Hot air balloon over Brisbane. Photo courtesy of Allan Henderson via Flickr.
Getting to know Brisbane city can be done from the woven, oversized basket of a hot air balloon hundreds of feet in the air. Imagine waking up with the city, watching the sun rise over the Brisbane River, checking out the distant views of the nearby Glasshouse Mountains or even all the way south to the Gold Coast.
The hot air ballooning experience, contrary to popular belief, provides a peaceful and calm ride. The basket is held steady by the balloon allowing those inside to ride in ease, take photos or video, and even chat with other passengers. While thrilling, the hot air balloon ride is not as exhilarating and heart-racing as that of skydiving, for example, so the average hour tour in the calm morning will not stress nor agitate most visitors.
The big question when hot air ballooning over Brisbane is whether or not you want to view directly the city of Brisbane, or if you wish to venture south, or even all the way outside to the Gold Coast. When researching companies, be aware that although some list their flights as being Brisbane flights, the truth is that many tours involve a shuttle down to the Gold Coast. While the Gold Coast won’t disappoint in beauty, it will still surprise the traveler that was expecting to fly over Brisbane.
Another added perk of many balloon flights in the Brisbane area is the Champagne breakfast landing. Nothing like a meal and a glass of bubbly to make the perfect ending to a great adventure.