American friends we met while living in England are now back in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I’ve had the annual Balloon Fiesta on my bucket list since they told us about it. We joined them for a long weekend with another couple from our England days; all of our kids were classmates while living abroad, but now we are lifelong friends. Our 4:30am alarms went off and even though the traffic tried to stop us from getting there on time, the early October weather conditions were ideal, and we arrived just in time for the ascension of 500 multicolored balloons at sunrise over the city with the Sandia mountains as their backdrop.
The joy and camaraderie of the community was palpable as colorful balloons were inflated all around us. As each one began to take flight with a few riders in the basket, onlookers would cheer. Children were mesmerized and pointed out their favorites: Yoda, Humpty Dumpty and Smokey the Bear. Kaleidoscopes of art flew into the clear blue morning sky as my photo folder quickly filled up on my iPhone.
The ascension lasted about two hours with a few thousand onlookers in a grassy field. We ate southwestern breakfast burritos from a nearby food truck as our necks strained upward, but eventually the balloons became tiny dots in the morning sky. We only had tickets for one morning, but the Fiesta lasts 9 days. We were lucky that the wind conditions were perfect. Our local friend had attended three times before and never seen a mass ascension because of the weather. If you are coming for a weekend, it would be smart to have a backup day planned in case of poor conditions.
Tickets for the ascension and Park and Ride bus service are all available on the Fiesta site. We decided we should have left earlier (4am departure instead of 5:30am) to better avoid the traffic. In addition to morning mass ascensions, there are static balloon “glows” in the evenings with the balloons tethered but inflated, and a special shapes “glowdeo” on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Albuquerque is more than the Balloon Fiesta, though. It is right on Route 66, and we stayed in a storied hotel on the historic highway. Built in 1926, Hotel Parq Central was originally created as a hospital for railway workers, but it is now a beautifully renovated hotel with a rooftop bar that offers views across the city. However, if you don’t want to stay downtown, look into Los Poblanos, a lavender farm haven 15 minutes away with boutique hotel rooms, a spa, farm and coffee shop and an excellent farm to table restaurant, Campo (reservations needed in advance, especially during the Balloon Fiesta). I ordered the fish ceviche and it was fresh and delicious. My friend always gets the signature mushroom risotto.
Before our Balloon Fiesta morning, we had a fabulous brunch right next to our hotel at The Grove Cafe and Market and then climbed to the Sandia peak by tram for incredible views of the city, mountain range and Rio Grande in the distance (reserve tickets well in advance during the Balloon Fiesta). At the top, a newly renovated restaurant and bar offers meals and drinks while you enjoy the views. We also strolled through Albuquerque’s Old Town and later enjoyed a traditional New Mexican meal at locals’ favorite, Monroe’s. We learned that when ordering, they will ask you whether you want red or green sauce on your dish. The locals like to say, “Christmas,” to enjoy both!
On our final day we drove an hour north to Santa Fe, a beautifully designed city of Pueblo-style architecture, a shaded central plaza and many high end art galleries. The aspen trees were beginning to peak so we took a short hike into the national forest to glimpse the golden leaves covering the forest. Dinner at The Shed capped off our weekend of authentic New Mexican cuisine (which I could eat at every meal!).
The Balloon Fiesta was the impetus for the trip, but our dear friends showing us their corner of the Southwest made it the most memorable long weekend. If a mass ascension is on your bucket list, give yourself a backup day, bring a warm layer and leave early. When the first balloons rise and the crowd cheers, you’ll be glad you did.
