Best Hot Air Balloon in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a most eccentric city, all the adventurous plans you can think of can be made here: get married, gamble, ride roller coasters, experience its fascinating nightlife, enjoy the adrenaline rush and even take a hot air balloon ride!

Camilla Graciano

Camilla Graciano

11 min read

Best Hot Air Balloon in Las Vegas

Globos de colores en el aire | ©Howard Roark

Within the combo of activities and things to see and do in Las Vegas, you can't miss a hot air balloon ride to enjoy the most amazing panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. When you think of this city, images of neon lights, casinos, neon signs and lots of crazy weddings surely come to mind. But the main city of the state of Nevada has much more to offer you, such as the unique experience of seeing it from the sky and contemplating its best views.

You can discover the vastness of the Mojave Desert and its natural beauty, get the best views of Death Valley and its spectacular formations, enjoy the best sunrise or sunset from the height of the balloon or even live a romantic experience contemplating the landscape from the sky. Here is everything you need to know about the best balloon rides in Las Vegas.

1. A balloon ride over the city of Las Vegas

balloon or in the air over the city| ©R&K Retirement Photography
balloon or in the air over the city| ©R&K Retirement Photography

You can start the day with a dreamy sunrise or end it with a movie sunset, you choose. The important thing is that it will be from a colorful hot air balloon, appreciating the best views of the city of Las Vegas, with the first rays of sun that begin to appear on the horizon of Nevada or with the neon lights characteristic of this unique city that begins to prepare for its typical casino nights and fun.

For about an hour, an expert and certified pilot will fly the balloon and you can enjoy the best landscapes and see all the magic of Las Vegas from the sky, unmissable! I assure you that its impressive buildings and monuments, such as the Stratosphere Tower, one of the tallest, are even more spectacular from the heights. In this experience you will also get, without a doubt, the best pictures of the trip.

When the time for flying is over, you will have a glass of champagne included, to start the day in the best Las Vegas style or to start the night in the city of sin. In case you want to visit the inside of the Stratosphere Tower, I leave you with this article with everything you need to know to visit this building.

Interesting details

  • Price: you can live an experience of this kind for a price from 190 € per person.
  • Duration: about 3 hours and a half.
  • Schedule: every day of the year at sunrise or sunset.
  • Advantages: it is a unique experience to get the best panoramic views of the city.
  • Disadvantages: this type of experience is designed to be done in two predetermined times of the day, so you will have to adapt to these options, without much flexibility.

Book a Las Vegas tour

2. A hot air balloon ride over the Mojave Desert

Blue and yellow hot air balloon| ©Andrea Enríquez Cousiño
Blue and yellow hot air balloon| ©Andrea Enríquez Cousiño

The Mojave Desert is one of the most imposing landscapes, occupying a large part of southern and a smaller part of northern California, linking southwestern Utah, southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. Along the ride you will skirt the mountains of Las Vegas and Pahrump, the small town where at the end of the flight, you will have the chance to have breakfast at Sanders Family Winery.

These hot air balloon rides over the desert are an incredible experience, you can appreciate the best landscapes from 3,000 meters high and see the Mojave Desert from a new perspective and observe its wildlife from the sky.

In addition, you will be accompanied throughout the trip by a specialized pilot and you will be able to witness the moment when the balloon begins to inflate to take off and the sensation of takeoff is one of the most adrenaline-filled you will ever experience. In addition, in this type of experience you can learn the curious history behind hot air balloons.

You will be approximately one hour aboard the balloon and you can get the best views and pictures of the Spring and Nopah mountain ranges, Death Valley, Pahrump Valley and eastern California on the horizon.

Details of interest

  • Price: you can live an experience of this kind for a price starting at 309 € per person.
  • Duration: up to 6 hours in total, including transfers to the launch site, a safety briefing, balloon setup, as well as the return trip.
  • Schedule: every day of the year at sunrise.
  • Advantages: it is a unique experience to fly over the desert and learn all about hot air balloons.
  • Disadvantages: it is an experience that will definitely take you half a day, at least. It is important to take this into account if you have little time to explore the city.

