My Family Travels | Best Family Vacation Ideas
Previous Next

LATEST ARTICLES:

Article
8 Texas Orchards Where You Can Buy Fresh Fruit Straight From The Growers

One small Texas farm stays closed most of the year and opens only when something is ripe enough to pick. I love that rule. It...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Historic Oregon Lodge Sits Deep In The Forest Near An Underground World

A creek once ran straight through the dining room of this six-story lodge. Somebody looked at a mountain stream and decided it belonged indoors, and I fully respect that energy.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Missouri Bakery Makes Chewy Mochi Donuts Alongside Flaky French Croissants

A croissant stuffed with biscuits and gravy sits in the same pastry case as gluten-free mochi donuts. That pairing alone made me stop scrolling.

Read More    7 min read

Article
A New Jersey Tire-Shop Owner Bought An 18-Foot Woman At Auction In 1965 And She Is Still Standing Outside His Shop

Well, that's certainly one way to advertise a tire shop. Forget ordinary roadside signs and colorful banners. This business...

Read More    6 min read

Article
Maryland Has a Little Italian Market Where the Sandwiches Are Only Half the Temptation

Some places are known for one thing. This Maryland Italian market could be known for its sandwiches alone and still draw a crowd. But...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oregon Garden Lets Visitors Walk Among Plants From Around The World Without Paying An Entrance Fee

Plants from every corner of the globe, a river view in the distance, and not a single ticket booth in sight. Winding paths lead past rare trees, bright seasonal blooms, and quiet...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This New Hampshire Family Fun Park Is Built For A Budget-Friendly Day Of Go-Karts And Mini Golf

A day out with the family does not have to cost a fortune, and one park in New Hampshire has built its entire operation around that idea. The attractions include go-karts, two...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Historic New Hampshire General Store Has Been Part Store, Part Museum, And Part Time Machine For Generations

Shopping usually means buying things and leaving. One store in New Hampshire offers something different. It has been in continuous...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Nearly 500 Feet Of Glass Ran Through Weston’s Old Factory Floors Every Day

One central West Virginia glassmaker reportedly turned out 144,000 hand-blown pieces every 24 hours at his peak. That's not a typo, and it wasn't some giant faraway corporation...

Read More    7 min read

Article
A New Jersey Woman Opened An Indian Restaurant To Keep Food On The Table, And It Became A Local Institution

Sometimes the biggest success stories begin with a very practical question. How do you build a better future when life suddenly gets complicated?

Read More    6 min read

Article
This New Oregon Restaurant Is Putting A Different Spin On Seafood

Seafood walked in wearing its usual butter-and-lemon outfit, and this kitchen sent it back out in something far more daring. Familiar...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This New Hampshire Pâtisserie Features A Stunning Dessert Display That Transports You Directly To Paris

Pastry cases can be functional or they can be theatrical, and this New Hampshire shop leans hard into the second category. The display is a work of art in itself, with rows of...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This New Jersey Seafood Restaurant Has A Birthday Deal You Have To Live A Century To Claim

Birthday freebies are usually pretty predictable. Maybe a dessert, a little discount, or an enthusiastic song from the staff. But...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Maryland Antique Village Makes Treasure Hunting Feel Like Wandering Through a Forgotten Era

Some antique shops feel like stores. This Maryland village feels like a time capsule. The buildings themselves carry history,...

Read More    8 min read

Article
A New Jersey Man’s Model Train Hobby Grew Into A Miniature World With Miles Of Track

Most hobbies begin innocently enough. A little collecting here, a weekend project there, maybe a spare room slowly disappearing under supplies.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This 188-Acre Missouri Park Hides A Tree-Lined Lake Just Beyond A Busy Shopping District

A shopping trip can come with a surprisingly good outdoor detour. Just beyond the busy retail scene, a limestone path leads toward a lake wrapped in mature trees.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Pennsylvania Discount Warehouse Buys Entire Truckloads of Store Returns Without Knowing What’s Inside

Unsold odd lots from giant retail chains end up on the shelves here. One week it might be rugs and diapers. The next week, exercise...

Read More    7 min read

Article
12 Minnesota Butcher Shops Where You Can Stock Up For The Grill

Tongs ready, charcoal lit, and a cooler that suddenly feels way too empty for the weekend ahead. A good butcher counter turns grilling into an event.

Read More    9 min read

Article
7 West Virginia Church Supper Traditions That Still Fill Fellowship Halls Every Fall

Around 200 people reportedly show up for one free monthly church dinner in a small West Virginia mountain town. Even better, local restaurants sometimes volunteer to cook it.

Read More    6 min read

Article
Retiring In Buckhannon Gets You A Strawberry Festival Town, A College Green And Cheap Mortgages

Nine days every May, one small town throws a party for the strawberry. Parades, carnival rides, and berry treats take over downtown, and the festival charges no entrance fee.

