My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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This Missouri Creamery Churns Every Scoop In Small Batches With Flavors You Never See Coming

Some ice cream shops play it safe with the usual suspects. This Missouri creamery takes a different route, churning small-batch scoops with flavors that catch you off guard in...

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This Oklahoma Art Playground Lets You Crawl Through The Exhibits And Touch Almost Everything

The rules are simple at this immersive art space in Oklahoma: touch everything, crawl through tunnels, and let your curiosity run wild. Forget the velvet ropes and glass cases.

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This Independent New Jersey Bookshop Is Worth Building A Road Trip Around

Some places make you slow down without asking, and I found one of those on a quiet main street lined with old brick storefronts and leafy sidewalks.

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New Hampshire’s Finest Historic Dining Experience Is Hidden Inside This Regal Old-School Hotel Restaurant

You could walk right past it and never know what was inside. The building looks like a grand old home, the kind that has been standing for centuries.

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This New Jersey Deli Has A Secret Menu Item Called The Italian Stallion That Locals Swear By

There's a little sandwich counter in northern New Jersey that I keep hearing about from people who normally guard their favorite lunch spots like state secrets.

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These Scenic Maryland Hikes Are So Easy And Beautiful They Feel More Like a Stroll Through a Postcard

Not every good hike needs to involve steep switchbacks, sore knees, or the moment halfway through when everybody quietly regrets choosing the “scenic route.”

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12 Oregon Beach Towns Worth Visiting After The Summer Crowds Go Home

We all know the summer scene: traffic jams on the highway, parking lots that fill by 9 AM, and beaches that feel more like a festival than an escape. But here's the secret the...

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This Oklahoma Nature Preserve Lets You Hike Through The Same Hills As Wild Elk And Black Bears

The hills here have watched over this land for a very long time. This sprawling Oklahoma preserve covers thousands of acres of forested hills and open meadows, a landscape that...

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9 Forgotten Historic Graveyards Of New Hampshire That Are Steeped In Spooky Local Legends

I have always been drawn to old graveyards. Not because I believe in ghosts, but because there is something peaceful about them. The...

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10 West Virginia Places Worth Building A Scenic Road Trip Around

A good West Virginia road trip can change personality before you have finished your morning coffee. One stretch of highway...

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Spend A Quiet Afternoon Wandering This Beautiful New Jersey Garden

It is barely an acre. But somehow, it packs more charm than gardens three times its size. A tiny oasis set between a school...

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This Bizarre Alabama Bookstore is Breaking Every Retail Rule by ONLY Selling Signed Hardcovers

Someone brings a book home, opens the cover, and finds a signature. Nice. Someone does it again. And again.

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This North Carolina Diner Has Been Serving the Same Homemade Pie Recipe Since 1953

That smell of baking crust drifted out onto the sidewalk before I even spotted the sign, pulling me into a North Carolina cafe on a cool mountain morning. I had no real plan, just...

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This Oregon Seafood Shack Serves Warm Buttered Lobster Rolls Worth Every Mile

You know that moment when you take a bite of something so good that the drive instantly becomes worth it? This Oregon seafood shack delivers exactly that feeling. The lobster rolls...

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This Spirit-Soothing New Hampshire Waterfall Is the Tallest Single-Drop Cascade in the State

Some places spark a debate the moment you mention them. Is New Hampshire's most talked-about waterfall genuinely worth the hype, or has social media turned a quiet forest gem into...

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This Peaceful Maryland Memorial Park Is the Final Resting Place of Some Surprisingly Famous Animals

Pet cemeteries are already unusual places to stumble across, but this Maryland memorial park has stories that go far beyond ordinary family pets.

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This California Food Truck Serves Filipino Tacos That Locals Chase Across the City

That sweet and savory drift of brisket and caramelizing sauce found me before I even found parking on a quiet California corner. I had heard about this spot for years, mostly from...

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Join A Banned Book Club Or Meet A National Author At This Vibrant Minnesota Literary Hub

Book lovers know that a great shop isn't just about the books on the shelves. It's about the conversations they spark. This Minnesota literary hub has built a community around...

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This Oklahoma Waffle Shop Dips Chicken Pieces In Waffle Batter And Fries Them Until Crisp

There are some kitchens that follow the rules. And then there are kitchens that make up new ones. A waffle shop in Oklahoma...

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This 30,000-Square-Foot Missouri Antique Mall Has Aisles Of Vendor Booths And An Entire Furniture Section

You walk in for a quick browse and emerge three hours later with a trunk full of things you did not know you needed. That is the danger of this sprawling antique mall in Missouri.

