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The Best Places to Ride a Hot Air Balloon in the USA

Flying in a hot air balloon is truly a magical experience that everyone should enjoy. Nestled safely in the wicker basket, floating gracefully hundreds of feet above the earth, the quietness is deafening and the views are spectacular. Hot air balloons use a heat source,…

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Flying in a hot air balloon is truly a magical experience that everyone should enjoy. Nestled safely in the wicker basket, floating gracefully hundreds of feet above the earth, the quietness is deafening and the views are spectacular. Hot air balloons use a heat source, usually a large torch to warm up the air inside the balloon and off you go.   The pilots masterfully use wind currents to move and change direction by altering elevations to find different flows.

It’s all pretty rudimentary and amazing at the same time, how these massive balloons and their pilots can navigate as well as they can. Without an actual motor, these pilots are so skilled it continuously amazes me.

If you are not a fan of heights then maybe this isn’t for you, but for us daredevils, it is the ultimate experience.

I compiled a list of some of the best hot air balloon organizations and businesses in the country, so float away friends and find your freedom hundreds of feet in the sky.

 rainbow ryders

Rainbow Ryders

Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque is home of the world famous Balloon Fiesta, a gathering of thousands of balloon enthusiasts every October. Rainbow Ryders is a FAA certified organization that operates 300 days a year and flies along the Rio Grande River. They have baskets that fit up to 12 people, so bring the whole family and experience the majesty of flight.

 lady hattan

Napa Valley Balloons

Napa Valley, CA

What better vantage point to soak in the magnificence that is the Napa Valley Wine region than with Napa Valley Balloons. Their beautiful balloons will drift above some of the world’s best vineyards and the guides will keep you informed the entire trip. Book an all day tour with them that includes wine tasting, guided bike tours and dinner at the acclaimed restaurant Etoile.

 arizona balloon safaris

Arizona Balloon Safaris

Cave Creek, AZ

Fly through the stunning Sonoran Desert just north of Phoenix. I would take the sunrise tour where the balloon flies just feet above the ground and you can see wildlife and the world famous Sonoran Cacti. Their balloons also get as high as 5,000 feet where you can see for miles and in the distance you can spot the Grand Canyon.

 country traveler

Vista Balloon Adventures

Newberg, OR

Located just a mere 40 miles outside of Portland, Vista Balloon will show you the splendor of the Willamette Valley and even give you a “splash and dash.” This is when they literally touch the basket down to the Willamette River for a quick second. Finish the tour with brunch and mimosas, a real hipster way to end anything.

 travel ur world

Asheville Hot Air Balloons

Asheville, NC

Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains, Asheville is an artist community and the guided tours showcase the area’s gorgeousness.   The launching points change daily according to the wind and weather, so each tour is unique.  

balloons over letchworth 

Balloons Over Letchworth

Castile, NY

Float high above the Letchworth State Park and view over 20 wonderful waterfalls and humongous gorges that are over 600 feet. The Letchworth State Park is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the East, so where better than up in a hot air balloon to see the majesty.   They operate tours from April to October, so catch a ride when you can.

 tahoe accomidations

Lake Tahoe Balloons

Lake Tahoe, CA

Lake Tahoe is one of America’s most beautiful places and the largest alpine lake in the country, so a balloon is perfect to check out the entire lake. Spend hours in the thin and crisp mountain air as you glide above the California and Nevada border. They fly every morning, so book a trip soon to soar with the birds and see the heavens while still on earth.

 

Hot air Balloons are a magical experience and I hope you get to enjoy it soon.

 

 

Photos courtesy of eskipaper, rainbowryders, ladyhattan, scottsdaletodo, countrytravelonline, travelurworld, balloonsoverletchworth, tahoe accomidations

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Destinations

Find Out This Little Known Hack for Easier Air Travel

No need for forms to file a claim. Travel insurance companies can instantly send you money while you wait for your delayed flight.

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     People don’t like paperwork, especially when it comes to travel-related documents. This hack for easier air travel is going to eliminate the hassle of filling out forms and other tedious processes. Flying is going to be much less stressful. 

 

     Just think of this – when you experience a delay in your flight, the travel insurance company is simply going to send you a text message that you’ll be receiving $100 for the inconvenience. No paperwork, no lines, and no hassle. 

 

     This advancement in the way travel insurance work is because of two companies, the Berkshire-Hathaway Travel Protection and the Allianz Global Assistance. These companies are using new technology where they can track your flight. And then if anything comes up, they can automatically file a travel insurance claim for you. 

 

 

     Since very few people know about this new advancement in travel insurance, it is definitely a hack that you should keep a note of. If you go through the traditional route of travel insurance, you’re going to wait for weeks before you will be compensated. 

 

     With automatic claims, it is going to be what the term suggests. You won’t have to fill out forms to file your claim. You don’t even have to file your claim at all. It’s going to be the insurance company who will do those things for you. 

 

Automatic Claims: How They Work

 

     Automatic claims mean that you don’t have to wait for a disruption in your flight to happen so you can file your claim. The travel insurance company will be the one to monitor the flights. If ever there’s a delay, the insurance company will be offering you a fixed amount. You don’t have to do anything from your end. 

 

 

     Apart from flight delays, insurance companies also provide benefits for damaged or lost luggage. The amount will depend on your policy. What is only required from you is for you to verify the damage or the loss. The payment will come almost immediately. You can say that it is indeed an instant claim. 

