The right size is decided by the road you are on, and California’s metros have very different roads.
Los Angeles and Orange County
Wide arterials, heavy sign clutter, and traffic that is often slow rather than fast. Slow traffic is good news: a driver at 20 mph has time to read.
The problem in LA is not distance, it is competition for attention. A 13-foot blimp at 120 feet is above the sign clutter, and that is the whole advantage. Going bigger rarely helps; going higher always does.
San Diego
Coastal wind and a lot of low-rise frontage. A 13-foot blimp suits most retail, and the afternoon breeze means it is genuinely moving, which is what catches the eye.
If you are inland of the coastal strip, the wind eases and the same balloon flies longer hours.
The Bay Area
The most wind-constrained of the big metros, and the most likely to need a disciplined take-down routine.
Buy for the wind rather than the distance: a well-anchored 13-foot is a better purchase than an 18-foot you end up flying half as often. Tight urban sites also limit where you can anchor, so check that before you check sizes.
Sacramento and the Central Valley
Fast roads, deep setbacks, big lots, and hot summers. This is the part of California where the larger sizes genuinely earn their money.
On a 55 mph highway frontage with a long approach, 18 feet at $1,813 or 21 feet at $2,561 is the right end of the range. A 10-foot blimp on that road is invisible.
Ask for a quote. Call 1-800-791-1445 or email sales@arizonaballoon.com and tell us the size and whether you want it printed.
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