Stop #10: KOA, Albuquerque, NM

Following our time in Santa Fe, we headed to Albuquerque for a few days. We wanted a campground that was clean so we could tidy up the RV following some very dusty sites. We didn't find many paved options so even though a bit expensive, we proceeded with KOA. While this campground felt a bit tight, it worked for a few days. The kids loved this campground as it had a jumping pad, pedal car rentals (for $6 an hour - a bit hefty in our opinion), and mini golf. They also have a small playground, a hot tub, and a pool but the latter was closed as it was still on the cooler side (April 2nd-5th). Here we did use the laundry room to wash comforters and shoes, which was conveniently close to our site. Since we have a washer and dryer, we had never used the laundry facilities at a campground, but we were trying to get a lot done in a short amount of time so using those large machines was helpful.

The jump pad at KOA Albuquerque

When you look up Albuquerque as a destination the number one experience that comes up is hot air ballooning. It's something none of us had done so it was going to be a fun first for all. I searched online for options and had a tour in the cart on Tripadvisor, but thankfully I searched directly with the provider and it was A LOT cheaper when booking directly with them. Thumbs down, Tripadvisor! So make sure you always double check prices before booking anything. We booked with Rainbow Ryders. They are one of the more experienced companies in the area and we were super happy with the experience they provided.

The day after booking the company reached out asking if we could go a day earlier because it was looking like the wind would be picking up on the following day. We had nothing else scheduled for Albuquerque so thankfully that worked out for us. Hot air balloon rides are done first thing in the morning, which required checking in by 6:15a so that they can get everyone and the equipment ready to go right at sunrise. After check in, we all did a little orientation, and then were transported (along with the other people doing the ride that day) to the departure site. Once there, the staff set off to get everything ready for us. Baskets were placed in the right spot and the balloons were unrolled in front of them. Huge fans were then positioned in front of them to start blowing them up. They had four balloons going up that morning so it was cool to see all of these balloons getting prepped at the same time.

Sleepy but so excited!

So peaceful

Bucket list experience for us

View of the Rio Grande River

Loved watching the sun rise

An unforgettable experience

The basket for our balloon was so much bigger than we imagined. It had five partitions, one for each family, and the middle one for the pilot. Once the balloon was ready, we all got in and soon after all the balloons started to take off. We were about the third ones to depart so it was great to see other balloons higher than us and one more taking off below us. It felt so peaceful to be up in the air as the sun started to rise and cover us (and the scenery around us) in golden tones. We flew by the Rio Grande river, over houses and streets, with the mountains in the background... it was magical. Our pilot, Troy, was excellent. He answered all our questions and was great about telling us what to expect next. He was super humble too as we didn't find out till we were on our return back to the office that he held 64 world records in the sport. It's fair to say we had a celebrity pilot. :)

Troy got us back on land without a hitch, with the basket only tipping over slightly. During orientation they warned us that the basket could fall to the side when landing so I had envisioned us rolling out. lol We all toasted with champagne, mimosas, and apple cider (kids and those not wanting alcohol so early in the morning) as the staff rolled up the balloons and got the baskets back on the trailers to return to them back to the office.

Depending on the time of the year, you might need to bundle up well for this ride. We all wore jackets and sweaters, and stayed warm enough with the heat of the balloon. We were on our way back to our RV by 9a so there's no need to block your entire day when doing this. Our day had only started but a bucket list item had been checked!

This was our highlight from our stay in Albuquerque. The only other thing we did while there for three nights was visit Costco to stock up on food and other household items. :)