New Mexico
Highlights of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Program No. 10427RJ
Learn the history, science and art of ballooning as you experience the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, explore the city’s unique museums and Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Enroll with Confidence
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
At a Glance
Experience the best of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, study the history of hot-air ballooning and feel the excitement of the Balloon Ascensions during several visits to the Balloon Fiesta Park. Learn how balloons are made and the science behind flying by a local expert and pilot. Discover why Albuquerque is such a perfect place for this premier ballooning event.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to two miles over uneven grass and paved surfaces in the dark at Balloon Fiesta Park; climb a flight of stairs. Standing up to two hours on field trips. Elevations of 5,300 feet.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Watch the pilots and their crews prepare huge and intricately constructed balloons for inflation and flight.
- Enjoy balloons from countries around the world.
- Learn about the history and science of ballooning in an exciting firsthand experience.
General Notes
This is a large group program; participants will be separated into smaller groups for some activities. Small group assignments will be made approximately one month prior to the program start date. If you are traveling with companions who are not your roommate and you would like to be grouped together, please list their names on your “Personal Information & Preferences” in your Road Scholar “My Account” page.” Approximately two weeks prior to the program departure you will receive an email with your group assignment and Group Leader information.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Sue Shoemaker
Sue Shoemaker, a native-born Michigander, lives on a farm in the “Thumb.” A gratifying teaching and counseling career at the middle school level inspired Sue to become a group leader in order to share her passion for learning and travel with others. Sue has led a variety of Road Scholar programs: study cruises on the Great Lakes and the Columbia River, as well as land-based programs in Chicago, Detroit, Albuquerque (Balloon Fiesta), and northern Michigan.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Sue Shoemaker
View biography
Sue Shoemaker, a native-born Michigander, lives on a farm in the “Thumb.” A gratifying teaching and counseling career at the middle school level inspired Sue to become a group leader in order to share her passion for learning and travel with others. Sue has led a variety of Road Scholar programs: study cruises on the Great Lakes and the Columbia River, as well as land-based programs in Chicago, Detroit, Albuquerque (Balloon Fiesta), and northern Michigan.
John Layton
View biography
John Layton has visited 70+ countries and 48 states during more than 30 years in the travel industry. “As a career, travel is all I know and I’ve been lucky that I have never had a job I didn't love.” After many years sailing the seas as a cruise director, John is now a flight attendant for JetBlue, a travel blogger, and a group leader for Road Scholar. He has led Road Scholar programs throughout Florida, around Cuba, and on the Great Lakes.
Sheryl Russell
View biography
Sheryl Russell was born to a farming family in Kansas. At the University of Kansas, she studied education in theatre and English literature, followed by decades of work in retail and communications systems in Dallas, New York City, and the California Bay area. Sheryl felt that she had “come home" when she moved to Santa Fe. Here she found a cultural diversity, architectural style, and historic richness that supported the next 30 years of leading explorations and study of native Southwest cultures and their history.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Highlights of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Program Number: 10427
Ballooning: A History, 1782-1900
This book chronicles the development of the hot air balloon and advances the endeavor from 1782 to the beginning of the 20th century.
The Spell of New Mexico
A gathering of essays that evoke the unique and mysterious appeal New Mexico has had for some of the twentieth century's best-known writers. included are selections by Mary Austin, Oliver La Farge, Conrad Richter, D.H. Lawrence, C.G. Jung, Winfield Townley Scott, John DeWitt McKee, Ernie Pyle, Harvey Fergusson, and Lawrence Clark Powell. Hillerman's preface and introduction are choice specimens of his incisive humor and his own deep love of the state.
Great Escapes: The Stories behind 50 Remarkable Journeys to Freedom
Media of every kind love escape stories. They lead the news, inspire books, and become Hollywood movies. Several of the 50 adventures recounted in this photographic compendium became box-office smashes, including "The Great Escape" (1963), "Papillon" (1973), and "Apollo 13" (1995).
Heaven's Window: A Journey Through Northern New Mexico
Photographer Jack Parson's stunning images reveal the magical qualities of the upper Rio Grande region. this compelling spot in the Southwest, which includes Santa Fe, Taos and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, has long been a magnetic crossroads. travel with parsons to bustling Indian marketplaces, charming historic churches, ancient petroglyphs, lively fiestas, and haunting old ranchos. Award-winning storyteller, Michael Wallis explores the rich history of this remarkable region. Peeling back the layers of time, Wallis gets at the enchantment, turbulence, and mystery of this very special place and the people - native American, Hispanic, Anglo and others - who inhabit it.
Albuquerque in Our Time: 30 Voices, 300 Years
Albuquerque, New Mexico, a city astride a great river, celebrated its tricentennial in 2006. This book pays homage to the city with a rich medley of narratives by its most colorful residents: well-loved town characters, writers, journalists, politicians, civic and business leaders who have helped shape Albuquerque's character and guided its growth.
Forgotten Albuquerque, NM: Images of America
In 1706, Spanish colonists founded the Villa de Albuquerque on the banks of the Rio Grande. Three hundred years later, that once quiet farming community has grown to become Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico. Using over 200 vintage images from public archives and individual collections, author Ty Bannerman explores the city's many guises over time, from its prehistory as a thriving province of the Pueblo peoples to its post-World-War-II population boom.