How Many FREE Walking Tours Are In New York City?

Brooklyn is the second most diverse area in the United States, right after Queens. That’s one of the things I learned on a free walking tour of Brooklyn, and it’s why I’m hooked on these tours.

How “Free” Walking Tours Work 💵

You can find walking tours in most big cities around the world. Some of the most popular companies are Yellow Umbrella, GuruWalk, and FreeTour. You can also find paid tours on Viator and Get Your Guide. 

Here’s the catch: they aren’t really free. They’re donation-based, and the expected tip is $10–$20 per person. You still get a local guide and a few hours of stories for less than a museum ticket.

New York City alone has 31 free walking tours, including:

• Greenwich Village History Tour
• Discover the Hidden Secrets of Wall Street
• Discover the Soul of SoHo

On my last visit, I tried two of them, and both were fantastic.

Tour #1: Explore Brooklyn — Bridge, Heights & DUMBO 🌉

City Hall Park. The tour begins at the fountain with the history of the buildings and public art around the park. My favorite story was about the model who posed for many of the statues on top of nearby buildings. I won’t spoil it for you. 😉

Brooklyn Bridge. The views from the walk across are spectacular. Our guide stopped several times to explain how the bridge was engineered and built, and how it changed the communities on both sides of the river.

DUMBO. The tour wraps up winding through DUMBO, with stops near Jane’s Carousel and Pebble Beach. It was a fascinating look at how this neighborhood has changed over time.

Tour #2: Harlem Renaissance & Heritage 🎷

The public library. The tour starts here, where the guide tells the story behind the giant mural across the street on the wall of the hospital.

Through the neighborhood. From there, you pass an urban farm and a live music club. Our guide also pointed out a speakeasy that still operates on one of the side streets. 🤫

The Apollo Theater. The tour ends here, and it’s a fitting final stop. 🎤

Add a Walking Tour to Your NYC List 📝

Both tours gave me a new appreciation for neighborhoods I thought I knew. I already have my eye on a few more for next time. Whether you live in New York or you’re just visiting, a walking tour is one of the best-value ways to spend a few hours in the city.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

New Southwest Card Offers Up to 90,000 Points: Your Last Shot at a Companion Pass ✈️

One credit card bonus can now get you most of the way to a Southwest Companion Pass, but only until December 2. After that, card bonuses stop counting toward the pass for good.

The New Offers 💳

All three Southwest personal cards have elevated welcome bonuses right now:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Card: 90,000 points after $3,000 in spending in 3 months
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Card: 85,000 points after $2,000 in spending in 3 months
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Card: 80,000 points after $1,000 in spending in 3 months

Each of these gets you most of the way to the 135,000 points you need for the Companion Pass.

I don’t have referral links for these new offers. I always want to point you to the best deal, though, so I’m sending you over to my friends at The Points Guy.

The Fine Print: Apply by December 2 📅

• You must be approved by December 2, 2026.
• Your bonus still counts even if you finish the minimum spend in early 2027.
• The pass is valid through December 31, 2027. You get one year instead of the usual two, but if you’re planning trips for next year, it can still save you a lot.
• The two-card strategy still works. Pair one Southwest business card with one personal card, and apply for both by December 2.

Why the Companion Pass Is Worth It 🙌

The Companion Pass gives you buy-one-get-one flights anywhere Southwest flies. Your companion flies with you for just taxes and fees.

• Pick anyone to be your companion, like a spouse, a friend, or a family member
• Change your companion up to three times per calendar year

I’ve held the Companion Pass for the past 10 years. I’ve used it for college visits, family vacations, family events, and much more, and it has saved me thousands of dollars. 💰

Don’t Wait ⏳

These offers end December 2, and there’s no extension coming. Card bonuses won’t count toward the pass after that. If a Companion Pass would help with your 2027 travel plans, now is the time to apply.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

How a College Student Flew to Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day on 13,000 Points ☘️

If you’re studying in Europe this spring, you already know: St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin is the trip everyone wants. That means flight prices climb fast.

Last week, a college student studying in Spain called me for help. She’d been looking at fares around $550 round trip, which is a lot on a student budget. 😬

What We Found 🔍

We searched award availability on seats.aero and found Aer Lingus seats for:

• 6,500 Avios + $27 in taxes each way
• Only four seats left at that price, so we moved fast

How She Booked It ✈️

She had just earned 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points from a limited-time Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus. That offer has ended, but even the standard bonus covers this trip several times over.

1. Created an Aer Lingus AerClub account
2. Linked it to her Chase account
3. Transferred 13,000 Ultimate Rewards points to Avios
4. Booked her round-trip flights 🎉

Total cost: 13,000 points and about $54. That leaves her with 87,000 points for more weekend trips this semester.

Why Flexible Points Win 💳

This is why I love flexible points. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Bilt, and Citi all let you transfer to airline partners. You aren’t locked into one airline, so you can book whichever one has the best deal.

