About Us
Jennifer Shanks
Owner & Travel Consultant
At the age of 20, I began traveling the world as a college student and have not stopped since. I have visited approximately 55 countries on 6 different continents. I have traveled as college student, a backpacker, and as a newlywed; but my favorite travel is traveling internationally as a mother with my young children. Experiencing the world through their eyes is an unforgettable experience each and every country we visit, and an experience I can not wait to repeat as often as possible.
I feel so passionately about international travel with children that I began this company to assist other parents transform their children's lives. I have a background in Social Work which has always inspired me to connect with people while I travel. I have passed this interest on to my children and we are constantly trying to come up with unique ways to interact with local people, and give back to the communities we visit. My background in social work and travel has resulted in my specialty of connecting travelers to locals.
Whenever we return from a trip, other parents say "I would love to do that" or "I wish I could do that but don't even know where to start". I am here to tell you that major life altering trips are possible with young children, when you work with a travel consultant and an expert in the field. Working together, Family Adventures Await will create incredible memories for you and your family.
Fiona Kerr
Travel Consultant
My first adventure beyond my homeland of Australia was in 1994 to Mexico, where I discovered that I had a passion for exploring the world. Since that first trip I have travelled to over 40 countries and lived and worked in 7. After having my first child in Switzerland, I realized that having a baby didn’t mean our adventures had to end, just adapt a little to cater for his needs - and those of the 2 more children that followed. My husband (who was with me on that first adventure all those years ago) and I have since taken our 3 cherubs to over 30 countries; they have slept in tents on top of a truck in Namibia, hiked in Denali National Park in Alaska, explored Knights Templar villages in France, learnt how to count in Tswana, followed in the footsteps of Hobbits in New Zealand, swam in cenotes in Mexico, and stood at one of the 4 corners of the world in Newfoundland.
After answering all the “How did you do it!?” questions on returning from a recent trip, I decided I needed to put all my years trip planning to use in assisting other families on their own adventures. I have joined with Jennifer at Family Adventures Await to help others plan their perfect holiday, unique to their own family - providing opportunities to discover something new, to share the joy of travel and discovery with their own children.
Sarah Sturges
Travel Consultant
My first taste of true travel adventure was when, at the age of thirty-one, I embarked on a solo-trip, way out of my comfort and time zone, to India. Jennifer, my childhood friend of now forty years, was my biggest champion for this spiritual journey of self-exploration. And so it was completely fitting, after two months of traipsing all over the world’s second largest peninsula, plus a Nepalese trek, (while Jen and her husband were taking their honeymoon in Africa), that we “met-up” in Goa. After that three-month trip, I became an enormous proponent of solo-travel, particularly for women, and made sure to explore a new city several times a year for leisure. I also incorporated travel into my work as a veteran yoga instructor, by offering both local and international retreats.
Following nine years of accumulating pins on my map and stamps in my passport, I met my Italian-born, husband, Stefano. Shortly after we wedded, we decided also to marry our two passions—yoga and wine—in the form of our first, Luxury Yoga Wine Tour in northern Italy. Four months later, we had our one and only child, who had made three transatlantic journeys by the age of three.
Stefano and I are quite proud of the fact that, in her mere four years on the planet, our daughter has witnessed the majesty of the Dolomites, toddled across the canals of Chioggia, run through Piazza Erbe like it was her own backyard, and can pull a cork out of a bottle of Barolo like a seasoned sommelier. So it makes me equally as thrilled to help other families discover and enjoy the magic and worldliness of international travel as well. I firmly believe that European excursions can be appreciated by people of every age, which is why I became a travel advisor, joining Jen at Family Adventures Await—to help you and your family realize your own travel dreams. Also, please visit our affiliate website at Sensi e Diletti for more information on our Luxury Yoga Wine Tours resuming in 2021!
Megan Mack
Travel Consultant
Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of traveling and exploring the world. My senior year of high school I worked 3 jobs so that I could go on my first trip to Europe with my German class. That trip was my first taste of travel and now I find myself counting down the days until I can plan or take my next trip. I’ve spent many hours poring over all the options for our next adventure convincing my husband that we really need to go. The first trip we made together was three weeks exploring the Baltic Sea and Italy. Once we moved to the West Coast, we spent our time exploring California and Hawaii. When our first child was born she became an expert flier flying around the US, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, and Aruba before she was 2. There is nothing better than a baby passport.
What I have learned is that traveling doesn’t need to stop because I have kids. Showing my family, the world is one of my top priorities. After talking with friends, I realized I could share this gift with other families. I joined Jennifer’s team to help families experience the wonder of traveling the world. I’m excited to help you plan your next trip.
