Albuquerque, New Mexico
Overview of My Trip
Day 1: A Glowing Night
- Arrival in Albuquerque
- Bike Tour into Balloon Fiesta
- Hope for a balloon glow
Day 2: A full day adventure
- Mass Ascension of hot air balloons
- Bike to Coffee
- Los Poblanos Lavender Farm
- Sunflower Picking
Day 3: Last Morning
- Exploring Old Town
- Sample New Mexican Food
- Departure
A centerpiece of New Mexico, Albuquerque is a vibrate hotspot for travelers to experience southwestern flair. Known around the world for the hot air balloon dotted skies, the International Hot Air Balloon Festival draws crowds to the city every October. While visiting during the fiesta creates quite a buzz in town, you can’t miss the chance to see some of my favorite spots from this weekend up, up, and away to Albuquerque.
From Sunset to dawn, the party lasts all day long
Balloon Fiesta
For nine days every October, flyers (people who fly hot air balloons) from all over the world gather in Albuquerque for the annual International Hot Air Balloon festival. I headed down to the Fiesta for the first weekend of the event this year – the 50th anniversary – immediately off the airplane ready for the first adventure and a glowing night.
Traveling alone can feel overwhelming and lonely so joining a group can be an amazing way to explore. Especially in an event with the crowds of the Balloon Fiesta, alternative options to feel safe and avoid the parking hassle are necessary. My Aunt had surprised me in the city and booked us on an E-bike tour into the balloon glow. E-bikes may be my new favorite way to explore a city with the ease of riding, less stress than a car rental, and some exercise while seeing the sights. There are plenty of options for bike rentals, making me skeptical of booking a tour, but when we saw our bike lit up in LED lights for the ride back against the starry night, I knew this tour was well worth the price.
Having booked the bikes for a ride to the balloon glow – a nightly event where balloon remain blown up on the ground with lights – I was in for a whirl of disappointment. The conditions where windy meaning danger was high for balloon inflation. Sadly, I never saw the balloon glow but was treated to a candlelight glow (only basket flames lighting) instead.
E-Bike Tour
Ride the Same Bike with Lights
- For 16 and up avoid the car and bus rush and bike into the park
- Tours are available for mass ascension in mornings and glow at night
- E-Bikes are and easy breezy ride
- Decked out in LED lights for dark portions of the ride
Undoubtedly the main event, the mass ascension every morning is the picturesque event blasted across all social media platforms. Once the weather balloon (used to test weather conditions) is released and the green flag raised, all the balloons in Balloon Fiesta Park inflate at once and launched before the 850,000 visitors every year. Truly one of the most magical travel memories I’ve made! Don’t forget to stop by the fairground and get a nice coffee and breakfast burrito before the show!
Hot air balloons are as unexpected as this last-minute trip, landing wherever they please. If you’re lucky one could land near you back in the city anytime during the week and watching them land is as spectacular as a takeoff. Keep your eyes out for those chase crews on the street to help spot them!
Food Favorites from New Mexico
Satellite Cafe
- New Mexico Style Breakfast Burrito
- Bakery Case with the best dark chocolate eclair
- House made coffees and fruity drinks
Bike in Coffee
- The cutest coffee shop located on a family-owned farm
- Assessable only by bike (and car only when needed… but that’s cheating)
- Beautiful scenery and tasty crepes
Sawmill
- A fall hall located walking distance to old town
- A variety of cuisines from sweet treats and Asian, Mexican, and classic American fare
- My pick for health-conscious individuals or those with dietary restrictions – dairy free, gluten free, and even sugar free options are easy to find
- Seen above is the Curro Waffle from XO Waffle
Los Poblanos Lavender Farm
Lavender has always been a point of contention in my family; while I love the floral fragrance my mom cannot stand the sent! When traveling on my own I can go wherever my nose pleases and a lavender farm outside the Albuquerque city center was a lavender lovers paradise! Los Poblanos is a historic inn and farm with everything from a lavender dusted restaurant menu, to tours of the field (while in bloom – not available during October), and beautiful grounds for the hotel and gift shop! While I didn’t stay at the location, I spoke to a couple being accommodated on the property with nothing but amazing reviews to share. My personal favorite spot was the lavender coffee shop… try that lavender chai when you visit! After you enjoy exploring the area try to spot the peacocks that hang out toward the parking lot and entrance for a feathery surprise.
Sunflower Picking
Located on the same farmlands is a large sunflower field! After not seeing any lavender in bloom, the rows of sunflowers made my day a little sunnier. Purchase a package to chop your own stems and collect the flowers or just take some beautiful pictures in the yellow paradise.
Big Jims and Ristras
Next door to the lavender farm is Big Jims Farm, a festive fall location to buy your pumpkins and chile ristras – a traditional way to store dried chiles for cooking, though it’s now used for pretty decor outside your house.
Old Town Albuquerque
With what feels like a million shops on the main square, it can be hard to find the best places to stop! Shop to you drop in these old town locations!
Street Vendors- Shop local from the vendors lined along the streets (pottery, blankets, and jewelry).
The Candy Lady- known for making ‘edible’ props for the show Breaking Bad… try your hand at some meth guaranteed to put you on a legal sugar high!
While every major city has a “downtown”, it takes something special to experience an “Old Town”. Entering from any outside street the shift in architecture, music, and artwork invites you to experience the cultural origins of Albuquerque. View a couple of my favorite shops above for souvenir potential or here’s a few sights to spend your day exploring. The San Felipe Church anchors the square as an operational location for worship or a pretty sight. Outside of the entrance see the Albuquerque Museum if you’re into history or the National Museum of Nuclear Science for science people! Old Town is my #1 must see (outside of the balloon fest) and I definitely wish I spent more time seeing this area of the city.