My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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11 Summer Day Trips in Texas That Feel Like a Vacation Without the Airport Stress

Look, I love a good vacation as much as anyone. But does it really have to involve TSA lines, overpriced airport sandwiches, and that one person who takes their shoes off at the...

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This Oklahoma Mercantile Is Packed With The Kind Of Finds You Never Knew You Needed

You walk into a mercantile in Oklahoma expecting a quick browse. The next thing you know, you are inspecting a hand-painted sign, a stack of vintage quilts, and a shelf of locally...

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This Oregon Restaurant Offers a Senior Menu With Discounted Prices for Guests Aged 55 and Older

A menu that makes sense for the wallet and the appetite. This Oregon diner offers a senior menu with discounted prices for guests aged 55 and older, proving that good food should...

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You Can Still Get A Two-Dollar Sandwich At This Century-Old Missouri Country Store

The price tag still says two dollars. That is not a mistake. A century-old country store in Missouri has been serving the same...

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One Of New Jersey’s Treasured Shorefront Restaurants Is Back And Serving Seafood Again

The shore just got a little brighter. A beloved New Jersey seafood spot has risen from the ashes and is slinging fresh catches once again.

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This New Hampshire Coastal Wonder Lets Elite Travelers Experience Both the Waves and the Bay

The coast of New Hampshire is short, but it is mighty. The waves crash against the shore with a power that demands respect. The...

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This New Jersey Argentine Bakery Is Known For Its Authentic Dulce De Leche And Empanadas

Some bakeries play it safe. This one packs a punch of Argentine soul in every bite. You have probably had empanadas before....

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This Tiny Maryland Town Is Becoming One of the State’s Best Adult Weekend Getaways

Some towns are built for family vacations. Others have a quieter energy, one that appeals to adults looking for a weekend away. This...

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This Giant Minnesota Fabric Store Feels Like A Crafter’s Paradise (And, It Totally Is)

Bolt after bolt of fabric stretches in every direction, in every color and pattern imaginable. This Minnesota store is a crafter's paradise, and it absolutely lives up to the reputation.

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11 Beloved Breakfast Spots In Oklahoma That Are Incredibly Good

The line starts forming before the sun is fully up, and nobody checks their watch. That is the scene at the best breakfast spots across Oklahoma, where the morning meal is taken...

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It Turns Out One Of America’s Absolute Happiest Places Is This Tiny New Hampshire Town

Some places just feel right. The kind of place where people smile at each other on the street and the pace of life matches the rhythm of your breathing.

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Missouri’s Most Famous Natural Swimming Hole Has Strict Rules Every Summer Visitor Should Know

The water crashes through billion-year-old rock, carving out chutes and pools that look like nature's own water park. A state...

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This West Virginia Cafe Is The Only Place Where You Can Watch Skydivers Land While You Eat Your Dinner

Dinner and a show usually means a tiny TV in the corner. This West Virginia cafe flips that script entirely. You are eating...

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New Jersey Is Home To One Of The Largest And Most Acclaimed Performing Arts Centers In America

You do not need to cross a river to catch world-class performances. This New Jersey landmark proves that every single night. You...

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This Hawaii Beach Has Soft White Sand and Calm Waters That Feel Like a Private Paradise

Turquoise water stretches out in front of you on that windward coast of Hawaii, and the sand is so soft it almost feels unreal beneath your feet.

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This Minnesota Eatery in an 1885 Building Serves Legendary Wings That Have a Cult Following

A historic building from 1885 houses some of the most legendary wings in Minnesota. The menu has earned a devoted cult following that spans generations.

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11 Summer Day Trips In New Hampshire That Feel Like A Vacation Without The Airport Lines

Summer is precious in New Hampshire, and every warm day feels like an invitation to get outside. The mountains are green, the lakes are sparkling, and the air smells like pine...

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This New Hampshire Small Town Is New England’s Most Overlooked Hidden Gem

You have probably driven right past it without even noticing. The highway bypasses the town, and most visitors are in a hurry to get somewhere else.

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The Homemade Bagels at This Maryland Shop Are Still Rolled the Traditional Way

There is a noticeable difference between a real bagel and one that is just pretending. One has a chewy, dense interior and a slightly crisp exterior.

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This Hawaii Beach Is Tucked Behind a Forest of Ironwood Trees

Ironwood and banyan trees grow thick along that North Shore beach in Hawaii, almost like they are keeping a secret from the rest of the island. Most tourists never find it, and...