Come March, she’ll be in Dublin with her friends, and she paid about the price of a pint for her flights. 🍀

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Earn 80,000 American Airlines Miles and Fly to Europe for Under $6 ✈️

Madrid for 21,500 miles and $5.60. American Airlines has been posting great award prices to Europe lately, and the card that can get you there has one of its best bonus offers right now. It won’t last, so read on if you’ve been dreaming about a trip.

The Offer 💳

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is offering:

• 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,500 in the first 4 months
• $0 annual fee the first year, then $99
• Ends soon

Apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Card here

Where 80,000 Miles Can Take You 🌍

International (one way)

•  New York (JFK) to Madrid: 21,500 miles + $5.60
•  Denver to Paris: 21,500 miles + $5.60
•  Los Angeles to Japan: 35,000 miles + $5.60

Domestic (one way)

• 🤠 Los Angeles to Dallas: 9,500 miles + $5.60
• 🌴 New York (JFK) to Miami: 9,500 miles + $5.60

That’s enough for a round trip to Europe with miles to spare, or up to eight domestic flights.

Before You Apply

You won’t get the bonus if you’ve earned a bonus on this card in the past 48 months, or if you converted another Citi card into this one after earning a bonus on it within that window. Check your history first. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

4 Nights in Cancun for About $300 in Lodging: Here's How It Played Out 🌴

I just got back from a destination wedding in Cancun, and it was fantastic! When I booked, I wrote a post breaking down how I used points to cover the trip. Paying cash would have run about $500 per night at the wedding hotel (3-night minimum) plus $350 per night at a second hotel, for a total of over $2,000. Instead, I paid $300 for three of us to stay two nights at the wedding hotel, and nothing for the other two nights at the IHG Presidente Cancun in the Zona Hotelera. 🎉

So what was it really like, and did I end up paying for anything else? Here's the full rundown.

✈️ Getting there

We live in San Diego, so we walk across the Cross Border Express and fly domestically out of Tijuana. That lowers the cost and cuts the travel time. You can read about the Cross Border Express here. We took a direct flight, parked in the CBX lot, and paid the fee. Easy!

🚗 Getting around

On my last Cancun wedding trip, I learned that taxis are expensive. Uber and Lyft aren't available, and taxis are regulated by zone, so nearly every ride cost us about $60.

This time I rented a car. Budget quoted me $38 for 4 days. Honestly, I expected a tiny car or a bicycle. 😄 They honored the rate, though the counter upsell was serious:

• Liability insurance: Credit card coverage isn't honored in Mexico, so I bought it.
• SUV upgrade: The rep recommended one because of the recent rains.

Our total came to $192.50 for 4 people. Not bad!

🏨 Hotel #1: IHG Presidente Cancun (2 nights)

This hotel is beautiful. It sits in the Zona Hotelera, beachside from downtown Cancun, within walking distance of the tourist area near Señor Frogs. A few local Mexican restaurants are nearby too.

• Free parking, which is a big plus with a rental car
• Garden room on the first floor, since we booked with points and the $250 Chase hotel credit
• No breakfast included
• A basic room with two beds and a nice bathroom, toiletries included

The pool and beach were the highlight. Just gorgeous. 🏊

🥂 Hotel #2: TRS Coral, a Wyndham all-inclusive resort (2 nights)

After two nights, we moved to TRS Coral. The room cost 30,000 points per night, with no extra charge for our third person. Valet parking was free, and they handed us champagne at check-in. 🍾 Don't miss the chocolate tasting station in the bar area!

Early check-in perk: You can eat, swim, and drink before your room is ready at 3 p.m. They give you a bracelet that opens your door, gets you into the restaurants, and unlocks pretty much the whole resort.

The resort is huge:

• Two hotels (one family, one adults only) plus a timeshare-style section
• Six pools, a beach area, a gym, a spa, bars, and clubs
• 10 restaurants, including two buffets
• Boats and golf carts to get around, plus a butler in every building
• A wedding venue, with three weddings happening the weekend we were there

What I'd tell you before you go:

• The app: The resort recommends it for booking activities and dining, but I found it hard to use and inconsistent. We tried to find a morning yoga class and spent a while searching. What we found turned out to be a 30-minute stretch session.
• Specialty restaurants: They book up fast, so reserve early. We skipped them and stuck with the buffet.
• Food: The pizzas at the pool bar were fantastic. The rest was mediocre, but the buffet is expansive, and the made-to-order omelets at breakfast and the ceviche bar at dinner were delicious. 😋
• Rooms: Huge, with balconies, sofas, a coffee station, and a soaking tub. Upgrade (or get upgraded) and you can have a private pool attached to your balcony. Swanky!
• What's included: Food, drinks, and all activities except motorized sports and the spa

💡 Is it worth it?

