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.
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.
Monument Valley is a famous region of the Colorado Plateau. It is situated on the Arizona-Utah state line close to Four Corners area. Monument Valley has been an inspiring place for a lot of actors, as many movies have been shot here.
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.
There’s not much to say about the capital of Sweden, Stockholm that has not already been said. One of the most vibrant and energetic capitals of Europe, Stockholm is a city that never sleeps.
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.
South Lake Tahoe is located on the California–Nevada border, El Dorado County, California, USA.
Traverse city or the “Cherry Capital of the World” is located at the south end of the 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. A four-season visitors’ destination that combines varied natural attractions for adventure and relaxation.
Lake Michigan, the second largest of the Great Lakes of North America by volume and the third largest by surface area, is actually the only one located entirely within the United States. With its basin conjoining with that of Lake Huron to the east and having the same surface elevation, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are technically a single lake. The large size of the Lakes and the fact that they are prone to sudden and harsh storms 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.
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, the second largest of the Great Lakes of North America by volume and the third largest by surface area, is actually the only one located entirely within the United States. Over the years, a large number of ships have sunk in the Straits of Mackinac, due to sudden and harsh storms. The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve accommodates more than thirteen shipwrecks. One of them is the Minneapolis wreck.
Joliet is a city situated in both Will and Kendall Counties of Illinois, USA. The city is at 40 miles/64 km in the southwest of Chicago and is the county seat of Will County.
Traverse City is the county seat of Grand Traverse County and is located at the south end of Grand Traverse Bay, which is actually 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 travel destination.
Grand Traverse Bay, a 51 km/ 32 mi long, 16 km/ 10 mi wide bay of Lake Michigan, is divided in two by the old Mission Peninsula. It is coextensive with the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve that contains numerous shipwrecks. One of the confirmed shipwrecks of the region is the Metropolis.