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This West Virginia National Park Has So Many Snake Species Visitors Are Told To Watch Their Step

There's a spot in West Virginia where an ancient river has been grinding its way through the mountains for longer than almost any river on the continent.

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This Massive First-Saturday Outdoor Market Is Alabama’s Ultimate Hidden Treasure Trove

Set the alarm. Then set another one, because this place gets moving while most of Alabama is still asleep. Before sunrise, the...

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The Louisiana Swamp Restaurant Where You Can Eat Crawfish and Watch Alligators Swim By

The scent of boiling spice drifting across the parking lot stopped me long before I ever reached the door. I had been driving through the Louisiana bayou all morning, past cypress...

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This Tiny Oregon Dairy Farm Sells Cheese So Fresh You Can Taste The Quality

Great cheese doesn't need fancy packaging or big marketing budgets. Sometimes it just needs fresh milk, a family that cares, and decades of tradition. This tiny Oregon dairy farm...

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This 100 Acre Virginia Escape Is Made For An Entire Afternoon Of Exploring

The gardens stretch across a hundred acres, and the paths wind through formal landscapes and wilder corners, inviting you to wander without a plan. This Virginia escape is made...

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This Fascinating Museum In Virginia Takes You Deep Into America’s Maritime Past

The anchors are massive, the figureheads are carved with care, and the stories of the sea are told in every exhibit. This fascinating museum in Virginia takes you deep into America's...

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This New Jersey Wilderness Area Has So Many Snake Species Visitors Are Told To Watch Their Step

I am not saying you will definitely see a snake on this trail. But I am also not saying you will not. This New Jersey wilderness...

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Explore a Lost Colonial Town and 23-Acres of Gorgeous Gardens at This Maryland Hidden Gem

History and gardening do not usually compete for attention on the same day trip, but this Maryland destination manages to make both feel equally worth the drive.

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The Best Chicken Shawarma in Louisiana Is Tucked Inside a Tiny Greek Spot on Airline Drive

That little building on a busy Louisiana road does not shout for attention. I drove past it at least a dozen times before I finally pulled into the parking lot.

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The Minnesota Towns Where Almost Nothing Is Open After Dark And Nightlife Barely Exists

Let's be honest: sometimes you don't want a bustling bar scene or neon signs flickering until 2 AM. Sometimes you want a place where the streets go quiet, the stars come out, and...

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An Oklahoma Trail Crosses A Cemetery Wall And Ends At The Ruins Of A Forgotten Town

A set of stone steps rises against an old cemetery wall, a quiet invitation to leave the present behind. Beyond that wall, a trail winds through a forgotten landscape where a bustling...

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This Missouri Restaurant Cooks Lunch Over A Roaring Argentinian-Style Wood-Fired Grill

The flames are high and the smoke is clean. An Argentinean-style grill roars at the center of a Missouri lunch spot, turning out lamb, chimichurri steak sandwiches, and tacos over...

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12 Halal Restaurants In New Jersey Overflowing With Authentic Taste

You know that feeling when a place is so good you want to tell everyone, but also want to keep it to yourself? That is what...

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This Legendary Seafood Spot in Alabama Sells the Freshest Wild-Caught Gulf Shrimp Right Off the Boat

Somebody is unloading shrimp while somebody else is deciding how many pounds will fit in the cooler. That is about as complicated as seafood shopping gets here.

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The Abandoned Pennsylvania Prison Where 2,500 Inmates Once Lived and Ghost Stories Still Linger

That gray stone wall with pointed towers rises straight out of a row house neighborhood in Pennsylvania, where people water their plants and walk their dogs just a few blocks away....

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10 Lazy River And Tubing Spots In Alabama That Will Make You Feel Like You Left The State

Hot summer days in Alabama are a lot easier to handle when a river is doing all the work. Floating downstream has a funny way of turning a regular afternoon into something you...

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This Historic Alabama Variety Store Is a Nostalgic Wonderland Hiding the Ultimate Toy Selection

The fastest way to lose a child in this store is to mention the toys. The fastest way to lose an adult is to let them notice the rest of the shelves.

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This Virginia Grocery Store Has Become A Go-To Spot For Thrifty Families

The aisles are busy, the carts are full, and the prices are low enough to make you do a double take. This Virginia grocery store has become a go-to spot for thrifty families, a...

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10 Waterfalls In Virginia That Look Straight Out Of A Postcard

Virginia's landscape holds some of the most stunning natural wonders you'll ever encounter. Hidden among lush forests and rugged...

