I like to track our expenses for various trips, be they the expensive (and longer kind), or the quick & less expensive. The Greece summary will be quite the splurge, but as with everything, tracking helps you know what you spent & ensure your spending matches your priorities.
M's birthday is coming up, but is sandwiched between a work trip (me) & my friends trip to Greece. I still wanted to celebrate him, but he wanted to keep it local. We decided on a very fancy hotel about 90 minutes away in Carmel.
Hotel cost:
- Free, with Hyatt points earned through our Hyatt credit card. This is a pricey hotel ($1237 without taxes, activity fees, etc), but we paid $0. Even the activity fees are waived when paying with points. We were also upgraded to a larger suite with an outdoor bath tub that was fabulous.
Transportation:
- We wanted to get to Point Lobos for hiking by 8, which the internet said would give us a good shot at parking inside the park. Unfortunately, we left about 15 minutes late, which meant parking along the road. On the plus side, that meant no parking fee inside Point Lobos, saving $10.
- We drove our electric car & charged at the hotel. Honestly, the charging fee was pretty outlandish, at $21.90. We should have paid more attention, as M can definitely charge for less at his work. Anyway, lesson learned & still cheaper than gas. - $21.90
Activities:
- We hiked at Point Lobos in Carmel ahead of checking in at the hotel, and the views were incredible. Neither of us had ever been there before, and really enjoyed it. (Photo below.) Cost = $0
- We also took advantage of a free spin class offered through the hotel on Sunday morning. Always nice to try a new free workout. Cost = $0
Food:
- Because I'm a Hyatt Globalist, we get all food charges before 11 am for free. This included a latte for me + an Americano & GF muffin for M. We also had a fantastic breakfast buffet after our spin class.
- Our room came with two free drinks, which we enjoyed by the pool during lunch. (Free drinks also thanks to Hyatt status.) There was a big snafu of the pool service, because the hotel was clearly overrun by an impromptu pool party happening after a wedding. They comped us two more drinks, which we told them was unnecessary, because they were working extremely hard to serve everyone. They insisted. We did have a hummus plate, which was $29.75.
- Lunch by the pool - $123.31
- Dinner in Carmel - $197.70. I thought this place was just pretty good, but I wouldn't go back for the price.
Total cost for the mini birthday trip = $372.26
Do you have any local(ish) trips you are considering?

You did well. Dinner a bunch prices aside ( that hummus after price had me read again) , you sure knew how-to maximize your points. You earned those points through hectic and long travel for work so deserve to enjoy the rewards.
ReplyDeleteHa, yes. This place was really pricey! We would never go there & pay full price - points it is! - HP
DeleteAn outdoor tub sounds amazing! I will be going to the beach later this month but its not exactly local. A four hour trip, and its the furthest I have ever been from home all by myself. I'm swallowing down the nerves as I type!
ReplyDeleteYou've got this, Gina! I hope it's a fabulous & relaxing trip for you. - HP
DeleteWe have been to Carmel numerous times by RV, and Point Lobos is always a 'must do' on our list of Carmel walks. As you've said - so, so gorgeous. We particularly enjoy the Whale Museum. And yes, it is a very large State Park to walk, even if fabulous!
ReplyDeleteShould you return - you owe it to yourselves to drop by Scratch Bakery for breakfast. House made everything, most particularly the biscuits, sausage and gravy. Featured on Drive Ins, Diners & Dives at one point.
Now that we've sold our RV, we don't generally overnight nearby any longer. We do still much enjoy day trips however, generally focused on walking or biking lots of miles, then noshing somewhere memorable.
Carlsbad is a favorite for that reason. Great scenic walks or bike rides, and an unending array of places to nosh. Most recently we visited Shorehouse Kitchen, and it literally blew our taste buds away.
I haven't been to Carlsbad in forever! I'm adding Scratch Bakery to the list - Carmel is definitely drivable for a day trip for us as well. We tend to also add in Napa for close overnights. We have a lot of great options. Half Moon Bay is also close, but tends to get really chilly. - HP
DeleteHappy early birthday wishes to M!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place to celebrate and great job using the points and rewards.
It was really fun & nice to have the day away, and still have a bit of the weekend on Sunday to get ready for the chaos ahead. - HP
DeleteWow, great savings on the birthday trip. The only local trip we have planned for is Harvey's family reunion the second week of July. Costly for the cabin, but the rest is not. We bring our own food for Thursday supper, Friday breakfast and lunch. Friday evening is the BBQ and people bring things, the meat, buns, and cheese will be reimbursed to us. Saturday morning we supply our own food for lunch and breakfast. The Saturday supper is catered and paid for by the money raised through the yearly Silent Auction. Sunday breakfast is at one of his sister's and is usually leftovers from the meal on Saturday, and perhaps some eggs and sausages (toast).
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
The family reunion sounds great, Jackie! Hope it's a wonderful time together. - HP
DeleteI keep hearing about ticks, so I am not encouraged to go out and explore the bush these days in Toronto or surrounding areas, yuck. But this looks beautifl and I am so glad you got to enjoy his birthday together.
ReplyDeleteOooh, yeah. Ticks are not for me.
DeleteWe did enjoy our time together - it was so relaxing & lovely. - HP
Wow, what a beautiful view! That sounds like a spectacular trip!!! I tend to go to Lake Lurleen (couple of hours from me) and swim in the summer. It was closed last year for renovations but I went last week and it is wonderful! Cost is gas plus $2 admission if you are over 62. Anne in the Kitchen knows exactly where Lake Lurleen is located. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteIt was such a lovely time. Just looked up Lake Lurleen & it looks gorgeous! Hope you get to enjoy it this summer. - HP
DeleteMy Globalist spidey senses tell me that you were at Carmel Highlands? Excellent use of points and Globalist perks! Sounds like a great getaway. We were there last fall but sadly Point Lobos was closed.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct! We have used points there are and at Alila Napa, which is also close by for us. We also love that place & it's equally pricey. I was trying to keep the alcohol limited to very minimal, so CVR it was! - HP
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