My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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Why Tourist Parties Are Bringing Trouble To Texas Spots

Have you ever visited a popular Texas spot and thought, “Wow, this place feels way more crowded than it should”? That’s...

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Why This Oregon Town Is the Cheapest and Coziest February Escape

Astoria sits where the Columbia River crashes into the Pacific Ocean, and if you've never experienced the Oregon coast in February, you're missing out on something special.

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This Oklahoma Country Eatery Serves Comfort Food That Tastes Like Home

There are not many places left where a meal tastes like it came from someone who learned to cook long before shortcuts were a thing. Most places rush through preparation or rely...

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These Arizona National Monuments Are Tourist-Ruined With Viewpoints Packed Wall To Wall

It is wild how a place can feel completely remote until you hit the one overlook everyone else had bookmarked too. Arizona’s...

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Winter Village Weekend Loop Along New Jersey’s Quieter Beach Town Streets

Bundle up and ride with me, because New Jersey in winter feels calm in a way summer never lets us have. The same streets that...

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A Hidden Maine Fairground Where The Old Days Still Feel Present

You do not have to be nostalgic to feel something shift when you step onto the Union Fairgrounds. The air smells like hay and fried dough, the barns still creak, and nothing feels...

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This Indiana Ramen Spot Hits the Japanese Flavors You’d Expect in Tokyo

I still remember the first time I walked through the doors at Kizuki Ramen and heard the chorus of "Irasshaimase!" from the open kitchen. That traditional Japanese greeting made...

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Food Lovers Flock To This Virginia Diner For Hearty Southern Breakfasts This February

What makes a breakfast spot worth driving across Virginia Beach for? At Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen, locals and visitors alike gather around tables buzzing with...

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These New Mexico National Monuments Are Tourist-Ruined With Photo Lines On Quiet Drives

I kept thinking I was chasing solitude, then I would round a bend and find a tiny line of tripods pointed at the same patch of desert light.

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A Tiny Texas Town on I-10 Where History and Homemade Kolaches Go Hand in Hand

I wasn't planning to stop in Flatonia. Most people blow right past this little town on their way between Houston and San Antonio, maybe glancing at the exit sign before their foot...

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The Mississippi Catfish Spot That Keeps Locals Coming Back For More

Looking for a meal that tastes like tradition served on a plate? Taylor Grocery & Restaurant in Taylor, Mississippi, has been doing exactly that for decades, and it keeps locals...

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Oregon’s Best-Kept Mac and Cheese Secret Lies in the Woods

Finding extraordinary comfort food in the mountains often means stumbling upon places that locals guard fiercely. Skyway Bar...

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10 Oklahoma Breakfast Bars Off The Beaten Path You’ll Love

Where do you usually stop for breakfast on a road trip? Oklahoma makes that choice unbelievably easy. The state is full of small cafés and diners that don’t need big signs or...

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Two Days Driving Arizona Winter Roads To Frozen Canyon Pull-Overs

The desert does not shut down in winter, it just gets quieter and more dramatic. A two-day drive across Arizona in the colder months is built around unexpected canyon pull-overs...

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This 18-Mile Bike Path In New Jersey Combines Waterfront Beauty With Skyline Magic

New Jersey’s got a secret treasure, and no, it’s not another pizza joint. It’s a trail that turns ordinary bike rides into extraordinary adventures along the Hudson River....

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The California Heel Law That Turns A Cute Walk Into Paperwork

High heels feel harmless until a city sidewalk turns them into a legal headache. In parts of California, what looks like a cute stroll can cross into rule-breaking territory faster...

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This Easy 1-Mile Hike In Indiana Is So Scenic, You’ll Keep Thinking About It for Days

I remember the first time I stumbled onto Cool Creek Park in Westfield. It was one of those ordinary weekends when I needed a quick escape from the everyday grind, and I had no...

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This Bizarre Virginia Landmark Feels Like A Fever Dream

Picture this: you're cruising down a scenic Virginia highway when suddenly, a towering T-Rex lunges out from behind the trees, jaws wide open, ready to devour your sanity. Welcome...

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The South Dakota State Park Locals Say Sings Through The Plains

Your idea of a perfect park is wide open prairie, quiet trails, and a landscape that feels alive even when no one else is around? Then this South Dakota state park might surprise...

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This Chicken Fried Steak Is the Kind You Only Find in Texas

I had heard stories about Texas-sized chicken fried steak before, but I figured people were exaggerating. Then I walked into Hickory Hollow Restaurant and Catering in Houston and...

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9 Florida Bridge Maintenance Delays You Should Know About

Trying to cruise around Florida without getting stuck inching across a bridge? I feel that, because nothing kills a good drive faster than brake lights hovering over open water....

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This Oregon Aquarium Lets You Get Face-to-Face With Sea Otters and Sharks

I still remember the first time a harbor seal looked me straight in the eye through the glass at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. There's something electric about that moment when you...

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Oklahoma’s Thrift Store Where Every Find Feels Like a Blessing

I walked into Holy Thrift in Oklahoma City expecting racks of old clothes and dusty shelves. What I found instead was a vintage treasure chest that made my heart skip a beat with...

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Delaware’s Sleepy Bayshore Hideaway Where The Sun Sets Over Open Water

Your idea of a perfect evening is nothing but quiet water, pastel skies, and a shoreline that never feels rushed? Well, then I've got a place for you!

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The Serene New Jersey Town That Makes Everyday Life Fade Away

I didn’t plan on falling in love with Cranbury, but isn’t that how the best trips happen? One minute you’re chasing the...

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12 Adirondack, New York, Hidden Trails That Feel Like A Private Park

You want a day that feels quiet like a secret park, not a busy boardwalk, right? The Adirondacks in New York deliver that hush if you know where to pull over and lace up.

