My Family Travels | Latest Articles
Article
Go 200 Feet Underground to See Minnesota’s Secret Waterfall at This Hidden Cave

Three pigs fell into a hole in 1924 and accidentally discovered one of Minnesota's most spectacular underground wonders. That is not a joke, it is the actual origin story of this...

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This Under-The-Radar Oklahoma Park Might Be The Best Place To See A Bison In The Wild

What if one of the best places in Oklahoma to see bison in the wild was sitting right off the highway, with a dedicated viewing area and a herd that has been roaming the same pasture...

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This Historic Missouri Restaurant Serves Irish And American Comfort Food On The Grounds Of An Old Brewing Company

The building's original purpose still hums beneath the surface. A historic Missouri restaurant serves Irish and American comfort food on the grounds of an old brewing company,...

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The Smallest West Virginia State Park Is Dedicated To A Stone That Shaped State Borders

A four-acre state park is barely a parking lot in most places, but this one carries the weight of history. A simple stone...

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You Can Play With Vintage Toys And Trains At This Three-Story West Virginia Museum

You have to see this place. Three floors of pure childhood chaos, all in an old schoolhouse. You can actually touch the toys,...

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This Secluded Lakeside Restaurant In Alabama Is Only Accessible If You Know Where To Look

Some restaurants are easy to find, while others feel like a discovery you have to earn. Hidden along the water, this Alabama dining spot gives you the feeling of stumbling across...

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South Carolina’s Clearest Waters Sing with Waterfalls Only Boats Can Hear

This South Carolina lake nestled into the Blue Ridge foothills is the kind of place that makes you forget your phone exists. The...

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This Old-Timey Minnesota Restaurant Serves Enduring Classics in a Quirky Vintage Space

A jukebox hums softly, and vintage signs cover every inch of the walls. This Minnesota restaurant serves up timeless comfort food in a space that feels frozen in time.

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This International Market in Virginia Turns Grocery Shopping Into A Delicious Trip Around The World

Grocery shopping is usually a chore. You have a list, you grab what you need, and you get out. But this Virginia international...

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This Cozy Virginia Inn Hides A Thoughtful Kitchen Worth Planning Dinner Around

Inns are often about the rooms. The beds, the views, the quiet nights. But this cozy Virginia inn hides a kitchen that is worth...

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Summer Isn’t Complete Without A Day At This Classic New Jersey Shore Pier And Waterpark

The salt air hits you, the boardwalk buzzes beneath your feet, and suddenly summer makes perfect sense. This classic shoreline...

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This Tiny Texas Town Is Home To One Of The Most Scenic Drives In America

A tiny town with a big claim. This Texas spot is home to one of the most scenic drives in America, and it is worth every mile of the journey.

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This Historic Restaurant Still Sets The Standard For Fine Dining In Oregon

Great food tells a story. And in Oregon, the story starts with a place that has been writing its chapter since 1879. Inside,...

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South Carolina’s Capital Has a Quiet Riverwalk System Most Locals Keep to Themselves

Just across the river from Columbia's busy downtown, there is a stretch of trail that feels like a well-kept secret shared only among those who know where to look.

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11 Oklahoma Eateries That Never Bother With Advertising Yet Fill Up Every Night

The line outside an Oklahoma restaurant doesn't form because of a billboard. No one saw a commercial or heard a radio spot. They...

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This Old-School Missouri Rib House Still Cooks Barbecue Over Open Brick-Walled Hickory Pits

Hickory smoke rises from brick-walled pits that have been slow-cooking meat since the nineteen fifties. A family-run Missouri...

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This Haunted New Jersey Mansion Was The Set Of A 1970s Horror Film And Is Still Standing

A mansion built in the late 1800s, a horror film from the 1970s, and ghost hunters who cannot seem to leave. This New Jersey landmark has seen it all, and it is still standing.

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We Tried Indiana’s Best Smoked Brisket Smashburger and It Fully Lives Up to the Hype

Can a smashburger loaded with smoked brisket really be as good as everyone says? You get the best of both worlds at this Indiana spot, combining a crispy-edged smashburger with...

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This Louisiana Institution Has Been Perfecting Thin Fried Catfish Since 1934

Some places earn their reputation quietly, one plate at a time, over decades. This Louisiana spot tucked between two lakes along a rural highway is exactly that kind of place.

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8 Warehouse-Style Thrift Stores In Indiana That Are Totally Worth The Trip

The best thrift finds are usually the ones you were not expecting to bring home. Across Indiana, warehouse-style thrift stores are giving shoppers the chance to spend hours searching...

