Fly away to Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque
When the weather starts getting crisp in the mornings and the leafs start turning, I’m always ready to hit the road. Actually, lets be honest- I want to be on the road most of the time, regardless of temps and conditions.
Last fall a decision was made to check out Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM and we loaded up on a weeknight after the 9-5 ended. If you are looking for an exciting landscape of a road trip this wouldn’t be the one, as it is vastly open and flat. However there’s a few roadside attractions worth mentioning….
Cadillac Ranch,Amarillo- this is a true I40 gem! It was built by a few artsy hippies from San Francisco and a Texas billionaire who owned the land. It was meant to be a tribute to the evolution of Cadillac tail fins, and 10 cars ended up buried nose first in the field. Nowadays people use spray paint and any sort of markers to add to the already colorful cars
The Blue Hole, Santa Rosa, NM- would I do it again? Yeah probably. Is it an adrenaline rush? Yeah, big time. Did it feel cool? The coolest water I’ve ever jumped in- literally and figuratively!!! This spot is always packed in the summer, mainly because New Mexico gets so so hot, and the water here stays a constant 61 degrees Fahrenheit. I dare you!
And lastly after an eight hour drive we are in Albuquerque! Now the mad dash to get into Balloon Fiesta begins. Parking is definitely first come/first serve and it was 20.00 cash only. We actually went 2 mornings in a row and the most successful one was the 4am day. We had a chance to witness the Sunrise glow session and mass ascension.
Once inside Balloon Fiesta, it really becomes a little overwhelming. The park is over 360acres with over 80 of them for balloon launches and set up. Since we spent 3 days there altogether, we scouted a few vantage points. We walked in between the balloons and spoke with some of the pilots. For photography purposes the best spot ended up being close to the Gondola Club, towards the west side of the park. There is a couple little hills there and a tiny pond, that make for unobstructed views and wonderful reflection shots. If you are willing to spend a few more dollars, there are some perks associated with the Gondola and Chaser’s club tickets- hot snacks and coffee, also covered viewing area. It does get pretty chilly in Albuquerque in October.
Lodging is hard to come by last minute during those 9 days of the Fiesta. Most of the nearby hotels are pre-booked months in advance and Airbnb prices are balloon high( pun intended). We opted to camp as we usually would rather be out under the stars. The nearby Sandia mountains make for a great spot to pop a tent. In the morning you can drive to the top of the mountain and watch the balloons take off. If you are lucky enough you can get gondola tickets and ride it up the mountain and watch the show that way.
Last but not least- one cannot miss the Balloon Glows, a truly magical time. All the balloons light up in different sequences, some glow at the same time- it is a sight to see. You can walk around and hear pilots stories, what the balloons are made of, their age, what country or state they come from. Its a glow and tell!
Whatever you do, you can’t miss Yoda, Vader, Humpty and the Wells Fargo Balloons. They are among some of the coolest shapes there.
Enjoy!
Post Scriptum:
More info about Balloon Fiesta:
https://balloonfiesta.com