Book a tour from Las Vegas

3. A romantic hot air balloon ride over Las Vegas

happy couple in a hot air balloon| © Grisha Grishkoff
happy couple in a hot air balloon| © Grisha Grishkoff

You can live a unique romantic experience as a couple aboard a hot air balloon, to commemorate a special date, make the best wedding proposal with all the adrenaline or just enjoy an intimate moment. In these balloon rides you will fly over the best landscapes and enjoy the serenity away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

These romantic rides begin shortly before sunrise to give you unparalleled views, during approximately 1 hour of flight with the company of an expert pilot. In addition, these experiences include a professional photographer to take home the best memories, and a champagne toast, a real treat!

Undoubtedly it is a unique experience to live a moment of intimacy, in the calm of the sky, appreciating the best landscapes that reproduces the sun peeking at dawn, and the best views of both the city and amazing sites such as Red Rock Canyon.

Details of interest

  • Price: you can live an experience of this kind for a price from 3000 € for two people.
  • Duration: about 4 hours in total, including transfers, toast and balloon flight.
  • Schedule: every day of the year at dawn.
  • Advantages: it is a very exclusive and private experience, includes photographer and a glass of champagne.
  • Disadvantages: it is one of the most expensive experiences.

Book a tour from Las Vegas

How to book a balloon ride over Las Vegas

woman using a laptop| © Sincerely Media
woman using a laptop| © Sincerely Media

You can purchase any of these tours online and you will receive confirmation of your reservation immediately once you have made your purchase.

Just remember that you must choose the exact date you want to make the tour, but in case your plans change or are modified for whatever reason, do not worry that there will be no problems, you can cancel the purchase for free with a notice of 24 hours in advance of the time of the experience.

Duration of the hot air balloon rides in Las Vegas

colorful balloon in the air| ©Marc James Balatbat
colorful balloon in the air| ©Marc James Balatbat

Although the balloon ride does not usually last more than 1 hour, between the transfers, the previous briefing and what the experience includes, you will need to have a minimum of 3 and a half hours and a maximum of 6 hours to make a balloon ride in Las Vegas.

It is important that you take into account this duration so you can consider that doing one of these rides, you will only have a few extra hours that day and plan it well. A good option could be to combine a balloon ride with a gastronomic tour of Las Vegas or a night tour to end the day in the best way.

Book a night tour in Las Vegas

What does a balloon ride in Las Vegas include?

Balloons in the air near the structure| ©Marc James Balatbat
Balloons in the air near the structure| ©Marc James Balatbat

A hot air balloon ride is anyone's dream and in Las Vegas you can make it come true, but it is not just a simple flight, it is a unique experience that has many more activities included.

Some balloons leave from Pahrump, a small town located about 100 kilometers from Las Vegas. You can take the opportunity to get to know it and appreciate all the surroundings and natural formations that surround it. Others, however, depart directly from Las Vegas, a few minutes from the Strip, so you will not have to move.

Before embarking on the balloon adventure, you will have a small introductory talk in which you will meet the pilot and staff that will accompany you on this experience and you will learn a little about the operation of the balloon and safety measures to make your ride a success. Then you will be able to see the moment when the colorful balloon takes shape and let the adventure begin! The adrenaline of the moment of take-off is unique and incomparable.

Over the course of an hour you will fly over the landscape and get the best views of the Mojave Desert and the Spring and Nopah mountain formations, Death Valley, Pahrump Valley, and much more. In addition, in case you choose the city tour, you will appreciate with a unique panoramic view the best buildings of Las Vegas from a unique perspective. Once back at the starting point, you will be able to have a drink or breakfast, depending on the experience you choose.

Finally, to conclude the trip, you will receive a commemorative flight certificate at the end of the experience.

Is the hot air balloon flight safe?

person holding the balloons| ©Marc James Balatbat
person holding the balloons| ©Marc James Balatbat

Of course it is! These flights are conducted daily with a specialized crew and a pilot certified by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to fly hot air balloons. In addition, balloons are recognized by experts as one of the safest ways to fly. So you have nothing to worry about.

