Our main hot air balloon launch site in New Jersey is Solberg Airport, a family-owned airport with a rich heritage dating back to 1939. Located minutes from Routes 78, 22 and 202 in Readington, NJ, it's about an hour's drive from New York City and the closest hot air balloon flying area to NYC.
Solberg Airport Launch Site address:
39 Thor Solberg Road
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889
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In Pennsylvania, our balloon flights take off from
a hot air balloon launch site in Chester Springs, located conveniently just 3 miles
north of the PA Turnpike and along Route 100. It's about a 45-minute drive from Philadelphia, and just over an hour east of Harrisburg. We will also be glad to launch our hot air balloons from your property if it is a suitable location (minimum 200'x200' with no tall obstructions or wires nearby).
Chester Springs, PA Balloon Launch Site address:
1012 N. Pottstown Pike
Chester Springs, PA 19425
View 1012 N. Pottstown Pike in a larger map
There are a few areas of
balloon activity in the state of NJ, but by far the most active is
Hunterdon County in the northwestern part of the state (also known
as The Skylands).
Within Hunterdon County, Clinton Township is the busiest
ballooning hotspot in the state.
 |
| The
Energizer Bunny, seen here from the inside, is a
regular visitor to the NJ Festival of Ballooning held each
July in Readington |
At least 100 balloon pilots and
hundreds more crew members call NJ their home (with more than 50-60 in
Hunterdon county alone), and almost 100 more balloonists visit each
summer for the largest balloon festival on the East Coast in
Readington - The Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning (balloonfestival.com).
Some other areas of ballooning
interest include Readington and Flemington in Hunterdon County,
Harmony Township and Phillipsburg in Warren County, Jamesburg and Freehold in Central NJ, and Vineland and Moorestown in
Southern Jersey.
 |
| The
ideal times to fly are early morning and late afternoon |
When
to find them:
Since hot air balloons only fly in the
early morning and late afternoon when the winds are calmest, you'll
be out of luck if you expect to find anybody flying during the
midday hours. As such, you should only be on the lookout on mornings
and afternoons when no precipitation is called for and the winds are
forecast to be under 7-8 mph - any higher and it starts to get a
little tricky to inflate and land a balloon.
Most pilots in NJ only fly from
Spring to Fall, but there are still a number who fly year-round, as
the thrill of a crisp winter flight keeps them looking skywards
during the colder months. Our company offers hot air balloon flights seven days a week, year-round.
The best time to look for hot
air balloons is on a weekend evening during the Spring, Summer or Fall
(obviously with good weather prevalent). You'll probably be able to
find a number of balloons in the air, and maybe you can even follow
one during the flight and help them land! Many new balloonists and
crew members have started in the sport this way.
Of course, you'll always know
when we're flying if you become a member of our ground
crew!
