Most of us are familiar with Hot Air Balloons from our childhood, after reading (or watching one of the many film adaptations of) Jules Verne’s “Around the World in 80 Days”. Maybe we won’t experience the same difficulties as Phileas Fogg -after all we won’t have to worry about the clock ticking- but we will definitely experience the same excitement of a Hot Air Balloon flight with the 21st century’s amenities.
Meet your traveling companions just before sunrise, get into the balloon basket and wait for your experienced F.A.A. Certified Pilot to take care of the rest. The launching varies, as it depends on the direction of the wind, but is always within a 15 mi/24 km radius of Traverse City.
The balloon flies as high as 2000-3000 ft/610-914 m or more. You will be able to see East and West Grand Traverse Bay, the Chain-o-lakes, as well as the alluring northern Michigan landscapes. A small camera or hand-held video camera may come in handy to capture the amazing scenery, while you’re in flight. Upon landing, the experience ends with the traditional Champagne Celebration.
In Cappadocia Region, in Central Anatolia, in Turkey, a small town, Göreme is famous for its incredible rock - volcanic formations and the numerous colorful air balloons crossing the sky over the city.
"Jackson, Mississippi: City with Soul" is the current motto for the notorious capital of the U.S. state of Mississippi, which sits atop the Jackson Volcano. Located at the southern border of the Mississippi Delta, Jackson is the capital as well as the largest city in the Mississippi state. The total area of 277 km²/106.95 mi² was inhabited by the Choctaw Nation for thousands of years before European encounter.
South Lake Tahoe is located on the California–Nevada border, El Dorado County, California, USA.
Forcalquier is a commune situated in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, in southeastern France. It is located between the Lure and Luberon mountain ranges, about 30 km / 19 mi south of Sisteron and 10 km / 6.2 mi west of the Durance river.
Methven is a small town in Canterbury region in the South Island. It is only 1.5 hrs drive at the west of Christchurch, the second largest city of New Zealand and is situated close to Mount Hutt, in the heart of Southern Alps.
Mammoth Lakes is located near Mammoth Mountain, in California’s eastern Sierra about 100 mi/161 km south of Nevada State Line, 9 mi/14.5 km northwest of Mount Morrison, at an elevation of 7880 ft/2402 m, Mono County, California, USA.
Joliet is a city situated in both Will and Kendall Counties of Illinois, USA. The city is at 40 mi/64 km in the southwest of Chicago and is the county seat of Will County.
Traverse City is a city in the state of Michigan and the county seat of Grand Traverse County, located at the south end of Grand Traverse Bay, a 32 mi / 51 km long, 10 mi / 16 km wide and up to 620 ft / 190 m deep in spots bay of Lake Michigan. Combining varied natural attractions for adventure and/or relaxation, Traverse City is a four-season visitor’s destination.
Chicago is the seat of Cook County, Illinois, USA. It is the third most populous city in the US and the most populous city in both the American Midwest and Illinois. Nicknamed as The Second City or Windy City, Chicago is situated on the southeastern shores of Lake Michigan, in the northeastern Illinois.
Chicago is the seat of Cook County, Illinois, USA. It is the third most populous city in the US and the most populous city in both the American Midwest and Illinois. Nicknamed as The Second City or Windy City, Chicago is situated on the southeastern shores of Lake Michigan, in the northeastern Illinois.
Lake Huron is the second-largest of the Great Lakes and the world's third-largest freshwater lake. It has also the largest shore line length of any of the Great Lakes. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan lie at the same level, but are separated by the narrow Straits of Mackinac. One of the shipwrecks, sheltered in the Straits of Mackinac is the Northwest.
St. Ignace is the connecting node between the Upper and Lower Peninsula at the northern end of the Mackinac Bridge, in Mackinac County. It is the second-oldest city founded by Europeans in Michigan and the third oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S. It is inhabited by Native Americans, Europeans and is rich in history. With its pristine beaches, water filled activities, entertainment, history and annual events, St. Ignace is a great vacation destination for all.
Lake Michigan’s basin is conjoining with that of Lake Huron’s to the east and having the same surface elevation, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are technically a single lake. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve lies at the northern tip of Lakes Michigan and Huron and tries to preserve Michigan’s shipwrecks for later generations. One of the shipwrecks that has been found is that of Sandusky.
The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve lies at the northern tip of Lakes Michigan and Huron and tries to preserve Michigan’s shipwrecks for later generations. Over the years, a large number of ships have submerged in the Straits, many of them have yet to be discovered.
