Rainer Jenss
Spring Break Arizona, Part 2: Off the Beaten Path
Posted by Rainer Jenss on March 16, 2012 
There’s an axiom our family tries to live by when traveling that makes perfectly good sense in theory, but is often hard to stick to: “Less is More.” The idea is to spend more time in one location rather than rushing around from place to place trying to see and do it all. When adhered…
Last-Minute Spring Break Idea: Arizona, Part 1
Posted by Rainer Jenss on March 13, 2012 
If you haven’t yet finalized your family’s spring break plans, chances are you might not be going to that beach resort, theme park, or cruise ship you’ve been contemplating for months now. Unless you don’t mind paying the big bucks to book last-minute deals to popular family destinations like Florida, the Caribbean, or California, you…
Disney World Q&A
Posted by Rainer Jenss on February 27, 2012 
As an out-of-towner, it’s not easy being in Orlando without visiting Disney’s theme parks, especially as a parent. During a recent trip to the area, I resisted temptation, mainly because my kids were back home in New York. But what if we lived nearby? Does Disney’s strong allure cast the same spell on Central Florida’s…
Celebrating Winter a la Quebec
Posted by Rainer Jenss on February 23, 2012 
Many of us in the Northeast, and across the country for that matter, have been wondering what happened to winter this year. Not that I’m complaining, but there’s been almost no snow and daytime highs have been well into the 40°s, and even 50°s in New York. So to get a taste of the season…
Southern Hospitality in Kaohsiung
Posted by Rainer Jenss on February 15, 2012 
It should come as no surprise that technology is changing the way we travel in the 21st century. The next big wave of innovation transforming how we travel is in social media. Sites like Couchsurfing.org — a worldwide network of three million wired nomads who offer up their homes (i.e. couches) for free to other…
10 Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Next Family Trip
Posted by Rainer Jenss on January 12, 2012 
Family travel writer Rainer Jenss shares his New Year’s resolutions when it comes to planning trips with his family. For 2012, instead of making my usual bucket list, I’m concentrating mostly on which places and activities are going to benefit my kids and enrich their lives. With that in mind, here are a few questions…
Winter Family Getaway in New York
Posted by Rainer Jenss on December 23, 2011 
With winter now officially underway, the northeast is bracing for what could be another very snowy season. For those of us with kids in the New York City area, traveling this time of year is often focused on the nearby ski resorts and slopes of New England. There are alternatives, however, for parents (like my…
Four Family Spring Break Resources
Posted by Rainer Jenss on December 16, 2011 
The holidays can be the most joyous, and stressful, time of year, so I don’t want to add to anyone’s anxiety by asking parents if they’ve made travel plans for their children’s spring break yet. After all, we haven’t even gotten through the winter recess, right? But as most moms and dads of school-aged kids…
How to Take a Career Break to Travel: Meet, Plan, Go!
Posted by Rainer Jenss on September 30, 2011 
Have you ever been tempted to leave your job and pack your bags to travel? My wife and I did just that for a one-year trip around the world with our two young boys back in 2009. We would eventually visit 28 countries before landing back in New York to resume our lives, forever changed…
Southern Hemisphere Beach Gems
Posted by Rainer Jenss on July 14, 2011 
Because we’ve got sand on our minds these days, I’ve compiled a list of five more amazing beaches from around the world that can serve as inspiration for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere who may be longing for some surf and sun once the weather turns cold here.
Hidden Beach Gems
Posted by Rainer Jenss on July 11, 2011 
Rainer Jenss recently traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. We’re proud to announce that Rainer’s Jenss Family Travels was selected as one of the Top 25 Family Travel Blogs by Babble.com. This is Part 1 of his report on some of the world’s best…
Back on a Cruise – Part 2
Posted by Rainer Jenss on May 24, 2011 
A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. We’re proud to announce that Rainer’s Jenss Family Travels was selected as one of the Top 25 Family Travel Blogs by Babble.com. This is Part 2 of his family’s latest adventure–a cruise to…
Back on a Cruise – Part 1
Posted by Rainer Jenss on May 16, 2011 
A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. We’re proud to announce that Rainer’s Jenss Family Travels was selected as one of the Top 25 Family Travel Blogs by Babble.com. Today he writes to us about his family’s latest…
Meet, Plan, Go 2011
Posted by Rainer Jenss on April 13, 2011 Have you ever considered taking a break in your career to travel? If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably the type of person who has. In 2008/2009, my wife and I acted on a long-time fantasy and took a one-year trip around the world trip with our two young boys–an experience we’ll never forget or regret.
Since returning to the U.S., I’ve been inspired to encourage others to travel more. It doesn’t have to be for a whole year; taking six months, a summer, a week, or even a long weekend is fine, as long as you get out there and go.
Celebrating Winter: Adrenalin Rush
Posted by Rainer Jenss on March 24, 2011 A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. He writes to us about his family’s latest adventure– embracing the cold. This is his third post. Read more from Rainer here. If you go by the calendar, winter is officially…
Celebrating Winter: The Ice Hotel
Posted by Rainer Jenss on March 21, 2011 A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. He writes to us about his family’s latest adventure– embracing the cold. This is his second post. Read the first post here. Having traveled around the world together, the Jenss family…
Celebrating Winter
Posted by Rainer Jenss on March 15, 2011 A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. He writes to us about his family’s latest adventure– embracing the cold. After enduring several months of snow and bitter cold temperatures, it was really tempting to head south from our…
Family Diving in Palau: Part 2
Posted by Rainer Jenss on February 9, 2011 Last week, Rainer Jenss shared how he prepared his children for their first diving trip to Palau. Read the first post here. When I told friends our family was traveling to Palau this past Thanksgiving, I usually had to include a brief geography lesson as part of the conversation. The truth is, it’s not enough…
Scuba Diving With Kids in Palau
Posted by Rainer Jenss on February 4, 2011 Anyone with young kids certainly knows about the lifestyle modifications that need to be made in order to raise children. Among other things, you just can’t go out as much or stay up as late as you did BC (before children). And when it comes to traveling, most parents somehow feel obligated to forgo their…
A Return to Lake Placid
Posted by Rainer Jenss on January 20, 2011 A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s back stateside and sharing his tips on traveling with kids. Back when the thermometer readings were in the 80s in the Northeast, our family spent a couple action-packed days…
The Christmas Lights of Dyker Heights
Posted by Rainer Jenss on December 17, 2010 A year ago, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s back stateside and sharing his tips on traveling with kids. If you ask the average New Yorker what their plans are for the holidays, my guess is most will…
Lake Placid With Kids
Posted by Rainer Jenss on November 1, 2010 Last year, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s writing a column that focuses on traveling with kids. When asked for travel advice, I usually recommend people try to visit a place during its “shoulder season” to take advantage…
Japan’s Maid Cafes
Posted by Rainer Jenss on October 5, 2010 Last year, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s writing a column that focuses on traveling with kids. During a recent visit to Japan, I had a chance to explore a side of Tokyo that was quite different from…
Taking on Toyko
Posted by Rainer Jenss on September 17, 2010 Last year, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s writing a column that focuses on traveling with kids. This summer, my ten-year-old son Stefan was invited to Tokyo, Japan, to take part in the 20th anniversary of the World…
Bridging a Gap: North Carolina’s Sunset Beach
Posted by Rainer Jenss on August 11, 2010 Last year, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s writing a column that focuses on traveling with kids. Every family probably has that one special vacation spot they visit annually – a favorite place that both parents and kids…
