What to Bring on a Hot Air Balloon Ride (and What to Leave Home)

The short answer to what to bring on a hot air balloon ride: very little. Warm layers, closed-toe shoes, a phone or camera on a neck strap, sunglasses, and your waiver done ahead of time. Everything else can stay in the car.

That surprises people. A balloon basket is not a day trip, and the rules about what goes aboard are strict on purpose. Here is the full list from our Sonoma check-in, including the cold-morning extras that make the difference this time of year.

The short list: what to bring

• Your completed waiver. The link is in your booking confirmation email. Do it at home, not in the parking lot.
• Warm layers. A sweater, sweatshirt or jacket you can add or shed. Sonoma mornings start cold and the field is open.
• Pants or workout bottoms and closed-toe shoes. You will climb into the basket and walk across a field after landing.
• Sunglasses and sunscreen. The sun comes up fast once you are in the air, and a basket has no shade.
• A phone or camera with a neck strap. We will explain the strap in a second.
• A hat, if you are tall. Our pre-flight page recommends one for taller passengers, because the burner puts out real heat overhead.
• Proof of age for kids, if asked. Children must be 8 and at least 57″ tall. If proof is requested and not met, they cannot fly, and the refund is full. More on that in our age and height guide.

Why the neck strap matters

You are going to take a lot of photos. You are also going to be standing in a basket with your hands busy, holding the edge, pointing, laughing, hugging whoever is next to you. A phone that slips out of a hand does not come back up from a vineyard.

A strap or lanyard keeps it where it belongs. Most phone cases take a cheap lanyard. If you are bringing a camera, the strap that came with it is perfect. Charge the battery the night before, since cold mornings drain it faster than you expect.

What not to bring on a hot air balloon ride

This is the list that catches people. Per our FAQ, these do not go in the basket:

• Backpacks, purses and camera bags
• Selfie sticks on join-in flights
• Food and drink of any kind
• Animals, including service and emotional-support animals
• Babies and infants

The basket has limited room and every pound is accounted for. Balloons fly by total weight and balance, which is an FAA requirement, and it is also why we ask each guest’s approximate weight when you book. A pile of bags eats space your party needs to stand comfortably.

Bags and camera bags can be locked in your car or our shuttle. Parking at Sonoma Skypark is free, and you will want your car afterward anyway, for brunch and tastings.

What to wear (the part that decides how your morning feels)

Dress for a sunrise in a field, not for a winery. That means no open-toed shoes, no heels, and no skirts or dresses. Save those for tasting rooms later. Our first-timer mistakes post ranks the shoe mistake near the top, and it is the one we see most.

Layers beat one big coat. You will be cold in the parking lot, comfortable in the air once the burner fires, and warm by the champagne toast. A jacket you can unzip does that job. For a month-by-month look at what the weather feels like, see our guide to departure times and what to wear in November.

Cold-morning extras for November through February

We fly year-round, and winter mornings are some of the clearest. They are also cold. A few small things help:

• A warm hat and gloves you can pocket. They are clothing, so they ride with you. Your hands are on the basket edge more than you think.
• Warm socks. Closed shoes plus real socks beat thin ones every time.
• A hot drink in the car for after. Food and drink stay out of the basket, but nothing stops you from having coffee waiting for the drive to brunch.
• A phone you can use in the cold. Keep it in an inside pocket until you need it.

Check-in times shift with the season. Our pre-flight page lists 6:15 a.m. through November and about 7:00 a.m. in December and January. Your reservation confirmation always has your exact time, and we will call or text you the evening before your flight once the pilots have looked at the weather. Keep your phone on.

What to do before you leave the house

A little prep makes the morning easy.

1. Finish the online waiver and watch the short video on the pre-flight page.
2. Charge your phone or camera and put a strap on it.
3. Lay out your layers and shoes the night before.
4. Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early at Sonoma Skypark, 21870 8th St E, Sonoma. No-shows are not rebooked.
5. Leave bags, snacks and anything else in the car. Take only your phone, your ID if you like, and your sense of humor.

Our how to book page walks through the steps if you have not reserved yet, and the packages page compares join-in seats, private baskets and weddings side by side.

Do you need cash for a tip?

Tips are never required. If you want to thank your pilot and crew, a few bills in your pocket is easier than anything else, and we cover the usual range in our tipping guide. Group charters already include a 10% gratuity.

A word on shoes, because it comes up every week

Flat, closed-toe, and ready for dew. After landing you may walk across an uneven field to the champagne toast, and the grass in a Carneros pasture is wet at sunrise. Sneakers or hiking shoes are perfect. Leave the good boots and the sandals at the hotel. If you are heading straight to a tasting afterward, pack the nicer shoes in the car and change at the parking lot.

Quick answers

Can I bring a real camera?

Yes, on a strap. Camera bags stay behind, so carry only the camera itself, and leave the selfie stick at home on join-in flights. If you want to know what the flight looks and feels like first, read what a balloon ride feels like.

Can I bring water?

Not in the balloon. Food and drink are not permitted. Drink water at your hotel and keep a bottle in the car.

Can my purse go in the basket?

No. Purses, backpacks and camera bags stay behind. Lock them in your car or our shuttle.

What if I forget something?

Call us at 707-819-9223. Do it before you drive out, not at the field. A hat, sunglasses or a warmer jacket is far easier to grab from home than to solve at check-in.

The bottom line

Pack light. Warm layers, closed-toe shoes, a strapped phone, sunglasses and a finished waiver cover almost everyone. Put the rest in the car, take a breath, and let the morning do its work. The champagne toast is on us.