We Love to Travel
About SMorris Travels
Welcome to the mid-range, no-filter side of travel. We’re Jeremy and Shana, both retired Coast Guard, both in our early 50s, and we take travel seriously without taking ourselves seriously.
We’re well past the backpacker hostel phase. We’re not in the luxury hotel crowd either. The benchmark around here is around $275 a night: comfortable, not excessive. We take a handful of meaningful trips a year, and we work the credit card and points system deliberately- researched, intentional, and with specific outcomes in mind. Business class seats when the redemption makes sense. A hotel upgrade when the program actually delivers.
We write honest accounts of what we found. Including what didn’t work, what was overhyped, and what we’d do differently.
No frills, no filters- just two people telling you exactly what happened. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re in the right place.
Destinations
Maui, Hawaii
Guides from real trips- Road to Hana, Haleakalā, snorkeling, the swap meet, and inter-island logistics. Everything we’d tell a friend planning their first Maui trip.
Breckenridge, Colorado
A historic mountain town at 9,600 feet with world-class skiing, summer hiking, and a Main Street worth the trip in any season. Honest reviews and points redemptions from repeat visits.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Two hundred miles of barrier islands: lighthouses, wild horses, Wright Brothers history, and some of the best fishing on the East Coast.
Camino Portugués Coastal
Guides from eight months of planning- training, packing, route choice, and whether a tour company is worth the money. We walked the Coastal route in early fall 2026 with Shana’s parents and will report back.
Big Island, Hawaii
A week on the Big Island: snorkeling Captain Cook and Two Step, the HGV points math, and getting around.
Oahu, Hawaii
Oahu on points and card benefits: where we stayed in Waikiki, what it cost, and getting there and around.
Latest from the blog
The newest guides. Everything else is grouped by destination on the blog.
- Hale Koa Eligibility: Most Veterans Can Book It
Since 2020 any veteran with a VA service-connected rating can book the Hale Koa on Waikiki. Who qualifies, what it costs by rank, and the $120 luau. - The Camino on Points: Flights, Lodging and Transfers
Points paid for our flights to the Camino Portugués and one hotel night. Cash paid for 26 of 27 beds. Here is what went where, and why that was right. - Flying Blue: Why It’s Becoming Our Transfer Partner for Europe
Why Flying Blue is the transfer partner we use for Europe: every major points currency gets there, and the two catches we price in before we transfer. - How to Calculate Cents Per Point, and When We Ignore It
How to calculate cents per point the way we do: the published price, less any cash the award charges, over the points. Our targets, and when we break them.
New guides a couple times a month.
Real trips, honest reviews, and what things actually cost. No filler.
Questions?
Whether you’re curious about how we travel the way we do, or want to share your own experiences, we’re here to answer any questions.