Now THIS is cool.  A hot air balloon ride that takes you 350 feet above Navy Pier for amazing views of the city.  I’m not sure when the ride will be open as the site just states that it’s “Coming Soon”.  Hope they don’t wait too long though, this doesn’t seem quite as neat if you have to deal with winter temperatures.  I’ll update this post when I get the date of the opening. Update: Open Now through October

From the Navy Pier website:

Float in silence 35 stories into the air on the Navy Pier AeroBalloon, an anchored, helium-filled, state of the art balloon. The balloon will carry up to 18 passengers at a time for spectacular 360-degree panoramas of a bustling downtown Chicago and a horizon-bending view of Lake Michigan. Fun for the whole family!

balloonAeroBalloon has been wowing crowds for years at sites throughout the U.S. with its safe, American-made, non-combustible balloons. The Navy Pier AeroBalloon is 60 feet wide and is attached to a specially designed passenger gondola. The balloon is tethered to the ground and raised and lowered with an electrical winch providing passengers with breathtaking views from 350 feet above Navy Pier. Each flight lasts approximately 8 – 10 minutes.

Location:
Gateway Park just south of the entrance to Navy Pier.

Please be advised that Navy Pier Aeroballoon flights may be postponed or canceled due to weather conditions.
If weather conditions are questionable, please be sure to call the Weather Line at
646-827-6287 one hour prior to your visit to ensure the balloon is operating.

Ticket Prices:
Reservations and Walk Up Tickets: Adults $25; Children 12 and under $15
Seniors (65+), Veterans and active Military $15

Reservations will be accepted only for flights that are between the hours of 8am and 10am.
Please call 312-224-8827 to book your flight now, or just come out to Navy Pier.

Speed Pass: Adults $30; Children 12 and under $20

Upgrade to a Speed Pass Ticket and reduce long wait times. The Speed Pass Ticket grants you access to the Speed Pass line with less wait time and is given preference over the general admission tickets. [navypier.com]

Is this enough to get you to venture over to Navy Pier?

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