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Temecula: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride & Winery Toast

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/7

Duration3h

GroupUp to 16

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Temecula sunrise balloon ride over vineyards with wine country views

You’ll start your morning early in Temecula with a shared sunrise hot air balloon ride over rolling vineyards and lakes, guided by an experienced pilot. After landing safely, celebrate at a local winery with champagne or mimosas — plus discounts on tastings if you want more. You’ll leave with a souvenir certificate…and probably some new stories.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ascend in hot air balloon at sunrise
Enjoy aerial views of vineyards and lakes
Celebrate flight with champagne and juice
Receive souvenir flight certificate
Visit Bolero Spanish winery and tapas
Explore Wilson Creek Winery tasting room
Pass by South Coast Winery vineyards
Pass by Lake Skinner Recreation Area
Pass by Pechanga Resort Casino

The Experience

I’ll be honest — I almost missed the pickup because I’d set my alarm for PM instead of AM. So there I was, teeth unbrushed, hair all wild, hopping into the van in Temecula before dawn. Our pilot, Mark (who looked way too awake), greeted us with this easy smile and handed out bottled water like he knew we’d need it. The air was cold — not biting, but enough to make you pull your sleeves down. There was this weird hush as we walked out to the balloon; even the birds seemed to hold back for sunrise.

The actual takeoff felt gentler than I expected. One second we were grounded in a field that smelled faintly of dry grass and someone’s leftover coffee; next thing, we’re floating up and the world below just... softened. The vineyards stretched out in these neat little rows, green and gold under a sky that hadn’t quite decided if it wanted to be pink or blue yet. Mark pointed out Lake Skinner shimmering off to the east — he said sometimes you can spot wild horses but today it was just mist curling around the edges. Everyone got quiet for a bit, except for this one couple who kept whispering about their anniversary banner (I think they were more nervous than me).

Landing wasn’t nearly as scary as I’d built up in my head — just a few bounces and some awkward laughter from all of us trying not to fall over each other. Afterward, we piled into vans again and headed to a local winery (I think it was Bolero? My brain was still somewhere above the clouds). They poured us champagne and orange juice — mimosas if you wanted — and there was this light citrusy smell everywhere from the groves nearby. Someone made a toast in Spanish and totally butchered it; everyone laughed, including our guide Li, who told us she used to work harvests here as a teenager.

We got souvenir certificates (mine’s already bent from my backpack) and some people stuck around for discounted wine tastings, but honestly I just sat outside for a while letting the sun warm my face. There’s something about seeing Temecula Valley from above that makes everything feel both smaller and more wide open at once — hard to explain unless you’ve floated there yourself.

What’s included

Your morning includes meeting your group in Temecula before dawn, bottled water during setup, then a 60–75 minute shared scenic hot air balloon ride piloted by an FAA-certified professional.
After landing you’ll be driven to a local winery where champagne, orange juice or sparkling cider is served (mimosas optional), plus you get discounts on wine tasting if you want to stick around longer.
A souvenir certificate is handed out before you go — parking is free too.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Grape Escape Balloon Adventures