My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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This Renowned California Spanish Restaurant Serves Up Authentic Paella Feasts Perfect For Sharing

The pan arrives at your table wide and shallow, saffron rice glistening under a blanket of shrimp, mussels, and chicken. That is the moment this renowned California Spanish restaurant...

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This Alabama Coastal Spot Has Endless Fried Shrimp And A Loyal Local Following

Gulf Shores, Alabama has no shortage of places to eat near the water, but some spots just feel different the moment you hear about them. This long-running seafood restaurant is...

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The Workers at This North Dakota Farm Went Home But Some Never Left the Bunkhouse

The prairie stretches out wide and flat in every direction, and the old buildings stand quiet against that enormous North Dakota sky like they have been waiting for someone to...

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Standing 135 Feet Tall, These Minnesota Murals Rank as America’s Most Inspiring Artwork

A 135 foot tall painting on a grain silo stops you in your tracks. You look up, tilt your head back, and suddenly feel very small in the best possible way.

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Housed in Oregon’s Oldest Building, This Eatery Serves Salmon Steaks, Burgers, Pizza, and Frog Legs Under One Roof

The oldest building in Oregon now serves frog legs right alongside burgers and pizza. That sentence sounds made up, but it is completely true.

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This Hidden New Hampshire Nature Trail Winds Directly Over A Stunning Canyon Of Smoothly Carved Bedrock

I have hiked through a lot of canyons in New Hampshire, but I have never hiked directly over one. That is what makes this trail so unique.

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This Remote New Hampshire Summit Features A Historic Weather Observatory That Clocked Some Of The Fastest Winds On Earth

The wind up here is like nothing else I have ever experienced. It pushes against you constantly, making every step a small battle.

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Why This Gorgeous North Carolina Waterfront City Is Ranked As A Premier Place To Retire In All Of America

What if your retirement could start with a walk along a riverfront at sunset, the water glowing pink and orange, and the biggest decision of the day was where to have dinner?

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The Massive Outlet Mall In Maryland Is a Dream Come True for Treasure Hunters

Discount tags, hidden racks, and the thrill of finding a luxury brand at half the price. That is what makes this massive outlet mall in Maryland a dream come true for treasure...

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10 Minnesota Overnight Escapes Perfect for a Quick Mental Reset

A mental reset does not require a week of vacation time or a plane ticket to somewhere tropical. Sometimes just one night away from your normal routine does the trick.

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This South Dakota Ruin Still Hums With the Ghosts of Men Who Breathed Poison for a Paycheck

The Black Hills of South Dakota are quiet, the air smells like pine and old earth, and then you come across a building that used to run on cyanide and ambition. This industrial...

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The Best Legendary Cheeseburger In Minnesota Is Found Inside This Tiny Hole-In-The-Wall Drive-In

Tiny buildings sometimes hide the biggest flavors. This Minnesota hole in the wall drive in proves that rule with every single cheeseburger they flip.

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The Spectacular Secret Garden Hidden In Oklahoma That Most Out-Of-State Travelers Completely Miss

Spring in Oklahoma arrives with a flourish, but most people miss the best part. They are too busy watching basketball or mowing lawns or scrolling through phones to notice what...

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This Island-Themed Missouri Lazy River Offers A Relaxing Slow-Motion Float Through Lush Greenery

Missouri does not have an ocean, and everyone knows it. But that has not stopped someone from building a little slice of island paradise in the middle of the state, complete with...

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This West Virginia Wildlife Center Lets You Come Face To Face With Black Bears And Mountain Lions

A black bear might be napping twenty feet from you right now. No glass. No moat. Just a sturdy fence and your own heartbeat.

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12 Unforgettable Experiences To Add To Your New Jersey Bucket List This Summer

Summer whispers a dare. Are you brave enough to answer? Twelve moments waiting to become your favorite stories.

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This 1950s Pre-Fab West Virginia Diner Lets You Sink Your Teeth Into Hand-Cut Fries And A Legendary Steak Sandwich

Steel sides, neon glow, and a parking lot full of hungry people who know exactly why they showed up. This little gem rolled...

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This Authentic Georgia Barbecue Joint Is Not A Tourist Trap And Locals Deeply Love It

You smell the hickory smoke before you see the building, and that is the only advertisement this Georgia barbecue joint has ever needed. The pit has been burning for generations,...

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This North Dakota Church Has Parishioners Below and Paranormal Activity Above

Twin towers reach toward an open sky, and the brick facade carries more than a century of faith and community. This North Dakota church rises from the prairie like something out...

