How I Used Credit Card Rewards for a Free Family Vacation to Great Wolf Lodge and San Diego
This past Christmas, my family and I embarked on a vacation to Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim and Legoland California, all using Chase Ultimate Rewards points! It was a continuation of our new Christmas tradition of gifting experiences instead of things. It turned out to be one of the the kid’s favorite experiences we’ve shared together. Here’s a glimpse into our trip and some tips if you’re planning to visit too!
How We Booked Our Stay Using Points
We used 68,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book 3 days and 2 nights at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim, which included our water park entrance. To maximize our time, we broke up our drive by staying a night at Holiday Inn & Suites Barstow, using 4,000 Ultimate Rewards points plus our $50 hotel credit from our Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. This stay also included free breakfast, which helped us start our adventure on a budget!
After our fun-filled stay at Great Wolf Lodge, we headed to San Diego Carlsbad for the second part of our trip. We booked 4 nights at Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Carlsbad using 46,900 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This was the perfect base for our itinerary, which included 2 days at Legoland and 1 day exploring San Diego.
Total spent was 118,900 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for 7 nights in hotels, 3 days at a water park, and a free breakfast!
This was essentially the Sign-up bonus of a single Chase Ink credit card with referral bonus!
Arrival and First Impressions
We arrived at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim, greeted by the lively atmosphere of families enjoying the water park. The journey itself was smooth, and we couldn’t wait to start exploring. Our first stop was the massive indoor water park, which immediately set the tone for a fun-filled trip.
Highlights of the Trip
1. Great Wolf Lodge Water Park:
The highlight of our stay at Great Wolf Lodge was, of course, the indoor water park. With thrilling slides, a lazy river, and interactive water play areas, there was something for everyone. Even my youngest child, who doesn’t stay entertained as long as the older kids, couldn’t stop splashing and having fun.
2. A Relaxing Day in San Diego:
We took a break from before heading over to the theme park and explored San Diego. We visited Tierrasanta before heading down to Balboa Park. We were just in San Diego in October, so this day was purely to visit family, play at the park and have a relaxing day inbetween our bigger activities.
3. Exploring Legoland California:
Our two days at Legoland were packed with excitement! From riding roller coasters to exploring Miniland USA, the park was a dream for our LEGO-loving family. We loved that our hotel was close to the park so after our long days of excitement, we were able to get to the room to relax in just a few minutes!
Family Bonding Moments
Beyond the sights and activities, this trip was special because of the time we spent together as a family. Whether it was enjoying the lazy river at Great Wolf Lodge, building LEGO creations at Legoland, or sharing laughs over breakfast in Barstow, these little moments brought us closer together. It reminded me how powerful credit card rewards can be in making family memories happen for free!
Tips for Planning Your Own Points-Funded Vacation
If you’re considering a trip like this, here are a few tips to make your journey even more rewarding:
Maximize Your Points: Book hotels that offer free breakfast or additional perks to stretch your rewards further.
Use Travel Credits Wisely: The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s $50 hotel credit helped cover part of our Barstow stay.
Earn While You Spend: Use a credit card that earns bonus points on dining and travel expenses.
Final Thoughts
Our trip to Great Wolf Lodge and Legoland was an incredible adventure made possible by smart credit card rewards planning. From the thrilling water slides to the excitement of Legoland, this vacation showed us how valuable points can be in creating lasting family memories.
Have you used credit card rewards for a family trip? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
