My Family Travels | Latest Articles
Article
California’s 1941 Post Office Was Moved to Make Way for a Restaurant Inside Its Historic Walls

A historic California post office built in 1941 has become an elegant restaurant, but its transformation involved far more than a fresh coat of paint. During redevelopment, crews...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Small Town Oregon Bakery Opens Just Two Days A Week And Makes Old Fashioned Treats Worth Planning Around

The coffee is free, the cinnamon rolls are bigger than your hand, and the doors open only on Fridays and Saturdays. That schedule alone makes me want to clear my weekend.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Unusual Virginia Coffee Shop Trades Ordinary Café Décor For A Cozy Gothic-Inspired Atmosphere

A friendly ghost named Gary is part of the décor at a bakery filled with gothic-inspired details. That's already a pretty unusual introduction to a place known for homemade cakes...

Read More    7 min read

Article
A 96-Year-Old New Jersey Family Garden Center Went Bankrupt, Then Its 28 Acres Sold For $6 Million

A town just paid $6 million for a garden center so nobody could build houses on it. That alone made me stop scrolling. The business...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Maryland Musical Wonderland Is a Huge Destination for Guitar Players and Gear Fans

Some of the instruments at this Maryland music store stay in warehouses because there simply isn't enough showroom space. That's a remarkable problem for a shop already packed...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Woman Lost Her Corporate Job, Started Baking at Home and Now Draws Lines Outside a Historic Market

Losing a corporate job led one Pennsylvania woman to turn her home-baking skills into a business that now draws customers into a historic market building dating back to 1888. Her...

Read More    7 min read

Article
8 Missouri Places Where Tick Populations Are Highest This Fall

A single female lone star tick can lay thousands of eggs in one go. When they hatch in late summer and fall, the babies swarm together in clumps so tiny they look like pepper.

Read More    8 min read

Article
Why Do Cowboys Still Gather Downtown? Stockyards City In Oklahoma City Keeps Cattle Auctions Running

I went looking for a quick breakfast and a little Western flavor, and I ended up standing above a sale ring watching cattle sell faster than I could finish my coffee. Nobody warned...

Read More    8 min read

Article
South Carolina Christmas Display Features Two Million Lights and Decorations Up to 55 Feet Tall

More than two million Christmas lights transform a South Carolina sports complex into a glowing holiday attraction, with over 500 displays and decorations reaching an impressive...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Minnesota Park Rewards A Short Forest Walk With A Massive Mississippi River View

The most popular overlook here sits about 200 yards from its parking lot. That's barely enough time to finish a granola bar before the Mississippi River spreads out below you.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This New Jersey Bookshop Spans Two Storefronts Connected By A Doorway Made For Coffee And Reading

A bulletin board in this shop shows off things found inside used books, including old prayer cards and a Florida lottery ticket. I love that.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Ohio Christmas Ranch Transforms a Rural Property With One Million Dancing Lights

One million Christmas lights transform a family-run property in Ohio into a glowing holiday village, where illuminated displays stretch across the grounds and twinkle in time with...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Shop Reopened Days After a Fallen Tree Damaged Its 18th-Century Building

A fallen tree damaged a historic Pennsylvania shop in July 2026, striking the roof and windows of a stone building that dates back to the 1700s. The storm also disrupted electricity,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Irish Immigrants Helped Carve This Nearly Mile-Long Virginia Tunnel Through A Mountain In The 1850s

Workers dug more than 4,200 feet through solid mountain rock without modern tunneling machinery. That's an astonishing engineering achievement, especially considering the difficult...

Read More    7 min read

Article
11 Virginia Restaurants That Locals Say Deserve Michelin-Star Recognition

A restaurant doesn't need a Michelin star to serve a meal that feels extraordinary. Plenty of kitchens earn devoted followings through thoughtful cooking, memorable dishes, and...

Read More    10 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Couple Spent Nine Years Reviving a Roadside Landmark That Had Been Closed Since 2010

For more than a decade, a roadside landmark stood empty while generations of former customers remembered its homemade treats and distinctive neon sign. Now a Pennsylvania couple...

Read More    6 min read

Article
Two Furniture Galleries Are Only Part Of This Missouri Antique Mall’s 52,000-Square-Foot Treasure Hunt

Somewhere in Missouri, an antique mall sells vintage glassware, sports memorabilia, and locally raised Blue Bison sausage under one roof. Yes, sausage.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Family Reopened Their Skate Shop After a Fire and Added a Tattoo Studio

Flames swept through a family-owned Pennsylvania skate shop in November 2025, forcing its owners to close the doors of a business they had spent years building. Firefighters saved...

Read More    7 min read

Article
10 Minnesota International Markets Where The Grocery Aisles Feel Like A Trip Around The World

A former Sears building from 1928 now holds a market with businesses representing more than 22 cultures. I love that a place built in the age of catalogs now sells arepas and halal...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Built In 1898, This Giant Round Red Barn Beside Oklahoma’s Route 66 Still Stops Road Trippers

Somewhere past the last gas station snack, a splash of red showed up on the horizon, and I hit the brakes before I even knew why. It was round.