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This Massive Alabama Waterpark Kicks Out The Kids For After Hours Adults Only Neon 90’s Parties

This Bessemer, Alabama water and amusement park is one of those places that surprises you. It is bigger, louder, and more fun than most people expect.

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This Historic Haunted North Carolina Cemetery Is A Place You Should Avoid After Dark

Why would locals warn you to stay away after dark? Because this historic graveyard in North Carolina has a reputation that outlasts the sunset.

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10 Oregon Weekend Escapes Designed to Clear Your Mind

Some weekends are for doing everything. Packed schedules, long to do lists, and returning home more tired than when you left. Other...

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This No-Frills Virginia BBQ Joint Serves Up Legendary Pulled Pork Piled High With Smoky-Sweet Flavor

The building is plain. The parking lot is gravel. The menu is written on a board behind the counter. But the pulled pork is...

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10 Quirky Museums in Virginia You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

You have seen the usual museums. Art, history, science, the same exhibits in every city. But Virginia has another kind of museum,...

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This Fairytale North Carolina Mountain Trail Turns An Ordinary Family Walk Into A Magical Adventure

What if a short walk could make your whole family feel like characters in a storybook? That is the magic waiting on this fairytale mountain trail in North Carolina, where an ordinary...

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This New Jersey Bookstore Is Named After Its Faithful Shop Dog Who Greets Every Customer

Who needs a bookmark when a book dog does the job better? Seriously, this four legged librarian has mastered the art of the welcome.

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These 12 Maryland Diners With Authentic Home Style Cooking Will Surprise You

Hungry for a meal that tastes just like home? Maryland has plenty of diners that serve up comfort food the way it’s meant to be: simple, hearty, and made with care.

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You Haven’t Truly Tasted the Oregon Coast Until You Stop at This Unassuming Smoked Seafood Gem

The Oregon coast has plenty of fancy seafood restaurants with ocean views and white tablecloths., this is not one of them. The real magic happens inside a tiny unassuming building...

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This Kansas Hotel Hid Bootleggers During Prohibition and Now It Hides Their Ghosts

This Kansas hotel looks like it belongs on a movie set, a red brick beauty built in eighteen ninety four that has survived more than a century of secrets and scandals. Underground...

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The Best Legendary Butter Burger In Wisconsin Is Found Inside This Historic Counter Diner

You bite into a burger and butter drips down your wrist. That is not a kitchen accident. That is a Wisconsin legend served from...

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This Unassuming Oklahoma Strip Mall Italian Spot Has Foodies Skipping High-End Downtown Restaurants

The strip mall gives nothing away: fluorescent lights, asphalt parking lot, a storefront that blends in with the dry cleaner next door and the nail salon two doors down. But foodies...

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10 Outrageously Good Restaurants in Jefferson City, Missouri Food Lovers Won’t Stop Recommending

Jefferson City does not scream food destination the way some Missouri cities do, and that quiet reputation is exactly why food lovers get so excited when they finally visit.

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If You’re Craving An Old-School Burger, This New Jersey Spot Has Been Serving Giants Since 1933

You know that feeling when a burger is so tall you have to unhinge your jaw like a snake? Welcome to my happy place. This spot...

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This Alabama Scenic Mountain Hotspot Is Where $1,900 A Month Easily Covers Everything

Fort Payne, Alabama sits quietly in the northeastern corner of the state, cradled by Lookout Mountain and surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in the South. It is the...

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The Water at New York’s Chittenango Falls Crashes Down Ancient Seafloor from Millions of Years Ago

There is something almost unreal about watching a waterfall and knowing the rock it tumbles over was once the floor of a warm, shallow tropical sea. This New York state park has...

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Find 320-Million-Year-Old Fossils On This Hidden Alabama Forest Floor Scavenger Hunt

Most people think of Alabama as a place for Southern cooking and college football, but the state holds something far older and far more surprising. Deep in the hills of northwestern...

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The Church of St. Pierre and the Caen Chateau are easy-to-navigate landmarks in Caen.
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Across Normandy on a 7-Day Car-Free Cultural Itinerary

Skip the Paris crowds and discover the essence of France on a weeklong Normandy cultural immersion. The slower pace and more affordable lifestyle of this western province make...

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This Tiny Virginia River Town Offers Soulful Bluegrass Jams And Unbeatable Front-Porch Charm

You hear the music before you see the town. A banjo, a fiddle, someone singing about lost love and hard work. This tiny Virginia...

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This Stunning Boardwalk Hike Takes You Through Virginia’s Wetlands

There is a certain kind of walk that resets your brain. The kind where you are surrounded by water and sky and the only sounds are birds and wind.

