Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Anne Steves (née Jenkins) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | Ex-wife of Rick Steves (travel writer, TV host, author) |
| Marriage | Approximately 1979 |
| Divorce | 2010 |
| Marriage Duration | Approximately 31 years |
| Children | Andy Steves (co-founder, Weekend Student Adventures Europe) and Jackie Steves (travel writer and host) |
| Ex-Husband | Rick Steves (born May 10, 1955; author, TV presenter, tour operator) |
| Rick Steves Net Worth | Estimated $10–15 million (2026) |
| Residence | Edmonds, Washington (family home) |
| Public Profile | Completely private |
| Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is Anne Steves?
Anne Steves is the former wife of Rick Steves — one of America’s most trusted travel writers, public television hosts, and tour operators. Born Anne Jenkins, she married Rick Steves in approximately 1979 and remained married to him for approximately 31 years, during which time Rick Steves built one of the most enduring travel media franchises in American public broadcasting.
She is not a public figure. She has given no interviews, maintained no social media presence, and made no public statements about her marriage or her divorce. Her name generates consistent search interest because Rick Steves is so widely known and genuinely loved by his audience — and because that audience naturally becomes curious about the person who shared his life during the decades when he was building the travel television career that brought him to them.
Early Life and Background
Anne Jenkins’ background before her marriage to Rick Steves is not publicly documented. She was not a public figure prior to the marriage and has remained entirely private since the divorce. Details including her birth date, birthplace, educational background, and early career have not been confirmed in public sources.
Education and Career
Anne Steves’ educational background is not publicly known. Her professional activities during the marriage — beyond the context of supporting the family home and raising two children while Rick Steves built his travel business — are not documented. Following the divorce in 2010, she has maintained complete privacy regarding any professional activities.
Marriage to Rick Steves
Anne Jenkins and Rick Steves married in approximately 1979, shortly after Rick had begun developing the travel teaching and writing that would become his professional identity. Rick Steves began leading European tours in 1976 and started writing Europe Through the Back Door — his flagship travel guide — in 1980. The early years of their marriage were the years in which the Rick Steves brand was being built from scratch: travel classes at the local YMCA, self-published guides sold from the back of a car, and the slow accumulation of a loyal readership.
By the time their marriage ended in 2010, Rick Steves had become one of American public television’s most recognised faces, with a travel show that had been running for decades and a tour company — Rick Steves’ Europe — that employed hundreds of people and guided thousands of travellers through Europe every year. His books, published by Avalon Travel, are among the best-selling travel guides in the American market.
The divorce was filed in Edmonds, Washington, where the family was based, and became part of the public record through court documentation. Rick Steves has spoken briefly about the divorce in interviews, noting that the marriage ended after he and Anne grew apart over time. No acrimony has been publicly expressed by either party.
Children: Andy and Jackie Steves
Anne and Rick Steves have two children, both of whom followed their father into the travel world:
Andy Steves is the co-founder of Weekend Student Adventures Europe (WSA Europe) — a travel company that organises weekend trips for American students studying abroad. He has also written travel books and appeared on podcasts and travel media discussing European travel for young people. He has continued to work closely with the Rick Steves Europe brand and has contributed to the family’s travel media presence.
Jackie Steves is a travel writer and host who has appeared in Rick Steves Europe content, co-hosted travel videos, and written travel guides in her own right. She has been more publicly visible than her brother, appearing in several Rick Steves television segments and maintaining a travel-focused social media and writing presence.
Both children represent the continuation of the travel ethos that Rick and Anne built their family around, which reflects the values that characterised their home during the years of their marriage.
Rick Steves: Who Is Her Ex-Husband?
For readers discovering Anne through Rick’s career: Rick Steves was born on May 10, 1955, in Barstow, California, and grew up in Edmonds, Washington. He began teaching travel classes and leading European tours as a young man, publishing the first edition of Europe Through the Back Door in 1980. The book, now in its 43rd edition, has become the flagship title of one of the most respected travel publishing franchises in the United States.
His public television series Rick Steves’ Europe has run for decades, producing hundreds of episodes covering destinations across the continent. His tour company employs hundreds of guides and operates tours for tens of thousands of travellers annually. He is also a significant political and civic voice in Washington State, known for his advocacy for cannabis legalisation and his support of civil liberties causes.
His estimated net worth is between $10 million and $15 million as of 2026.
Anne Steves’ Net Worth
Anne Steves’ net worth is not publicly confirmed. Her financial settlement from the 2010 divorce has not been publicly disclosed. Given the scale of Rick Steves’ travel business and media income at the time of the divorce — which came after 31 years of marriage during which the business was built — it is reasonable to assume the settlement was significant. However, without confirmed information, any specific figure would be speculative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Anne Steves?
Anne Steves, née Jenkins, is the ex-wife of travel writer and television host Rick Steves. They were married for approximately 31 years (1979–2010) and have two children together: Andy Steves and Jackie Steves.
Why did Rick Steves and Anne Steves divorce?
Rick Steves has mentioned in interviews that they grew apart over time. No specific reasons have been publicly disclosed by either party.
Does Anne Steves have children?
Yes. She and Rick Steves have two children: Andy Steves, co-founder of Weekend Student Adventures Europe, and Jackie Steves, a travel writer and host.
What is Rick Steves’ net worth?
Rick Steves’ estimated net worth is between $10 million and $15 million as of 2026, earned through his travel guides, television series, and Rick Steves Europe tour company.
Is Anne Steves on social media?
No. Anne Steves maintains no confirmed public social media presence.
Where does Anne Steves live?
She is believed to remain in the Edmonds, Washington area, where the family was based during the marriage.
Summary
Anne Steves was the woman beside Rick Steves during every year in which he transformed a hobby and a belief — that regular people could travel Europe independently, intelligently, and affordably — into one of American public broadcasting’s most beloved travel franchises. She raised two children who both went on to build careers in the travel world their father created. She maintained a private family home while her husband became nationally recognisable. And when the marriage ended in 2010, after 31 years, she returned to private life with the same consistency she had always maintained. In 2026, Anne Steves continues to live privately in Washington State. Her children continue to travel. And her ex-husband continues to make television about Europe.
