Hello fellow travelers, we are Planning to arrive in Albuquerque on Oct. 1st after spending the week in Tuscons. Any suggestions for places to stay about half way from Tucson to Alb and in Albuquerque and how best to experience the balloon festival. Thanks for your input!

I'd be surprised if there was much accommodation still available in Albuquerque at Balloon Fiesta time - we booked months in advance when we went a few years ago. Sorry I can't make recommendations about specific hotels - we weren't very impressed with the place we stayed in and I have mercifully forgotten its name! In terms of experiencing the fiesta itself - just wandering around the grounds is fantastic, and of course if you can arrange a balloon ride, that's best of all. We went up at sunrise with about 600 other balloons - an amazing sight! Have a look at aibf.org for the schedule. The "special shapes" events are fun; those are the novelty balloons in all kinds of interesting shapes. We saw an elephant, a sneaker, a wine bottle - everything you can imagine. There is lots of parking nearby, but be patient because the lineups are extensive, especially just before or after an event when everybody is headed in the same direction. Everywhere you look during fiesta time, there are balloons aloft.

We did this many years ago, but the image of the balloons rising to fill the dawn sky is one I will never forget. Don't miss the sunrise.

If you haven't booked your hotel, do it now; rooms are getting scarce.

Get to the park before sunrise. There are park and ride buses you can catch at various sites around town if your hotel isn't close to the park. Grab a breakfast burrito and some coffee and wander around. It's a wonderful experience - have a great time!

Lee Ann

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm thinking we'll stay at a chain motel since we won't spend alot of time in the room and catch a shuttle to the park. What else is worth seeing in Albuquerque?

Continuing on then to Sante Fe. Will have 5-6 days from Sante Fe back to our flight from Phoenix. We've already seen Sedona, Walnut Canyon, Montezuma Castle. I have seen posts about Bryce and Zion parks and wonder if we have time to see them or should stick to AZ. . .CDC and maybe Alpine area? Too many choices!

I had been told that Albuquerque itself wasn't very interesting, but we found that exploring Old Town was fun, and we did a bit of shopping there. The real appeal, though, is the scenery. Do the tram ride to Sandia Peak - gorgeous! Take the old highway to Santa Fe (the "Turquoise Trail") - much more interesting than the newer highway and it only takes about half an hour longer.

Don't know if you'll have time, but both Bryce and Zion are absolutely spectacular. Bryce has some very easy loop trails if you are not big walkers.

Albuquerque has nice museums, a great zoo, the aquarium and botanic gardens; these are all in the Old Town area which Meesthare mentioned. You could go to the Rio Grande Nature Center and take a walk along the bosque. The leaves will be changing and it should be lovely.

Oh, by the way, it's "Santa Fe," not "Sante Fe." ;-)

Lee Ann

Thanks! I never caught on that I was spelling it incorrectly! I'm really looking forward to seeing New Mexico for the first time.