Hotel check in between 3:00-5:30 PM/Registration with program group leader/Orientation and introductions

Arrive To: Arrive at hotel anytime after 3:00 PM for hotel check-in.

Between 4:00 to 5:30 PM, you may register with your Road Scholar group leader at the hotel.

Please note that this is a preliminary itinerary only and is subject to change based upon local conditions.

Weather during Balloon Fiesta is unpredictable and some events may be canceled or delayed due to wind or rain.

Dinner: Hotel dining room

Evening: Program orientation and introductions in hotel meeting room from 7:00 to 8:30 PM.

Lodging: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Meals Included: Dinner

Presentations on Native American Pueblos, Hot-Air Ballooning, and Albuqerque History/Visit to Indian Pueblo Cultural Center/Albuquerque Exploration

Note: Walking up to one mile over paved terrain, standing at pueblo Cultural Center up to one hour

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room

Morning: Class about Native American Pueblos. Bus then departs for overview of Albuquerque and visit to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

Lunch: Lunch at Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Afternoon: Bus returns to the hotel after lunch for afternoon presentations on Hot-Air Ballooning and Albuquerque's History.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room from 6:00 to 7:00 PM

Evening: From 7:00-8:00 PM in a hotel meeting room, you'll see a short video called "Daughters of the Anasazi."

Lodging: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walking up to a mile over paved and packed dirt (sometimes uneven) terrain

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: This morning you'll have a class about Acoma Pueblo. You'll then depart for a visit to Acoma Pueblo, where you'll stop at the Visitors' Center and board a van for for the trip to the top of the 400' mesa. A Native American guide and tribal member of the pueblo will take you through "Sky City," and will tell you about its residents, its history, and its traditions.

Lunch: Lunch at Yaak'a Cafe at Acoma Pueblo

Afternoon: Following lunch, the bus will return to the hotel in Albuquerque, where you'll have a class on Native American Pueblos, followed by some free time.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room from 6:00-7:00 PM.

Evening: From 7:00-8:00 PM, view a self-narrated video about the famous artist, Georgia O'Keeffe.

Lodging: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Balloon Fiesta Park Dawn Patrol/Mass Ascension/Sandia Peak Tramway/Free Time

Note: Standing and walking at Balloon Fiesta Park; riding/standing in enclosed tramway cars to top of Sandia Peak and back down

Breakfast: Pick up boxed breakfast at the hotel between 4:30 and 5:00 AM.

Morning: Bus departs for Balloon Fiesta Park at 5:00 AM. At Balloon Fiesta Park, view the Dawn Patrol and Morning Glow, followed by one of the most beloved events, the Flight of the Nations Mass Ascension.

After the events, you'll go to the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway for a ride to the top of Sandia Peak. You'll get a wonderful view of the city and the surrounding area; your group leader can point out geological formations and other points of interest.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel from 12:30-1:30 PM

Afternoon: Enjoy some free time in the afternoon, from 1:30-4:30 PM. If you'd like to visit Old Town, we'll provide a ticket for you to visit the Natural History Museum there.

At 5:00 PM, our bus will depart from the hotel for your dinner destination.

Dinner: Dinner at a selected restaurant from 5:30-7:00 PM

Evening: Bus arrives back at the hotel by about 7:30 PM.

Lodging: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Full Day Trip to Santa Fe/Art Class/State Capitol Visit/ Galleries and Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

Note: Walking up to one mile over paved terrain over course of the day; some standing at museums, the Capitol building, and galleries, but there are opportunities to sit.

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Bus departs at 8:30 AM for full day field trip to Santa Fe. On arrival, you'll visit the art collection at the New Mexico State Capitol.

Lunch: You'll have lunch at 11:15 AM (we know it's early, but we can't get into this restaurant with groups unless we feed you early - our apologies!) at a well-known restaurant in the Santa Fe Railyard district, called Tomasita's.

Afternoon: After lunch, there will be a class about Santa Fe Art, followed by visits to the Fenn and Gerald Peters galleries and to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

You'll then have free time in the downtown Plaza area.

Dinner: Dinner will be on your own this evening in the downtown Santa Fe area. Your group leader will provide suggestions as to where you might choose to dine.

Evening: Meet at designated location in downtown area and at 7:00 PM, board bus and return to Albuquerque with arrival at the hotel at approximately 8:00 PM.

Lodging: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Balloon Fiesta/Field Trips to Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum and Coronado State Monument

Note: Standing and walking at Balloon Fiesta Park. Walking up to one mile over the course of the day over packed dirt and paved terrain; standing in Museum and at Monument

Breakfast: Pick up boxed breakfasts at the hotel from 4:30-5:00 AM.

Morning: Bus departs at 5:00 AM for Balloon Fiesta Park. This morning's events include the Dawn Patrol, Special Shape Rodeo, Flying Competition, and Chainsaw Carving International.

After the events, you'll visit AAA International Balloon Museum at the Park, where you'll see an amazing collection of ballooning history. The bus then returns to the hotel for a little free time before lunch.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel from 12:00-1:00 PM.

Afternoon: This afternoon you'll go to Coronado State Monument. In 1540, Spanish explorer, Coronado, wintered at a village on the west bank of the Rio Grande; the excavated ruins of this ancient Anasazi Pueblo have been preserved here.

Hundreds of rooms can be seen and you can descend a ladder into the restored kiva, once the site of sacred rites. See unique multicolored murals in the monument's small archaeological museum.

The bus then returns to the hotel for early dinner and program closing.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel

Evening: Bus departs at 5:00 PM for Balloon Fiesta Park. Tonight's events include the Special Shape Glowdeo and the AfterGlow Fireworks Show. The bus will depart from the Park after the Fireworks Show, arriving back at the hotel by about 9:30 PM.

Lodging: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart From: Independent departures after breakfast from the hotel.

Checkout time is by 11:00 AM.

Breakfast: Breakfast is served in hotel dining room from 7:00 AM until 9:00 AM; you may depart at any time in the morning - checkout time is 11:00 AM.

Meals Included: Breakfast