Everything we have published, grouped by where we went rather than when we wrote it: reviews we paid for ourselves, what things actually cost, and what we would do differently.
Breckenridge, Colorado
Guides from repeat trips to a Colorado ski town we keep going back to: restaurant reviews we paid for, a Hilton points redemption, and our first 14er. Start with the Breckenridge guide.
- Is Breckenridge Worth It Without Skiing? (2026)
We booked Breckenridge in peak season and the snow never came. Then we went back after the lifts stopped. What the town is actually worth without skiing. - Breckenridge Grand Vacations Trial Membership: What It Buys
We paid $1,895 for a Breckenridge Grand Vacations trial membership. Here is what each piece of it was worth once we tried to spend it. - Best Happy Hour in Breckenridge: Where We Actually Drank
The best happy hour in Breckenridge is Blue River Bistro, 2 to 5pm, 2 for 1 martinis. Five bars we actually drank at, including the one that came off our bill. - Best Restaurants in Breckenridge: Where We Actually Ate
Seven Breckenridge restaurants across two visits, what we paid at each, and whether we would go back. The $207 dinner is not the one we would repeat. - Radicato Breckenridge Review: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Honest Radicato Breckenridge review- Matt Vawter’s Italian room on the Riverwalk. The bread, the rhubarb mocktail, and the one thing we’d change. - Rootstalk Breckenridge Review: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Honest Rootstalk Breckenridge review- we booked the $207 ten-course chef’s counter by accident. What we ate, what it cost, and whether we’d go back. - Hiking Quandary Peak in April- Our First 14er
Hiking Quandary Peak in April means an empty trailhead, no parking reservation, snow on the summit approach, and a descent nobody warns you about. - The Grotto at Peak 8: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Is The Grotto at Peak 8 worth it? Our honest take on Breckenridge’s adults-only sauna and cold plunge circuit – what it costs and who it’s for. - Robbie’s Tavern Breckenridge: Is It Worth It? (2026)
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Honest Robbie’s Tavern Breckenridge review- the cheesesteak, the empty off-season dining room, and whether the Peak 8 resort bar is worth a stop. - Hotel Alpenrock Breckenridge: Hilton Free Night Cert Review
We used an Amex Aspire free night cert + 95K Hilton points at Alpenrock Breckenridge during peak ski season. Full breakdown and honest verdict. - Blue River Bistro Breckenridge: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Blue River Bistro Breckenridge happy hour: 2-for-1 full-sized martinis and appetizers, 2-5 PM. No reservations – show up before 2:15. - The Crown Breckenridge: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Is The Crown worth a stop? Honest review of Breckenridge’s walk-in breakfast spot — what we ordered, what it cost, and who it’s best for. - aurum Breckenridge: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Honest review of aurum in Breckenridge, CO- what we ordered, the cocktail disaster they handled perfectly, and whether dinner is worth $50/person. - twist Breckenridge: Is It Worth It? (2026)
⚡ BLUF twist is a solid modern American restaurant in downtown Breckenridge- walk-in friendly, ~$50 per person, and … Read more
Camino Portugués Coastal
Guides from eight months of planning a self-guided Camino for four people: training, packing, route choice, and whether a tour company is worth the money. We walked it from Porto to Santiago in early fall 2026. Start with the Camino overview.
- The Camino on Points: Flights, Lodging and Transfers
Points paid for our flights to the Camino Portugués and one hotel night. Cash paid for 26 of 27 beds. Here is what went where, and why that was right. - Packing for a Self-Guided Camino: What You Carry vs. What Gets Transferred
A self-guided Camino Portugués packing list built on our Camino Francés walk. What rides in the 8 kg daypack, what goes in the 20 kg transfer bag. - Camino Francés vs Portugués Coastal: Which Route?
Camino Francés vs Portugués Coastal: which route should you walk? I walked part of one and walk the other in September. An honest, pre-trip comparison. - Walking the Camino As a Multi-Generational Family: Why We Chose the Self-Guided Coastal Route
We’re walking the self-guided Camino Portugués Coastal this fall with Shana’s aging parents. Here’s why Coastal- and how we planned for four paces. - A Self-Guided Camino as a Family of Four
We’re walking the Camino Português Coastal in September as a family of four- Shana and me, and Shana’s parents- and we booked it self-guided through… - Choosing a Self-Guided Camino: Is Camino Ways Worth It?
We sent Camino Ways our final payment for the Camino Portugues Coastal this week, and we have not walked a single stage yet- so this is not a verdict, it… - How to Train for the Camino Portuguese Coastal
Training for the Camino Portugues Coastal isn’t training for the Frances. Our plan for cobblestones, back-to-back days, and an 8kg day pack.
Maui, Hawaii
Guides from real trips: the Road to Hana, a Turtle Town snorkel, Haleakala, the swap meet, and inter-island logistics. Start with the Maui guide.
