New Mexico's Balloon Fiesta

If you've always wondered what it was like to be surrounded by hundreds of hot air balloons in the air, you can bet attending the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the best way to do it!

The Balloon Fiesta has come a long way from launching in a small parking lot in 1972 with only 13 balloons. Nowadays, the Balloon Park has expanded to 365 acres and can accommodate over 500 balloons.

Here are some tips for first-time attendees of the International Balloon Fiesta Festival.

1) Purchase multiple-day general admission tickets!

General Admission tickets are super affordable. There are multiple main events: Mass Ascension (where hundreds of balloons go up at the same time, which happens early in the morning around 6 am), Drone Light Show (early in the morning), Fireworks Show (late at night), and Twinkle Twinkle Glow (Balloons are lit to show off their designs - late at night). There are a few events in between, but these are the ones that you want to plan to go to. They will also have a lot of food trucks in case you get hungry.

It's always best to plan to go multiple days, as you never know what the wind pattern will be like, as there are times when the balloons do not go up. I would recommend spending one night to see the Twinkle Glow and then the next day to watch the balloons go up, as well as the second day as a backup in case the mass ascension doesn't happen. You can purchase tickets for the Balloon Fiesta here.

2) Dress in layers and arrive early!

As we were preparing to go to the mass ascension, we heard that you have to arrive several hours early before the ascension, or you won't make it unless you leave that early. We arrived around 4 AM, dressed in layers as much as we possibly could. Our friend tried to leave an hour beforehand and missed the balloon ascension. Do NOT BE LATE!

3) Take advantage of the park and ride

As I mentioned, the traffic to the balloon fiesta is insane. I live in LA, so I'm no stranger to traffic. One way to make your journey to the fiesta easier is to purchase the park and ride tickets. Park and Ride tickets are great because they include the general admission to the fiesta, allow you to avoid crazy traffic, and you don't have to stress to find a parking space.

4) Find a room for accommodations!

If you are choosing to go by yourself or with one other person, I would highly recommend booking a room at least six months in advance. Hotels can be extremely expensive the longer you wait, and because of the cold weather, it is uncomfortable for most people to go camping in New Mexico. We booked a room in a shared apartment, and it was more affordable than getting a hotel room.

If you are truly tight on money, you can also decide to stay in Santa Fe. However, it will be excurciating to have to drive an hour and a half to see the balloons.

4) Ride in a hot air balloon

Riding in a hot air balloon was on my bucket list for so long. When I finally did it, it was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. I do think that riding during the balloon festival is more special than a private ride, as hundreds of balloons go up at the same time. It's much more scenic, and you get to meet people from all around the world during the festival.

Now, I will admit that purchasing a ride during the festival is quite expensive, so you can also choose to go the day after the festival (as the rates are cheaper), which is what we decided to do. To purchase a ride, you can do so here.

5) Try the New Mexico Wet Burritos

While you are in New Mexico, it is quintessential to try the New Mexico Wet Burritos. There are two different kinds: green sauce and red sauce. They are quite tasty and can be customized to include veggies, beans, rice, and protein (optional). You can find wet burritos in downtown Albuquerque.