I'm a little sad that we aren't making it to Albuquerque this year for the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The event runs Oct. 6-14 this year. We love escaping to Northern New Mexico in the fall, especially when temps still hit the century mark in Arizona. The weather is so lovely during the day, though it can be quite chilly in the early morning.
As a family, we love going out to see the balloons. It's fun watching crews prep the balloons. Some are friendly and will answer a curious kid's questions. We play games searching for certain balloons, and we take lots of pics. What's best is talking about our day over dinner. Love that bonding!
When we go, we do get up super early to see the mass ascension. It's hard to do when the kids are little because we leave super early. Traffic can be intense getting over to the field. I think it's just as hard as they get older and complain about rising early. To minimize grumpiness, I just always promise them that they can sleep on the ride and get a treat of their choice. I know this may see like a bad mommy tactic (bribery), but it works.
Other quick tips:
-Check the balloon fiesta's website before going to get details on where to park, food, tickets, etc.
-I like to have everyone layer clothing, as it can be very cold in the morning and then quickly warm up in the afternoon.
-Bring a sealed water bottle and a few easy to pack & carry snacks. It saves money, but it also keeps you from standing in a long line until you have to later when you are buying that treat you promised. They will remind you. :)
-Carry sunscreen and wear sunglasses. It's easy to forget that you'll be out in the sun all day when you leave your home/hotel when it's still dark at 4 a.m. to catch the balloons at sunrise.
-Carpool if possible. There is a lot of traffic, and you pay for parking.
-Bring chairs or a blanket if you don't want to be standing all day.
Cheers!
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