Albuquerque Balloon Festival Questions
One of the bucket list type things the Mrs & I have is to take in the big annual balloon fest but we're unsure how to approach it from the RV side of things. We're thinking perhaps the 2020 one would ...
Forum Discussion
Registration opens for the on-site RV parking a few days after the fiesta ends. So if you're looking at 2020, plan to register in early October of this year. In previous years, there was a very lax cancellation policy (i.e. 100% refund up until July).
Personally, for the experience, it's the Fiesta RV Parking or bust. I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else.
The spots there are either:
- dry camping with no utilities (either across the road in the south lot or closer with a big price difference)
- water + electric (either across the road in the south lot or in king's accommodations overlooking the fiesta field, but that's $$$$$)
There are water fill and pump out service trucks that come around for a fee. I believe that there are a few water filling locations for getting free water if you can go fetch it.
The quiet time (i.e. no generator) from 10pm to 5am.
The spots are incredibly tight. You're nuts to butts with your neighbors. And you have to squeeze your tow vehicle/toad into your spot. If you extend into the road, they'll come talk to you.
Portable generators have to be 2' off of the ground because the site is an old dump and the worry is methane may ignite. No campfires (including propane fire pits) allowed.
We went in 2017 and are going again this year. We stay for the full 2 weeks (but we're fulltimers- I work during the day while my wife and kids go play). I do recommend staying for as long as you possible can.
Tickets to the Fiesta grounds were they launch the balloons are cheapest from Costco.
If you're able bodied, sign up to help volunteer to crew and launch balloons. OR, hang out in the RV park near the landing box to help catch them. It's an amazing experience.
Here's an article I wrote:
https://www.fulltimefamilies.com/fulltime-families-at-the-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/
And here is my 300-photo album of photos from 2017:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougsetzer/albums/72157687401476784
Personally, for the experience, it's the Fiesta RV Parking or bust. I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else.
The spots there are either:
- dry camping with no utilities (either across the road in the south lot or closer with a big price difference)
- water + electric (either across the road in the south lot or in king's accommodations overlooking the fiesta field, but that's $$$$$)
There are water fill and pump out service trucks that come around for a fee. I believe that there are a few water filling locations for getting free water if you can go fetch it.
The quiet time (i.e. no generator) from 10pm to 5am.
The spots are incredibly tight. You're nuts to butts with your neighbors. And you have to squeeze your tow vehicle/toad into your spot. If you extend into the road, they'll come talk to you.
Portable generators have to be 2' off of the ground because the site is an old dump and the worry is methane may ignite. No campfires (including propane fire pits) allowed.
We went in 2017 and are going again this year. We stay for the full 2 weeks (but we're fulltimers- I work during the day while my wife and kids go play). I do recommend staying for as long as you possible can.
Tickets to the Fiesta grounds were they launch the balloons are cheapest from Costco.
If you're able bodied, sign up to help volunteer to crew and launch balloons. OR, hang out in the RV park near the landing box to help catch them. It's an amazing experience.
Here's an article I wrote:
https://www.fulltimefamilies.com/fulltime-families-at-the-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/
And here is my 300-photo album of photos from 2017:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougsetzer/albums/72157687401476784
