Being up in the helium Live On Air Fallsview Balloon —tethered close to Niagara Falls — is refreshingly peaceful.
“It’s a really sort of transcendent experience when you get up there, because it’s just you, the sky and a spectacular view,” says Colin Nekritz, director of marketing for Live Incorporated, which the balloon operates under. “It’s a very tranquil experience.”
Launched in summer 2024 and open year-round, the Fallsview Balloon uses a sturdy, durable helium balloon with a gondola featuring a 360-degree ring-shaped walkway that allows for views from all directions. Each ride takes up to 30 passengers about 500 feet above Niagara Falls — the highest viewing platform on the U.S. side. A giant steel tether anchors the balloon, and a winch system helps it slowly ascend and descend. During the 15-minute-ride, music plays and a certified balloon pilot guides passengers above the nearby glistening falls, which are located a third of a mile south of the balloon’s anchor point.
“Some days, you actually hear the roar of the falls,” says Nekritz.
Passengers can see Niagara Falls State Park, the Rainbow International Bridge to the Canadian side and, on a clear day, Buffalo 15 miles south and Toronto skyscrapers and the CN Tower just past Lake Ontario, 40 miles north.
“You’ll see the Niagara River running toward the falls from Lake Erie to the south, but looking then to the north, you get to see the amazing Niagara Gorge, where it cuts through the landscape, heading toward Lake Ontario,” says Nekritz. “It’s breathtaking to look at the twists and turns of the Niagara River from the balloon’s perspective.”
Nightly, riders see the falls illuminated in rainbow hues. From May 15 till Oct. 12, they can catch nightly weather-dependent fireworks from the balloon during fireworks flights, which are a safe distance from the bright displays.
“There’s the falls lit up with all these amazing shifting colors of lights from both sides. The fireworks go off, lasting several minutes,” he says.
“People can enjoy the fireworks from what is almost the same height as the fireworks.”
Each morning, certified pilots check the weather to ensure it is safe and comfortable to fly. Safety is paramount, and the balloon has been thoroughly tested. The gondola has safety nets and railings surrounding the handicap accessible walkway, and there are several fail-safe features to ensure a safe landing in the event of an emergency.
Go home with a souvenir photo, creating lasting memories. Nekritz hears from passengers who are afraid of heights that it isn’t nerve-wracking like they imagined. It’s such a smooth ride that he likens it to taking an elevator up to the sky. The view is unlike anything passengers have witnessed from land.
“[There’s] the general excitement, the adrenaline of going up in the air and seeing the world from a different perspective,” he says. “People come to see Niagara Falls dozens of times … but it’s another thing to see them from 500 feet and get a perspective that not many people get.”
454 Main St., Niagara Falls, New York, 716-513-0001, balloonoverniagara.com
ML Studios
Mike McCarty
ML Studios
ML Studios
Live Incorporated
Rob Bennett
Rob Bennett