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This Tiny Minnesota Town Has More Restaurants Per Block Than Most Cities And No One Talks About It

More restaurants per block than most cities, and yet nobody seems to talk about this tiny Minnesota town. It is a hidden culinary gem hiding in plain sight.

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10 Magical Minnesota Towns Packed With Rich Scandinavian Heritage & Old-World Vibes

The scent of fresh cardamom bread drifts through the air, and wooden churches rise against the northern sky. These towns, built by Scandinavian settlers, feel more like the old...

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Bargain Hunters Never Know What They Will Find Inside This Oklahoma Resale Shop

A resale shop in Oklahoma keeps its inventory rotating fast, so you never know what might appear on the shelves. One aisle...

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Locals Have Been Obsessed With The Hot Salami Sandwich At This Missouri Deli For Generations

The hot salami at this Missouri deli is not the dry, cured kind you find at a grocery store. It is a fresh, boiled sausage served hot right out of the pot.

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This West Virginia Overlook Is A Top Summer Spot For Families And Photographers

Some views are pretty. This one stops you cold. Families flock here for the space to run and the memories that stick. Photographers...

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You Can Spot White-Tailed Deer And Explore Hidden Waterfalls At This 8,000-Acre West Virginia Park

Some parks give you a bench and a view. This one gives you 8,000 acres of wild beauty and a front-row seat to nature's best show.

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You Can Watch the Sunset Over the Mountains at This Quiet Hawaii Beach

Road simply ends on the western edge of Hawaii, and the beach begins, and somehow that feels exactly right. Mountains rise...

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Oregon’s Best Tomato Pie Comes From An Old-School Restaurant Locals Don’t Brag About Too Loudly

Some restaurants in Oregon just quietly go about their business, serving perfection without the hype. This old-school pizzeria belongs to that club, and locals consider it the...

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This All-You-Can-Eat Virginia Mexican Buffet Is a Total Paradise Where You Don’t Have To Choose

Buffets are about choice, but some buffets make you choose between quality and quantity. This Virginia Mexican buffet manages to deliver both, a spread that is wide enough to satisfy...

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The Virginia Shore Town Where You Can Walk From Ocean To Bay In Under Five Minutes

Most beach towns make you choose. Ocean or bay? Waves or calm water? But this Virginia shore town gives you both, and you can...

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This New Jersey Sandwich Shop Combines Italian And Latin Flavors In Every Bite

Two cultures walk into a sandwich shop. One leaves with pure magic. You have probably had Italian subs before. You have definitely...

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A Maryland Second-Hand Shop Where Designer Brands Show Up at Unbelievably Low Prices

Every shopper has a fantasy. The perfect find, the unbelievable price, the feeling of walking out with something that looks like it cost three times what you paid.

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This Hawaii Beach Sits Right Next to Waikiki but Feels a World Away

Most people visiting that stretch of Hawaii beach walk right past this small strip of shoreline without even knowing it exists. Sandwiched...

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This Giant Italian Marketplace In Oregon Makes Fresh Pasta Daily And Serves Wall-To-Wall Comfort Food

The smell of fresh pasta and simmering sauce hits you the moment you walk in. This Italian marketplace is a sensory overload, with shelves of imported goods and a kitchen turning...

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Oklahoma Is Landlocked, But This Beloved Fish Market Has Served Fresh Seafood Since 1932

Oklahoma is landlocked, but you wouldn't know it from the line of people waiting to get into a Tulsa seafood spot that has been a local secret since 1932.

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This Tiny Missouri River Town Is Becoming One Of The State’s Best Grown-Up Weekend Escapes

A tiny Missouri river town is quietly becoming one of the state's best escapes for anyone who needs a weekend that feels a little more grown-up.

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This New Jersey Drop Zone Offers 60 Seconds Of Freefall Over The Garden State’s Most Epic Views

Sixty seconds. That is all it takes to flip your world upside down. You step out of a perfectly good airplane, and suddenly...

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This Hawaii Beach Is So Remote, You Can Only Reach It by Hike, Mule, or Small Plane

Backed by some of the tallest sea cliffs on Earth and sitting on a historically profound peninsula, that dark-sand beach in Hawaii exists in a world almost entirely its own.

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It Turns Out One Of America’s Absolute Happiest Places Is This Tiny Virginia Town

There are rankings for everything these days. Best places to live, best places to retire, best places to visit. But there is...

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11 Summer Day Trips In Virginia That Feel Like A Vacation Without The Airport Lines

Summer is the season for getting away, but not everyone has the time or the budget for a full vacation. The good news is that you do not need a plane ticket to feel like you have...

