If I had to sum up the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in one word, it would be simply “magical.” The sheer spectacle of countless hot air balloons ascending into the New Mexico sky is an unforgettable experience. If you’re looking for a unique and breathtaking fall adventure, witnessing this incredible event should definitely be on your travel bucket list. During our visit to the Balloon Fiesta, we also took the opportunity to explore Santa Fe, a city just an hour away from Albuquerque, allowing us to soak in even more of what New Mexico has to offer in a short weekend trip.
Need help planning your own magical weekend at the New Mexico Hot Air Balloon Festival? Keep reading for essential tips and insights!
Planning Your Trip to the Balloon Fiesta
Before You Go: Key Considerations
Real Talk: Flexibility is Your Friend: While I tend to be a meticulous planner and started organizing our trip in July, friends of ours decided to join us just a week before the Fiesta and still managed to book accommodations and have an amazing time. The key takeaway? While advance planning is helpful, a trip to the Balloon Fiesta can be arranged even with shorter notice. However, remember that hot air ballooning is heavily dependent on weather conditions. Flights can be canceled due to wind, clouds, rain, or visibility issues. (Just the weekend prior to our visit, flights were grounded due to fog!). To stay updated on potential schedule changes, I highly recommend downloading the official Balloon Fiesta app. It provides real-time updates on flight schedules based on weather conditions. Because of this weather unpredictability, building some flexibility into your schedule is crucial. We were fortunate to experience both our planned morning and evening sessions without cancellations and had some buffer time in our itinerary in case we needed to adjust.
Reservations
When we first decided on attending the Balloon Fiesta, we initially explored camping as a budget-friendly accommodation option. However, to our surprise, campgrounds in and around Albuquerque were completely booked – back in July! With camping off the table, we turned to Airbnb. While there were still listings available, the website indicated that 70% of Albuquerque accommodations were already booked, and pickings were getting slim. We ended up booking a private room (which turned out to be two rooms) for our group of three, and it was a fantastic find! The hosts were incredibly welcoming, and we were thrilled with our choice. Its proximity to the Coronado Center, the Park & Ride bus pickup location, was a major plus. For our Santa Fe leg, we booked a studio apartment and were equally delighted with our Santa Fe accommodations.
General Parking vs. Park & Ride
If your accommodation isn’t within walking or biking distance of Fiesta Park, and doesn’t offer a shuttle, you’ll need to choose between general parking and Park & Ride. General parking is located near the park and costs $15 per session. However, parking is limited and can fill up very quickly, especially on weekend mornings (lots can be full by 7 am on weekends). Park & Ride is a convenient alternative, costing $15 per person, which includes your general admission to the Balloon Fiesta. There are four Park & Ride locations across Albuquerque, with buses transporting you to and from Fiesta Park. Park & Ride operates primarily during the busiest days of the Fiesta (Thursday-Sunday). Since our visit was during the final weekend, we opted for Park & Ride from the Coronado Center, purchasing tickets in advance. While boarding the buses for the Friday evening session was seamless, we experienced considerable wait times for buses the following morning and for the return buses from the park. If having your car readily accessible is important (perhaps due to traveling with children or carrying a lot of gear), general parking might be preferable. However, if you’d rather avoid the stress of driving in traffic and searching for parking (and are okay with potential wait times for buses), Park & Ride is an excellent option. While we bought our tickets a few months ahead, purchasing them closer to the date, perhaps the week before, should be sufficient.
For those dreaming of a hot air balloon ride, booking in advance is highly recommended. Rainbow Ryders is the exclusive company launching balloons from within Fiesta Park, with flights around $450 per person. Other companies operate launches outside the park, but prices are elevated during the Fiesta, starting around $300.
Real Talk: Balloon Ride Budget Reality: While a balloon ride was tempting, my budget-conscious side prevailed. Even the “cheaper” options felt pricey and, frankly, a bit dubious. I’m holding out for a more affordable ballooning opportunity in the future!
Weather
Being located in the desert, Albuquerque in October means crisp, even cold, mornings that gradually warm up as the sun rises. During our visit, we experienced temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the early morning, rising to the mid-70s in the afternoon, and cooling down to the 50s in the evening.
What to Pack for the Balloon Fiesta
Given the temperature variations, the most crucial packing advice is to bring layers, especially for those early morning sessions. You can always shed layers as the day warms up, but you’ll be incredibly grateful for warm gear in the chilly mornings.
Here’s a recommended packing list:
- Daypack: Essential for carrying your layers, snacks, water, and other essentials throughout the day.
- Warm Jackets and Sweaters: Multiple layers are key. Think fleece jackets, down vests, and warm sweaters.
- Beanie or Warm Hat: Helps retain heat in the cold mornings. A baseball cap can be useful later in the day for sun protection.
- Gloves: Protect your hands from the morning chill.
- Comfortable Walking Shoes: You’ll be doing a lot of walking around the park.
- Sunscreen and Lip Balm with SPF: Even in cooler temperatures, the New Mexico sun can be strong.
- Sunglasses: Protect your eyes from the bright desert sun.
- Blanket or Small Folding Chairs (Optional): While we considered chairs, we opted against carrying them around. However, a blanket can be nice for sitting on the grass and enjoying the views. Small, easily portable folding chairs could also be useful if you prefer a seat.
- Cash: While some vendors accept cards, many, especially food vendors, are cash-only.
- Headlamp or Flashlight: If you’re arriving for the pre-dawn Dawn Patrol session (around 4 am), a headlamp or flashlight is very helpful for navigating in the dark.
- Printed Park & Ride Tickets (if applicable): While you can often show tickets on your phone, having printed tickets can sometimes speed up the process.
Money
While some vendors at the Balloon Fiesta do accept credit cards, a significant number, particularly food vendors and smaller stalls, operate on a cash-only basis. To avoid inconvenience and ensure you can easily purchase food, drinks, and souvenirs, it’s highly advisable to bring cash with you to the Fiesta.
By planning ahead and packing smart, you’ll be well-prepared to fully immerse yourself in the breathtaking spectacle of the New Mexico Hot Air Balloon Festival!
