I love the Beatles, and I took the ultimate fan trip to Liverpool. Here's how to book it with Amex and Chase points.

• The Beatles got their start in Liverpool, UK, which is home to a number of Beatles-themed venues and a Beatles-themed hotel.
• Chase and American Express points are perfect for a flight to the UK and accommodations at The Hard Days Night hotel in Liverpool, just a few hours by train from central London.
• You can earn Chase points with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, and Amex points with the Platinum Card® from American Express, among other options.
• A London-Liverpool combo lets you see the most famous Beatles locations while enjoying world-class entertainment, dining, shopping, and leisure.
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"It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog." Now I'm ready for a vacation. Well, in my case, I just got back from one. If you're a Beatles fan, you have to do as I did and follow the same footsteps as the boys from Liverpool for the ultimate fan trip.

Liverpool is a little off the beaten path from major European centers like London and Paris, but if you are a music fan, it's tough to beat! Liverpool has a fun and exciting history. And, of course, it's the origin of one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. If you want to make it there on a budget with Chase or American Express points, read more to learn how it works.

Travel to Liverpool

My trip to Liverpool involved a flight from Los Angeles to London and a train ride up to Liverpool for a visit sponsored by Millennium Hotels & Resorts, but there are a few different ways to make it work. If you're coming from North America, there are no nonstop flights to Liverpool. However, the train ride from London gives you views of the beautiful English countryside that I wouldn't trade for an extra hour in the air.

London is one of the easiest European cities to reach from the US. Both Chase and Amex allow you to book flights using points on their respective portals, but you may want to transfer points to a partner airline for an even better deal.

While British Airways is a transfer partner for both programs, BA is notorious for huge fuel surcharges for overseas flights into Heathrow. You may get a better deal transferring Chase points to a partner like United, Virgin Atlantic, or Iberia to book a flight. You can earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points with Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.

Those with bigger balance of American Express Membership Rewards points should check on Delta or Iberia as top options for routing to London. If you're looking to earn Membership Rewards points, check out Amex cards like the Platinum Card from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the American Express® Green Card.

Consider a night or two in London, where you can visit Abbey Road Studios and reenact the famous album cover, visit Marylebone station where the opening of A Hard Day's Night was filmed, and other famous sites in Beatles history.

Next, hop the train to Liverpool. The easiest way is Virgin Rail from London Euston station to Lime Street in Liverpool, just a short taxi ride from the must-see Beatles themed hotel.

The ride is about two to three hours depending on your chosen departure. There are no great deals for using points for this part of the trek, so make sure you use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees for that reservation. Tickets purchased in advance are around 40 to 50 GBP each way.

Beatles themed accommodations: The Hard Days Night Hotel

If the opening chord of A Hard Day's Night fills you with excitement, you'll have a great stay at The Hard Days Night hotel. It's drenched with Beatles memorabilia, from the top-floor hotel rooms to the basement and event rooms.

This property is owned by Millennium Hotels & Resorts, a major hotel company with 120 hotels across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Prices fluctuate with the season and local events but are overall quite reasonable. It's a bargain compared to what you would expect to pay in London.

The MyMillennium rewards program is not a direct transfer partner for Chase or Amex, but that doesn't mean you can't use points to book at this hotel. Using the credit card rewards portals, you can book at any Millennium hotel or resort, including The Hard Days Night. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred you get 1.25 cents per point on this type of booking. If you have the ultra-premium Chase Sapphire Reserve, you get 1.5 cents per point. That's the best deal to use points to stay at this fun hotel.

When I got to my room, the namesake song was playing. I enjoyed a listen while looking out the window at the views of Liverpool. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, and other attractions near the hotel, both Beatles themed and otherwise. The hotel also has multiple dining options to stay in your Beatles bubble as much as possible.

Beatles tours and historic places

You can't have all of the fun in your room, so after you settle in, it's time to head to some fun spots around town. The hotel works in partnership with the Beatles tours and attractions in town, which is another reason it is a great choice for a Beatles-themed trip.

A short walk down to Albert Dock brings you to the office of The Magical Mystery Tour, a Beatles-themed tour of the city. Just as important, it's a few doors down from The Beatles Experience, a full Beatles museum just steps from the Liverpool waterfront.

This underground museum walks you through the Beatles timeline from when they started playing together as kids to the peak of Beatlesmania and back. They have recreated several venues from The Beatles past with authentic historic items and recreations.

Included in the tour is a look at the band's time in Germany, many nights in Liverpool, and a jump to the big time with movies and international touring. If you are interested in a Beatles tour, the main highlights may not be news to you. However, there is something anyone can learn and every fan can enjoy.

Those include a full-sized Yellow Submarine, a life-sized recreation of the Sgt. Pepper's cover, a recreation of Abbey Road Studios, and a large Magical Mystery Tour bus. The tour ends at the gates of Strawberry Field. But if you don't see them, it is because they are scheduled for a move back to their original home at the real Strawberry Field.

Last, but certainly not least, is a visit to The Cavern. While it moved from the original location, it gives you an authentic experience that continues the tradition where it really started. The Beatles played 292 shows at The Cavern from 1961 to 1963, helping them cement their sound and build an incredible fan base.

Come together

Liverpool hosts International Beatles Week, Beatles-themed river cruises, and a lot more. But there is more to Liverpool than just one band. When you are ready to Let It Be and take a break from The Beatles for a few minutes, you can enjoy other museums, sights, and recreation in this historic city.

Whenever you decide to go, you are in for a treat. Both long-time Beatles fans and newer fans alike have plenty to enjoy. You may even bring your kids to convert them to full-fledged Beatles fandom. In either case, you can make it work on a budget thanks to Chase and American Express points and use them to get the best-possible experience.

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