When it comes to outstanding views, Southern Ontario is hard to beat with Lake Ontario, picturesque forests and parks and city scenery. But, there are some perspectives few of us get to experience – especially from the unique bird-eye view of a hot air balloon.

With balloon rides that run until October, Ontario Hot Air Balloon Rides specializes in trips where the destination is irrelevant, and the journey everything.

With six launch sites outside Toronto, OHABR hosts both shared and private flights.

Since hot air balloons travel with the wind, the take-off location varies according to the prevailing winds of that specific day. Rides launch just before sunrise or sunset and travel around the speed of 10-15km/hr.

The hot air balloon is the first successful human-carrying flight technology, and the first flight was performed in France in 1783.

Today, modern hot air balloons consist of a single-layered fabric bag ('envelope') that is made from either nylon or polyester. Attached to the envelope is a basket for carrying passengers, and a burner which injects a flame into the envelope, heating the air within.

Although there have been some notable accidents throughout history, travelling by hot air balloon is extremely secure, and is considered one of the safest forms of aviation.

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The highly trained pilot and crew on board ensure its safety and will only take off in perfect weather conditions.

Although the air time is only about 45 minutes, the entire adventure takes close to 4 hours, including instruction, and travel time from launch/ landing sites.

During the flight, nothing quite compares to the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, as the only thing you’ll hear while soaring through the sky is the hum of the burner.

The balloon will glide through the air at around 1,000 ft over urban areas, and if conditions permit, will come down low enough to touch the tops of trees among rural parts.

Make sure to check the COVID-19 rules for all the details, especially for shared flights where they have installed dividers separating passengers into two-person compartments.