Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloon flies out of 552 Milldale Hollow Rd in Front Royal, VA, and they bill themselves as the closest hot air balloon company to Washington DC. Flights run 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, though the whole experience takes around 3 hours when you count the traditional champagne toast (or sparkling apple cider if you prefer) and helping with balloon setup and deflation. They operate year-round, seven days a week at sunrise and late afternoon, weather permitting of course. From up there you'll get views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Shenandoah River, vineyards, apple orchards, and the rolling countryside across Clarke and Warren counties. They offer standard hot air balloon rides plus tethered balloon rides for events and banner flying. The hands-on experience is part of what makes ballooning in the Shenandoah Valley memorable. TripAdvisor reviewers praise the safety-focused operations and the aerial views from the open-air basket. That said, weather cancellations are common (that's just ballooning). Pricing starts around $225/person for standard flights. If you need to cancel, give them 72 hours notice or you'll face a $50/person fee. Seasonal highlights include spring blooms, summer cornfields, fall foliage that turns the valley into a patchwork quilt of color, and crisp winter mornings with wildlife spotting over the lower Shenandoah Valley. Standing in a field at dawn watching that envelope fill with hot air while mist rolls off the mountains... there's nothing quite like it.
Cruises Travel and Tours is a full-service travel agency located at 131 Gloucester Rd in Front Royal, VA 22630, owned and operated by Ana Larson, a travel specialist with over 10 years of experience in the travel industry who provides personalized vacation planning, cruise bookings, and travel insurance services. As an established Front Royal-based booking agency (not an operator of tours or cruises), Cruises Travel and Tours specializes in arranging cruise vacations to destinations including the Caribbean, Europe, Mediterranean, Alaska, and beyond, while also booking guided tour packages through major operators like Globus, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Cosmos, and Costsaver to destinations throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America. Recent promotional deals found on their Facebook page include roundtrip flights from Washington Dulles to San Juan, Puerto Rico starting at $569 per person, along with all-inclusive resort accommodations at luxury properties like The Ritz-Carlton Maui with reduced rates and daily breakfast included. The agency markets itself as a stress-free travel planning service that "manages the details," "offers alternatives best suited to your budget," and "provides backup if changes are required during the trip," positioning themselves as a complete support travel agency for clients seeking worry-free vacation experiences. Contact information includes phone numbers (540) 622-2532 and email at info@cruisestravelandtours.com or ana@cruisestravelandtours.com, with the business appearing to operate as a small, possibly home-based operation given the residential nature of the registered address. However, potential customers should note that Cruises Travel and Tours has no publicly available customer reviews on Google Reviews, Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Better Business Bureau, with their Facebook page showing 775 likes but "Not yet rated (0 Reviews)" on the Ana Larson Travel Advisor page, which may be a concern for travelers seeking verified testimonials before booking travel services in the Front Royal and Shenandoah Valley region.
Passages Travel & Cruises, established in 1985 and celebrating over 40 years in the travel industry, is a highly-rated full-service travel agency located at 9 S Charles St in Front Royal, VA, owned by Maria Dutton who has 30+ years of experience as a travel agent and purchased the business in 1990, serving over 9,000 happy customers through personalized, owner-direct service. The agency, which holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and boasts 1,655 Facebook likes, specializes in booking ocean cruises with seven major cruise lines (Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages), river cruises on AmaWaterways and other lines, escorted group tours, destination weddings, honeymoons, and all-inclusive vacation packages to destinations ranging "from Antarctica to Zimbabwe." Maria Dutton and Travel Concierge Jenna Charpentier (15+ years experience, bilingual in English/Spanish) have personally traveled to over 15 European countries, 20+ Caribbean destinations, multiple locations in Africa, Australia, Central and South America, and 30 U.S. states, providing first-hand destination knowledge for clients planning cruises, tours, and custom travel experiences. Recent escorted group tours include a Croatia & Its Islands package starting at $6,999 per person (September 2026) featuring a 7-night Adriatic cruise with Collette Tours, round-trip air from Washington, hotel accommodations, and 27 meals, demonstrating their expertise in European river cruises and Mediterranean travel. Operating from a home-based office since 2010 after over 20 years with a Main Street storefront, Passages Travel emphasizes their tagline "We Do Everything but Pack Your Bags!" and guarantees that "every customer works with the OWNER of the Company," offering before-during-and-after trip support that online booking platforms cannot match. Customer testimonials praise Maria's 30 years of travel industry expertise, outstanding customer service, attention to detail, and willingness to handle emergencies, with reviewers noting her ability to "meet or beat any price" while providing personalized 5-star service for individual travelers, families, and groups from 5 to 100+ people. Contact Passages Travel & Cruises at (540) 636-1402, maria@passagestravel.com, or visit their website to book cruise vacations, escorted tours, destination weddings, family reunions, and customized travel experiences throughout Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and beyond with this award-winning, bilingual travel agency serving the Front Royal and Warren County community.