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This Nevada Ghost Town Still Has a Handful of Historic Buildings From Its Mining Days

That cluster of weathered wooden buildings appeared against the hills like something left behind by accident, and the silence hit me before anything else did. I had turned off...

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This Italian Eatery May Be The Hardest Reservation To Score In Minnesota

We all have that one restaurant we keep meaning to try, only to find the reservation calendar perpetually full. This Minnesota Italian spot has become that elusive booking for...

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This South Carolina Town Was Abandoned Centuries Ago, but Its Ruins Still Stand in the Woods

That brick bell tower rising up through the trees looked like it had been waiting, and the fort made from crushed oyster shells sat nearby, still holding its shape after more than...

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This South Carolina Mountain Overlook Has a Massive Rock Formation With a Strange Name and Stunning Views

That switchback road in the mountains ended with a view that made me forget what I was talking about mid-sentence. One minute I was watching rhododendron leaves brush the car window,...

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This Untouched Pre-Settlement Indiana Forest Features 200-Year-Old Giant Trees

You can walk the entire trail in about the time it takes to watch one sitcom episode. The trees, however, have been here for several seasons longer than that.

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This $3 Indiana City Zoo Lets You Walk Right Inside A Live Wallaby Habitat

The wallabies are loose. Well, sort of. They are exactly where they are supposed to be, but visitors get to walk into their habitat...

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9 Eerie, Abandoned, and Haunted Places in Indiana You Can Actually Tour

You can tour them. That does not mean you should. Some of Indiana’s strangest places come with boarded windows, creaky floors,...

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10 Hiking Trails In Virginia That Offer Jaw-Dropping Views And Unforgettable Adventures

Virginia holds a special place in the hearts of outdoor lovers who crave stunning scenery and exciting trails. From rocky peaks...

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These 9 Hidden Cafés In Virginia Make Every Coffee Break Feel Special

Virginia holds a secret collection of cozy cafés that most visitors never discover. These tucked-away spots offer more than...

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This Tiny Texas German Diner Is Worth Visiting For Its Hearty Portions And Traditional Taste

German comfort food is not especially interested in sending anyone home hungry, and this tiny Texas restaurant seems perfectly happy with that arrangement.

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The Creepiest Haunted Restaurant In Oregon Where Solo Dining Isn’t Recommended

This state knows a thing or two about weird, but this place takes it to another level. Imagine stepping into a year-round haunted mansion where the decor is unsettling and the...

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Texas Attractions Where The View Alone Is Worth The Drive

Some Texas attractions need rides, museums, guided tours, or elaborate activities to justify the mileage. Others simply require you to get out of the car, look around, and admit...

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This Unique Texas Restaurant Serves Both Southern And Authentic Indian Dishes

Choosing between chicken-fried steak and butter chicken is already difficult enough without one Texas restaurant putting both on the same menu.

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A Texas Library Looks More Like A Spanish Palace Than A Place To Check Out Books

Libraries are not usually where you expect marble columns, enormous bronze doors, elaborate ceilings, and 62 stained-glass windows to start showing off.

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The Overstuffed Gyros At This Oklahoma Restaurant Are Big Enough To Split

Some menu descriptions make promises they cannot keep. Not this one. The gyros at this unassuming Oklahoma spot arrive looking...

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Spend The Last Days Of Summer At This West Virginia Park With A Splash Pad And Two-Story Slide

Late August has a certain sound to it, and I always notice it first in the way water echoes off concrete when kids are trying to squeeze one more swim out of the season.

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This Historic Indiana Diner Still Crafts The Juiciest Old-School Smash Burgers In The County

Miss the light. It might improve your lunch. At the corner of U.S. 50 and Chestnut Street, the smell coming off the griddle...

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This Indiana Breakfast Spot Serves Scratch-Made Biscuits Inside an 1874 Building

You can smell breakfast before you see it. Butter. Coffee. Fresh biscuits. Then...

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This Treehouse Bar And Restaurant In Texas Offers One Of The Coolest Places To Sip And Savor

Most bars settle for tables, chairs, and maybe a decent patio. This Texas hangout went much further, building a multi-level indoor-outdoor space that openly calls itself a treehouse...

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This Spring-Fed Oklahoma River Tumbles Over Granite Ledges Into A Chain Of Small Waterfalls

The water runs so clear that you can trace the path of every pebble on the riverbed. Tumbling over ancient granite ledges, it cascades into a chain of small waterfalls that carve...

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This Stagecoach Stop in Oregon Has a Tri-Tip Sandwich That Will Make You Forget the Drive

The road stretches long and empty through eastern Oregon, with nothing but high desert and sky for company. Just when you start to wonder if you've missed the turn, a building...

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