Mass Ascension Of Hot Air Balloons At The International Albuquerque, New Mexico, Balloon Fiesta.
Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Content Agency
Let’s all get in the box! If you are among the more than 825,000 people in Albuquerque, NM, during the International Balloon Fiesta (this year Oct. 4 to 12), you will hear a lot about the Albuquerque Box. It’s a weather phenomenon in early October that creates ideal ballooning conditions.
The Rio Grande Valley region and surrounding area is home to temperature and wind patterns that make hot air ballooning safer and easier for balloon pilots to launch and land in the same place, Balloon Fiesta Park. The Albuquerque Box is created when wind patterns circulate in a roughly rectangular path, forming on clear mornings as a result of Albuquerque Valley’s geography; the cold air comes down from the mountains at the same time southerly winds at a higher altitude catches the balloons.
That’s why Balloon Fiesta (the 53rd) has become the world’s largest and premier international ballooning event. This year, Balloon Fiesta includes 543 registered Primary Pilots from around the world, 59 flying here for the first time and 102 Special Shape Hot Air Balloon Pilots, new to the Fiesta this year. Fun fact: Many believe the breakfast burrito, especially popular with pilots, gained its global prominence at Balloon Fiesta.
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You can watch how your own balloon navigates in the box on a giant screen at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum located in Balloon Fiesta Park. This is also a great place to learn more about weather patterns, the history of ballooning and more. (There is an Elevation Station for kids and the chance to wander through a half-inflated balloon, testing your skills at ballooning.)
During the Fiesta, there are drone light shows “Glow” evening launches, fireworks and even chainsaw carving exhibitions, as well as an interactive Balloon Discovery Center where you can “race” against competitors, learn how to navigate a hot air balloon, see how well you can weave wicker that is commonly used to make the balloon basket and take your pick of balloon-centric art projects
Fall, of course, is a great time to visit New Mexico – great weather, changing leaves, the chance to hike and bike and yes, get your kicks on Route 66, celebrating its centennial next year.
When we visited recently, we stayed at the ARRIVE hotel in downtown Albuquerque right on Route 66. In fact, the 18-mile stretch of Route 66 that goes through Albuquerque is the largest continuous urban stretch, complete with neon signs, restaurants, shops and places to stay. We loved the re-imagined 1965 historic property overlooking the city’s landmark Robinson Park with its mid-20th-century vibe, “hidden” art gallery, vintage art throughout the hotel, restaurant and bar popular with locals, as well as visitors. We appreciated the dog bed and bowls in our room while our pooch loved the camera doggie toy she was gifted, perhaps for Route 66 snaps?
If you are visiting over a weekend, don’t miss the Downtown Growers’ Market across the street at Robinson Park (Saturday mornings until Nov. 4) with everything from local honey, to freshly roasted chiles, artisan breads, pastries and all varieties of local crafts.
A little Route 66 history: The “Mother Road” stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, spanning 2,400 miles and passing through eight states. This was the road those fleeing the Dust Bowl drove west in the 1930s and later, to transport troops and supplies during WWII.
In the 1950s, this became the major road for car-crazed Americans on road trips with all varieties of attractions – everything from teepee-shaped motels to frozen custard stands, reptile farms and fast food.
President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal helped complete Route 66 and John Steinbeck coined the term “Mother Road.” This generation of kids, of course, knows it best from the animated “Cars” movies, Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park with Piston Peak, a new area inspired by Cars, coming to Walt Disney World with a national parks twist.
The new book, “Route 66: 100 Years”, edited by Jim Hinckley, will be published next month. (A great holiday gift ($45) complete with essays about history, photos, potential side trips and more. Fun Fact: The National Register of Historic Places lists more than 250 stops.
Foodies will enjoy the new “The Route 66 Cookbook” by Linda Ly with recipes culled from along stops – everything from diner fare to German, Mexican and Indigenous cuisine ($25).
And for kids along for the ride, there’s “The Route 66 Coloring Book” ($10.99). They can color the sites you see like the world’s largest ketchup bottle!
In Albuquerque, it’s terrific to see how different cultures and passions are at work here – there is the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (New Mexico is home to 23 tribes and pueblos), galleries showcasing Native American art and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The City, more than 5,000 feet above sea level, was founded in 1706 as a Spanish colonial outpost where you can still see plenty of adobe buildings in Old Town.
Food here is another measure of how cultures have come together – chiles, the state’s biggest crop, layered with beef, bison, squash, corn, beans in all varieties of dishes. Check out the artisanal Sawmill Market, New Mexico’s first food hall complete with an outdoor play space.
Locals as well as visitors flock to 66 Diner for fries smothered in queso or cheese, fried okra, huge burgers and New Mexico favorites like Pile Up – pan fried potatoes, bacon, chopped green chili, eggs, cheddar cheese and, of course, red, or green chili sauce. Perhaps Frito pie? Milkshakes?
I’ll try a Tom’s Pink Cadillac shake, please!
(For more Taking the Kids, visit http://www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The fourth edition of The Kid’s Guide to New York City and the third edition of The Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. are the latest in a series of 14 books for kid travelers published by Eileen.)
©2025 Eileen Ogintz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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