Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway
If youre all about sightseeing when youre camping near Albuquerque, you may want to book a ride on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway! Youll be lifted over 10,000 feet in the air and will have access to a stunning 360-degree view.
The scenery from the tram is breathtaking and it takes about 15 minutes from beginning to end. In my opinion, thats the perfect amount of time to enjoy the scenery without getting bored. Plus, if you have kids with you, that might be about as long as they want to spend there too!
The Tramway is just one of the attractions of this area. If you want to get out and about, there are 100 hiking trails scattered around this mountain range. You can choose to walk the whole way or pay for a tram ticket. You can hike up and take the tram down, or take the tram up and hike down. There are great options for hikers of all skill levels.
During the winter, this area is also a popular skiing destination. There are 3 chair lifts that lead to 35 miles of beautifully groomed trails. Its a great place for anyone to learn and have fun! There are also restaurants, gift shops, and other stores you can visit when you come to Sandia Peak. Check out their website for more information.
Start Near The Border At Ute Mountain
Whether you are traveling from out of state or you want to make this a continuous road trip, begin your journey near the northern New Mexico border. Alone in the distance, not far from the Rio Grande, you find Ute Mountain not far below the northern border.
New Mexico has quite a few mountains, but they are mostly grouped together. Not Ute Mountain, though it stands alone in the middle of a very flat area. It is a strange but interesting site to see. As tall as it is, it can even reach into the clouds. Seeing it on a cloudy day sticking up through the clouds can take your breath away. Its a majestic way to start your road trip.
Explore The World Of Science In The National Museum Of Nuclear Science & History
Moving from wildlife to science, make the next stop on your trip the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. New Mexicos history with nuclear science led to a new way of producing power and changed warfare forever.
The museum covers the extensive history and science behind many of the nuclear energy-based advancements seen in the last several decades. Anyone interested in how nuclear power has changed and will continue to change the world will find this museum interesting.
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Allstays App To Identify Rv Parks And Campgrounds
Given the large numbers of visitors, RV parks fill up quickly in the area.
Using the AllStays Pro app , I identified RV parks and campgrounds within 25 miles of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta fairgrounds.
This list includes all RV park locations that I could identify. None are left off the list, as far as I know.
The list of RV parks provided below includes all locations within 25 miles of the Albuquerque fairgrounds.
There are numerous other places to stay in further out locations, including some on Bureau of Land Management land for those of you who may be interested in boondocking during your stay. .
The RV parks and campgrounds are listed in order of their proximity to the Albuquerque fairgrounds.
Some of the sites require special membership, as in the Elk Lodge, Moose Lodge, or military base. One requires a monthly rental, which may be doable or the price may be right as compared to some others that increase their prices during the hot air balloon festival.
The others are open to reservations by the general public and include private RV parks, city/county RV parks, and casinos.
The number of sites and types of hookups available are listed as well, along with the address of each location.
For more information on each location, conduct a Google search to have the most up-to-date information or use the AllStays app for consolidated information in one place.
Rv Bucket List Experiences
This years festival will be the first in a series of get-togethers called RV Bucket List Experiences hosted by RV LIFE. These experiences will be located at special places that should be on every RVers bucket list, like the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. These unique experiences will help RVers dream of new adventures.
Were very excited to kick off our signature RV Bucket List Experiences with the Balloon Fiesta. Its the perfect complement to RV LIFEs mission to help fellow RVers make their travel dreams come true, said Andy Robinowitz, the companys founder and CEO, in RV LIFEs press release.
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El Rancho Mobile Home & Rv Park
El Rancho Mobile Home & RV Park provides a comfortable, homey setting for short or long-term stays. This park is filled with hundreds of trees, which visitors will love during hot days. Youve got built-in shade, even if your RV doesnt have an awning. The El Rancho RV Park also has paved sidewalks and excellent night lighting. No more stumbling around in the dark when you stay here!
This is one of the best Albuquerque RV parks when it comes to location and nearby attractions as well. The park is close to a variety of fun destinations and amenities. Some of these include:
- Balloon Fiesta Park
- Native American Gathering of Nations
Scheduled Events And Activities
- Daily Social Sessions in each RV Lot
- Access to the VIP Tent on Fiesta Field
- Drawings to win lots of great products, including the chance to win an RV site at the Fiesta or a balloon ride!