Read More    7 min read

Article
What Used to Be a Pennsylvania Bowling Alley Is Now a Family Meat Market Packed With Fresh Cuts

Bowling pins used to fall in this building. Now the cases hold thick pork chops, snack sticks, and something called hog candy. That's...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Quiet Alabama Refuge Is Prepping For A Massive Winter Festival Celebrating Tens Of Thousands Of Cranes

The sky gets noisy before winter is even halfway over. First comes the rattling. Then another call answers it. Then another.

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Small Oregon Bakery Is A Detour Worth Making For Anyone Who Loves European-Style Pastries

Butter-laminated layers, a dusting of sugar, and a tiny shop that makes a long drive feel like a smart decision. Croissants shatter into golden flakes, fruit tarts shine like jewelry,...

Read More    6 min read

Article
You’ll Think You Took A Wrong Turn On Virginia’s Rural Eastern Shore Until This Old-School Seafood Restaurant Appears

Driving through the rural Eastern Shore, you might start to wonder if you missed a turn. The roads are quiet, the landscape is open, and there are not many signs pointing you anywhere.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This New Jersey Donut Shop Opens At 5 A.M. For People Who Take Breakfast Seriously

Five in the morning. Most of us are still negotiating with the alarm clock. But somewhere, the donut crowd is already getting...

Read More    6 min read

Article
A Texas Cheese Shop Is A Dream Come True For Anyone Who Loves Farm Fresh Specialty Foods

Cheese lovers know the difference between grocery store blocks and something made with real care, and this Texas shop exists for the people who fall into that second category,...

Read More    8 min read

Article
The Great Depression Cost This Ohio Family Its Farm, but They Bought It Back and Built a Business That Now Draws Nearly a Million Visitors

The smell of fresh waffle cones drifting across a parking lot is enough to stop anyone in their tracks. I pulled in for a single scoop of ice cream and ended up staying most of...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Missouri Restaurant Packs Crawfish, Crab Legs, And Shrimp Into One Cajun Boil

Dinner gets much more interesting when crab legs start competing with crawfish for your attention. Add shrimp to the mix, and choosing a favorite becomes a delicious little problem.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Since 1926 This Tulsa Diner Has Been Flipping Burgers On The Same Griddle

I almost drove right past it, a small, bright little stand that looked like it had been there forever, because it pretty much has. My stomach was growling, the smell of onions...

Read More    6 min read

Article
100,000 Square Feet of International Groceries Make This Georgia Market Feel Like a Trip Around the World

One grocery store stocks cherimoya, jackfruit, ackee, and even whole cocoa pods. That's before you reach the seafood counter with live blue crabs.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Minnesota Restaurant Is Putting A Modern Spin On Irish Pub Food

Shepherd’s pie walked in wearing its classic Sunday best, and this kitchen sent it back out with a bolder wardrobe. Familiar Irish comfort food gets a fresh twist here, with...

Read More    6 min read

Article
Drive Up To This New Jersey Overlook When You Want Mountain Views Without A Long Hike

Love mountain views but not particularly interested in spending three hours climbing toward them? Fair enough. There's a certain...

Read More    7 min read

Article
She Took Her Grandmother’s Chicken Recipes and Turned Them Into a $6 Million Georgia Food Destination

Fried chicken that cracks loudly under your teeth and stays hot and juicy all the way through is worth driving across town for. Georgia has a family kitchen that started in 1986,...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Pennsylvania Meat Market Sells Whole and Half Beef Packages for Families Looking to Fill Their Freezers

One butcher shop near the Adams County line will process the hogs your own family raised. It will also walk you through the cuts for a whole or half beef, one choice at a time.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Legendary Virginia Diner Has Served More Than 9 Million Customers Since Opening In 1935

Nine million customers is a lot of meals. But this Virginia diner has been serving them since 1935, which means it has had decades to perfect the formula.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Virginia Ramen Restaurant Simmer Its Broth For At Least 20 Hours To Capture Authentic Japanese Flavor

Ramen is not a quick dish. The broth alone can take hours, and the best versions take even longer. This Virginia ramen restaurant...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Texas Cafe Is Quickly Becoming One Of The State’s Most Interesting Brunch Spots

Brunch can easily become a boring routine of the same eggs and toast, but this Texas cafe is shaking that up with a menu that takes familiar dishes and pushes them somewhere more...

Read More    9 min read

Article
After Years of Repairs, This California Cliffside Snack Bar Finally Reopened Above Highway 1

A humble burger stand on a cliff top helped turn a windy bend of road into a full stop for road-trippers. The ocean sits hundreds of feet below.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Missouri Burger Joint Puts Peanut Butter And Double Bacon On A Cheeseburger

Peanut butter on a cheeseburger sounds like a dare, until salty bacon makes the whole idea click. In Missouri, one burger...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Ohio Shoppers Are Filling Their Carts at This Discount Grocery Store That Buys Food Other Retailers Can’t Sell

A whole cart of groceries, name brands included, for a fraction of what the big chains charge. That's the everyday promise at one small store that buys food other retailers couldn't...

