Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Festival

[GraciesMom]

This is the hardest part of planning a trip - deciding where to stay when you've never been to the area and all the ratings are CONTRADICTORY! One person loves the park - the next says it's not fit for humans! LOL!! Has anyone been to the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque and if so, where did you stay? With the rates so high where I've checked so far, I'm tempted to dry camp at the Balloon Festival itself . . . a little concerned about temperatures and not being able to run the AC for Fancy since she can't go with me. Help!

[GraciesMom]

This is the hardest part of planning a trip - deciding where to stay when you've never been to the area and all the ratings are CONTRADICTORY! One person loves the park - the next says it's not fit for humans! LOL!! Has anyone been to the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque and if so, where did you stay? With the rates so high where I've checked so far, I'm tempted to dry camp at the Balloon Festival itself . . . a little concerned about temperatures and not being able to run the AC for Fancy since she can't go with me. Help!

[Ray,IN]

You may check 2007 average high/low for Albuquerque to help with your planning.
The Albuquerque balloon fiesta website says we will need a light jacket for morning lift-offs.

RV parks are outrageously high for the balloon fiesta. I received a phone call from Balloon View RV park Monday past. They have openings ,$65/night or $500/week.

[Ding-a-ling]

We attended as part of a Winnebago rally group and must have been in what they call a PREMIUM site that had 30 amp service. Yes, it is within walking distance and I cannot imagine fighting traffic to get to / from the launching area. From what we could see walking to the field traffic was almost gridlocked.

But we really had no need to go to the launch field because the balloons generally come right over the camping area - some even landed in the midst of the RVs!

I suppose you have checked out their web site for RV info.

[GraciesMom]

I think I am definitely going to dry camp at the actual festival RV park the 8th through the 13th . . . if they still have room. I've been reading, as was posted here, that you can see the balloons from your RV space. According to the website, they do have spots open. I was going to go for the entire two weeks but from the way the schedule looks, there are two mass ascensions - one each Saturday. . . the different things are going to be at the end of the second week and that weekend is basically a repeat of the first weekend with the exception of the opening ceremonies - which will be a ZOO. For $30 a night I'll take the dry camping. I'm ordering the 5 day advance pass and I'm going to get a one day pass through the Gondola club - hopefully for Saturday - so I can enjoy the view from a relaxed venue. A little pricey but sounds like a neat experience. If I wait until the 8th I can spend a week in Santa Fe and get up to Taos for a day or so. I'm trying really hard not to back track!! Thanks!

[Savannah]

The best is to stay on the grounds either in dry or the limited hookup sites. Limited means low water pressure and 30 amp electric. When we lived in Albuquerque we still moved the rig to the grounds instead of fighting the traffic. Great to sit out in the early morning drinking coffee in your PJs with the balloons flying overhead.

As for the weather we had it all from very cold to very hot so just be prepared for most anything . That's why we would get electric just in case we needed air. Heat isn't so crucial.

We also lived in Santa Fe for awhile and during the Balloon Fiesta the parks there raised their prices. Some more than others so you really need to check around. During means the weeks before and after also.

If you are military check Kirtland AFB they might have room for some of the time you're interested in. It's an hour drive to Santa Fe from Albuquerque on the freeway.

Nice area, enjoy.

[GraciesMom]

I called the AFB and they're a first come first serve and they guaranteed me that they would be swamped. All the electric sites are gone at the balloon park. RV park prices are double!! I'm going to Santa Fe first to sight see there and I'm having to pay balloon festival prices even though I'm not in Santa Fe for the balloon festival!! So it's dry camping in Albuquerque or nothing. I have a solar generator - don't know if that will give me enough power to plug in the little heater or not. I also have a regular generator but I couldn't find any info on generator use there. I don't mind the cold - I can always bundle up and even put Fancy in the bed if I get too cold. But I can't handle the heat and I can't leave Fancy in the RV if it's too hot. That's why I thought it would be good to stay there at the park. If it got too hot, I could just bring her outside with me and watch from the RV. I am so excited about going - a photographer's paradise!!

Thanks for the input!!