It is a prerequisite for this experience that you attend a small previous training where you will be provided with information about the operation of the balloon so that your trip is safer and you do not have any inconvenience. All this is included in the experience.

Tips for a hot air balloon ride in Las Vegas

colorful balloon with a view from afar| ©Marc James Balatbat
colorful balloon with a view from afar| ©Marc James Balatbat

First of all, I recommend that for this type of experience you wear comfortable clothing and shoes that are suitable for balloon rides. For example, it is not allowed to go up with high heels. Also keep in mind that you will be standing for several hours and you don't want to be uncomfortable.

As for clothing, even if you feel that it is hot in the Mojave Desert or in the city of Las Vegas, keep in mind that the surface temperature varies with altitude and decreases considerably, so I recommend you always bring an extra coat.

If you allow me a tip, book your balloon ride for the first or second day you are in the city, as this tour depends on weather conditions and thus, you will have more flexibility to reschedule it without losing it.

Last but not least, always check very well the additional information and requirements for each excursion, as this type of activity has certain physical restrictions to take into account. For example, it is not recommended for pregnant women or people with heart conditions or other serious medical problems. In addition, the balloons allow a maximum weight of 127 kilograms, so the necessary controls will probably be made before going up.

Hot air balloon rides in Las Vegas, are they advisable or not?

truck and balloon on the ground| ©Marc James Balatbat
truck and balloon on the ground| ©Marc James Balatbat

Whether it is convenient or not, has a lot to do with the type of trip you want to do. My recommendation is to take a hot air balloon ride if you want to live a unique experience in a city like Las Vegas, because with this experience you can see the natural wonders surrounding the city, take another perspective or live a unique and special moment of intimacy. What I can assure you is that you will remember all your life this balloon ride over Las Vegas.

If a balloon ride is one of the things you want to do in life and you are traveling in Las Vegas, my recommendation is that you do it, you will not live another experience like it, the city is even more impressive from the heights and all the natural beauty that surrounds it has a particular charm if you fly over it in a hot air balloon. Do it, it's worth it!

On the other hand, if you are traveling to Las Vegas for a short time you may prefer to prioritize other activities rather than a hot air balloon ride that, at least, will take you half a day. In that case, I recommend you to make a list of the main activities you want to do and places to see in Las Vegas and from there, decide whether or not you want to do this experience.

To help you with the organization of your trip, I leave you an itinerary of the best things to see and do in Las Vegas in 2 days and another with the best things to do in Las Vegas in 3 days.

Best time to take a hot air balloon ride in Las Vegas

group of colorful balloons on the ground| ©Marc James Balatbat
group of colorful balloons on the ground| ©Marc James Balatbat

It is important that you keep in mind that this experience is conditioned by the weather, as wind and temperature variations directly influence this activity. Therefore, my recommendation is that if you have the possibility, perform this activity at dawn, which is the best time of day in terms of weather conditions.

As for the best time of the year to do this experience in Las Vegas, let me tell you that in the months of April, May, September and October, temperatures vary between 10 °C minimum and 30 °C maximum and weather conditions are ideal, since there is usually no rainfall. On the other hand, winter in Las Vegas is usually more rainy and although you can make other plans more in line with the weather of the time of year, a balloon ride is not highly recommended.

Other recommended activities to do in Las Vegas

man holding a hot air balloon| ©Mar Cerdeira
man holding a hot air balloon| ©Mar Cerdeira

If you are not very convinced to take a hot air balloon ride in Las Vegas or you want to know what other activities you can combine them with, let me give you some tips. In case you want to live that feeling of adrenaline at high altitude, but you do not dare to fly in a balloon, some of these helicopter tours can be a great alternative to tour the city and its surroundings from the heights appreciating the best views.

On the other hand, if you want to see the city from another perspective, but do not dare to fly, do not forget that you are in Las Vegas and you can access the best views without flying. Here is a guide with the best views of the city.

Book a helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon