Recently, my husband and I were heading to Arizona for a wedding. Coincidently, I noticed that we had an 85K Marriott annual certificate expiring simultaneously, so I started to figure out how to use it for part of our stay in Arizona (we’d stay with my sister for the rest of the stay). We ended […]

Recently, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City in Salt Lake City, Utah. The purpose of this trip was some family time with family from London, along with Alex’s family. My daughter, Lindsey’s husband, was in Salt Lake on business, so we made that our main base and naturally, wanted to stay at […]

December in Montreal is a time when the city dons its holiday best, and the streets come alive with the spirit of the holiday season. Last December, our family had a magical (and freezing!) weekend adventure in Montreal. We visited a number of Christmas markets throughout the city and enjoyed many of the kid-friendly activities […]

The Grand Canyon is a massive natural wonder located in Arizona, USA. It is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River and is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and tourists from around the world. Our Friday Family Vacation is to the Grand Canyon National Park.   How to Get to the Grand Canyon: […]

Our Friday Family Vacation is to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Why should you visit there? Albuquerque hosts several annual festivals and events, such as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which is the largest hot-air balloon festival in the world. Moreover, Albuquerque offers stunning natural landscapes and outdoor activities, providing opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and skiing. […]

My sister and I go on an annual trip every year. Actually, we usually take 2-3 trips together a year, but one is always longer and more involved. A couple of years ago, we went to Greece and Italy and last year to Maui.  This year, we planned to hit up five cities—NYC, London, Dublin, […]

Well, I’m back to hotel hopping again. My sister and I are on our annual girl’s trip and are starting in the Big Apple. You know me, I can’t help hotel hopping (although we aren’t hopping around on the rest of our trip). There are so many hotels in NYC to stay at, and I’d […]

Living on the East Coast, a family road trip through New England is a dreamy way to spend your summer vacation. We spent almost 2 weeks in August traveling in our minivan with three kids on a road trip from Boston to Prince Edward Island, Canada. The first leg—from our home in Upstate NY to […]

Our next reader success story comes from Melissa who used points for a family trip to Washington DC. Here’s her story: I am actually sitting in the car driving home from our first family trip using points! My family of four drove to Washington, DC and we stayed at the Grand Hyatt. This was such […]

There is a place that just sounds so bougie to vacation in and I’ve never been there—the Hamptons. Maybe if I do a post about it, I might make it happen someday. Let’s do a Friday Family Vacation to the Hamptons so we can all feel bougie!   Flights You used to be able to […]

My husband, daughter, and I recently took a road trip from Houston to Chicago. There are so many hotels from every brand imaginable in Chicago, so when we decided to stay downtown for four nights, I had quite a difficult decision to make. Ultimately, I decided on the Thompson Chicago. Here’s what we thought in […]

My family and I recently returned from a trip to Dallas and had such a blast! It’s a perfect destination for both couples and families, with amazing food, museums, and parks. If Dallas, Texas, has been on your radar, here’s how you can make it happen for nearly free using points and miles…   Flights […]

Boston is a city rich in history and culture. Families can explore famous landmarks such as the Freedom Trail, which takes you through 16 historical sites including the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church. Additionally, Boston has a vibrant sports scene, with teams like the Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins, so families can […]

Earlier this summer my husband and I spent 3 nights at the adults-only Alila Ventana Big Sur. This is one of those properties that gets a lot of ooohs and ahhhhs in the points and miles space due to its gorgeous location and being a one-of-a-kind redemption. So did it live up to the hype? […]

Last year I visited Monterey, California for a promotional opportunity with IHG. I had never been to the rugged, central California coastal town but I was really excited to check it out as I had only heard great things! Spoiler: It did not disappoint. With so much natural beauty and plenty to explore, Monterey is […]

This NYC Andaz 5th Avenue Review comes from our friend Julie from Family Trips and Travel.   You can find her on Instagram here.  Be sure and check out her NYC with family posts here.   Andaz 5th Avenue in NYC Overview The Andaz on 5th Avenue is an upscale hotel located in the heart of […]

Hilton Head, South Carolina has long been on my travel plans. It is known to be one of the top 10 family beaches in the United States. Let’s plan a Friday Family Vacation to Hilton Head.   Flights We plan to fly from Dallas to Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV) airport, which is only 30 miles from […]

My family recently returned from a trip to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach.  This place has been on my radar ever since my mom, Jess, and I went on a 2-night work trip here back in August of 2022. The resort was just as great as I remembered, and I am happy to report it […]

During the summer, so many of our readers with families love to explore the outdoors. After I visited Sedona, I have been itching to go to Moab. Alex loved a past visit there with her little ones, so let’s make this a Friday Family Vacation to Moab, Utah.   Flights Salt Lake City International Airport […]

After our crazy three-day trip to Switzerland (to basically fly home in Emirates first-class), we made a two-day stop in New York City. Here’s how 48 hours in NYC on points and miles went down.   First Stop, TWA Hotel Since we were flying in from Milan to JFK and arriving at 9:00 at night, […]

Recently, my sister took me on a birthday trip to Sedona. I have wanted to go there for years (even though I grew up in Arizona, I had never been). To say that I was impressed with the beautiful rock formations is an understatement. It was much more beautiful than I imagined. Known for its […]