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Maryland Amish Market with Homemade Goods and Fresh Produce

You walk in for a single tomato and somehow walk out with a pie, a jar of honey, and a hand carved spoon. That is the danger of this place.

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You Can Walk Through a Narrow Iowa Gorge Where the Walls Close in Above Your Head

Most people drive through this part of Iowa without realizing there is a place where ancient rock walls press in so close around you that the sky nearly disappears overhead. Towering...

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The Gigantic Flea Market In Oregon Where $30 Loads Your Trunk With Treasures

Thirty dollars does not buy much these days. A couple of drinks at a bar, one average t-shirt, maybe half a tank of gas. But...

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The Challenge Of Traveling Texas Despite Legendary BBQ

Ever thought about how tough it can be to actually get around Texas? People talk about the legendary BBQ, the music, and the...

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This Texas BBQ Shack Doesn’t Look Like Much, But Locals Drive Miles For The Brisket

The building is easy to miss. A small shack with a faded sign and a gravel parking lot. No fancy smokers out front, no chalkboard...

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The World’s Largest Holstein Cow Stands on a North Dakota Hill Judging Everyone Who Drives By

She has been watching drivers pass by since nineteen seventy four without blinking once. A giant black and white Holstein cow made entirely of fiberglass stands on a hilltop in...

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This 750-Acre Indiana Backcountry Expedition Lets You Conquer Deep Wilderness Trails on Horseback

Indiana has a lot of outdoor gems, but few feel as genuinely adventurous and welcoming as this horseback riding destination in Hamilton County. Set within a large natural park,...

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Foodies Are Packing The Tables At This Authentic Family-Owned Italian Ristorante Hiding In Indiana

Indiana has a lot of great places to eat, but every now and then a restaurant comes along that feels genuinely special. This family-owned Italian restaurant in Elkhart is one of...

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10 Gorgeous Sand Beaches In Indiana Look Exactly Like Sunny California Coastline

Most people picture California when they think of wide sandy beaches, golden dunes, and warm summer vibes. Indiana has a secret that not enough people know about.

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This Stunning Virginia Reservoir Boasts 500 Miles Of Spectacular, Mountain-Ringed Shoreline

You look out across the water and cannot see the other side. The lake stretches into the distance, surrounded by mountains that roll and rise and fall.

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This Hidden Boardwalk Trail In Virginia Leads Straight To Stunning, Untamed Coastal Views

You would never know this trail is here. The entrance is easy to miss, tucked off a quiet road with no signs announcing what lies ahead.

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Locals Quietly Swear by This Old-School Oregon Sausage Kitchen for That Unforgettable Snap and Smoky Aroma

That perfect snap when you bite into a good sausage is hard to describe but impossible to fake. You hear a little pop, then juices release, then the smoky aroma hits your nose...

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A Texas Historic Village Recreates Life From The 1800s With Working Buildings

It feels less like visiting a place and more like slipping into a different century for a while. You walk in and suddenly everything...

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The Only Place In Oregon Where You Can See Bison Roaming Free And Buy Their Meat On Site

Watching a herd of bison roam across an open field is a humbling experience. Those animals are massive, shaggy, and completely uninterested in your presence.

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The Crab Cake At This Restaurant In Maryland Is So Good, It’s Reached Local Legend Status

One bite of this crab cake, and you will understand why locals speak of it in hushed, reverent tones. The restaurant in Maryland has reached local legend status for a reason, with...

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This Texas Cultural District Is Packed With Galleries, Murals, And Local Shops

You turn the corner and suddenly the walls are talking. Bright murals stretch across entire buildings, each one different from the next.

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11 Texas Antique Shops Packed With Finds Most Shoppers Walk Right Past

Some antique stores put the best stuff right up front. The shiny things, the obvious treasures, the pieces that cost the most. But...

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A Cozy Cottage Cafe Serving Mexican, Bolivian, And European Comfort Food Made From Scratch

Three cuisines under one roof sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. But this Texas cottage cafe makes it work. Mexican,...

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Texas Roadside Attractions That Defined Mid-Century Travel

Ever taken a road trip and noticed how the stops along the way sometimes become the best part of the journey? Back in the...

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11 Oklahoma Small Towns That Feel Like Stepping Into A Different Century

The gas pedal feels heavier the farther you drive, not because of traffic, but because something in the air changes. The radio stations fade, the billboards disappear.

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This West Virginia Museum Was Built On A Graveside Promise To Never Let Friends Lost In Vietnam Be Forgotten

A promise made in grief. A promise kept for decades. One man stood beside a grave and swore that the names of his fallen friends...

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