Albuquerque Balloon Festival, experience with camping there?

[Dottie5]

I have wanted to go to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival for forever. Just never have done it but still very much want to.

Now that we have the TT, I was wondering if anyone has been to the balloon festival and if there are close places to camp. I'm thinking of how people park their RVs/TT etc at NASCAR right in the thick of it all. Is there such a thing like that with the balloon festival?

I wouldn't plan on this year as I'm sure one would have to make plans far in advance if there was an RV park very near the launch grounds. Maybe next year if there is a really good place.

[Jkramer]

I've been to the Festival twice (2010 and again last year). The first year we stayed at a campground about 30 miles away and took their shuttle. Last year we decided to stay right at the festival in the dry camping section. The weather is very unpredictable and staying at the festival gives one the luxury of simply looking out the window and deciding whether you want to walk over, or not. Staying in a remote campground also has the BIG disadvantage of dealing with the horrible traffic congestion trying to get into the park at 430-5AM. In my mind, staying at the festival is the only way to go - peace of mind.

We are heading down again this year and will stay in the dry camping section.

[MCDDY]

If you get the opportunity, by all means go. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience there. Just be prepared to get up early to see them ascend in the AM. Go down to the launch area, get amongst the ballooners, talk to them, might even be asked if you want to go up with them. By all means try out the food in the launch area, the Breakfast Burritos are awesome and big enough that you won't need lunch. You'll have plenty of time during the day to see the sights and sample the food in Albuquerque. Several very good golf courses also.

Dave

[2gypsies1]

For the best experience and fun, stay at the Balloon Festival. All the nearby RV parks up to Santa Fe raise their prices during the festival. Then you have to deal with the traffic at the festival and lift-off is very early in the morning. Staying at the festival itself there will be no hassles for you and you can enjoy all day long and take naps when you want.

[roadtoadflorida]

I have camped here before. The Coronado Campground. They have nice lean-to type shelters next to TT parking spot.
http://www.townofbernalillo.org/depts/campground.htm
But you will have to drive to the balloon festival area.
Happy Travels.

[NHIrish]

Don't stay at Enchanted Trails...not real enchanting. If we were to do it again, we would do either the VIP or on site dry camping. Also not to be missed is sleeping in a little and heading out through town to where the balloons are landing...lots of fun watching them come down and pack up. Also the night time light off is beautiful.

[Veebyes]

Done the Fiesta twice. 2007 & 2012. Owners club with reservations the first time.

Just showed up, no reservations, the second time. The reservation requirement depends largely on when you plan to arrive & where you want to be.

IMO the VIP section is too expensive & too overated. Private CGs miles away from the Fiesta grounds are too expensive & too much of a hassle to deal with what with the getting up super early, the shuttle &/or the parking & traffic.

Best place is the dry camping area about a mile from the launch area. Balloons launch at 7:00AM. Most days the air currents have the balloons right overhead this area by 7:15. Some land in a large open area within this camping area. If you want to go to the launch area ride the numerous free shuttles or walk.

The busiest time in the CG is the first weekend. By Sunday afternoon there are plenty of vacant sites. Even more as the week goes by. Water truck & honey trucks are on constant patrol.

Albuquerque is like Alaska, the Holy Grail for RVing. You have to do it at least once.

[The_Texan]

When we go, we stay in VIP 2 East, on the bluff overlooking the field. Then we pay the extra fee to be parked on the front row on the fence so we can set in our RV and watch all activities on the field and in the vendors area. They also provide free shuttle from the parking down to the field and back, if you don't want to make the hike up and down the bluff trail. It is the premiere parking site, other than the full hook up area, just south of VIP 2 East. VIP 2 East is worth every penny and then some.

[accsys]

We went in 2011 and then again last year. There was a bit if bad weather in 2011 and many of the events were canceled but it was still worth attending. That time we stayed at Stagecoach Stop RV @ $80/night and took the shuttle buses from about five miles south of the RV park to the Fiesta grounds. Though this was acceptable and required some very early rising (about 4:30 a.m.) it was nowhere near ideal.

Last year we had reservations at Cochiti COE about a 45 minutes away from the Fiesta grounds. This again would have been acceptable but not ideal but we didn't have reservations for any of the RV spots near the Fiesta field. When the government shut down, we were originally told we wouldn't be able to use our Cochiti reservations so we decided to go to the first come/first serve RV spots on the fiesta grounds but not immediately adjacent to the launch field. We went in a day early and easily registered and found a spot overlooking one of the places where many of the balloons land. It was dry camping but was a wonderful experience. There was a constantly running shuttle for the five minute ride to the balloon field. These RV spots are called "Standard RV Parking" in the Fiesta's literature.

You can see our blog entry for the 2011 visit here. Last year's blog entry is located here.

[Matt_Colie]

We did this in 2008 and still may do it again. Camping on the balloon fiesta grounds expensive, but it might be worth it. We paid 30$/night min 3 for dry camping and it was easy walking distance to the launch field gates. There was a shuttle to the gate, but we were always off their schedule. If you can make a reservation at a more remote campground, pre-investigate parking at the BF site. We were in a coach with no towed.

Matt

[Dottie5]

Thanks! That's what I was looking for, something like the VIP camping. I wasn't planning for this year but if I found the information I wanted, I'd book it for next year.

[NCWriter]

We also camped at the VIP section and recommend it. Three night minimum stay. Bookings for 2015 open roughly a year in advance, a couple of weeks after this year's event ends.

More detail from our trip currently on MotorHome website, but same info applies to trailers:

MotorHome Magazine article ABF

In the article, click the arrow link - their webmaster added a really fun-to-watch high speed video of the balloons launching.

[DaveG39]

We have camped at VIP area just to south of the field. Short walk to center of field and price includes entry passes for the time you are there. Worked great for us. No utilities but there are sewer and water trucks available for a fee.

[eubank]

There is tons of RV parking around and near the fields, but advance reservation is strongly recommended, especially for sites adjacent to the main venue, which are often booked a year in advance, many by RV clubs of various kinds. Those further away from the main field are somewhat less in demand, for obvious reasons.

http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

🙂
Lynn

[azdryheat]

What you need to know.

http://www.balloonfiesta.com/guest-guide/rv-information