Maximum Altitude:                    400 feet Great Park Balloon Height:   118 feet Volume:                                              210,000 cubic feet Balloon Model:                              Aerophile Aero30 tethered helium balloon

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! …no wait, it’s a giant orange orb? The Great Park Balloon is 118 feet tall, but it’s not full of hot air. It’s helium, you know, the stuff that makes your voice sound squeaky if you breathe it. A steel cable tethers the balloon to the ground so they can crank out more rides. Floating above, you can see from the mountains to the sea across Orange County.

Boarding | Upward | The View | Downward | Directions | Plan Your Visit

Boarding

Join the waiting list upon arrival. They will be text you when it’s time to check in. Check-in begins 30 minutes before each flight. The gondola is an aluminum cage that can hold 6 to 16 passengers. You stand in the ring of the donut-shaped cabin.

Upward

The OC Great Park sits on the old El Toro Marine Base, once home to an annual air show. When I was a kid, the Blue Angels screeched across the sky performing supersonic stunts. Hard to believe we now drift through the same airspace. Unlike a hot air balloon, this one needs no blast of flame or billowing inflation. It’s already packed with helium. There’s barely a takeoff at all. The winch simply releases the cable and you rise.

Sports fields spread out in bright green grids, a small patch of openness carved into the middle of the metropolis. The ascent is quiet and smooth, and within minutes you’re floating 400 feet above the ground.

The View

Just like Phileas Fogg, you won’t be traveling anywhere in a balloon. Once it reaches the fixed point, you are basically on a floating terrace. On a clear day, you have 360-degree views of Saddleback Mountain, the ocean, Catalina, and even the Hollywood Sign.

Downward

After a few minutes at the top, the balloon begins its descent. If you are near Irvine, check out this unique bird’s eye view of SoCal.

Directions

From LA, follow the I-5 S to Irvine. Take exit 96A for Sand Canyon Avenue. Make a left onto Sand Canyon Avenue. Turn right onto Marine Way. Continue for 0.5 miles. Turn left at Ridge Valley and drive 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Phantom and drive 0.2 miles. At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto Corsair. After 0.2 miles, turn right. Park in Parking Lot 3. Follow signs southwest toward the balloon to join the line.

Plan Your Visit

Vendor:               Orange County Great Park | City of Irvine | Balloon Waiver Cost:                     $10 for adults, kids are free Reservations:  None, first-come, first-served basis, wait times up to 3 hours When:                  Thurs-Fri: 10 am – 10 pm | Sat-Sun: 9 am – 10 pm Weather:            Call (949) 724-6247 to check weather conditions. Bring the Kids: A parent or guardian must sign for children younger than 18. An adult must accompany children younger than 13.