Cheap Trips Using Points - Assateague Island Wild Ponies Visit!

 

What to do for spring break?

Spring break was coming, and we had no plans. The weather forecast in Western New York State was warmer, as in 50 something degree temps, but with high odds for rain most days. Where could I go, along with my one remaining school-age son, that was within a day’s drive, but with better weather?

A horse-crazy kid's childhood dream

As a horse-crazy child, I always dreamed of visiting Assateague and Chincoteague Islands in Maryland and Virginia after reading the series Misty of Chincoteague, by Marguerite Henry. The stories are about the wild ponies that live on Assateague Island. Every year the ponies are rounded up, swam across the channel to Chincoteague Island, checked over, and the youngest horses are sold at auction to keep the herd from over-populating the island. After the auction, the remaining wild horses are returned to Assateague Island for another year.

How to travel without spending a lot? 

My Almost-Free Vacation Plan

My Almost-Free Vacation Plan Using Credit Card Points

It's winter here in the northeast. Winter means snow, cold, and wind.  Sometimes it's just rain, cold and mud.  After a few weeks, I just want to be in warm, sunny weather.  In a few more weeks, my family will be heading to sunny, warm, wonderful, southern Florida.

  A family on a budget traveling?? YES, for around $500.  And LOTS of traveling with points.

Fort Myers Beach, Florida

(Note: This article contains affiliate links.)

Was the process to get all these points easy?  Not at all. I put almost all of my expenses on a credit card to earn points. But the almost free travel will be totally worth all my effort. 

Here's the breakdown of the big three expenses of our travel: