LATEST ARTICLES:
10 Arizona Getaways That Won’t Empty Your Wallet
That first drive across Arizona surprised me, mostly because the scenery kept changing every hour or two. One minute I was surrounded by saguaros and sunbaked rock, and the next...
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This Circus-Obsessed Indiana Museum Preserves The Golden Age Of The Big Top
Elephants once spent their winters in Indiana. That was the detail I could not stop thinking about as I wandered through a collection of old circus barns in the middle of the countryside.
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This Fairy-Tale-Themed Indiana Farm Weaves Myth And Magic Into Every Corner
I expected cornfields and open sky. Instead, I found a castle sitting in the middle of Indiana farmland. Then came the pirate...
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This Hidden Fabric World in Oregon Features Endless Options for Creative Sewists
Northeast Oregon has a little shop that feels like it was made specifically for people who think in stitches and seams. I stepped through the door and something shifted.
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This No-Frills Indiana Diner Doesn’t Look Like Much, But Locals Swear By It
The smell of onions sizzling on a hot griddle stopped me before I even made it through the door. I had no plans beyond finding something filling, but the crowded counter and steady...
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Entering This Majestic Downtown Virginia Castle Will Make You Feel Like You’ve Stepped Into A Gothic Fairy Tale
Richmond, Virginia has no shortage of history, but nothing quite prepares you for your first look at this downtown landmark. The moment it comes into view, it genuinely stops you...
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10 Guiltily Delicious Virginia Pie Shops Hidden Inside Gas Stations
Some of the best food discoveries happen when you least expect them, and Virginia has a way of hiding extraordinary baking talent behind the most ordinary-looking storefronts....
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Where Texas Locals Really Go To Buy Craft Fabric On A Budget
Fabric stores are dangerous places for anyone who has ever said, “I’m only buying what I need for this one project.” This...
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These Oregon Diners Serve Portions so Massive Youll Need a to Go Box Every Time
The plates arrive and your eyes go wide. These Oregon diners are not messing around when it comes to portion sizes, because everything comes out bigger than you expect.
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This Oregon Tea Room Serves Authentic British Tea With Fresh Scones And Clotted Cream
Finger sandwiches, fresh scones, and clotted cream. This Oregon tea room serves the kind of British spread that makes you feel like you have stepped into a Jane Austen novel. It...
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12 Oregon Coast Rockhounding Spots Where Agates And Hidden Gems Wait
Crouching down on a rain-soaked Oregon beach and spotting a glowing agate tucked among ordinary grey pebbles feels almost magical.
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This Oregon Town Is So Affordable, Retirees Say They’ve Found Their Little Slice Of Heaven
Affordable retirement in Oregon might sound like a myth. But this coastal town proves it's real, with retirees calling it their little slice of heaven.
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This Stunning Boardwalk Hike Is Texas’ Best Kept Secret for Outdoor Lovers
A coastal nature walk sounds relaxing enough, but this little Texas park adds birds, beach access, and seasonal butterflies to the deal.
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This Humble Texas Spot Serves French Fries So Good It’s Become a Local Hangout
French fries are usually the sidekick, but this Texas spot apparently got tired of watching burgers receive all the attention. The...
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This 2.5-Mile Lazy River in Oregon Is the Best Way to Float Your Afternoon Away
Grab a tube, kick off your shoes, and let the river do all the work. This 2.5-mile stretch of Oregon water is the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon.
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The Massive Outlet Mall in Texas That Is Completely Worth the Long Drive
Outlet shopping sounds wonderfully simple until you realize there are more than 120 stores and your “quick stop” has quietly become an afternoon.
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You Can Smell The Hickory Smoke Before You Reach This Old-School Oklahoma Barbecue Joint
The smell hits you long before you see the building. Hickory smoke drifts across the parking lot, a fragrant promise of slow-cooked meat and long hours over the fire.
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This Historic West Virginia Town Is Packed With Grand Mansions And Coal-Era Stories
Wander through a West Virginia town where coal barons once built mansions so grand, they turned this place into a symbol of old-money opulence.
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This Overlooked Indiana State Forest’s Fire Tower Climb Rewards Hikers With A Panoramic View
You pull off a narrow country road in southern Indiana expecting a quick stretch of the legs, and end up staying most of the day. This state forest sits in the rolling hills near...
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10 Hidden Gem Indiana Libraries Worth a Weekend Drive
Some weekends start with nothing more than a full tank of gas and a library card tucked in the cupholder. Old reading rooms turn out to be far more dramatic than expected, with...
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This Texas Italian Restaurant Makes Fresh Pasta by Hand And Every Bite Tastes Like Italy
Fresh pasta has a sneaky way of turning a perfectly normal dinner into a “maybe we should order one more thing” situation. This...
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This Two-Story Oklahoma Vintage Market Has Everything From Dollar Records To Retro Furniture
Two floors of vintage treasures, from dollar records to retro furniture, make this Tulsa spot a shopper's paradise. The upstairs area holds an entire record store where many albums...
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This Vertical Missouri Cave Tour Descends 265 Stairs Between Walls Packed With Crystal Formations
A staircase descends into the earth, and the air turns cool and still. Each step takes you deeper into a world that has been forming for millions of years.
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This New Jersey Bagel Shop Is A Local Favorite For Its Taylor Ham Sandwiches
A Taylor ham sandwich is a serious thing in New Jersey. People have opinions. Strong ones.
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This Unassuming Market Has Been Serving Authentic Haitian Cuisine That Puts New Hampshire On The Culinary Map
Small, bright, and full of warmth, that New Hampshire spot brought something genuinely rare to the Granite State: real, heartfelt Haitian cuisine made with family recipes and serious...
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This New Jersey Sunflower Maze Is A Photographer’s Paradise With Acres Of Golden Blooms
Your mission: find your way through a labyrinth of towering sunflowers. Your reward: a million-dollar photo and a very good kind of lost.
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This Small-Town Maryland Boutique Is a Treasure Trove of Sassy Finds
Small boutiques are dangerous places for anyone who walks in saying, “I’m only looking,” because that sentence has probably never survived contact with a good candle display....
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This Walkable Oklahoma Lake Town Was Designed By The Team Behind Two Famous Florida Beach Communities
So here is something I did not expect to be telling you about Oklahoma, of all places. There is a small lake town called Carlton Landing sitting right on the shoreline of Lake...
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10 Secret New Hampshire Sculpture Parks and Outdoor Art Sanctuaries
New Hampshire has a quiet, creative side that most travelers never find on their first visit. Granite peaks, river paths, and forested hillsides hide some of the most surprising...
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You Can Get A Full Country Dinner At This West Virginia Buffet For Less Than Fast Food
You have probably done the fast-food shuffle before. Ten bucks for a sad burger and fries that taste like cardboard. This West...
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A New Jersey Shore Classic That Proves A Great Lobster Roll Doesn’t Have To Cost A Fortune
Some lobster rolls require a second mortgage. This one just requires a parking spot. A walk-up window on the Jersey Shore,...
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This Heartwarming Alabama Thrift Store Lets Shoppers Browse Side-By-Side With Rescue Puppies Looking For A Home
I expected a quick browse through a small-town thrift shop, and instead I found a puppy sitting patiently near a rack of flannel shirts. Nobody seemed to think that was unusual.
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You Can Dine 200 Feet Underground at This Arizona Restaurant Where Food Arrives by Pulley
The first thing that hit me was the temperature change, a cool rush of air that felt almost impossible after miles of shimmering Arizona desert highway. I had pulled off the road...
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This Unassuming New Hampshire Library Houses A Secret Room Filled With Rare Books And Presidential Correspondence
Portraits of royal governors line the walls of that New Hampshire building, and a monumental rotunda soars overhead. The air carries that particular stillness that only old paper...
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This Enchanting New Hampshire Boardwalk Hovers Above A Rare Floating Bog Teeming With Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants, arctic-like flowers, and twisted little trees that look like they belong in a fairy tale. New Hampshire has a bog that stopped me in my tracks the moment I...
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9 Maryland Restaurants That Stay Packed Without Spending a Dime on Advertising
A restaurant does not need a giant billboard when half the neighborhood has already told you what to order before you even sit down.
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This Pennsylvania Children’s Museum Has Been Named the Best in the Country for Its Hands-On Exhibits
I did not expect a converted post office in Pennsylvania to hold my attention for three straight hours, but here we are. The building was voted the number one children's museum...
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This Oklahoma Taco Shop Never Closes And Serves Huaraches Pupusas And Tortas Around The Clock
A taco shop that never closes is a rare comfort, especially in the middle of the night. This Oklahoma spot keeps the lights on and the griddle hot around the clock.
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This Old-School Missouri Meat Market Still Custom-Cuts Steaks And Makes More Than A Dozen Sausages In-House
The scent of fresh meat and spices greets you before you even reach the counter. A family-run market in Missouri has been custom-cutting steaks and making sausages in-house for...
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This West Virginia Store Has Original Art Deco Fixtures And Has Been Family-Run Since 1887
A store that has been in the same family since 1887 does not need to try hard. It just needs to keep the doors open and the lights on.
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This Remote Alabama Canyon Nature Preserve Protects Rare Ice Age Ferns Found Nowhere Else In Town
The gravel road looked so unremarkable I checked my map twice before trusting it. Then the trees split open, the ridge dropped away, and a green canyon appeared like it had been...
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The Towers That Almost Got Torn Down Now Stand as a California National Treasure
Spires of steel and mortar, studded with broken tile and green glass, rising above a quiet block of California houses like something out of a dream someone refused to wake up from....
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The Effortless 5-Minute Virginia Waterfall Trail That Rewards You With A Breathtaking Mountain View
You know those hikes that sound amazing until you realize they involve three hours of switchbacks and a near-death experience on loose gravel? This isn't one of them.
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Virginia Locals Brave Outrageous Morning Lines For This Diner’s Legendary Brunch And Never Regret It
I've never understood people who willingly stand in line for breakfast. Then I found myself at this Virginia diner at 8 a.m....
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This Enchanted New Jersey Garden Was Once A Private Estate And Is Now Open To The Public
Some gardens just look pretty. This one feels enchanted. You have probably strolled through public gardens before. Well-manicured...
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The Maryland Beach Where Sea Glass Is Surprisingly Easy to Find This Year
Sea glass hunting has a funny way of turning reasonable adults into people who suddenly need to inspect every shiny object in the sand.
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A Botanical Garden in Michigan Combines Sculpture and Flowers Across 158 Acres
I showed up expecting a quiet hour among flower beds and left five hours later with sore feet and a camera roll I could not stop scrolling through. That is how a Michigan garden...
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This Oklahoma Seafood Market Has A Fresh-Fish Counter A Kitchen And Even A Drive-Through
A seafood market with a drive-through is not something you see every day, especially in a landlocked state. But this Oklahoma spot has managed to pull it off, combining a fresh-fish...
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This Missouri Chocolate Factory Shows You How Cocoa Beans Become Chocolate On A Forty-Five-Minute Tour
A forty-five-minute tour is enough time to watch cocoa beans transform into chocolate, but it is also enough time to develop a serious appreciation for the craft. This Missouri...
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Fresh Seafood Tacos And Waterfront Views Make This New Jersey Marina Spot A Summer Favorite
Some places just get summer right. This marina spot in New Jersey is one of them. You pull up, grab a seat on the deck, and...
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This Ohio Science Museum Has Everything from Dinosaur Galleries to Hands-On Engineering Labs
Six hours later I was still there, slightly damp from a water exhibit and completely fine with it. That is how a gray, drizzly morning in Ohio turned into an unexpected full-day...
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This Breathtaking Alabama Scenic Drive Features An Overlook Facing The Tallest 133-Foot Waterfall In The State
I thought I had missed the sign entirely, until I stepped onto a small wooden platform and looked straight across a canyon. There it was, a thin silver ribbon dropping 133 feet...
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9 Great Thrift Stores And Warehouse Outlets In Alabama For Budget Shoppers
My favorite Alabama road trips have nothing to do with beaches or football stadiums, and everything to do with what sits behind a plain warehouse door. I love the sound of hangers...
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10 Virginia Train Stations That Have Been Turned Into Hotels And Restaurants
I have a soft spot for buildings that refuse to stay dead. There's something satisfying about walking into a place where people once waited for trains and finding a menu instead...
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The Fried Chicken At This Unmarked Gas Station In Virginia Is Worth Missing Your Exit For
That roadside spot along Patrick Henry Highway in Virginia looks like a simple gas station at first glance. The kind you might slow down for and then keep driving past.
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Step Inside a Former Beauty Salon That Is Now One of Tennessee’s Quirkiest Restaurants
Some restaurants feed you. Others hand you a story before the menu even arrives. This Tennessee spot belongs firmly in the second...
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This Arkansas Restaurant Is Housed Inside a Giant Orange Dome That Has Been Stopping Traffic for Generations
A huge orange sphere popped up on the roadside like something out of a cartoon. I was cruising with the windows cracked when it appeared, and my first reaction was pure delight.
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A UFO-Themed Diner in Arizona Has Been Greeting Travelers with Alien Statues Since the 1960s
A silver UFO bolted to a roof in the middle of the Arizona desert is not something you see every day. I was driving the long stretch where the horizon shimmers and every mile looks...
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9 Historic Indiana Landmarks You’ve Passed A Million Times But Never Visited
Indiana hides its best stories right beside the highway, and I drove past most of them for years without ever slowing down. Then one autumn afternoon I finally pulled off at one...
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