By the Way Travel, LLC
Custom travel arrangements for a stress-free vacation

My passion, your reward

I have a confession: I love to travel.

And when I'm not traveling, I'm planning that next perfect trip. Who better to share my own dream itineraries with than other stressed-out people who need a vacation, but don't have time to plan one?

I enjoy every aspect of traveling: the research, the planning, the packing, the bustling airports, and the child-like wonder of stepping out and exploring a new city. The bliss of sitting in a café and watching people live their lives half a world away from my own. The hum of foreign voices in the background. My delight in learning a few simple words and being able to communicate with the shop vendors in the local market. New foods, new smells, new sounds, new sights, new people; I love it all!

I created By the Way Travel because I want to share these little travel moments with other like-minded travelers. Those who have a yearning to get out and explore the world beyond their own backyard. Those who need a mental and physical break; a little reprieve from the daily grind to renew their minds, bodies, and spirits. To find that inner Zen and return home happy and refreshed.

I have a passion and a talent for all things travel,
and I want to share this with you!

Planning a successful trip takes a lot of time and attention to detail. There are flight schedules to analyze, hotels to research, activities to plan, and guided tours to coordinate. There are maps to study, restaurants to review, and packing lists to make. When you book a tour with BTW Travel, all these time-consuming tasks are orchestrated for you; all you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the anticipation of your pending dream vacation!

A PERSONALIZED TRAVEL AGENCY

The term "travel agent" seems almost obsolete with today's technology, where travelers can go online and book their entire vacation from their computer or mobile phone. Why would anyone need a travel agent, and have to pay for their services, when you can do it all yourself?

Because not everyone wants a cookie-cutter vacation.
All my itineraries are my own design. My preset itineraries are exactly what I would do and where I would stay if I was going on the trip; in many cases, these plans are modified and perfected from trips I've done in the past — from what I would do again, and what I'd do differently. Any custom itineraries I design are created precisely for you, with all your needs and desires, and matched with my experience and knowhow.

Because not everyone has time to do travel research.
It can be a challenge to find good airfares at a fair price; a hotel that's clean, friendly, in an ideal location, and doesn't bust the budget; guided tours that are worth every penny spent; and restaurants that serve up haute cuisine without burning a hole in your pocket. I help take the guesswork out of making your travel plans, and aim to give you peace of mind in regards to your travel choices.

Because it's good to get the inside information.
Having someone know the ins and outs of your destination can save you time and money, and turn a simple holiday into a dream vacation. You won't be stressed, because you know ahead of time what to expect. Like when the best times are to visit places and avoid the crowds, how to buy Metro passes and not look like a fool, how to use (and charge) your American technology when traveling abroad. I do more than just book your vacation; I fully prepare you for the trip.

Because "winging it" isn't a good idea.
I've gone to a place and "winged it" before. I bought my airfare, made hotel reservations, and figured I could figure out the rest once I'm there. And thus, I wasted my precious vacation time criss-crossing back and forth across the city, standing in long entrance lines, eating at so-so restaurants with inflated prices, and wandering blindly through historical places without a clue of their significance.

And I've gone on vacation after doing hours upon hours of research, picking the right hotel in the right location, plotting out a map so I see the sights in a logical progression, purchasing skip-the-line passes in advance, reading restaurant reviews and picking my favorites, and booking guided tours.

Guess which vacation was the bigger success? Guess which one was more fun, more interesting, and much less stressful? The one that wasn't "winged."

BTW Travel is your personal travel concierge.
I do the laborious research, so you don't have to.

My aim is to craft vacations for busy people that allows everyone to immerse themselves in the destinations they visit. I do not believe in rushing around a city trying to cram in as much as possible into a few days. I believe in creating itineraries that will allow you to take quality time to see, to taste, and to experience your temporary home-away-from-home. I want you to have time to stare in wonder, contemplate your world, connect with a new culture, and take a small piece of it home with you in your heart. (And your suitcase; a girl's gotta shop and take home souvenirs, after all!)

The walk of life can be long;
sometimes you just need to book a flight.

Discover the world. Rediscover yourself.

Hugs & Kisses, Jodi Kuehn

 

MEET THE LADY THAT
MAKES IT HAPPEN...

Jodi Kuehn, owner, By the Way Travel, LLCHi! {waves enthusiastically}
My name's Jodi Kuehn (pronounced "keen").
I've lived here in the Minneapolis suburbs my entire life, which is probably why I have such a deep-seeded need to travel; something about being chilled to the bone for 8 months out of the year makes me want to run screaming for warmer climates. (Or, if I have to deal with snow, I'd rather it be on the cobbled streets of Paris or the slopes of Switzerland!)

In 2008, I quit my dream job in the travel industry and became a full-time stay-at-home-mom. In 2011, my workload doubled, with no pay increase, when my second daughter was born. Shortly after that exhausting point, I remember looking back and counting that I'd been "working" 1,326 days without a single day off. Or a single night.

...I needed a vacation...

In 3-1/2 years, it'd been the rare occasion that I'd had more than 3 or 4 hours to myself. Not enough—by far—to replenish my depleted stores of energy and patience! And despite what my husband thought, going to the grocery store without the kids was not a vacation.

For someone who loves to travel and see new sights, 3-1/2 years was way too long to be stuck in one place.

...I needed a real vacation...

But vacations in and of themselves can be stressful. I not only needed some well-deserved time off; I needed a stress-free getaway.

I thought, "Wouldn't it be lovely if I could just book the perfect getaway, without having to add "plan a vacation" to my never-ending To Do list?"

And thus, it was in a sleep-deprived, personal space-deprived state (in the bitter cold of a late Minnesota March, mind you) that I gave birth to my "third child" — By the Way Travel, LLC..

I wanted to create a travel agency that went beyond simply booking air and hotel packages. I wanted to provide complete, well-thought-out itineraries that allowed travelers to see the sights at their own pace; to create itineraries with the must-see touristy things, but to also include those little hidden gems that most tourists miss. I wanted to create vacations that combined the perfect amounts of "doing" and "relaxing", and make the most out of our precious time off.

I wanted to provide a place where today's busy women (and men) could find their dream vacation...

...and where those dream vacations don't cause so much stress that you need a vacation from your vacation.

(Has that happened to you before?)

Whether you're looking to have a solo respite, a girls' weekend getaway, a romantic weekend escape, or a full-on family vacation, BTW Travel focuses on all the little details that make your trip a truly enjoyable—and stress-free—experience.

Travel with me isn't about running away (ok, maybe it is a little), but about discovering the world and its infinite treasures (and yes, an authentic French crêpe is a definitely a treasure). It's about learning and appreciating and understanding other cultures and their ways of life. It's about stepping out of the little box we live in (and showing our kids it's good to push ourselves and do things that may be a little scary). It's about rediscovering ourselves and what we love most about our own lives, and returning to home refreshed, renewed, and grateful.

And if we just happen to be in Paris or Italy during this reprieve?

Win-win. ;-)

Questions? Comments?
Just need a hug?

Call or text Jodi at 612.865.2515,
email Jodi@BTWtravel.com,
or check out the F.A.Q.