We’ve long thought about it — castles, mountains, thermal baths, darling city squares — but it seemed monumental to execute. Finally, we just decided to go for it.
Over 28 days, our homeschooling family of four (two parents, one tween, one teen) went on an unforgettable journey through Central Europe — Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. We visited historic cities, drove through the Tatra Mountains, wandered castles, soaked in thermal baths, and made memories we’ll never forget.
And the best part? We did it all for a manageable budget of under $5,000 out of pocket — flights, lodging, transportation, and activities — thanks to points, flexibility, and a little bit of strategy.
Here’s how we pulled it off.
✈️ Flights: Paid for Mostly with Points
We booked our flights to and from Europe using a mix of Chase Ultimate Rewards and Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
- International flights: KLM via Air France, booked with Chase points
- Domestic positioning flights: Southwest (we flew from our home city to Atlanta on the way out, and returned via Houston)
By using points and being flexible with our departure/return airports, we kept our cash costs low — just the taxes and fees.
Total cost for 4 people: ~$1,350 out of pocket
Points used: ~160,000 (Chase) and Southwest flight credits from a cancelled flight last year!
🏠 Lodging: Hotels + Rentals That Fit a Family
Europe isn’t always set up for families of four in one hotel room, so we mixed it up.
- Hyatt hotels: We used points where we could, booking two rooms when necessary (common in Europe).
- Apartments via Booking.com: When hotels didn’t make sense, we booked apartments with kitchens and laundry.
Staying just outside city centers — usually no more than a 10-minute drive or Uber ride — helped us save money without sacrificing location.
Total out of pocket for 28 nights: ~$1,350
Other tips:
- We prioritized laundry access, which allowed us to pack light (just carry-ons and a personal item).
- Having kitchen space can really help cut down on food costs too, but we prefer eating local cuisine.
🚗 Getting Around: Rental Car + Walking + Uber
Public transport is great in Central Europe, but we wanted the flexibility of a car to be able to go off the beaten path. We rented a mid-size SUV from Odkryj Auto for 26 days, covering six countries. We used the rental insurance from our Chase Sapphire Reserve to avoid paying extra.
In larger cities, we parked the car and used Uber to avoid tight streets and parking hassles.
Total transportation cost (car + city transport): ~$1,450
We also walked a lot — which helped our budget.
🎟️ Activities: Meaningful, Affordable, and Educational
Our goal wasn’t to do everything, but to focus on what mattered most to us: learning, fun, and local culture. Every day felt like an epic adventure.
Some highlights:
- Free museums and walking tours
- Low-cost historic sites and castles
- A few splurges — like Schönbrunn Palace (beautiful, but not our favorite)
Total spent on activities: ~$670
We found that many of our most memorable experiences didn’t come with a price tag — wandering city squares, driving in the Tatras, or noticing all the pups along our travels.
💰 Full Budget Breakdown
| Category | Out-of-Pocket Cost |
| Flights | $1,350 |
| Lodging | $1,350 |
| Transportation | $1,450 |
| Activities | $670 |
| Total | $4,820 |
🔑 What Made This Possible
- Points & Miles: We earned points through cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Ink Business. We’ll share exactly how in a future post.
- Traveling Light: One carry-on + one personal item per person. No checked bags, no stress. We checked out bags on the way back to not have to carry them through the airport, only because it’s less of a hassle to lose bags on the way back home. Worth noting that we had free checked bags!
- Off-Peak Travel: Homeschooling gives us the flexibility to travel in the spring shoulder season, when prices are lower.
- Intentional Planning: We spent time researching what really mattered to us and skipped the rest.
🧭 Why We’ll Never Forget This Trip
This wasn’t just a vacation. It was history, geography, and culture — lived. Our kids saw the places they’d read about like Auschwitz. We ate pierogis in Kraków, soaked in thermal baths in Zakopane, and walked the Charles Bridge in in Prague. We learned how to navigate unfamiliar cities, endless amounts of history we’d never been exposed to, and how to be flexible when plans changed.
And we did it together.
If you’re a homeschool family dreaming of travel — or just looking for ways to stretch your budget further — we hope this encourages you. It’s doable. Not always easy or simple, but definitely worth it.
📝 Coming Soon:
- Our Full 28-Day Central Europe Itinerary
- Packing for a Family of 4 with Just Carry-Ons