Read More    9 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Siblings Took Over a Grocery Store and Introduced More Than 8,000 Lower Prices

More than 8,000 grocery prices were lowered after a brother and sister took over a Pennsylvania supermarket and completed a major renovation. The changes went far beyond ordinary...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Once Left To Rot, Lakeview Resort In Morgantown Is Welcoming Guests Again

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus reportedly swung clubs on a course here, and a few years ago the whole place sold in an online auction. That's a wild twist for a resort spread...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Giant Italian Wonderland in Indiana Makes Fresh Pasta Daily and Serves Wall-to-Wall Comfort

The phrase "I'll just have a pasta dish" sounds reasonable until the menu arrives. Then the bread appears. Something comforting...

Read More    6 min read

Article
People Travel Miles for the Apple Fritters at This Truck-Stop Style Indiana Bakery with 1,100+ Reviews

The road-trip snack drawer has met its match. A packet of crackers looks a little sad next to an apple fritter that practically requires its own plate.

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Missouri Tea Room Serves Tea For Two In A Whimsical Setting That Feels Straight Out Of Wonderland

A chandelier dripping with neon orange heels hangs over the tables here. Yep, actual shoes. That's the detail I can't get over,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
South Carolina Family Turned a Mobile Pizza Business Into Six Restaurants Across the State

What started as a mobile pizza business has grown into six restaurants across South Carolina, with the newest location opening in August 2026 inside a restored historic building...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Texas Farm Has a Petting Zoo, Friendly Goats, and a Place to Meet Rabbits

Goats and miniature ponies share a little farmyard here, while a hayride takes visitors out to see a herd of bison. That's a surprising mix for a Texas family outing, especially...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Plan Your December Now, Because These 6 Oklahoma Christmas Light Parks Turn Whole Drives Into Glowing Tunnels

Some of the best December nights in Oklahoma start with a full tank of gas, a thermos of cocoa, and no real plan beyond following the glow. You roll past a plain park entrance,...

Read More    5 min read

Article
South Carolina Mother of Three Had Just $792 Left After Losing Her Job Before Building a Restaurant Business

Seven hundred ninety-two dollars. That was all a South Carolina mother of three had left after losing her job, and it became the starting point of a journey from selling meals...

Read More    6 min read

Article
5 West Virginia Drive-In Restaurants Where Carhops Still Bring Food To Your Car

At one drive-in in West Virginia, you flash your headlights to get a carhop's attention. At another, you tap the horn. I love...

Read More    4 min read

Article
Malls Are Fading Across America, But This Massive Oregon Shopping Destination Still Draws Visitors From Miles Away

A kids' treehouse built from a recycled eucalyptus tree trunk sits inside one of the busiest shopping spots in the Pacific Northwest. That detail alone made me smile. Most shopping...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Small-Town Oklahoma Movie Palace Still Charges Just A Few Dollars For First-Run Films

I expected a quick movie and a bag of popcorn, nothing more. Instead, I walked into a glowing old theater in northern Oklahoma that felt like a trip back to the 1920s, with painted...

Read More    6 min read

Article
Hand-Blown Glass Still Glows At This Milton Factory Making Marbles For Collectors

A West Virginia factory will let you blow your own glass fish, then send you upstairs to a museum full of its long past. I can't think of a better souvenir than one you shaped...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Texas Locals Say These Are Some of the Best Mexican Restaurants in the State

A taco shell that balloons in hot oil and turns crisp enough to crack at the first bite? That's an actual specialty served at a Texas Mexican restaurant.

Read More    9 min read

Article
A German Immigrant Helped Build a Texas Family Business That Survived Generations

Raspberries and smoky chipotle peppers share a jar of sauce that won a national specialty food award. That's quite a leap from peach preserves, but this Texas family business has...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Texas Cheese Shop Has More Than 150 Different Cheeses And Offers Free Tastings

Five free cheese samples are waiting at a Texas shop that stocks more than 150 varieties. The tasting changes weekly, so the lineup might introduce you to something you never would...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Everyone Visits Branson, But This Missouri Ozark Town Might Be Even Better

An old roadside apple stand along a busy Ozark highway now turns out Neapolitan pizza from a wood-fired brick oven. In cold weather, you can even reserve a cozy igloo out back.

Read More    7 min read

Article
A New Jersey Church Built In 1850 Now Serves Italian Food Beneath Its Historic Cathedral Windows

A small group of diners can now eat dinner on a former church altar. That's a real seating option, and it holds up to eight people.

Read More    7 min read

Article
A New Jersey Family Bakery Became A National Sensation After Its Custom Cakes Made It Famous On TV

A street corner in New Jersey was officially renamed after a bakery. That honor came in 2010, when the shop turned 100 years old. The...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Low-Key Indiana Riverside Deck Serves Up Ocean-Fresh Feasts With A Skyline View Locals Obsess Over

Frog legs, rolled oysters, and hushpuppies, all served on a multi-level deck facing the Louisville skyline. That combo alone made me sit up a little straighter.

Read More    7 min read

Article
People Drive Over An Hour To Eat Duck Fat Fries At This Unassuming Indiana Restaurant

Fresh-cut fries tossed in duck fat and finished with sea salt and cracked pepper are luring people deep into an industrial park. Yes, an industrial park.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Missouri Farm Lets You Feed Goats And Alpacas Before Exploring A Corn Maze And Pumpkin Patch

A grain silo on a western Missouri farm doubles as a slide. Yes, kids climb up and whoosh down a giant slide built on the side of an old silo.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Texas Farm Raises Grass-Fed Beef and Has Become a Favorite Stop for People Buying Directly From Ranchers

You can reserve half a cow directly from the Texas farm that raised it. That's one option alongside ribeyes, ground beef, and roasts, all from cattle fed and finished on grass.

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Oregon Hotel Hides A Scandinavian Breakfast Restaurant Serving Danish Pancakes And Norwegian Crepes

Round Danish pancakes arrive in a skillet with lingonberry jam and lemon curd, right off the lobby of a hotel built over a century ago. That pairing alone made me stop scrolling.

Read More    7 min read

Article
A Childhood Breakfast Tradition With Grandpa Led This Missouri Diner’s Future Owner To Buy The Place

A little girl used to sit in booth number four with her grandpa, watching the cooks work the grill. Years later, she bought the whole diner.

Read More    7 min read

Article
13 New Jersey Spots Where One Very Specific Food Has Become A Full-Blown Obsession

One hot dog counter on my list has been dropping franks into hot oil since 1928. Its deep-fried dogs even earned their own nickname, the ripper.

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Whimsical New Hampshire Hobbit House Was Built Into A Hillside After More Than Five Years Of Planning

A hobbit house built directly into a hillside after more than five years of planning? That's the kind of unusual project that immediately makes me curious about the finished result.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Tiny Maryland Town Is Quietly Becoming a Favorite Day Trip Spot

Inside a red-brick railway station, model trains recreate scenes from a long-gone rail line. The building now houses a museum filled with photographs, artifacts, and stories of...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oregon Forest Is Hidden Underwater

Most forests stand tall above ground, but this one hides beneath the surface. Deep in Oregon's mountain region lies a lake where ancient trees remain standing, preserved in cold,...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This New Hampshire Pizzeria Just Took The No. 1 Spot In A Statewide Pizza Competition For 2026

Nineteen years in a row winning recognition for gourmet pizza? That's a serious achievement in a food category where almost everyone has a strong opinion.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This New Jersey Deli Only Serves Its Famous Roast Beef And Fresh Mozzarella Combination On Certain Days

The hot roast beef with fresh mozzarella and gravy only shows up on Thursdays and Saturdays. Miss those days, and you're out of luck until the next round.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Ohio Restaurant Reopened After Three Years, Bringing Back a Chef Who Has Worked There for Two Decades

A fire can change a restaurant overnight, but rebuilding what customers loved can take years. At one Ohio seafood spot, the main dining room remained out of service for nearly...

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Oregon Greenway Where You Can Walk, Bike or Jog Surrounded by Trees and Total Tranquility

Some days you just need to escape the noise - the constant ping of notifications, the rush of traffic, the endless to-do lists. This Oregon greenway offers exactly that kind of...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Little New Hampshire Filipino Market Hides Traditional Sweet Breads, Imported Snacks And Hard-To-Find Treats

Traditional Filipino sweet breads and imported snacks share the shelves of this small neighborhood market. That's enough to make a quick grocery stop considerably more interesting,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Maryland Taco Restaurant Turned a Simple Neighborhood Favorite Into a Growing Local Destination

A taco stuffed with crab, vinegar slaw, and tiny fries is one of the stranger combinations on this Maryland menu. It's called the MoCo Crab, while other options feature crispy...

Read More    5 min read

Article
Kevin Smith Turned This New Jersey Comic Shop Into A Destination For Fans From Near And Far

A famous filmmaker bought his favorite comic shop after the owner planned to close it. He paid for it with money from his very first movie.

Read More    7 min read

Article
The 2.2-Mile Missouri Lakeside Walk That Feels Worlds Apart From The Nearby Tourist Bustle

Bald eagles, loons, and ospreys show up along this paved lakeside path, especially in winter. Some of the oak trees shading it are more than 200 years old.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Christmas Farm Has Giant Dogs That Help Families Bring Home Their Trees

At one Pennsylvania Christmas tree farm, the most memorable helpers have four paws, thick fur, and enough strength to pull a freshly cut tree. Newfoundland dogs arrive with their...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Minnesota Roller Skating Rink Was Turned Into An 11,000-Square-Foot Vintage Wonderland

Disco balls still hang over the old wooden skating floor. The only difference now is that shoppers glide past vintage treasures instead of skaters gliding past each other.

Read More    7 min read

Article
Pennsylvania Volunteers Saved a Free Christmas Display That Now Shines With Millions of Lights

Millions of Christmas lights cover a Pennsylvania hillside, and families can walk through the entire display without paying admission. Even parking is free, making this holiday...

Read More    7 min read