London had always been a dream trip for me. I was born there while my father was serving overseas in the United States Air Force, but we left when I was still an infant. I never came home with an accent, but I did come home with a lifelong curiosity about the city where my story started.
My mom was only 21 years old when I was born, and I was child number three in a family of seven kids. The first three of us were all born in different countries while my father served overseas. Growing up in a large family shaped how I think about travel and memories even today.
Many of my formative childhood experiences occurred during family road trips, such as our journey from Cape Cod to Portland, Oregon in a station wagon carrying seven children. Because we were all close in age, we learned early that when we moved, which was often, family was the real glue. No matter where we went, we could always take our best friends with us.
Upon reflection, those experiences have influenced my perspective on travel. I now recognize that travel is not solely defined by the destinations visited; rather, it encompasses time spent together, shared experiences, stories, and enduring moments that continue to resonate well beyond the conclusion of the trip.
For years, London was one of those "someday" trips we talked about taking. Like many travelers, we assumed a longer Europe trip with quality hotels, train travel between cities, and business class flights home would simply be too expensive to justify. But over time, we learned something important about points and miles: the real value is not always found in one giant redemption. Sometimes the best trips happen when several smaller strategies work together.
For our 48th anniversary trip, we combined hotel free night certificates, recurring card benefits, transfer points, and elite status earned through credit cards to build a meaningful European journey through London, Bruges, and Paris. The result was a trip filled with unforgettable moments, upgraded hotel suites, beautiful markets, memorable cafés, incredible food, and experiences we still talk about today.
Starting in London
Our trip began in London, a city I had always wanted to experience properly. We flew to London using American Airlines miles, which helped reduce the cost of the trip significantly right from the start. Instead of rushing through London in two days, we intentionally planned enough time to slow down and enjoy the atmosphere of the city.
One of the smartest decisions we made was using the InterContinental Park Lane in London as our base. This stay perfectly demonstrated why long-term hotel card strategy can matter so much more than chasing random sign-up bonuses without a plan.
Because of the fourth night-free benefit that comes with the IHG Business card, we were able to stretch our stay much further than paying cash for every night. That benefit alone can dramatically change the economics of a longer city stay in Europe.
The hotel itself was wonderful, but what made the experience even more memorable was receiving an upgrade through status earned from our credit cards. Those kinds of upgrades are often overlooked by newer travelers focused only on points balances, but they can completely change how a trip feels. Having extra space in expensive cities like London, Bruges, or Paris creates a level of comfort that makes a long trip much more enjoyable.
London also gave us the chance to experience one of our favorite parts of European travel: markets, neighborhoods, and local food culture. While many travel guides focus heavily on landmarks, some of our favorite memories came from wandering through places like Camden Market and simply taking in the atmosphere. We have discovered over the years that local markets often tell us more about a destination than its most famous landmarks. Markets, cafés, neighborhood parks, and local gathering places are usually among our first stops when exploring a new city.
Camden Market especially stood out because it felt energetic, creative, and completely different from the polished tourist sections many visitors never leave. Food stalls, music, art, people from everywhere, and a little bit of organized chaos all blended into one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. Even if you are not a huge Amy Winehouse fan, Camden Market is worth the visit. The area combines food vendors, shopping, music history, and creative energy that makes it feel different from other London neighborhoods.
And yes, I even got to "hang out" with Amy Winehouse while we were there.
That photo with the Amy Winehouse statue became one of our favorite pictures from the entire trip because it perfectly captured the spirit of the experience. It was not about luxury. It was about being present, exploring, laughing, and creating memories together.
London Highlights
What stood out most throughout the trip was how often our favorite moments happened away from the major attractions. Whether we were wandering through Camden Market, exploring Greenwich, relaxing in Hyde Park, or later browsing artist stalls in Montmartre, we found ourselves drawn to the neighborhoods, parks, markets, and local gathering places that gave each city its own personality.
While we absolutely visited many of the customary attractions people dream about seeing in Europe, some of the places that stayed with me long after the trip ended were Versailles and its amazing gardens, Hyde Park, Montmartre, and Greenwich.
Walking through those areas, sitting at local cafés, exploring markets, watching people go about their day, and taking in the history and architecture became some of the most meaningful parts of the trip. Greenwich was particularly memorable because it combined London's history, culture, and local atmosphere in a way that felt very different from the city's more heavily visited tourist areas. Hyde Park in particular surprised us with its beautiful gardens, lakes, walking paths, and peaceful atmosphere right in the middle of one of the world's largest cities.
One particularly meaningful stop for my wife was visiting the Princess Diana Memorial in Hyde Park. She had always wanted to see it in person, and spending time there together became one of those quieter travel moments that stay with you long after the trip ends.
Sometimes the most memorable travel experiences are not the biggest attractions or the most famous landmarks. Sometimes they are the moments connected to a personal dream, a lifelong interest, or a bucket-list item that has been waiting years to be experienced. Standing along the Princess Diana Memorial Walk and reflecting on her legacy became one of those moments for us.
The gardens, the atmosphere of the park, and simply slowing down enough to appreciate the experience together captured exactly what this trip was about for us.
Markets We Loved Along the Way
Bruges: One of Europe's Most Charming Surprises
After London, we boarded the Eurostar and continued to Bruges, Belgium. Traveling between European cities by train added an entirely different dimension to the trip. Instead of losing entire days dealing with airports, security, and baggage lines, we were able to enjoy the journey itself.
Bruges turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire anniversary trip.
