Cassie sends in her reader success story to Toronto for an anniversary celebration. Here is her story:

 

We recently took a trip on points to Toronto for our ten-year anniversary, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of the Points Talk Squad. You ladies have taught me everything I know about using points. 

 

Turning Points Into Memories: Our Ten-Year Anniversary Trip To Toronto

We weren’t sure if we could pull off a trip this summer. Our baby hadn’t been sleeping well, and leaving all three of our young kids with their grandmas felt like a big ask. But when sleep started to improve and everything aligned, we decided to go for it and celebrate our tenth anniversary with a quick getaway funded by points.

I started listening to the Points Talk Squad podcast toward the end of 2023 after seeing an Instagram post that intrigued me. My husband and I opened our first travel-focused credit cards in early 2024. We each opened the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

We used some of our points in 2024 but saved most of them for our tenth-anniversary trip. Just fifteen days before our anniversary, we finally pulled the trigger. We used PointsYeah.com to find the best value for a nonstop flight from Raleigh and saw that Toronto was an option. As I researched more, Toronto really started to intrigue me because of its cooler summer temps, great food scene, and tons of things to do. Plus, it was only a two-hour flight from Raleigh!

Flight

Our flights were nonstop from Raleigh, NC, to Pearson Airport in Toronto. We booked the flights through Etihad (per the suggestion of PointsYeah.com), using 75,000 Capital One Miles from my husband’s card for round-trip Air Canada flights for both of us.

We flew economy there and business class back, since those were the only nonstop seats available. It was our first time flying business class, and we loved it! Our business-class seats gave us access to two Air Canada lounges in Toronto, which was another first for us and made the trip feel even more special.

Hotel

For our hotel stay, we transferred 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® to Hyatt and stayed three nights at Hotel X Toronto, a luxury property recently added to the Hyatt portfolio. My husband loved that the hotel name had ‘X’ in it, which is the Roman numeral for ten. The pictures looked amazing online, and the experience lived up to our expectations.

I used Pam’s hotel upgrade email template and mentioned our anniversary at check-in. The staff was incredibly kind and upgraded us to a high-floor room (24th floor) with views of downtown Toronto. They also delivered a tray of macarons and a handwritten card. When I mentioned my husband’s nut allergy, they immediately brought us a fruit tray as well. Hospitality like that truly sets a place apart.

 

 

Hotel X has a rooftop pool with skyline views of Toronto, food and drink service, and extended hours (open until 11 p.m.). In summer, you need to reserve a time slot because the pool is smaller and the hotel is large. We didn’t have any trouble booking pool time during our stay. They also have three onsite restaurants, room service, a movie theater, a gym, a golf simulator, and a complimentary Tesla car service that will drop you off within a few miles (return rides not included). It is important to note that the hotel is not in the heart of downtown and requires a five-minute walk to the nearest streetcar stop.

 

 

Getting Around

Toronto was incredibly easy to explore without a car. We relied on three main modes of transportation:

• UP Express Train: This train took us from Pearson Airport to Union Station for $18.20 USD each, one-way. It was clean, quick, and much more affordable than a hotel transfer or Uber.
• Streetcars: A two-hour pass costs $3.30 USD per person. You can get on and off the streetcars as many times as you need to during those two hours, and you are only charged again if more than two hours have passed. They ran frequently and connected us to every area we wanted to visit.
• Bike Share Toronto: For $12.50 USD per person per day, we could take unlimited 90-minute rides. The system was easy to use and made sightseeing fun and flexible. There were bike stations all over the city.

We were surprised by how accessible the city felt. By the end of the first full day, we felt confident navigating everything.

 

Trip Highlights

Some of our top memories:

• Toronto Islands: Just a ten-minute boat ride from the city, this peaceful escape was full of charm, nature, and fun spots to explore. We rented bikes, rode through the tree-lined paths filled with bungalows, and walked on the beach. The center island has a family-friendly amusement park.
• Dinner at Don Alfonso 1890: Our anniversary dinner at this Michelin-starred restaurant was unforgettable. The views were breathtaking (38th floor of the Westin overlooking the lake and islands), and the service was thoughtful and personalized.
• Allan Gardens Conservatory: This indoor botanical garden was a hidden gem. It’s free and absolutely packed with gorgeous tropical plants. Such a peaceful place in the middle of the city.
• Tasting Our Way Through Toronto: We had some incredible food during our stay. Highlights included the Meat Lover sandwich and hash brown from Egg Club, banana pudding at Rosie’s Burgers, and the Monalisa sandwich from Alfie’s. There were so many more places we wanted to try, like the famous pizza at Pizzeria Badiali, but the line was around the block!

Toronto felt like a cleaner, calmer NYC. It was lively but never overwhelming, full of great restaurants, waterfront views, and friendly locals. We saw lots of families too, especially at the Toronto Islands and on public transportation.

 

What We Spent

Thanks to credit card points and smart planning, we had an incredible trip without breaking the bank. The taxes and fees for our flights were $276.76, and we spent $141.28 on transportation (streetcars, UP Express, bike share). We splurged on our anniversary dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but spent only $168.89 on other food and drinks during our 3.5-day trip. We spent around $100 shopping for gifts for our family and other miscellaneous items.

 

 

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a unique and affordable summer trip, we can’t recommend Toronto enough. Whether you’re celebrating something big or just want a few days to relax, the city offers the best of both worlds: vibrant and exciting, but clean, safe, and manageable.

Thanks to Points Talk Squad, we turned our ten-year anniversary into a memory we’ll never forget.