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11 Best Breakfast Restaurants In Virginia To Start Your Day Right

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or so they say. But the truth is, a good breakfast is simply the best way to start the day, whether you have a long drive ahead...

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This Virginia Beach Waterfront Spot Makes A Regular Lunch Feel Like A Coastal Getaway

Lunch is usually a quick affair, a sandwich eaten at a desk or a salad grabbed between meetings. But at this Virginia Beach waterfront spot, lunch becomes something else entirely.

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One Visit To This Texas Food Market Usually Ends With More Bags Than You Planned To Carry

You walk in for a quick snack and suddenly you are leaving with a bag full of olives, cheese, and a jar of something you cannot pronounce. That is the magic of this Texas market.

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This South Carolina Island Is So Quiet, the Lighthouse Keeper Probably Had the Best View in the State

Short boat ride from the mainland, that small barrier island off the coast of South Carolina holds centuries of history in its sandy shores. Most people have never set foot on...

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12 Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants in Oregon Worth the Drive for Serious Food Lovers in 2026

Forget the velvet ropes and reservation apps that book months out. Oregon's most unforgettable meals are hiding in plain sight, in places you might drive right past without a second...

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Hawaiian Plate Lunches and Garlic Shrimp Are the Stars at This California Food Truck

Tender BBQ meats, buttery garlic shrimp, and freshly steamed rice hitting the warm afternoon air in Southern California. That food truck stopped me in my tracks before I even ordered.

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This North Carolina Swimming Hole Has a Natural Waterfall You Can Swim Right Up To

The roar reaches you before the view does, and then that North Carolina waterfall appears, all 411 feet of it crashing down through ancient rock and mist. I had heard about this...

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This Indiana Country Diner Is Where Small-Town Comfort Food Still Means Made-From-Scratch, Not a Trend

When was the last time you had a meal that felt homemade instead of just made quickly? One Indiana country diner has kept things simple by sticking with made-from-scratch comfort...

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This Alabama Lake On A Military Base Comes With A Beach, Cabins, And A Surprise Water Slide

You probably would not put a military base and a relaxing beach getaway in the same sentence, but that is exactly what makes this place so unexpected. In Alabama, one lakeside...

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This Giant Alabama All-You-Can-Eat Hotspot Gives You Two Hours To Feast On Unlimited Meat

Showing up hungry is not just a good idea here, it is practically part of the experience. In Alabama, there is a restaurant where your biggest challenge is figuring out how to...

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This Virginia Seafood Spot Turns Dinner By The Bay Into A Mini Vacation

There is a certain kind of restaurant that makes you forget what day it is. The water stretches out in front of you, the breeze carries the smell of salt and grilled fish, and...

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Marylanders Flock To This Simple Restaurant For Italian Dishes Too Good To Pass Up

Italian food has a way of making people happy. Maybe it is the carbs, maybe it is the cheese, or maybe it is the warmth of a meal made with care.

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This Family-Owned Bakery In Minnesota Donates Leftovers And Makes Donuts That Locals Swear By

The smell of fresh glaze and warm dough hits you before you even open the door. This family-owned Minnesota bakery has built a reputation on donuts so good that locals swear by...

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This Texas Market Is One Of The Best Places To Discover Foods You’ve Never Tried Before

If you have ever walked into a grocery store and thought, "I have tried everything here," this Texas market will prove you wrong. It is the kind of place where you can pick up...

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This Historic Maryland Antique Center Is A Multi-Level Wonderland Of Vintage Finds

Antique hunting is not for the impatient. It takes time, curiosity, and a willingness to dig. This Maryland antique center...

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13 Restaurants Around Oklahoma’s Grand Lake Locals Say You Need To Try In 2026

Locals know the best meals at this lake don't come with a reservation or a dress code. They come on a paper plate at a dockside bar with your boat tied up twenty feet away, and...

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This Old-School Diner In West Virginia Is A 24-Hour Time Capsule Of Classic Americana

Some doors are always open, and this one welcomes you at any hour, day or night. A red beacon for hungry travelers, this West...

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Unwind At A Luxury Indiana Timber Cabin Surrounded By A 46-Acre Free-Roaming Goat Sanctuary

Forget the typical cabin getaway where relaxation means doing the same old thing in a different place. In Indiana, there is a unique retreat where a cozy timber cabin stay comes...

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People Are Obsessed With The Paper-Thin Pierogi Dough At This Hidden Indiana Deli

Some foods have a way of bringing back memories, even if you are trying them for the first time. In Indiana, there is a small deli where traditional Polish flavors, homemade recipes,...

