch extended during the initial planning stages. My first impression turned out to be right. My wife and I could not have had a better flight or flight crew. From the moment we pulled into Vintage 1870 parking lot until the good-byes were said after breakfast, your associates were fantastic. They couldn't have been more professional or personable. It is very obvious that the people at Napa Valley Aloft have a passion for ballooning and providing each customer with a positive experience. Please extend my thanks to the rest of the crew. Thank you again for a wonderful experience.
Sincerely,
JTC (Evansville, IN)
Dear Nielsen and Carol Ann,
Wow what a morning!

Allison and I just wanted to thank you again for playing such a large role in one of the greatest days of our lives. From the moment I called your organization and spoke to Laura, I knew that things would be perfect. Her enthusiasm and attention to every detail gave me a tremendous amount of confidence that everything would go as planned. Our pilot Mark was great fun to talk with, fly with, and above all, share our surprise with - not to mention the fact that our families both enjoyed his company at our table at Compadres. And of course, a huge 'thank you' should go out to the banner-makers - the "Will you marry me, Ali?" sign was captured on film by our parents and we even managed to bring a piece of it back to New York as a souvenir.

Thank you once again for delivering even more than you promised (the mark of a truly successful company) and for sharing in our special day. We will be sure to not only refer your ballooning company to friends, but certainly come back to balloon over Napa on future anniversaries!
Sincerely,
David R. (New York, NY)
Hi!
Just a note to inform you of the wonderful flight we had on Monday. From the meeting place and your friendly, capable staff in Yountville early that morning, the tasty coffee and sweets, Mark Proteau, our pilot, the trip itself, and the delicious champagne breakfast that followed, we were totally blessed with our experience. Mark was very informative during our entire float over Napa and lent much of his experience to enhance our enjoyment. If we can assist you in any way with our endorsement for your company, be assured that we are available.Thank you again!
Karl and Karen N.
To Jim, "our pilot" and everyone at Adventures Aloft,

The experience of a balloon ride was so awesome, I'm having a hard time explaining just how it felt to my friends. It is so different from skydiving or parachuting. I just don't have a point of reference to pull from. This experience was enhanced by everyone in your company - and I mean everyone! Even down to the restaurant and their staff. I felt as if we were treated like royalty. Everyone went beyond their duties to make sure we had a wonderful experience. Thank you so very much!
Karen S.
We were there...flew with you... and it was FABULOUS! Jimmy was the perfect pilot and it was a memory that will last for a long time! Thank you... 
Helen G.
Dear Sir;
On September 26 my wife Kathy and I took a ride with Adventure Aloft, leaving the Yountville Pastry Shop, and landing at the Hess Collection Winery. It was a great flight and a great time. We are recommending to our friends that a trip to the Napa Valley should definitely include a ride with Adventures Aloft. Our special thanks to Donna, our pilot, for her talent but also for her cheerfulness and friendliness. We'd also like to thank Steve, Bobby, and Aaron for their expertise in helping us get up and down safely. In fact, everyone we had contact with, from my first phone call for a reservation to Juel who checked us in for our flight, was friendly and professional. Thanks again for a most memorable wedding anniversary.
Thomas W. (Indianapolis, IN)
Dear Napa Valley Aloft, On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank ALL of you for a wonderful ballooning experience and stay in the Napa Valley. All of the recommendations that you made were exceptional. I can't tell you how pleased we were with every part of the experience. The boys and I loved the flight, and Lisa had a great time "chasing". She learned a lot about the valley (including the proper pronunciation of "Yountville"!) and enjoyed the experience as much as we did - just from a different perspective! Ben (my nine-year- old) was a little anxious during the ascent, but once he got used to the view and the sensation, he thought it was great. And what a story he has to share with his New England classmates! The post-flight brunch was fabulous and I really enjoyed talking to Jim about ballooning from his perspective. Again, please express our thanks to everyone, and if you need a reference on the Internet, please feel free to use me! As I indicated to the others, I will recommend the experience and your company to any of my colleagues who plan to visit the West Coast.
Rick G.
Dear Carol Ann and Nielsen,

What a way to fly! Warren and I had the time of our "fifty year old lives" with Mark, flying and floating over the Napa Valley. I have never experienced such a safe and secure feeling - and in a tiny wicker basket hundreds of feet in the air! It was certainly the highlight of our trip from South Carolina to your beautiful state, and we thank you. Can't wait to return - maybe another birthday!
Sincerely,
Warren and Gayle D.
Dear Above the West Hot Air Ballooning Staff,
I wanted to thank you for your professionalism and the wonderful experience you provided for my father and his new wife on their honeymoon. I had called several companies prior to booking the flight, and although your company was not the lowest price, we opted for your company because you offered by far the best service. Your staff member who helped me on the phone was willing to work with me to accommodate my special requests. My father said they had an amazing time, very high class! They saw another company launching and they had 12 people on board. My father and his wife were thrilled that they were in a small group, themselves and one other couple. Thank you so much for providing them a once in a lifetime experience and allowing us to give them such a great wedding gift!
Sincerely,
Michelle T.
Dear Nielsen and Carol Ann,
It has been a while since our wedding but we didn't want a year to go by without thanking you both for our wonderful experience. When we decided to get married in a hot air balloon, we called a lot of other companies. From our first conversation with Carol Ann, we knew this was the company that would give us the personal touch we wanted. We were not disappointed!

Everyone was so accommodating and pleasant. We would highly recommend your company to anyone (especially to those who wish to get married in a hot air balloon as we did.)

We both agree, it wouldn't have been as nice without the two of you. If we had it to do over again, we wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for making our wedding so special!
Sandra and Todd W. (Sacramento, CA)
From the Yountville Sun:

The weather was beautiful... and our pilot Laura Kirkpatrick was a lot of fun and a trained professional. My wife was a little hesitant about the height, but took no time at all to feel comfortable with Laura in control of the burner. It's a great feeling to float about eight feet over the vineyards that were covered with mustard this time of year. If you haven't had a chance to see the valley from that perspective, you are missing out. I am sure other companies do an outstanding job, but I know firsthand that Napa Valley Aloft was amazing!
Arik H. (Napa Valley, CA)
After years of wanting to go on a balloon ride, my wish finally came true last week. And it is an experience I will never forget. It was a gift for my birthday, and an even bigger surprise when Raymond proposed to me with the help of your incredible staff. Thanks so much to all of you who went out of your way for the banner, and to Donna who was the BEST pilot ever !!! The proposal could not have been more romantic. Thanks for making the moment UNFORGETABLE!
Petal A.
Hi everybody! I just wanted to tell you all that Raina and I had a terrific time with Steve. He is a great pilot and very inquisitive. I am going to recommend your place to anyone thinking of going up, up and away. Anyway, we will never forget that weekend with you. Thanks again!!!
Sincerely,
Robert H.
We just wanted to thank you so much for giving us one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences of our lifetime together. Our pilot was Nielsen and our flight . . . was absolutely amazing!
Sincerely,
Jamie and Alex S.
Dear Nielsen, Carol Ann, Laura, Mark and all the crew for our adventure,
Thank you for making our special day so smooth and memorable. Our ballooning experience is one that we will cherish everyday of our lives. We cannot begin to thank you all enough for your effort and kindness. Take care,
Kim and John
Dear Carol Ann and Nielsen,
Thank you so much for inviting us to fly with you. It was quite an experience. Your staff is wonderfully friendly yet professional. We will recommend you with pride!
Adam and Blair

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