Colorado has beautiful views from the ground, but they get even better at a thousand or more feet in the air. Here’s some ways to enjoy Colorado from way up high.
Hot Air Balloon Rides
The concept of hot air ballooning was invented in 1783 by Joeseph and Stephen Montgolfier when they watched smoke rise over a fire. They built a hot air balloon out of paper which was flown over Paris. Current day Hot air Balloons are made with Nylon, and powered with Propane. If you would like to fly in a Hot Air Balloon, check out Rocky Mountain Balloon Rides. A basket will hold 5 or 6 people, and costs $295 a person. Other options include Fair Winds Balloon Flights, that offers $269 Flights. Weather and conditions must be favorable for flight, and expect to wake up early to go flying.
Gliders
Before the Wright Brothers, George Cayley built a glider in 1853. He wasn’t crazy enough to get in, but his assistant flew across a small valley before crashing. Things have since improved, and flights of over 600 miles are possible. Locally, you can go glide at Mile High Gliding, which departs from Boulder Municipal Airport. For $285, you can get pulled into the air by an airplane, and then experience high peaks at 10,600 feet and fly in front of the Continental Divide with views of Longs Peak, Nederland, and the Alpine Lakes. Continue toward Bear Peak and circle the iconic Flatirons and Green Mountain, with incredible views of Boulder and the University of Colorado. That trip should take about an hour.
Helicopters
The idea of Helicopters has been around since before DaVinci’s time, but the materials needed to make Vertical Flight possible didn’t really occur until the 1940s, when the first helicopters went into production. FlyVenture is your spot for taking a Helicopter tour around Denver. Packages include trips to the mountains, to See Red Rocks, through downtown Denver, and Romantic Packages if your’e flying with that special someone. 20 Minutes of Flight time will cost about $285, Half Hours are $379, and mountain tours of an hour or so will be just under $700. Prices are per trip, not per person. 1-3 people can fly at one time.