Read More    10 min read

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This Charming Maryland French Restaurant Feels Like a Cozy Parisian Bistro

The glow of warm lighting, the murmur of conversation, the scent of butter and herbs drifting from the kitchen. This Maryland French restaurant captures that Parisian bistro energy...

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Locals in This Hawaii State Have Been Buying Poke at a Gas Station for Decades

Outside, that Hawaii convenience store along the North Shore looks like any other small market tucked along the highway. Pull...

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This Hawaii State Park Has a Half-Mile of White Sand That Stays Quiet All Year

White sand stretches for nearly half a mile along a Hawaii coast, and the sun hits it in a way that makes you stop mid-step. I stood there for a minute, just taking it in, before...

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This Oregon Town Has A Healthcare System So Advanced It’s Ranked Among America’s Best

You might not expect one of America's top healthcare systems to be in Oregon, but here we are. This town has quietly built a reputation for medical excellence that draws patients...

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This Hawaii Cliff Holds the Memory of Warriors Who Leapt Rather Than Surrender

Wind hits that Hawaii lookout so hard it feels personal, like the island itself is trying to tell you something. I gripped...

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This Cozy Portuguese-American Dining Room Is Known For Having The Best Salt Cod In Virginia

Salt cod is one of those ingredients that separates the cooks who know what they are doing from the ones who do not. It requires patience and skill to prepare properly, soaking...

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Locals Have Been Returning To This Texas Italian Restaurant For Plates Of Spaghetti Since The 1950s

A restaurant that has been serving spaghetti since the 1950s knows a thing or two about staying power. This Corpus Christi spot has kept its recipes simple, its portions generous,...

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You Might Be Surprised One Of America’s Happiest Places Is This Tiny Oregon Town

You might be surprised to learn that one of America's happiest places is a tiny town in Oregon. The secret is simple: life here revolves around outdoor pursuits like windsurfing,...

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This Hidden Texas River Park Is One Of The Best Places To Cool Off On A Hot Summer Day

When the Texas sun is doing its worst, this river park offers the best kind of relief. Cool water, shady trees, and a gentle current that makes floating feel like the only logical...

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People Drive From All Over Texas Just To Try The Iconic Enchiladas At This Eatery

Drive across Texas for enchiladas? Yes. And I would do it again. This Dallas eatery has built a reputation that stretches far...

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This Authentic 1877 Tall Ship Is a Floating Piece of History on the Texas Coast

A ship from 1877 still floating on the Texas coast. That is not a museum exhibit. That is a living piece of history. The ELISSA...

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An Original Harvey House In Oklahoma Now Holds A Fascinating Air And Rail Museum

The second-floor museum in this historic building tells the story of a time when train travel connected the country. Built in 1910 as a Harvey House, the structure once served...

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The Best Rodizio In West Virginia Is Hiding In This Lively Brazilian Steakhouse

Nobody warns you about the moment a Tuesday afternoon craving completely hijacks your plans and sends you chasing the smell of wood-fired meat down a road you barely knew existed....

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The Best BBQ Restaurants in Lockhart, Texas You’ll Want to Drive Out Of Your Way For

Some towns are known for their charm. Others for their scenery. Lockhart is known for something far more important: barbecue....

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This Oklahoma Market Feels Like A Time Capsule Built For Geeks And Collectors

You walk through the door and instantly lose track of which decade you are standing in. One aisle holds vintage action figures from the eighties, the next overflows with antique...

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Oregon’s Secret Seafood Spot Is All About Incredible Lobster

You might not expect to find incredible seafood so far from the coast. But tucked away in a valley is a bright building that has become a pilgrimage site for lobster lovers across...

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This All-You-Can-Eat Missouri Seafood Buffet Is A Full-On Cajun Feast Worth The Drive

Missouri does not have a coast. But that does not stop this family-owned restaurant from serving one of the best seafood buffets in the state.

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You Can Get Everything From Hibachi To Salad Bar At This All-You-Can-Eat New Jersey Buffet

This buffet does not force you to choose between a sizzling hibachi show or a fresh salad bar. At this spot, you can have both, and that is the beauty of it.

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This New Hampshire Landmark Looks Ordinary Until You Learn What Happened There

The mountain looks like any other peak in New Hampshire. The profile is striking, but so are many others. Until you learn what happened there.

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This New Jersey Town Is So Affordable, Retirees Say They’ve Found Their Little Slice Of Heaven

Retirement in New Jersey usually means either winning the lottery or moving to Florida. This town throws that assumption out the window.

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