 

Benefits of Travel Insurance Auto-Claims

 

  • It is automated and therefore easier. As mentioned earlier, you are not required to do anything so you can file your claim. You only have to ensure that the travel insurance company is aware of your flight information before departure. 
  • You will definitely get better service. In cases where there’s a delay in your flight, getting a text message that you will receive $100 will at least make you feel a bit better. 

 

 

  • Money comes in an instant. Imagine never needing to wait for a check to arrive. The travel insurance company will send the money instantly. While waiting for your flight, you can use the money to shop a bit or have a few relaxing drinks. 

 

     You may wonder why this automatic claim from travel insurance companies is not well-known. Since automatic claims are still building their momentum, it is easy for people to be suspicious of it. They think that instant payments are just too good to be true. But when you study this automatic claim closely, it has plenty of benefits. 


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Destinations

Elizabeth Holmes Costumes Are All The Rage

  We might never recognize if Holmes is the factor behind our troubles obtaining a black turtleneck, yet Silicon Valley’s Instagram-popular bad guy is probably contributing to the shortage.

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     Certainly, Steve Jobs as well as Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson are seasonal Halloween hits. However, are black, lengthy sleeve turtlenecks this year’s hit costume because of disgraced technology business owner, Elizabeth Holmes?

   She recorded the creativity of funders with her blood-testing startup, Theranos, valuing at $9 billion before the Securities and Exchange Payment billed her with fraudulence in March 2018.

 

 

Theranos

     Holmes’ Palo Alto firm promised to transform healthcare by needing just a pinprick of blood to run thousands of examinations, however, it had problems with accuracy and reliability. There have been publications about Holmes, two docudramas, and a motion picture including Jennifer Lawrence as the technology fraudster is anticipated for release in the following year.

 

     Fascination with Holmes is expected to continue, as well as with her exposure in pop-culture – her trademark appearance just gets more well-known on Halloween. With her notorious insurance claims regarding transforming healthcare with a decrease of blood, it is simple and uncomplicated to finish the Holmes look for Halloween– wear a black turtleneck.

 

That Turtleneck, Though

 

     Refinery29, a digital media electrical outlet, has actually written a guide on just how to clothe like Holmes this Halloween. Some blog writers have even guessed that Holmes, “inspired by … her ravenous lust for human ????,” is akin to a “vampire.”

 

 

      Sticking around on dressing guides, various links to turtlenecks were marketed online. In the San Francisco Bay area, specifically, the black turtleneck was sold out in a 40-mile circle. Risking a black turtleneck days before Halloween, without an Amazon Prime account, is probably risking the opportunity.

 

To Be Or Not To Be, A Bloodsucker

 

 

    We might never recognize if Holmes is the factor behind our troubles obtaining a black turtleneck, yet Silicon Valley’s Instagram-popular bad guy is probably contributing to the shortage.


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Featured

Making The Most Of Travel Productivity

  Overall, the key to stress-free journeys is investing time to plan points out thoroughly ahead of time, increasing your efficiency and general comfort along the way.

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     There are a wide variety of reasons why you could take a trip, be it for leisure, business or something in-between. Nowadays, so-called “bleisure” adventures are popular, incorporating the enjoyable and exciting aspects of a pleasureful escape with the efficiency of a job requirement. Nonetheless, great preparation is an essential factor of whether you’ll have a smooth, seamless trip in which you achieve your functional objectives and fondly bear in mind the experience years down the line. Below are a couple of suggestions to aid you to attain that very equilibrium.

 

 

Utilize A List

     In the hustle and bustle of preparing for your journey, the likelihood of neglecting something is really high, however, you can avoid that just by assembling a checklist well in development. All you’ll have to do is uncheck the things on the checklist and also start fresh when you’re going on a new journey.”

 

Book Proactively

     When you’re reserving your trip, leave a void in between expected goal times. In the best-case circumstance, you’ll have a possibility to relax, consume a healthier meal and refresh on your own. As well as in the worst instance, you’ll be able to attend on schedule even if there’s a hold-up with your trip or any other hitch.

 

 

     Overall, the key to stress-free journeys is investing time to plan points out thoroughly ahead of time, increasing your efficiency and general comfort along the way.

 

Build Healthy Routines

     Traveling typically suggests you’ll be in contact with even more people, public locations and items than the majority of other people. Something as straightforward as antibacterial wipes can go a long way to making certain that you don’t capture any type of ailments. You’ll need to enjoy your diet plan as well as make the added effort to find healthy food, instead of just going for the closest chow you locate at the airport terminal or in the city you have actually arrived at. It might cost you even more as well as take more time, however, it’ll certainly work out in your favor over time.

 

 

Research Funding Choices

     Travel can be very pricey, but smart individuals have a number of means to lower their prices. You can get a hotel loyalty card, which will qualify you to free stays depending upon just how much you’ve used them, not unlike airline company miles. Usually, you can additionally stack the advantages up and make on your own an extremely affordable trip.

 

     According to Ivan Baidin, CEO of Traveling Payments, “Travel-affiliate strategies can also help you make money by referring people to helpful services and products. Usually, you make around $7 from the rate of a bought aircraft tickets and $20 from a hotel booking. It needs patience as well as discovering, yet in time it repays really well.”

 

 

     An additional cost-saving method is to just make use of no-fee ATM cards. Different banks use them, so examine the fine print to see which one is most valuable total.

 


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