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8 Indiana Sushi Spots That Rise Above the Hype

I never thought I’d find sushi this good in the heart of the Midwest, but Indiana surprised me in the most delightful way. Growing...

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These Massachusetts Small-Town Piers And Boardwalks Are Tourist-Ruined By Beach Traffic

Picture a quiet Massachusetts pier with the sun sparkling off the water and seagulls circling overhead, only to realize that summer transforms it into a slow-moving crowd of beachgoers....

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Coffee, Treats, And Wagging Tails Await At 10 Virginia’s Most Pet-Friendly Cafes In 2026

Good news: Virginia has become a paradise for pet parents who refuse to choose between quality coffee and quality time with their furry companions. From Richmond to Arlington,...

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The Eerie Oceanfront Restaurant In North Carolina Where High Tides Come Close

Imagine eating seafood while the ocean stares back at you through the windows like it has something to say. That is the mood at Oceanic, where the Atlantic creeps so close during...

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Texas Markets That Guarantee a Weekend Packed With Surprises Around Every Corner

The first time I drove through the Texas Hill Country on a Saturday morning, windows down and no real plan, I stumbled onto a market that changed how I spend my weekends.

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This Seasonal Milkshake Spot in Oregon Will Take You Straight Back to Childhood

Growing up means losing touch with some of life's simplest joys, but certain places help you rediscover them. Burgerville in Gresham, Oregon, serves as one of those time machines,...

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These Rhode Island Piers And Boardwalks Are Tourist-Ruined With Sunset Photo Lines

Step onto a Rhode Island pier in the evening and you’ll see why sunsets here have become a shared obsession. The golden light draws cameras, phones, and eager visitors, all jockeying...

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This Little-Known Oklahoma Park Feels Like A Wonderland With Crystal Rivers And Lakes

I'll admit that before visiting Beavers Bend State Park, I had no idea such a stunning natural escape existed in southeastern Oklahoma.

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Florida Winter Travelers Love The Unexpected Amish Hospitality At Yoder’s Restaurant

What do you expect to find in Florida in winter, palm trees or homemade noodles and Amish pies? Tucked away from the beach crowds, this restaurant surprises travelers with a kind...

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12 Must-Visit New Jersey Taco Stands That Sell Out Almost Every Night

Forget the boardwalk fries for a minute - the real New Jersey obsession is tacos. I didn’t believe it either until I found myself standing in a line that wrapped around the block,...

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Indiana’s Giant Fabric Wonderland That Crafters Can’t Stop Talking About

I've been sewing for years, and I can honestly say that discovering Zinck's Fabric Outlet in Ligonier changed everything about how I shop for fabric. This isn't just another chain...

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These Maryland Small-Town Piers And Boardwalks Are Tourist-Ruined When Summer Crowds Hit

Imagine a quiet pier with the water lapping gently beneath your feet, only to find it packed shoulder to shoulder with selfie sticks and sunbathers. That’s the reality for many...

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This Enchanting Virginia Small Town Feels Frozen In Time

Picture a place where Victorian porches still host neighbors chatting over lemonade, where kids ride bikes without a care, and where the biggest decision of the day is whether...

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Quiet Two-Day Winter Routes Through Amish Colorado Farm Towns

Ever wondered what happens when snow falls on farm roads and time slows down? Colorado’s Amish towns transform into a winter retreat, with quiet lanes, frosted fields, and simple,...

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A Peaceful Texas Town That Comes Alive in the Spring

Chappell Hill is one of those places that made me slow down without even realizing it. I drove in and immediately felt the pace change, with quieter roads, old buildings that look...

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This Buffet in Oregon Is a Foodie Paradise You Can’t Miss in 2026

Portland’s food scene keeps leveling up, and every so often a place comes along that locals won’t stop talking about. Dwaraka...

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These Utah National Monuments Are Tourist-Ruined With Overlooks That Turn Into Queues

It is surprising how quickly a quiet overlook can turn into a line of cameras, backpacks, and selfie sticks. Utah’s national monuments are undeniably stunning, with red rock...

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This Oklahoma Amish Store Is Where Locals Secretly Stockpile From

Some roadside stops barely register as you pass them. Others quietly rewrite your route. That is what happened the first time...

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A Quiet Winter Escape At The Wort Hotel In Wyoming That Influencers Can’t Pronounce

Are you in a need of a winter escape so quiet it feels like the world forgot to check in? Wyoming’s Wort Hotel is exactly that, a cozy hideaway that balances rustic charm with...

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11 Haunted Hotel Stays Across New Jersey That Promise An Eerie Night

Can you handle a wake-up call from the other side? Because I thought I was just booking a cute New Jersey getaway, and instead...

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This Indiana Flea Market Is a Major Destination with 500 Vendors and Food for Every Craving

I've driven past countless roadside markets during my years exploring Indiana, but nothing quite prepared me for the sheer scale and energy of the Friendship Flea Market.

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These California National Monuments Are Tourist-Ruined With Trails That Move Like A Slow Crowd

Picture yourself on a famous trail in California, surrounded by stunning rock formations, and suddenly realizing you are moving at the pace of everyone else on the path.

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This Virginia Small Town’s Eatery Serves Historic Charm And Gourmet Cuisine You Can’t Miss

Built in the late 1700s, this historic Abingdon gem is more than just a restaurant: it’s a journey through time, where centuries-old charm meets modern culinary mastery. Every...

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Unique Seasonal Travel Fairs Run By Amish Locals In Pennsylvania Small Towns

Come, take a step into a fair where time feels slower and every detail is hand-tuned by generations. Pennsylvania’s small towns host Amish-run seasonal fairs that are as charming...

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