Many travelers immediately think of Paris, Rome, or London when planning Europe vacations, but Bruges felt like stepping into another world. The canals, historic buildings, quiet streets, and relaxed pace created a completely different atmosphere from the larger cities.
Discovering Bruges
Our hotel strategy here became another example of how player-two planning can create enormous value.
My wife and I each carried an IHG personal credit card, which meant we each had annual free night certificates available. By combining those certificates strategically, we were able to stay at the Crowne Plaza Bruges without paying the full cash cost of the stay.
Even better, we received a suite upgrade through our hotel status benefits.
That suite upgrade added an emotional layer to the experience that is difficult to quantify with points valuations or spreadsheets. Sitting together in Bruges after walking through the canals all day, relaxing in an upgraded room, and realizing how these strategies helped make the trip create one of those moments where travel feels deeply rewarding.
This was also where we fully embraced one of our favorite travel habits: slowing down and enjoying cafés, local restaurants, and small moments instead of trying to check boxes off a giant sightseeing list.
Markets, Cafés & Local Flavor
While many travelers focus on landmarks and attractions, some of our favorite memories happened in markets, cafés, and neighborhood gathering places.
Borough Market and Camden Market in London, local cafés in Bruges, and outdoor dining in Paris gave us opportunities to slow down and experience each destination beyond the major tourist sites.
Those moments rarely make the front page of travel brochures, yet they are often the memories that stay with us the longest. Wandering through market stalls, enjoying a morning coffee and pastry, discovering local beer culture in Bruges, or simply watching daily life unfold from a café table helped us connect with each destination in a way that sightseeing alone never could.
Upon reflection, routine experiences emerged as memorable and significant events.
Paris and a Magical Anniversary Evening
Our final major stop was Paris, a city that somehow still manages to feel magical even when you think you know what to expect.
For Paris, we stayed five nights at Hotel Indigo Paris. Once again, thoughtful planning made an enormous difference in affordability. We combined the IHG fourth night free benefit with a free night certificate earned from my IHG Business card.
This is exactly why we often tell travelers that the right long-term card strategy can create far more value than constantly chasing the newest offers without understanding how the benefits work together.
Once again, status earned through our credit cards helped elevate the experience with another suite upgrade.
Paris Highlights
Paris gave us some of our favorite memories of the trip. We explored the Louvre, wandered through neighborhoods and cafés, enjoyed pastries and markets, and simply experienced the rhythm of the city. We spent time exploring Montmartre, browsing local artist displays, and enjoying the neighborhood atmosphere that makes Paris feel uniquely Paris. One of our favorite purchases from the trip was artwork we found while exploring the area.
One of the funniest moments from the trip came when I realized I had managed to "meet" both Amy and Mona on the same vacation — Amy Winehouse in London and the Mona Lisa in Paris.
We also discovered that some of our favorite places in Paris were not necessarily the ones we expected beforehand. The reconstruction work at Notre Dame was still ongoing during our visit, and Palais Garnier was also under renovation, which immediately gave us a reason to want to return someday.
Even so, the area around Île de la Cité became one of our favorite parts of Paris, along with Montmartre and the Latin Quarter. Those neighborhoods captured the atmosphere we love most about Europe — history, architecture, cafés, markets, and the feeling that every street has its own story.
But the emotional centerpiece of the trip came on June 7th, our 48th anniversary. We intentionally saved the Eiffel Tower for that morning so our first major experience of the day would be one of Paris' most iconic landmarks.
That day, we started with a visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower and ended by taking a sunset Seine River cruise through Paris. Watching the city slowly light up as evening settled over the river created one of those travel memories that stay with you forever.
The lights of Paris really did feel magical.
It was one of those moments where all the planning, points strategies, hotel benefits, and travel coordination faded into the background. What remained was simply gratitude — gratitude for the experience, for the memories, and for having the opportunity to celebrate such an important milestone together in one of the world's most beautiful cities.
The Real Lesson from the Trip
One of the biggest misconceptions many travelers have about points and miles is that successful travel strategy is only about finding one unbelievable redemption.
Our anniversary trip came together through multiple smaller decisions that worked together over time:
- Using hotel cards that matched our actual travel habits
- Keeping cards long enough to benefit from recurring annual certificates
- Leveraging player-two strategy as a couple
- Using transfer partners strategically
- Taking advantage of built-in hotel status benefits
- Combining points, certificates, and benefits instead of relying on one program
The trip also reinforced something we strongly believe about travel in general: meaningful travel does not have to mean over-the-top luxury.
Some of our favorite moments were incredibly simple:
- Walking through Camden Market
- Sitting at cafés in Bruges
- Exploring Paris at night
- Riding trains between cities
- Finding local food spots
- Slowing down enough to enjoy the atmosphere
Points and miles did not create the memories themselves. They simply helped make those experiences more attainable.
That is one of the biggest reasons we enjoy helping other travelers build smarter strategies around their own goals. Every traveler values something different. Some prioritize family vacations. Others care most about business class flights, hotels, national parks, or bucket-list destinations.
For us, this trip became a reminder that travel is about experiences, memories, and meaningful moments together.
And for me personally, finally returning to London after dreaming about it for most of my life made the trip even more special.
Looking back through the photos now, it is amazing how quickly travel moments become lifelong memories. From London markets and Bruges canals to the lights of Paris on our anniversary evening, this trip reminded us why thoughtful planning matters.
Not because it guarantees perfection.
But because it helps create space for unforgettable experiences to happen.
Planning your own milestone trip? A smarter points and miles strategy starts with understanding the type of travel that matters most to you. Astute Travel Advisors helps travelers think through cards, points, hotels, timing, and trip goals before they start booking.