Balloon animals may look cute, but even the horses are incredibly hard to ride. Board a more buoyant balloon with today’s Groupon: for $159, you get two tickets to a hot air balloon ride at Bella Via Balloon Co. (a $500 value). Trips launch from parks or fields in Grafton, Auburn, Worcester, and Shrewsbury, though additional departure points are available at an extra cost.

Bella Via's licensed pilots maneuver their brightly colored craft through the sky as intimate groups of up to four passengers take in sweeping views of the countryside. The vessel swoops into natural beauty and dips close to the verdant treetops, granting aeronauts newfound views of the canopy and allowing them to eavesdrop on tree-house board meetings. Guests may skim across the mirrored surface of a lake or soar up to 2,000 feet above the earth to tamper with the clouds and embarrass rival meteorologists. Passengers can assist with the setup of balloons prior to takeoff, and a dedicated crew follows the vessel to its landing site to toast disembarking balloonists with an effervescent glass of bubbly and return them to their jealous automobiles.

This Groupon can also be used for $500 toward the cost of a private champagne balloon ride for two ($800).