-We Traveled to Brussels to See Beyoncé
-Brussels Video Vacation Day 4
-Things To Do In Brussels (links)
-SPOLER ALERT Beyoncé Renaissance Concert Clips
-Where We Stayed in Brussels
-Our Vacation in Porto, Portugal
-Where We Stayed in Porto
-Things To Do in Porto
-Final Leg of Our Vacation in Brooklyn, NY
-MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
-Where We Stayed in Brooklyn and things to do
-How We Paid For This Trip (we used credit card rewards!)
-How YOU Can Get Start Traveling with Credit Card Rewards
-Finally, A Breakdown of Our Travel Itinerary to Brussels, Porto and NYC (and how many credit card points we used)
We recently traveled to Brussels, Belgium (to see Beyoncé!) Porto, Portugal (Portugal I’ve wanted to visit there for a while now) and New York City, all in the same trip. We flew business and first class round trip, and stayed in hotels without paying anything. The most money we spent on this trip was on Ubers, public transportation and meals. And we did it all through credit card rewards, and airline points and miles! Scroll down to keep reading to get the break down on how we did all of this.
We had been planning to take a nice trip for a couple years, but it just kept not being the right time. Fast forward to the beginning of 2023, Beyoncé had just announced her Renaissance World Tour dates and people were starting to excitedly announce which city they were going to go see her in. PARIS! LONDON! BARCELONA! NEW YORK! CHICAGO! TORONTO! It was hard not to pick up on everyone’s Renaissance World Tour excitement. Which got me to thinking… what if we planned a trip around going to see Beyoncé in another city, in a whole other country even, and just make a vacation out of it?
Now, you’re probably asking yourself, out of all the cities on Beyoncé’s 2023 Renaissance World Tour, why Brussels? Well, I’ll tell you, and I’ll be completely honest. My thinking was that I wanted to go where I thought the crowds weren’t going. I was really trying to avoid going to see her in a popular major city like Paris, London, New York or Chicago so I honestly thought to myself, who in the world is gonna travel to Brussels to see her? Not fully remembering at the time that the Beyhive is GLOBAL. But that was honestly my thinking. And I have to admit, Brussels surprised us because it was SO CUTE! Brussels felt like the quintessential European city. The balcony on our hotel room in Brussels made me feel like I was in the Disney movie Ratatouille. Belgian waffles and Belgian chocolate was my complete knowledge of Brussels before visiting, but after visiting, omg… the area we stayed in (Ixelles), had cute restaurants, high-end boutiques, al fresco dining and beautiful french-looking buildings. We were a short bus ride away from the Grand Place, we were just a subway ride away from King Baudouin Stadium where Beyoncé’s concert was, and we even got to experience the local Brussels Food Festival while we were there thanks to meeting up with a friend from one of my travel groups who lived in Brussels.
@chanelnbr5 Leaving #Brussels (sad face) but this is where we stayed. Such a cute hotel! And the location was fabulous. If I were still on Instagram, this would be the SPOT 😍 @Moxy Hotels
♬ original sound - Chanel Ward
Are you headed to Brussels soon and want to stay where we stayed? We got you! Click the button below to book!
Listen, Portugal was an absolute dream. I follow a handful of travel bloggers who just made Portugal look and sound like the perfect European destination, and they weren’t wrong. They said it was one of the most inexpensive European destinations. Accurate. They said it was picturesque. Accurate. They said Portugal was the place to get some of the freshest and most delicious seafood anywhere, and OMG, SO accurate. The Ubers were cheap, you could get a bottle of wine in a restaurant for the same that you would pay for it in the grocery store. We regularly got $16 – $17 dollar bottles of wine at dinner. And the seafood, listen. We live in a coastal city, so we know all about fresh seafood and the seafood we had in Portugal was top tier. We still think about the fresh grilled Sea Bass, the Shrimp Croquettes and the Seafood Rice we ate there (YUM).
After visiting Brussels for 3 days, we spent 3 days in Porto, Portugal and had near perfect weather all 3 days we were there. We stayed in a city called Matisinhos, a working port and fishing town in the northern Porto district of Portugal, and we were just a 10 minute walk from the beach. To get into the center of Porto was just a quick, inexpensive Uber ride and both the city of Porto and the Douro River are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We walked across the Douro River on the Dom Luis Bridge where the views were spectacular. We tasted 3 types of Port wine, walked some incredibly steep cobblestone streets, spoke to a few locals and other tourists, took the Porto Six Bridges River Cruise, (See here) had more wine while people watching, and ate some incredible seafood. We’d visit Porto, Portugal again in a heartbeat.
@chanelnbr5 #wherewestayed @Four Points by Marriott #vacation #recap #porto #portugal #travellife
♬ original sound - Chanel Ward
Are you headed to Porto soon and want to stay where we stayed? We got you! Click the button below to book!
