May 18, 2026
Dreams Come True at LEGOLAND with Points and Miles
Pam
Points and miles have often made my dreams come true. Business-class flights, luxury hotels, and beach vacations whenever I want are things I never thought would be possible. But in addition to that, points and miles can also make a five-year-old’s dreams come true, and luckily, I got to tag along.
My youngest grandchild, Noah, is obsessed with LEGO, and his dream trip is LEGOLAND. Alex and I decided to use points and miles to make that dream come true. (Be sure to watch the reel today on Instagram where he learns about this trip and tries hard not to cry—priceless)!
Flights
Alex flew on Southwest® Airlines to San Diego and back on Alaska Airlines (using her Capital One Venture X Card travel credit). I flew Southwest® there (surprise! using my A-list preferred status match). I flew United home because I have Gold status with United, which gets me an economy plus seat.
Hotel
We stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club MarBrisa Carlsbad, which adjoins LEGOLAND. Both my husband and I have the card_name, and that card comes with up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually for eligible purchases made directly with participating Hilton Resorts. This hotel participates in the program allowing statement credits, so I booked two nights separately for our stay and paid each night with that card. The hotel cost a little over $500, so my $400 credits made the stay very affordable.
Enrollment is required for select benefits. Terms apply.
I brought my three card_name cards that also have statement credits per calendar year (up to $50 per quarter) for eligible purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton. I used those to pay for the rest of the stay and parking.
Enrollment is required for select benefits. Terms apply.
Thoughts on the Hotel
We really thought this hotel was the perfect stay for a LEGOLAND visit. We walked a short way to our private entrance to the park each day, which was a definite bonus.
The room was large with a sofabed, a large kitchen area, and even a washer. Having a full kitchen really saved money on breakfasts and snacks.
The hotel has a huge pool area with several hot tubs, a fitness center, a children’s playground, outdoor games (ping-pong, cornhole, pool table), outdoor barbecue grills, and fire pits for making s’mores. What else would a family want on this type of stay?
It is centrally located to many restaurants, so you have a ton of options. Besides eating at LEGOLAND (expensive but not bad food), we ate at:
- Windmill Food Hall – so many choices, as it is like a huge food court. We love the birria tacos there.
- Mendocino Farm – This place is great, and we used my monthly food credit from my Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card here.
- Cheesecake Factory – had a gift certificate there!
We played cards before the park opened.
Other Savings
Alex booked our rental car through Capital One using part of her $300 annual travel credit from her Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. We also used my Chase Sapphire Reserve® to get the three of us into the San Diego Chase Sapphire Lounge, where we ordered fresh food via the table’s QR code and selected from the buffet options. No need to purchase dinner before our flights!
Thoughts on LEGOLAND
LEGOLAND was never on my wish list, but I was pleasantly surprised. The rides were good, the lines were short, and Noah kept saying, “Best Day Evah!” What more could a grandma want than seeing her youngest grandchild having the time of his life? He hopped, skipped, and jumped his way through the park with a huge smile on his face and not a single lapse in energy for 6 1/2 hours. Our favorite rides were:
- Galacticoaster – #1 by far!
- Dragon Coaster
- Emmett’s Flying Adventure
- LEGO Ninjago Ride
Bottom Line
LEGOLAND on points and miles ended up being a massive success. Not just for Noah, but for Alex and me too! Other than tickets to the park and some food, points and miles covered virtually everything. If LEGOLAND is your child’s favorite dream, points and miles can make it happen!
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. American Express is a Travel Mom Squad advertiser, but we always show the best public offer even when we don’t earn a commission. Terms Apply.
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