The trip
For nine days every October, Albuquerque hosts the biggest hot-air balloon festival in the world. At dawn, hundreds of balloons inflate on one huge field and lift off in waves, and you're allowed to walk right in among them while it happens. The crews let you help hold the basket down sometimes. It's one of the most joyful things we've ever seen.
It also means getting up at 4am, standing in a chilly field in the dark, and dealing with a lot of traffic. That's where we come in. We handle the parking passes, the early drive, and the shuttle logistics. You bring the enthusiasm and a warm hat.
We get there from Dallas the old-fashioned way, with a night in Amarillo and a day in Santa Fe before the Fiesta weekend. That's two of the best days on the trip that have nothing to do with balloons.
Highlights
- The Mass Ascension: hundreds of balloons going up in waves at sunrise
- Dawn Patrol, when the first balloons go up in the dark and glow like lanterns
- An evening balloon glow, with fireworks to finish
- Santa Fe's Plaza, Canyon Road galleries and the Loretto Chapel staircase
- The Sandia Peak Tramway at sunset
Day by day
Dallas to Amarillo
Northwest across the plains. Steak dinner in Amarillo and an early night.
Amarillo to Santa Fe
West on I-40 into New Mexico, then up to Santa Fe by early afternoon. The Plaza, the Palace of the Governors, where Native artists sell jewelry under the portal, and a green chile dinner. (Or red. Or "Christmas," which is both.)
Santa Fe to Albuquerque
Morning on Canyon Road among the galleries, and the Loretto Chapel's spiral staircase, built without a central support. Afternoon to Albuquerque, and in the evening our first time on the field for a balloon glow, when the balloons stay grounded and light up like giant lamps. Fireworks afterward.
Mass Ascension
Up at 4am. Dawn Patrol in the dark, then the Mass Ascension as the sun comes up. Breakfast burritos on the field. A nap is mandatory. Late afternoon ride up the Sandia Peak Tramway for sunset over the city.
Farewell Mass Ascension
One more dawn on the field for the final Mass Ascension of the Fiesta. Then the drive to Amarillo for the night, with a long lunch in Old Town Albuquerque on the way out.
Home
Amarillo to Dallas, home by late afternoon.
What's included
✅ Included
- Van transport with a driver-guide from Dallas
- 5 nights in hotels, including 2 nights in Albuquerque during the Fiesta (book early; they go fast)
- Breakfast daily and 3 dinners
- Balloon Fiesta general admission and parking for all sessions
- Sandia Peak Tramway tickets
➖ Not included
- Lunches and 2 dinners
- A balloon ride (about $400–$500; we can help you book one)
- Tips for your driver-guide
- Single supplement (from $640) and travel insurance
Good to know
Balloons only fly in calm weather. If it's too windy, a session gets canceled, sometimes after everyone's already on the field. That's why we include more than one morning. Dress in layers: it's often in the 40s at dawn and the 70s by lunch.