Skydive Front Royal opened in Summer 2022 and it's quickly become one of Virginia's best spots for tandem skydiving, operating out of Front Royal-Warren County Airport right at the edge of the Shenandoah Valley. They're the closest locally-owned dropzone to Washington, DC at just 70 miles away, which honestly surprised me when I first looked into booking. You climb about two miles up (10,560 feet) in a Cessna 182 during a 20-minute scenic flight, and then... you jump. The freefall lasts 30-40 seconds at 130 mph with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River, Fort Valley, and the ridges along Skyline Drive stretching out below you. Absolutely worth it. Their 2025 pricing runs $200 for weekday tandem jumps and $225 on weekends (normally $250), plus video and photo packages from $100-$135 if you want proof of that terrified grin. They've earned a perfect 5.0-star rating on Groupon from 68 reviews, with people consistently praising the thorough 15-minute safety briefings and that personalized VIP treatment you don't get at the bigger commercial operations. As USPA members, all tandem students get paired with licensed instructors following strict protocols (must be 18+, max 220 lbs). After freefall you get a 5-8 minute parachute ride where you can actually help steer the canopy. I've heard people say that part is almost better than the freefall itself. Almost. Gift cards are available and valid for two years, and a $50 non-refundable deposit secures your spot with no expiration date. Not ready to throw yourself out of a plane yet? Their sister company Front Royal Aviation offers discovery flights in their Cessna for a gentler intro to aerial adventure. Book your Virginia tandem skydive near DC at (540) 935-3279 or jump@skydivefrontroyal.com, 229 Stokes Airport Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630.
Balloons Unlimited Inc. has been around since 1976, founded by Robert Thomas, which means they're pushing nearly 50 years in the business. They fly out of 20273 Unison Rd in Round Hill, VA, offering hot air balloon rides over the Shenandoah Valley, Middleburg area, and Blue Ridge Mountains from multiple launch sites across Frederick, Clark, Fauquier, and Warren counties. Adults pay $275/person (must be under 220 lbs), kids under 12 pay $200 (minimum age 5), and flights last about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes at sunrise or sunset when conditions cooperate. What makes this operation different from other regional balloon companies? They're an FAA Certified Balloon Repair Station (FAA Number: PG1R399K) and actually own their own airport in New Market, Virginia (8W2), which they lease to Skydive Shenandoah. That's not something you see often. CEO Bob Thomas and his wife Carey have built quite the operation, with Bob logging over 6,000 flights and 43 years of flying during the company's history. They run about 6 staff members and pull in around $280k annually while maintaining an A+ BBB rating. Beyond scenic flights, they offer aerial photography, balloon bouquet deliveries throughout the DC metro area, balloon decorating for events, height testing for buildings and cell towers, and rental/sales of large cold-air promotional inflatables. Facebook shows 100% recommendation from 5 reviews, with customers praising Bob's professionalism, safety record, and the views of rivers, mountains, vineyards, and rural Shenandoah Valley landscapes. Each flight ends with the traditional champagne or sparkling apple cider toast. There's something about floating silently over Virginia wine country at sunset, watching your shadow drift across the hills below... hard to put into words. Contact them at (703) 898-1157 or fireflyer@me.com to book hot air balloon experiences in northern Virginia.
Brown's Biplane Rides, operating since 2002 from Warrenton-Fauquier Airport in Midland, VA, offers authentic vintage aircraft rides in historic WWII training planes including a 1941 PT-17 Stearman biplane and a 1943 T-6 Texan warbird flown by owner David Brown, a 64-year-old Air Force veteran with 48+ years of flying experience and over 10,000 takeoffs and landings in the Stearman. David Brown, who won the 2011 Masters Aerobatic Champion title at the National Stearman Fly-In and flies at the Flying Circus Air Show every Sunday, offers multiple flight packages including 30-minute barnstorming scenic flights ($350), 30-minute "You Fly It" instructional experiences ($395), and thrilling 30-minute aerobatic rides ($499) featuring barrel rolls, loops, Cuban 8s, and hammerhead stalls pulling up to 3.5 positive G's over Fauquier County's beautiful countryside. The open-cockpit biplane tours provide an authentic 1930s barnstorming experience with spectacular views of Virginia hunt country, while the T-6 Texan orientation flights ($750) let participants take the controls of the same advanced trainer that prepared WWII pilots for fighters like the P-51 Mustang. Operating April through November with flights six days a week, Brown's Biplane Rides has earned a perfect 5.0 rating with 100% recommendation from 38 Facebook reviews, with customers praising David's professionalism, smooth flying skills, historical knowledge, and ability to customize each flight to passenger comfort levels. The meticulously maintained aircraft are restored to original military configuration and FAA registered for air tour operations, making this a premier destination for vintage aircraft enthusiasts, WWII history buffs, and anyone seeking an unforgettable aerobatic or scenic flight experience in northern Virginia. Located at 1533 Iris Trail, Midland VA, the business is easily accessible from the Washington DC metro area and serves as a bucket-list aviation experience for those wanting to fly authentic warbird aircraft with one of Virginia's most experienced biplane pilots.