Yes. This is a beautiful resort and a great place to relax, and at 30,000 points per night, it's a strong use of Wyndham points. Bilt, Capital One, Chase all transfer 1:1 to Wyndham. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Grab the Southwest Companion Pass Before the Door Closes ✈️

 

Southwest just made its best perk a lot harder to earn. Starting January 1, 2027, credit card welcome bonuses will no longer count toward the Companion Pass. If you’ve been on the fence, the next few weeks are your last window to use the credit card shortcut.

Why the Companion Pass Is Worth Chasing

The Southwest Companion Pass is basically buy-one-get-one airfare. Your companion flies with you for just taxes and fees, on as many flights as you want.

• Unlimited companion flights while the pass is valid
• Change your companion up to three times per calendar year

I just put this to work. My husband flew across the country as my companion. When I got home, I switched my companion to a friend and added her to my upcoming flights to New Orleans. 🎉The past 10 years, I've used the pass to take family members on college trips, family events and just plain fun vacations to places like Cuba. 

What’s Changing in 2027

Here’s what the new rules look like:

• Welcome bonuses won’t count. Credit card sign-up bonuses, referral bonuses, anniversary points, and bonus-category points will no longer count toward the pass.
• What still counts: flights and everyday spending on Southwest credit cards, which will earn 1 Tier Qualifying Point (TQP) per dollar.
• The full pass will require Platinum status: 100 qualifying flights or 140,000 TQPs. That’s roughly $140,000 in credit card spending. Yikes. 😬
• A smaller option: 75 flights or 95,000 TQPs gets you three Companion Pass trips, not unlimited. That’s still a big ask for most families.

Bottom line: if you want the Companion Pass, now is the time.

My Game Plan for Earning It Now

1. Apply for the Southwest Premier Business Credit Card FIRST,

• Bonus: 80,000 points after $3,000 in spending within 3 months
• Annual fee: $149
• Offer ends November 2. Don’t wait until the last day. Chase is known for pulling offers early.
• Your business income: side income like freelance work, consulting, or a small online shop can qualify you for a business card. You can include your salary too.

2. Then, before December 2, apply for a personal Southwest credit card.

• Any personal Southwest card works, so the $99 Plus card is an easy pick
• Minimum spend: $1,000

Hit the December 2 deadline. You must be approved on or before December 2, 2026 for the welcome bonuses to count. The good news is that they still count if you finish the minimum spend in early 2027.

Let’s Do the Math 🧮

• Bonuses: 80,000 + 50,000 = 130,000 points
• Minimum spend: about 4,000 points
• Total: about 134,000 points

You need 135,000 qualifying points to earn the pass. That means you’ll need to charge roughly another $1,000 to either card to get over the line.

Once you earn it, your Companion Pass is valid through December 31, 2027. That’s a full year of BOGO flights.

Talk to Me Before You Apply

Please reach out before you hit “apply.” We need to confirm two things:

• You qualify under Chase’s 5/24 rule and the 3/24 rule
• Your timing works, because the deadlines here are tight and there’s no do-over

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Southwest Just Changed the Companion Pass: Here's What to Do Before December 2 ✈️

Southwest Just Changed the Companion Pass: Here's What to Do Before December 2 ✈️

Southwest announced big changes to the Companion Pass today. It's been one of the best perks in travel: a buy-one-get-one airline pass that can last up to two years. 😮

The old strategy is ending. You could open two Southwest credit cards and use their welcome bonuses to qualify for the Companion Pass. Starting January 1, 2027, those bonuses won't count. If you were thinking about going for the pass using this hack, get approved by December 2, 2026. Southwest says welcome bonuses from cards approved by then can still count, even if you hit the spending requirement in early 2027.

❌ What stops counting toward the Companion Pass in 2027

• Credit card welcome bonuses
• Referral bonuses
• Anniversary points
• Bonus points from spending categories
• Hotel and rental car partner points

Already have a Companion Pass valid through December 2027? It's still valid, and you can use it just like before. ✅

🆕 How you'll earn it in 2027

The Companion Pass is now tied to a new Platinum status. Southwest is still releasing details, and we're still sorting through them, but here's what we know now:

• Platinum: 140,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year
• Cardholder boost: Southwest credit cardholders get a 10,000-TQP boost when they reach 130,000 TQPs
• New milestone reward: Three Companion Pass trips after earning 95,000 TQPs or flying 75 qualifying one-way flights. Details are still coming on this one.
• Platinum perk: An unlimited Companion Pass

New status tiers: A-List becomes Silver, A-List Preferred becomes Gold, and Platinum sits at the top.

Credit card spending now counts. Every Southwest Rapid Rewards card, including the $99 card, will earn 1 TQP per $1 spent, so you can spend your way to status. That works out to roughly $130,000 in spending with the boost. We'll keep researching faster ways to get there.

🎉 The good news

• November 2026: Redeem points on rental cars
• Spring 2027: Redeem points on Icelandair, China Airlines, and Etihad
• Late 2027: Use points to buy extra legroom seats
• By the end of 2027: The first Southwest Icon Airport lounges open
• Fall 2027: The entire fleet has Starlink WiFi 📶

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities.