Albuquerque During Balloon Fest

[charming]

We are planning to end the western most part of our fall trip in Albuquerque in time to attend the Balloon Fest. We were hoping to be more casual in our reservations, but I dawned on me today that the Balloon Fest is probably a lot like Harley Week in Myrtle Beach and we better make reservations as of yesterday.

Anyone attending in the past?

[charming]

Byork wrote:
First post. I've been lurking on this site a lot since we just picked up a Class C and are planning a 5,000 mile trip this fall.

I was unaware of the magnitude of this festival. We will be travelling through about 2-3 days before it starts. Hopefully we can stay far enough away from town that we don't need reservations anywhere :E

I wouldn't mind staying to see the balloons sometime...may be a good excuse to go back the following year... :B

Good luck with your trip, that sounds pretty ambitious.

We have decided to visit Albuquerque before or after the festival this year and go back for the festival next year and stay on the grounds.

[Veebyes]

Trying to do the Festival on the cheap by staying far from the launch field or thinking that you can get into a nearby carpark is not going to work. Time, gas & aggravation make staying far from the field a non starter. Businesses will hustle you out of their carparks in no time. Maybe have you towed. The area to see the balloons really is kinda small. The traffic cops are eyerywhere. They have done this many times before & know every angle a schemer might try.

Cheapest, indeed the best way to see the festival, is from the dry camping area. Arrive anytime from Monday onwards & reservations will not be needed.

[eubank]

Parks book up even in Santa Fe, 60 miles to the north.

The problem is that you need to be at or near the grounds VERY early in the morning, best around 6:00 to catch the whole show, assuming decent weather. And the many, many thousands of visitors know that, so the highways leading toward the grounds are crammed with cars. TO avoid the inevitable traffic jam, you can decide to get there even earlier still -- like 5:00 am instead of 6:00 -- or you can decide to get there much later, missing the main event.

And if you have to drive an hour or more just to get to the city before you even approach the grounds, well, you're looking at very, very mornings, indeed.

🙂
Lynn

Byork wrote:
First post. I've been lurking on this site a lot since we just picked up a Class C and are planning a 5,000 mile trip this fall.

I was unaware of the magnitude of this festival. We will be travelling through about 2-3 days before it starts. Hopefully we can stay far enough away from town that we don't need reservations anywhere :E

I wouldn't mind staying to see the balloons sometime...may be a good excuse to go back the following year... :B

[2gypsies1]

Byork wrote:
First post. I've been lurking on this site a lot since we just picked up a Class C and are planning a 5,000 mile trip this fall.

I was unaware of the magnitude of this festival. We will be travelling through about 2-3 days before it starts. Hopefully we can stay far enough away from town that we don't need reservations anywhere :E

I wouldn't mind staying to see the balloons sometime...may be a good excuse to go back the following year... :B

If you're in the area in the morning, especially, just pull over at a parking lot nearby and watch the balloons. Gauge your driving time so you can either stop for the night way before Albuquerque or beyond. Near Albuquerque the parks raise their prices during the festival.

[Planeteer]

First post. I've been lurking on this site a lot since we just picked up a Class C and are planning a 5,000 mile trip this fall.

I was unaware of the magnitude of this festival. We will be travelling through about 2-3 days before it starts. Hopefully we can stay far enough away from town that we don't need reservations anywhere :E

I wouldn't mind staying to see the balloons sometime...may be a good excuse to go back the following year... :B

[rocmoc]

Camping on-site with hookups sells out in a very short time after the current year's event. Dry camping for the first weekend soon afterwards. We have had our reservations since last Oct, first weekend (hookups were already sold out then). If you bring a dog to dry camping area (I don't know about the hookup area), beware there can be a LOT of thrones / stickers that can cause heck with their paws and bicycle tire/tubes. There are a lot of videos on youtube about the dry camping area and nearly everything else. Cancellation policy has gotten tougher and is changing. ABQ traffic can be pretty bad any day let alone Balloon Fest.

rocmoc n AZ

[catkins]

Lots of people boondock onsite and catch the free buses to the actual adjacent Balloon field. You can often stay at your rv with coffee and watch balloons fly overhead (dependent upon wind direction) In addition, some balloons land very close to the boondocking sites and you can watch the chase teams. However, the action on the balloon field is a MUST see at least once.

If you have a generator you can top off your batteries for overnight and watch over air TV in the early evening. As stated above, pump out and water fill services are available at about $25 per dump or fill. Most people with a Class A motorhome can last three nights easily. There are Sani-pottys available in the campground as well as trash bins.

Local traffic is a nightmare to try and negotiate in the early morning and late afternoon as people come for the launch and night glo events.

Loved the Fiesta all three times there. Would never stay anywhere else during the event. I know you will have a great time as long as the weather allows lots of balloons to launch. Wind can really effect or cause cancellations so be forewarned. GREAT EVENT!!!! Enjoy.

[Edd505]

May have to try it again as the inside was like outside last stay. The camp I'm in now was like that, police every other day. New manager cleaned out & up, one warning and your gone, never to return.

[dedmiston]

Edd505 wrote:

dedmiston wrote:

The one on Skyline? We stayed there for a few nights around Super Bowl weekend this year and had a good time. They're doing a lot of work on the facilities and I thought the place was pretty nice.

That's the one. I stayed a couple years ago and it had a lot of permanent residence. A large family took over the pool & hot tub with "guests" coming from out side. Cases of beer in the hot tub area kids crapping in the pool. I went to the office and found several teen girls and no adults. They told me they would look into it and never left the office. I had a grandson with me who was cornered by the locals that wanted to start a fight. I brought him back to camp and kept him there. Unless they have change management I would not go back.

I think it's new management. I met the guy who ran the place and he was very engaged in the day to day operation of the park. The place was very squared away and there was a guy in a golf cart at the gate checking folks out as they entered.

The neighborhood was pretty sketchy, but inside the park was kind of an oasis against the neighborhood.

On the other hand, the freeway noise never let up.

[Edd505]

dedmiston wrote:

The one on Skyline? We stayed there for a few nights around Super Bowl weekend this year and had a good time. They're doing a lot of work on the facilities and I thought the place was pretty nice.

That's the one. I stayed a couple years ago and it had a lot of permanent residence. A large family took over the pool & hot tub with "guests" coming from out side. Cases of beer in the hot tub area kids crapping in the pool. I went to the office and found several teen girls and no adults. They told me they would look into it and never left the office. I had a grandson with me who was cornered by the locals that wanted to start a fight. I brought him back to camp and kept him there. Unless they have change management I would not go back.

[charming]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. We have decided to visit Albuquerque on our way west, a couple of weeks before the festival. We plan to make the reservation to stay on site for next year.

[buc1980]

I know that during the festival the price for the campground it get sky high in the 50 mile radius.

[dedmiston]

Edd505 wrote:

md_procouple wrote:
Went there a few years back, as others have said stay on the grounds if possible, or there is a KOA somewhat close, Make reservations for that Now as well. Good Luck and Happy Camping !!

The Albuquerque KOA is a dump.

The one on Skyline? We stayed there for a few nights around Super Bowl weekend this year and had a good time. They're doing a lot of work on the facilities and I thought the place was pretty nice.

[Edd505]

md_procouple wrote:
Went there a few years back, as others have said stay on the grounds if possible, or there is a KOA somewhat close, Make reservations for that Now as well. Good Luck and Happy Camping !!

The Albuquerque KOA is a dump. There are any number of RV camps in near proximity. Many raise rates during the festival and with out reservations you'll stay WAY away from the fair. Check here and make plans now http://www.rvparkreviews.com/