- Meeting RV influencers and attending educational get-togethers
- Connecting with over 29 RV groups to find your favorites
- RVers attending the event or traveling in the area will be invited to the RV LIFE VIP tent on the launch field and to multiple special gatherings during the event by checking in with the RV LIFE app.
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Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 6 Day Rally
- We have been on 14 caravans/rallies. All were great! They were very structured, but left you the Freedom to do your own thing! Don & Pat
Don & Pat C.
- Adventure Caravans provides the absolute best for a secure and enjoyable travel experience You won’t be disappointed Marvin & Dee C.
- Adventure Caravans provides a well-run & organized tour. The fact that we have gone on 3 tours & have scheduled another one, says a lot about the quality of the produce they provide. Byron & Janet W.
- When we signed up for the tour all we knew was that we were going to Alaska. Adventure Caravans made this trip, for us, a once in a lifetime experience. Everything was taken care of, all we had to do was leave in the morning and be in the next campground by a certain time. We enjoyed every facet of the tour from the log meetings and socials to the tours and our free time. Kudos to the wagon masters and to Penny and Tom. The icing on the cake are the wonderful friends that we made and know we will keep in touch. The camaraderie among the whole group was amazing but the trip left us with memories for a lifetime. Thank you Adventure Caravans.
Alaska Caravan Guest
- This was our first Rally. We found the Adventure Caravan people at the FMCA convention in Indianapolis and at this Rally to be outstanding. Leonard and Lois S.
Leonard & Lois
- Good Value for the money. Our leaders communicated details of the trip very well. Ron & Martha M.
Ron & Martha M.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
At the top of our list is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Starting on October 2, this famous 9-day festival features more than 600 hot air balloons flown by pilots from around the world.
This year, the International Balloon Fiesta will be sponsored by RV LIFE. It will be the first in a new series of get-togethers called RV Bucket List Experiences hosted by RV LIFE. More events like these will be planned in special destinations that should be on every RVers bucket list.
This festival is a chance to see magnificent sights at both dawn and dusk. The colorful balloons rise over the grand New Mexico landscape for a once-in-a-lifetime sight with live music in the background.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Even park your RV on-site and watch the many balloons rise above your campsite as you lay to watch. If you are RV camping near Albuquerque, you can have a front-row seat to the light shows and take-off events for the entire festival.
The festival features competitions for creative balloon designs and other events for visitors to enjoy. You can spend your days watching chainsaw carving competitions or the firework shows as you finish your evening relaxing in the nice weather.
You can purchase your tickets here to secure a spot. Interested in getting in a balloon? You can do that, too!
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Finish The Wildlife Tour At The Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
People think that New Mexico is one big lifeless desert, but New Mexico is the home of a large and diverse animal population. One of the best ways to see animals is in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. It is on a floodplain that was restored in 1939 to establish the refuge.
Not only is the refuge breathtaking to seem, but it is also helping many species recover from environmental problems. Birds, in particular, are thriving due to the refuge. It serves as a waypoint for many species that migrate through the area.
There are many other animals that you can see in the refuge too. Depending on the time of year that you visit, the animal inhabitants change. For avid animal watchers, it is an interesting place to visit on your quest to find elusive animals.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Campground New Mexico
After crossing into New Mexico, we were well on our way to the hot air balloon festival.
We made it to the official RV campground for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which for our campsite, was really just a glorified parking lot.
Regardless, we were thrilled to be there.
The festival offers several types of RV site camping options, including:
- Standard lot: Dry camping, glorified parking lot, which is where we stayed and it was fine
- Box view:Dry camping, view of the launch field
- Premium: 30 amp electrical connection and water connection
- VIP: Dry camping, adjacent to the launch field
- Presidents compound:Sites on a bluff overlooking the launch field with water and 30 and 50 amp electrical connections
We stayed in the standard dry camping lot, for which youre assigned a space when you arrive. Keep in mind this is a huge lot with over 1,200 other RVs, including this enthusiastically bedazzled motorhome:
We were lucky enough to have a water faucet nearby where we were able to get water easily, but they also offer one free water tank fill-up when you arrive. There are also services that will come and empty your tanks for you into a truck.
We paid $25 for this service once during our stay there. Without electricity, your options are to run a generator and/or use solar power panels. We used both and were fine the whole time.
There are numerous rally groups that hold a rally at the festival.
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Horseback Riding At The Tamaya Stables
For those of you who love exploring nature, horseback rides might be just the thing for you! The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa offers horseback rides to any visitors who are interested.
