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.
Christchurch is situated in Canterbury region in the South Island, and is the second largest city of New Zealand. It represents the getaway to Antarctica, while lying next to Pegasus Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
"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.
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.
Maasai Mara covers about 1500 km²/580 mi² and consists of gently rolling hills, acacia and woodland trees, watered by the Mara and Talek rivers. Landscape at the Mara is stunningly free and abundantly rich in wildlife allowing for magnificent viewing from above while cruising on the hot-air balloon.
Located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, St. Ignace is the connecting node between the Upper and Lower Peninsula at the northern end of the Mackinac Bridge. Saint Ignace 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.
Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas and it is situated on the south bank of the Arkansas River. It has its name taken from the French explorer Benard de LaHarpe in 1721. It is a historic city with many museums, such as the Central High Museum, Children’s Museum and Discovery Museum. It also features awesome restaurants and exciting nightlife and offers many recreational activities to visitors.
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 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.
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 Michigan’s basin is conjoining with that of Lake Huron to the east and having the same surface elevation, they are technically a single lake. The large size of the Lakes and the fact that they are prone to sudden and harsh storms, combined with the rocky shoals and shallows of Straits of Mackinac, increases the risk of water travel and has led hundreds of ships to their end.
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 Michigan is the second largest Great Lake by volume and the only one located entirely in the United States. The lake’s shoreline is more than 1600 mi/2575 km and the average depth is 195 ft/59.4 m. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have the same surface elevation and are technically a single lake. They are actually connected by the Straits of Mackinac, where many ships have foundered due to heavy storms. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve, located at the northern edge of Lakes Michigan and Huron, tries to preserve Michigan’s shipwrecks for next generations. One of the shipwrecks found is Colonel Ellsworth.
Τhe Little Sturgeon River, part of the Sturgeon River, is a 12.3 mi/ 19.8 km long river that runs at the outlet of Corey Lake, north from the small town of Wolverine to empty into east of the outlet of Burt Lake. The Sturgeon River is considered to be the faster river in Cheboygan County and is known for carrying more water by volume than any river in the state of Michigan.