@chanelnbr5 #newyorkcity #brooklyn #carriebradshaw #vacation Day 10 video 🎥 by @RonMWard
♬ Sex and the City (Main Theme) - TV Sounds Unlimited
We made it back to the U.S.! We ended our vacation with 3 days and 2 nights in New York, and even though we aren’t new to New York, this was our very first time staying in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan. I took annual birthday trips to NYC on and off from 1998 to 2006. And even though Manhattan has its popular attractions (theater district, Wall Street, Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and more), we really enjoyed staying in Brooklyn! We stayed at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge (see here) which was walking distance from the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked across the bridge, we visited MOMA in Manhattan (Museum of Modern Art, our 2nd visit there) we visited DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge Park, got a Pastrami sandwich from Katz Deli, and got bagels for breakfast. In other words, we did New York things. We got some serious steps in walking in New York too, more than any single day in Brussels and Porto combined. Crazy.
Are you headed to Brooklyn, New York soon and want to stay where we stayed? We got you! Click the button below to book!
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great first card to get to begin your travel rewards journey! Click the pic to apply!
The Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card is another good card to begin your travel rewards journey! Click the pic to apply!
Oh! Now I get it! So y’all charged this entire trip to Brussels, Porto, and New York on credit cards? Mmm… not quite. We used credit card rewards points and airline miles to book this trip. Let me explain. We just recently learned to do what savvy business travelers have BEEN doing by traveling to faraway destinations without breaking the bank. There’s power in harnessing credit card rewards points and airline miles if you’re smart and strategic with it because you could turn all of the trips you’ve been dreaming about into reality.
But first, you really need to understand the magic of credit card rewards points and airline miles. Points and miles serve as “virtual currencies” that can be earned by making purchases with participating credit cards. The best cards offer big sign up bonuses to get you started. These rewards can then be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, Amazon purchases and more. My main cards are the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Southwest Chase Rapid Rewards Cards. The Mr. also has a Chase Sapphire preferred (a great starter travel rewards card by the way) but he also has the Chase Ink, the American Express Platinum and Capital One Venture.
So glad you asked! Read below for a quick explanation on how you can get started paying for your dream vacations with credit card rewards:
Research travel rewards credit cards: Look for credit cards that offer generous sign-up bonuses and rewards specifically designed for travel. Compare their benefits, fees, and terms to find the best options for you. The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cards are really good starter cards (the Preferred has the lower annual fee). TIP: Sign up for cards that have lots of travel partners (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred) this is key to being able to transfer points to many participating airlines, hotels and car rental companies to make your travels a reality!
Apply for your first credit card: Once you’ve chosen a card, apply for it and meet the minimum spending requirement within the specified time frame to earn the sign-up bonus. This usually involves spending a certain amount, such as $3,000, on the card within the first three months. This works especially well when you have a large purchase to make (for example, a new living room set or a large insurance bill you need to pay)
Track your expenses: Keep track of your spending to ensure you meet the minimum requirement for the sign-up bonus. Be mindful of your budget and avoid overspending.
Once you’ve met the spending requirement, you’ll receive the sign-up bonus points or miles. These can usually be redeemed for travel-related expenses like flights, hotel stays, or rental cars. Check the redemption options and choose what you want to do and where you want to go!
Rinse. Repeat. Apply for your next credit card: After you’ve received the sign-up bonus from your first credit card, research and apply for your next credit card that has a good sign-up bonus and travel rewards program. Make sure you meet the minimum spending requirement for this card as well, while keeping in mind not to overextend yourself. Balance is key.
Repeat the process: Continue applying for and using travel rewards credit cards, meeting the spending requirements, and earning sign-up bonuses. Be mindful of any annual fees and make sure the rewards benefits you’re getting outweigh the costs. Also keep in mind that all credit rewards cards are not created equal. There are excellent starter cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred with a nice sign up bonus and lots of travel partners, then there are other cards that will sound great on the surface but won’t offer as many perks.
Maximize category bonuses: Some credit cards offer bonus points or higher rewards for specific spending categories like dining, groceries, or gas. Utilize these bonus categories to earn additional points faster.
Strategically plan your redemptions: Keep an eye on your accumulated points and plan your travel/reward redemptions strategically. Look for opportunities where you can get the most value from your points, such as using them for premium flights or high-end hotel stays.
Maintain a good credit score: It’s important to manage your credit responsibly to be eligible for these credit card sign-up bonuses. Pay your bills on time, keep your credit utilization low, and avoid carrying high balances.
Monitor and reassess: Keep monitoring the rewards programs, terms, and benefits of your credit cards. Occasionally reassess your cards to ensure they still align with your travel goals and continue providing value.
Remember, this is a general guide, and it’s essential to do your own research and choose credit cards that fit your specific needs and spending habits. And remember to be responsible with credit and aim to pay off your balances in full each month to avoid interest charges.
CREDIT CARD TRAVEL REWARDS POINTS AND MILES FOR THE WIN!!
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