- How to Spend a Hawaiian Inter-Island Travel Day
⚡ BLUF If your inter-island flight leaves at 2pm or later, Maui’s Central Valley is worth the detour- … Read more - Best Beach Snorkel and Volcano Day on Maui
⚡ BLUF Book Zephyr Adventures for the Turtle Town snorkel- ask for Robbie. Small group, beach entry, and … Read more - How To Plan the Best Relaxation Day in Maui
⚡ BLUF Kilolani Day Spa at Grand Wailea is worth $150/person even if you’re not staying there- book … Read more - Maui Locals’ Favorite- The Best Maui Swap Meet
⚡ BLUF Saturday only, 75 cents cash entry (bring $1 bills- trust us). Worth rearranging your Saturday around … Read more - How To: The Road To Hana
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at … Read more
Big Island, Hawaii
A week on the Big Island: snorkeling Captain Cook and Two Step, the HGV points math, and getting around. Start with the Big Island guide.
- Hawaii Inter-Island Flights With Points: Three Ways We Paid
Hawaii inter-island flights with points: four seats on one 55-minute Southwest hop to Honolulu, paid three ways- 8,000 points, a flight credit, and cash. - Turo vs a Rental Car in Hawaii- What Each One Cost Us
Budget on the Big Island, Turo on Oahu, same trip. What each one cost, and why the card that covered one covered nothing on the other. - Two Step Snorkel and the Captain Cook Market (2026)
Two Step snorkel on the Big Island, plus the Captain Cook market on the way home. What the $5 parking really is, and whether the two hour drive is worth it. - Captain Cook Snorkel and Kona Manta Night Dive (2026)
Captain Cook snorkel and the Kona manta ray night dive, two days apart with SeaQuest. What we paid, why we skipped the night one, and which is worth repeating. - Never Convert HGV Points to Hilton Honors- Here Is the Math
Converting HGV points to Hilton Honors turns a seven-night villa into one night. The real numbers from a week at Kings’ Land on the Big Island.
Oahu, Hawaii
Oahu on points and card benefits: where we stayed in Waikiki, what it cost, and getting there and around. Start with the Oahu guide.
- Hale Koa Eligibility: Most Veterans Can Book It
Since 2020 any veteran with a VA service-connected rating can book the Hale Koa on Waikiki. Who qualifies, what it costs by rank, and the $120 luau. - Grand Islander Waikiki on HGV Club Points- What 8,400 Buys
8,400 HGV club points and an $81 fee put us in a two-bedroom ocean-view suite on Waikiki for four nights, and emptied the account. The real numbers. - Amex The Hotel Collection at Outrigger Reef: Worth It?
Amex The Hotel Collection at Outrigger Reef Waikiki: two Platinum cards, two rooms, a double upgrade, and $432.90 a night all in. What it actually gets you. - Hawaii Inter-Island Flights With Points: Three Ways We PaidHawaii inter-island flights with points: four seats on one 55-minute Southwest hop to Honolulu, paid three ways- 8,000 points, a flight credit, and cash.
- Turo vs a Rental Car in Hawaii- What Each One Cost UsBudget on the Big Island, Turo on Oahu, same trip. What each one cost, and why the card that covered one covered nothing on the other.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
A place we keep going back to: a returning visitor’s guide and restaurant reviews we paid for. Start with the Outer Banks guide.
- Outer Banks, NC: A Returning Visitor’s Guide
An Outer Banks NC travel guide built from two trips in one year- quiet April, crowded July. When to come, where to eat, and how to get there from Norfolk. - The Paper Canoe: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Our honest Paper Canoe OBX review: the Pithivier is the best thing in Duck NC, the Basque cheesecake is not, and yes – the Amex credit works. - Two Roads Tavern: Is It Worth It? (2026)
Two Roads Tavern in Kitty Hawk delivers what OBX tourist traps don’t – proper fried oysters and a great burger at a fair price. Our April 2026 review.
Also on the blog
The one-offs: a Colorado weekend, an award booking walked through end to end, and the post that started all this.
- Flying Blue: Why It’s Becoming Our Transfer Partner for Europe
Why Flying Blue is the transfer partner we use for Europe: every major points currency gets there, and the two catches we price in before we transfer. - How to Calculate Cents Per Point, and When We Ignore ItHow to calculate cents per point the way we do: the published price, less any cash the award charges, over the points. Our targets, and when we break them.
- When NOT to Use Points for Travel- Five Times We Paid Cash
When not to use points for travel, from five of our own bookings: the credits that beat a good redemption, and the numbers behind each call. - How To Book Awards with Lifemiles
⚡ BLUF Open your LifeMiles account and link it to your bank weeks before you plan to transfer- … Read more - Perfect Weekend in Golden, CO
⚡ BLUF Golden is a legitimate 2–3 day Colorado mountain town getaway- walkable downtown, easy hiking access, and … Read more - Welcome to our Blog!
We’re excited about the premiere launch for our SMorris Travels Blog! We’re happy, excited, and honored that you’ve … Read more