Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Early Alarms, Big Balloons & Route 66 Fun
A 3 a.m. alarm isn’t usually my idea of a good time. But when the reward is standing in a field surrounded by colorful hot air balloons preparing to take flight, I’m willing to make an exception!
Our time in Albuquerque centered around the AIM (All Inclusive Motorhome Club) Fiesta in the Sky rally. Between the Balloon Fiesta outings, a wonderful RV resort, time with friends, and a little local exploring, we had plenty to keep us busy. And yes, I squeezed in work, too!
Fiesta in the Sky with AIM
AIM holds several rallies throughout the year, with each rally offered in two separate, weeklong sessions accommodating up to 100 rigs each. The schedule for this rally included happy hours, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, RV-related seminars, organized outings, and enough free time to explore on our own.
The three main outings arranged through the club were a morning Mass Ascension at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta; an evening visit for the balloon glow, drone show, and fireworks; and a private museum tour at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Our Cultural Center visit included a catered dinner in the courtyard and a special Pueblo dance performance. It was a lovely opportunity to experience another side of Albuquerque beyond the balloons.
A Casino RV Resort Worth Remembering
AIM arranged for everyone to stay at Route 66 RV Resort, adjacent to the casino.
Mark and I haven’t stayed at many casino RV parks. Our only previous experience was in Washington state, traveling with two other rigs after crossing back into the U.S. on our return from Alaska. Both stays have been exceptional, so casino RV parks are definitely moving up my list of options when planning future trips!
The staff at Route 66 RV Resort were incredibly attentive, making sure we were happy with both the check-in experience and our site assignment. The sites were long and spacious, and the paved roads offered plenty of room to maneuver Jackson through the turns.
The amenities were equally impressive: a pool and hot tub, exercise room, pickleball courts, two dog parks, and a clubhouse with foosball and pool tables. Coffee, hot chocolate, and cappuccino machines added a nice touch, while a covered pavilion with restrooms offered an outdoor gathering space with plenty of picnic tables and food prep stations. A shuttle ferried park guests back and forth to the casino if you didn’t want to walk along the private walkway that connected the resort to the casino.
There was even a covered dog-wash station with hot and cold water. Those of us traveling with dogs know what a welcome find that can be! We made good use of it, giving Timber a bath the morning of our departure. He, however, was quite insulted that we chose bath time over one last romp in the dog park. Clearly, our departure-day priorities did not align!
I’ve already saved this park as a favorite campground in my AdventureGenie profile. If our travels bring us back to Albuquerque, we’ll know exactly where to stay.
Mass Ascension: Absolutely Worth the Alarm
Our morning at the Balloon Fiesta began with that 3 a.m. wake-up, followed by boarding the bus at 4 a.m. and sitting through roughly two hours of traffic.
Was it worth it? Absolutely!
Walking onto the field among so many balloons was a delight. Everywhere we looked, there were different shapes, colors, and baskets, with pilots and launch crews busy preparing for takeoff.
One of my favorite parts was watching the entire process unfold: spreading the balloon envelopes across the ground, filling them with air, firing the burners, bringing them upright, and finally lifting off. Seeing it happen right in front of us made the experience so much more fun than simply watching balloons float overhead.
With so many balloons participating, launches happened in waves. We kept wandering the rows, finding another balloon getting ready to rise and another reason to stop for pictures.
The character balloons were my favorites, although the traditional balloons certainly held their own with beautiful colors and patterns. It was hard to decide where to look—and even harder to decide when to put down the camera!
Of course, the experience wouldn’t have been complete without a stroll along the midway, packed with food and merchandise vendors. There was plenty to browse once we could tear ourselves away from the field.
I’ve already weeded out quite a few photos, but I’m fairly certain there are still too many below. Consider yourselves warned!
A Windy Evening, but Still Quite a Show
A Windy Evening, but Still Quite a Show
We returned for the next evening’s festivities hoping to see a field full of glowing balloons. Unfortunately, the wind had other plans.
During a balloon glow, the balloons remain on the ground while the pilots fire their burners, lighting up the colorful envelopes from within. I could only imagine how beautiful those rows of balloons would have looked glowing together. Our evening was too windy for most of them to inflate safely, so we missed the full display we had hoped to see.
Even so, we had a great time.
This year’s Fiesta theme, “The Scenic Route,” celebrated Route 66’s centennial—a fitting connection after our recent travels along the Mother Road. Fiesta souvenirs mixed balloon designs with Route 66 imagery, giving us even more temptation along the midway.
The evening wrapped up with a drone show featuring Route 66 designs, followed by fireworks. The wind may have limited the balloon glow, but it certainly didn’t bring the evening to an early end!
Petroglyphs and Time with Friends
Between rally activities, Mark and I found time to visit Petroglyph National Monument and Albuquerque’s Old Town. The remainder of my free time was mostly spent working. Life on the road still comes with a work schedule!
Our good friends, Liz and Mike, were volunteering at the Balloon Fiesta, so we managed to meet for lunch and explore the petroglyphs together before their volunteer schedules became too hectic.
The monument was an easy drive from the resort. One useful detail for anyone planning a visit: the visitor center is separate from the three canyon areas where you can see the petroglyphs. You’ll need to drive to a trail area after stopping at the visitor center.
The monument protects a 17-mile stretch of volcanic basalt escarpment containing thousands of images carved into the rocks. Most were created by ancestors of today’s Pueblo people, with some later carvings made by Spanish settlers. Animals, human figures, crosses, and other symbols offer glimpses into the lives and traditions of the people who lived here long before us.
Visitor center staff described how Albuquerque’s growth threatened these sacred places and how efforts to protect them helped lead to the monument’s establishment in 1990. Hearing that history added another layer of appreciation to our visit.
We chose Boca Negra Canyon, a few miles from the visitor center, where approximately 100 petroglyphs can be seen along three short trails. We enjoyed taking our time, spotting the different designs, and catching up with Liz and Mike along the way.
An Afternoon in Old Town
Our other outing took us to Old Town Albuquerque, where little shops, street vendors, and restaurants gave us plenty to explore.
It’s certainly a tourist destination, especially during Balloon Fiesta week, but Mark and I thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon of browsing, people-watching, and picking out souvenirs.
After the early alarm and busy rally schedule, an afternoon with no particular agenda was just our speed.
Where We’re Headed Next
From Albuquerque, we’re heading back into Arizona for stops at Meteor Crater and Winslow, followed by Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks in Utah. Then it’s on to Page, Arizona, to visit Horseshoe Bend and Lower Antelope Canyon before making our way toward Phoenix.
Waiting for us there are Aunt Mary the Great and the Great Mrs. Sharon! With more spectacular scenery ahead and visits with these two special ladies to look forward to, we have plenty of reasons to keep Jackson rolling.
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