Read More    7 min read

Article
You Can Tour A Giant Lake Freighter That Once Carried Cargo On The Great Lakes

Six hundred feet of steel, and this time the only cargo you’re hauling is curiosity. Climb aboard and wander through the...

Read More    7 min read

Article
One Look At The Donut Selection Turns A One-Donut Stop Into A Haul At This Oklahoma Shop

I only meant to grab one donut on the way to work. Then I saw the glass case, glowing with pink frosting, cartoon faces, and fritters bigger than my hand, and my plan fell apart...

Read More    8 min read

Article
A Pennsylvania Drive-In That Opened in 1958 Still Lets Families Watch Movies Under the Stars

Three giant outdoor screens, movie sound piped straight through your car's FM radio, and a snack stand serving made-to-order burgers and pizza. That lineup has been running in...

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Tiny Indiana Bakery Where Foodies Will Happily Wait In Line For Sourdough

The problem with buying good sourdough is that it makes the rest of the grocery list seem less urgent. Dinner can wait. The bread...

Read More    6 min read

Article
10 Indiana Towns That Keep Their Rich German Heritage Alive Through Massive Street Food Fests

Indiana's German heritage has survived generations of change. It has also survived a lot of mustard. Across the state, annual...

Read More    9 min read

Article
The Charming Historic Alabama Town That Belongs on Every Weekend Road-Trip Itinerary

The sunset has a schedule. Apparently, everyone else does too. In this Alabama town, people start wandering toward the water...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Indiana Ranch Lets You Step Inside The Pasture To Hand-Feed Santa’s Real Live Reindeer Herd

Santa's reindeer have apparently developed a side hustle in Indiana. And yes, visitors get to feed them. On a working family...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Unassuming Alabama Pizzeria Competes Directly With NYC’s Legendary Slice Shops

Pizza usually asks one question. “Red sauce or white?” This Alabama pizzeria creates a more difficult one. “Are you really willing to drive an hour for it?”

Read More    6 min read

Article
The Missouri Bookstore Where Rare And Unusual Finds Make A Quick Browse Last For Hours

A quick bookstore stop can turn into a full-on browsing adventure. One shelf leads to another, and suddenly your “just looking” plan has disappeared.

Read More    7 min read

Article
After a Fire Shut Down This Ohio Diner, Its Family Still Managed to Make 1,000 Thanksgiving Pies

A fire closed the doors of a beloved diner right before Thanksgiving, and the family still turned out around 1,000 pies. That's a holiday rescue mission with flour on its sleeves.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Maryland Bakery Has Been Turning Ordinary Days Into Something Sweeter With Its Old-Fashioned Treats

Some bakeries chase trends. New flavors, fancy designs, whatever is popular this month. This Maryland spot has done none of that....

Read More    7 min read

Article
Vintage Sewing Machines Are The Star At This Small Museum In Oklahoma

Some of the best afternoons in Oklahoma start with a plain little building you almost drive right past. I walked in expecting a few dusty machines on a shelf and maybe ten minutes...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Pennsylvania Candy Shop Lets You Fill a Box With Childhood Favorites You Thought Were Gone Forever

Rubber chickens hang from the ceiling of one candy shop, and a toy train circles right above them. That alone would earn a second look.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Oregon Has A Restaurant Where Balkan Flavors Take Center Stage

Smoky grilled meats, warm flatbread, and a table crowded with small plates that vanish faster than anyone planned. Balkan cooking...

Read More    6 min read

Article
Regulars Can’t Tell These Fluffy Oklahoma Donuts Are Vegan And Mostly Gluten-Free

I only stopped because the smell of warm sugar drifted out onto the sidewalk and my stomach made the decision for me. The little counter looked like any donut shop you have ever...

Read More    11 min read

Article
This Little Texas Fabric Shop Is the Creative Escape Quilters Didn’t Know They Needed

Quilters are always on the lookout for a shop that feels like it was made for them, and this little Texas fabric store has become exactly that, offering a curated selection of...

Read More    8 min read

Article
One Man Built His Dream Ohio Farm Where Bogart And Bacall Married, And Today It’s A State Park

I went looking for a quiet country drive and ended up standing in the very house where two Hollywood legends said their vows. This Ohio state park looks like an ordinary working...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Oklahoma’s Best Chicken And Dumplings Simmer In These 6 Small-Town Spots Every Fall

The first chilly morning of fall always sends me hunting for one thing: a bowl of chicken and dumplings that tastes like somebody's grandma made it. In Oklahoma, the best bowls...

Read More    5 min read

Article
Oklahoma Families Stock Their Freezers For Less At These 9 Old-School Meat Markets

The first time I walked into a small-town butcher shop in Oklahoma, I only wanted a pound of sausage. I left with a cooler full of steaks, a bundle deal I could not pass up, and...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Did You Know Old Frontier Ruins Still Crumble Quietly In Oklahoma’s Woods

Some of the best afternoons start with a two-lane highway and a sign you almost drive past. In southern Oklahoma, one of those signs leads to weathered stone walls, old log cabins,...

Read More    9 min read