Well, let me tell ya ’bout them hot air balloon rides in St. Louis, ya hear? It ain’t somethin’ I do every day, mind you. Costs a pretty penny, they say. But folks seem to like it, so I figured I’d jaw a bit about it.
What are these balloon rides all about?
From what I gather, it’s like this. You get in this big ol’ balloon, and they fill it up with hot air. Then, whoosh! Up you go! You float around in the sky, lookin’ down at everything. Sounds kinda scary to me, but some folks find it excitin’. They say you can see all sorts of stuff from up there – the Gateway Arch, the river, maybe even my neighbor’s chickens runnin’ around, ha!
Is it worth the money?
Now, that’s the million-dollar question, ain’t it? I heard it costs somethin’ like $600 a person! That’s a lot of chicken feed, let me tell ya. But folks who’ve done it say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. They say it’s beautiful and peaceful up there. You get to see the world from a whole new angle, like a bird or somethin’. And they say it’s romantic, too. Good for takin’ your sweetheart, I guess, if you got one and the money to spare.
When can you go?
Seems like they do these rides mostly in the evenin’s, ’round sunset. That makes sense, I reckon. The sky’s all pretty colors then. And I heard tell of somethin’ called a “balloon glow.” That’s when they light up the balloons at night, but they don’t fly ’em. Just makes ’em look all glowy and magical. Sounds kinda nice, but I’d rather be home in my warm bed, to be honest.
How do you book a ride?
Now, I ain’t never done it myself, but I heard you gotta book in advance. These things ain’t fly-by-night operations, ya know. They say you can book online, through some company called “Viator” or somethin’. And if you gotta cancel, make sure you do it at least 24 hours before, or you’ll lose your money. That’s what they say, anyway.
Things to think about before you go.
First off, you gotta think about the weather. Can’t be flyin’ in a storm, now can ya? And you gotta think about your fear of heights, if you got one. If lookin’ down from a ladder makes you dizzy, then maybe this ain’t for you. And of course, you gotta think about the cost. Like I said, it ain’t cheap. But if you got the money and the guts, it might be a fun thing to try. Just don’t go blamin’ me if you get up there and don’t like it, ha!
So, is it a good idea?
Well, that depends on you, I reckon. If you like adventure and you got the cash, then go for it. If you’re like me and prefer keepin’ your feet on the ground, then maybe you should just stick to lookin’ up at the balloons from down here. Either way, it’s your choice. Just make sure you do your research and know what you’re gettin’ into before you hand over your hard-earned money.
A few more things to keep in mind:
- The rides are private, so it’ll just be you and your group.
- They say the views are somethin’ special, real breathtaking.
- You can book tours and other stuff through that Viator company, too. They seem to have all sorts of things to do.
- And remember, book ahead! Don’t just show up and expect to hop in a balloon.
Anyways, that’s all I know ’bout them hot air balloon rides in St. Louis. Hope it helped ya some. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go feed them chickens.
Tags: [Hot Air Balloon Rides, St. Louis, Viator, Tours, Sightseeing, Balloon Glow, Adventure, Travel]
