Living in San Diego for 28 years, we raised four children in an area where we were in the flight path of the hot air balloon rides. Many would fly overhead almost every day near sunset. Many would land in our neighborhood or in nearby canyons. Because of the tie-in to those years and those memories, hot air balloons are something special to us.
Last year, we drove up to Mesquite on a Friday after work, to see the Mesquite Balloon Festival’s Night Glow event. Drove back home the same night just to get up early the next day to drive back up to Mesquite to see Saturday’s balloon launch. Although we enjoyed both events, driving an hour each way took a toll. As soon as we knew we were getting close to finding our rv, we did not hesitate in making reservations in advance for us and brother and girlfriend at the CasaBlanca RV Resort in Mesquite for this year’s Balloon Festival!
It was so great driving up to Mesquite from Las Vegas this year in our new-to-us motorhome! We had gotten up early to catch Friday’s balloon launch. The balloons launch from the Oasis Resort parking lot, and there is a large parking lot across the street where we parked our rv’s. Both lots are owned by CasaBlanca Resort, who hosts the festival, and you can park there at no cost. Volunteer police officers set-up and monitor a cross walk for spectators to cross the street to the hot air balloons.
The Mesquite Balloon Festival is very viewer friendly. You are able to get right next to the hot air balloons and watch the crews unroll and fill the balloons with air. Most balloon pilots and their crews are friendly and are happy to let you take pictures and ask questions. Just be courteous, of course, and be careful not to get in their way of inflating the balloons. You also have the opportunity to sign-up to volunteer, through the festival website, and receive a really nice t-shirt and pin. If you are lucky, you will be assigned to a balloon pilot and crew who will make you an active participant with the crew to help in each step of getting the balloon up for launch.
The balloon launch started on time with the first of the balloons launching a 7:30 am. By 9:00 am the last balloon had launched and many of the balloons were still in flight while others were landing across the highway. What a great morning! Now to go see if we could check-in early to our rv spots and treat ourselves to a hot breakfast!
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