There are lots of hiking and riding trails in Albuquerque and its fun to explore nature from a horses back. In addition, all the horses from Tamaya are from a rescue program. So, when you choose to ride with them, you know youre supporting a good cause that is giving horses second chances.
During the summer, this resort also hosts weekly rodeo nights on Thursdays. Trail rides cost $80 per person and there are two scheduled rides per day. There are rides at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. You can view more details at the Tamaya website.
For all of your camping and trip planning needs, look no further than Campground Reviews and RV Trip Wizard. Campground Reviews is a trusted source of campground and RV park reviews offered by camping and RV enthusiasts just like you. With its accompanying RV LIFE App, RV Trip Wizard gets you to your camping destinations utilizing RV-friendly routes specific to your RV and travel preferences.
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Learn More About The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
If you plan on visiting the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, you may also be able to reserve an RV or tent site at the park.
Their Standard and Box sites offer dry camping in the South View Lot the Premium Sites include 30-amp power and water. More information can be found on the International Balloon Fiesta website.
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Los Suenos Is A Great Place To Stay For The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of those incredible events that should be on everyones bucket list. For nine days every October, uniquely shaped and vibrantly colored hot-air balloons fill the sky for miles around. While youre here, make sure to check out the special-shaped balloon rodeos, twilight balloon glows and colorful displays. Its a feast for the eyes you wont soon forget.
Other Handy Things To Know
There is a 3 night minimum when making RV camping reservations. There are public restrooms but NO showers on site. Golf carts and ATVs are not allowed. Leashed pets are allowed in the Fiesta RV Park, but no pets are allowed on the Balloon Launch Field at all. This is another reason why attending the Fiesta with friends or a rally group is a good idea, so you can share pet minding duties if needed. A free Bike Valet service is available by the museum its like a coat check service for bikes. If you do need to drive your car, say to the grocery store, aim to go between 10am2pm when traffic is lightest.
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Look Into The Past At The Bandelier National Monument
Not far from your first stop at Taos Pueblo, take a look into the past at the Bandelier National Monument. The monument covers more than 30,000 acres of wilderness. You can hike the canyon trails looking for wildlife. There is also evidence of human life left there from generations past.
The monument includes the remains of Native American settlements. Some experts have dated them back to around 11,000 years ago. Theyve lasted this long because those settlements are carved into the side of stone mountains and buttes. You can find them scattered along the trails, giving anyone who passes by a beautiful look into the past.
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Rving At The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Having never been to the Balloon Fiesta, booking RV reservations was a little confusing. Which RV Lot should we pick? Are there any sites with hookups? We’ll try to clear things up as much as we can.
In part 2, we’ll be sharing our experience flying in our friend’s balloon and even the chase crew! So, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss that! You can subscribe for FREE using the box on the right side of this page .
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Visit The Native Americans At Taos Pueblo
The American Southwest is filled with the rich history of the local Native American tribes. Much of it has survived by various means, and you can see it for yourself at Taos Pueblo. It is an active pueblo settlement that one of the Native American tribes live in, and it is open to the public.
Taos Pueblo can show you what it is like to live in a Native American pueblo village, but the best part of the experience is meeting the members of the Taos tribe that live there. The stories, experiences, and wares they have to share leave you with an experience that you wont forget. All they ask is that you be respectful of their wishes and do not take pictures inside if they invite you into their homes.
Tickets And Reservations For The 2021 Balloon Fiesta
General admission tickets are available online, or at the gate and they have never fully sold out. Tickets are $15 per person aged 13 and older and are good for one session. There are usually two sessions on most days an early morning session, and an evening session, but only 14 sessions in total.
Tickets are generally non-refundable, but if the session you bought a ticket for is cancelled for weather, you can use your ticket as a raincheck for a future session during the 2021 event.
Keep in mind that parking is $20 per session! So if you plan on driving in from outside of the Fiesta fields, you may be better off buying a Park and Ride ticket. Or, consider riding your bike and using their free bike valet service.
- Read the RV Site Rules and Regulationsbefore you arrive
There are many other RV parks and campgrounds in New Mexico. You can find them here at Campground Reviews, and in the RV LIFE app. While RV parks in the Albuquerque area may also be sold out, it may be worth contacting them to see if they have availability or a waitlist. Or even drive in from farther out for the fun!
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