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The 9 Oldest Family-Owned Restaurants Still Operating In Texas

A restaurant that survives for decades is rare. One that stays in the same family for generations is even rarer. But Texas...

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This Oklahoma Supermarket Feels Like A Passport Around The World With Aisles Of Hard-To-Find International Foods

Stepping through the doors of this Oklahoma City supermarket feels less like a grocery run and more like a journey across continents.

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A Tranquil Minnesota Lake Resort Surrounded by Wildlife Management Areas

The loons call across the glassy water, and the only sounds are rustling leaves and the gentle lap of waves. This Minnesota resort has been a family tradition for generations,...

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This Missouri Museum Makes You Feel Giant Inside Rooms Built At Fine-Scale Miniature Size

A staircase leads up to a world where a teacup fits in the palm of your hand and a grand piano is smaller than a paperback book.

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Oklahoma’s Oldest Bar Still Draws Crowds With Fried Chicken And An Eight-Item Menu

There is a place in Oklahoma where the menu has not changed in decades and the building has been around since the late eighteen hundreds.

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10 Historic New Jersey Sacred Sites That Will Make You Feel Like You’ve Stepped Back In Time

History has a way of lingering in certain places, and these sacred sites practically vibrate with it. New Jersey holds a collection...

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11 Pizza Taverns In New Hampshire Adored By The Locals

You know those places where the pizza is so good that people drive across town just for a slice? New Hampshire has a collection of local pizza taverns that are adored by the locals,...

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This New Jersey Wildlife Area Is A Nearly 6,000-Acre Salt Marsh Peninsula With A Road That Never Reached The Shore

Nobody warned me that a road could feel like a plot twist. One minute you're driving through a regular New Jersey town, and...

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This Maryland Indian Buffet Is a Locals-Only Secret Worth Finding

Buffets can be a gamble. Sometimes the food is sad and dried out, other times it is a feast worth writing home about. This...

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This Oregon Street Doesn’t Go From Block to Block, It Goes From Bottom to Top

Forget streets that go from block to block. This one goes from bottom to top, and it is the only one of its kind in the entire country.

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9 Haunted Cemeteries In New Hampshire That Locals Say Are Too Creepy To Ignore

I have always been drawn to old cemeteries. There is something peaceful about them, but there is also something unsettling. The...

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The Missouri Trail That Ends At A Volcanic View Most Visitors Never Realize Is There

What if the oldest rocks in the country were hiding at the top of a Missouri trail? Some of the most ancient exposed rock in the United States awaits hikers at the summit of a...

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You Can Buy Animal Food And Pet Giraffes At This Family-Run Zoo In Rural West Virginia

A giraffe will eat right out of your hand. That is the kind of wild you get here. This is a small family-run zoo tucked into...

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This New Jersey Shop Is A Must-Try For Its Crispy Korean Corn Dogs And Vibrant Mochi Donuts

You have had a good donut. You have had a decent corn dog. But you have never had anything quite like this.

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A Family-Run Hawaiian Drive-In on This Island Has Been Serving the Same Plate Lunches for Generations

Hawaii has a spot that has been serving up consistency and heart since 1961, and the moment you pull up to that colorful rainbow overhang, you feel it.

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This Serene Alabama Creek Paddling Trail Winds Miles Through Lily Pad Marshes Filled With Bald Eagles

Grab a paddle, leave the noise behind, and get ready for the kind of outdoor adventure that feels surprisingly peaceful. In Alabama, a quiet creek winds through marshy landscapes...

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This Homey Oregon Restaurant Serves Grilled Steaks and Seafood With Panoramic Ocean Views

Steam rises from a perfectly grilled steak, and the Pacific stretches out like a living painting. This Oregon restaurant serves up comfort food with a side of breathtaking scenery.

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This New Hampshire Restaurant Feast Is So Exceptionally Rich The Taste Lingers For Days

A friend told me about this place months ago, and I finally made the trip on a crisp autumn afternoon. The drive through the countryside was beautiful, but nothing prepared me...

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This Famous New Hampshire Ice Cream Shop Serves Scoops That Locals Keep All to Themselves

Some places are too good to share. The locals know this, and they keep the secret to themselves. This famous New Hampshire ice...

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This 22-Acre Maryland Escape Feels Like You’ve Stepped Into the French Countryside

Some places make you forget where you are, and that is a wonderful thing. Twenty two acres of gardens, topiary sculptures, and peaceful paths, this Maryland escape feels like a...

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Plant Lovers Keep Returning To This Massive Oregon Garden Center Year After Year

Plant lovers keep circling back to this Oregon garden center like bees to a blooming rose. It is a botanical wonderland that never gets old.

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