Ethan BrownThe best part about riding a hot air balloon over Ottawa is the view. When you look down, you can see the historic city sprawling out before you, and depending on when you ride the hot air balloon, you can even catch the sunrise or the sunset!
Eager to reach new heights? Here are the places that let you ride a hot air balloon in and near Ottawa.
Ottawa Hot Air
Address: 180 York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 1J6, Canada
Operating Hours:
- Friday to Sunday—5 to 7 pm
- Closed from Monday to Thursday
Contact Number: (613)8536675
The team behind Ottawa Hot Air is comprised of veterans of the sport of ballooning. Together, they have more than 75 years of combined hot air balloon piloting experience, and they’ve done it all over the world! So, you can expect a smooth experience here.
What’s great about Ottawa Hot Air is that your ride will be private and only exclusive to your group. This allows you to be more comfortable throughout the ride.
You can chat endlessly with your companions and laugh as loud as you want.
Ottawa Hot Air only offers rides during summer, autumn, and sometimes winter. Snow and wet fields are the most common obstacles to operating hot air balloons, which is why there’s no availability during early winter or early spring.
The flying time is about 45 minutes to an hour, and the total experience (including the launch and landing) is about three to four hours. You can also choose whether you fly right at sunrise or before sunset.
| Pro Tip: The maximum number of passengers for one basket is four, and it’s best if your group has four members. This is because the price per person will be significantly cheaper, as opposed to if your group only has two people. |
Big Balloon Adventures
Address: 102 Rue Louis-Saint-Laurent, Gatineau, QC J9H 2N4, Canada
Distance from Ottawa: Around 25 minutes
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours
Contact Number: +12503170281
Big Balloon Adventures is located in Gatineau, only a few minutes away from Ottawa, and just like Ottawa Hot Air, this one lets you enjoy a private ride with your preferred companions.
The amazing thing about Big Balloon Adventures is that they operate daily all year long.
Plus, you can choose between morning and evening flights. Morning flights are more popular, but the evening ones are great too because you’ll see the glittering cityscape.
This hot air balloon experience lasts for about two hours, which is a lot of time to soak up the view and enjoy the cool gusts of wind.
Big Balloon Adventures operates when the weather is good. So, if the weather is poor (heavy rain or a thunderstorm), your ride might get canceled.
Don’t worry, though, because it will be rescheduled or you can get a refund.
| Pro Tip: If you can afford it, you can book a solo flight. It’s a great experience if you’re looking for a break from the world. |
Sundance Balloons
Address: 48 Crampton Dr, Belmont, ON N0L 1B0, Canada
Flight Meeting Points in Ottawa:
- Oxbow Park, Carleton University, Lot P-14, Raven Rd, Ottawa, ON
- Rideau Valley Air Park, Ottawa, ON K0A 2E0
- Anderson Links Golf Course, 4175 Anderson Rd, Ottawa, ON K0A 1K0
- Var’s Park and Ride, Township of Russell, ON K0A 3H0
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—9 am to 7 pm
- Saturday—10 am to 4 pm
- Sunday—11 am to 4 pm
Contact Number: +15194736444
Sundance Balloons is technically based in Belmont, which is more than five hours away from Ottawa. But they offer hot air balloon rides in different cities around Canada, including the capital, so it’s worth checking out.
You don’t even have to go all the way to Belmont to ride a hot air balloon. You can book your flight online via their website, and then you’ll be instructed to go to any of the flight meeting points within Ottawa.
With Sundance Balloons, you’ll be flying over Ottawa at a height of 2,900 feet. In particular, you’ll coast past the beautiful length of Rideau Canal and the breathtaking skyline of Parliament Hill.
The flight season for Sundance Balloons is from May to October because that’s when the weather is usually clear. Summertime, in particular, is a great time to ride a hot air balloon because you can get an unprecedented view of the city and the sky.
| Pro Tips: Try to have four or more people in your group because that way, the price per person becomes cheaper. If you don’t have a set time to ride the hot air balloon, you can purchase a personalized flight voucher, which allows you to have your flight when you’re ready. Gift a loved one with a flight at Sundance Balloons. Check this page for more information regarding gift cards. |
Bonus: Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
Where: La Baie Park, 93 Rue de la Baie, Gatineau, QC J8T 3H4, Canada
Distance from OT: Around 15 minutes
When:
- Usually from August to September
- Time: 10:30 am to 5 pm (Monday), 8:30 am to 4 pm (Tuesday and Wednesday), 5 to 10:30 pm (Thursday), 4 to 11:30 pm (Friday), 10:30 am to 11:30 pm (Sunday)
Technically, this isn’t a business that offers hot air balloon rides. But it is an annual event that features hot air balloons, so we can consider it for this list.
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is a celebration of this unique vessel. Skilled pilots come here with their colorful vehicles, and you can book a ride anytime during the festival.
Just keep in mind that the waiting time can get long due to the high demand.
If you can’t ride the hot air balloons, you can just enjoy the sight of them launching into the air and painting the sky in bright colors. The best place to watch the hot air balloons soaring up is at Bay Park.
The festival also has other fun things to do aside from riding hot air balloons. You can play traditional fair games to win all sorts of prizes, ride the Ferris wheel or any of the crazy-looking rollercoasters, or indulge in greasy or overly sweet carnival snacks!
| Pro Tip: For a memorable experience, you might want to camp in the heart of the festival grounds. So long as you have a trailer, motorized vehicle, converted van, or tent, you’re eligible for Camping FMG. Check this page for more information about this experience. |
