Ohio has waterfalls hiding in gorges, and these 7 are worth the drive
Ohio might not be the first place you picture when you think of dramatic waterfalls, but the state is full of hidden surprises. Tucked inside deep gorges and shaded by towering...
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11 Hidden Minnesota Restaurants Worth Taking the Long Way To
A GPS might try talking you out of the detour. Ignore it completely, because a few Minnesota restaurants only reveal themselves once you've committed to the longer route.
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This Oklahoma Children’s Museum Has The World’s Largest Community-Built Outdoor Playground
The towering wooden castle wasn't built by a construction company. It was built by thousands of neighbors, friends, and families who showed up to create something extraordinary...
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More Than Three Thousand Shoppers Pack This Missouri Outdoor Flea Market Every Weekend
That cool early-morning bite still hung in the air when I pulled into the lot, and the smell of breakfast was already drifting across the gravel. Rows of folding tables stretched...
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Honey Gets The Entire Spotlight At This Tiny New Jersey Specialty Shop
Most shops have a specialty. This one basically looked at honey and said, “Yes, we’re building the whole personality around that.”
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This Huge Mountaintop Alabama Cross Marks A Site Where Thousands Claim Visions Of The Virgin Mary
Imagine trying to explain this place to someone who has never seen it. “It's a farm.” Okay. “There is a school.” Sure. “A sawmill.” Fine. “There is also a 38-foot...
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Steaks Are Served in the Old Post Office and General Store Beside a Working South Carolina Mill
A grist mill that still grinds cornmeal today sits beside a wide, glassy pond in South Carolina, and I found it after narrow country roads bent past pines and pastures until the...
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You Can Meet One Of The Rarest Wolf Species On Earth Hidden Inside This Alabama Zoo
Someone asks where the wolves are. The answer is surprisingly easy. Right there. The harder question is how many are left.
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This Quiet Virginia Mountain Town Is So Underrated Even Most Locals Haven’t Found It
The mountains rise on all sides, the river runs through town, and the main street is the kind of quiet that makes you wonder why more people have not discovered it. This Virginia...
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This Virginia Cave Holds A Guinness World Record For An Instrument Unlike Any Other
You walk through the cave, the air cool and damp, the formations rising around you like ancient sculptures. Then you hear it. Music,...
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10 California Route 66 Survivors Still Glowing, Serving, or Standing 100 Years After the Mother Road Was Born
Neon signs blinked awake in the desert, and griddles sizzled before sunrise along a California highway that once carried families west. I expected a faded ribbon of asphalt and...
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This Georgia Restaurant Serves Southern Comfort Food in the Workers’ Quarters of a Long-Gone Sawmill
Old tools on the walls and a wood stove from the 1800s still warm the dining room of that Georgia spot, and I pulled into town on a warm afternoon with no real plan, just hunger...
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This Minnesota Farm Turns Into A Huge Fall Festival Every September
Corn stalks and pumpkin patches don't usually pull crowds quite like this every single September. Something about this Minnesota farm turns an ordinary harvest season into a full...
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A 1½-Pound Burger Named for Buster Douglas Headlines This Ohio Restaurant’s Boxing-Themed Menu
Dark wood, amber stained glass, and framed fight photos wrap around a bar that has been pouring and serving in Ohio since 1897, and I almost missed the little red door tucked into...
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This Magical Indiana Animal Sanctuary Has Saved 250+ Abuse Survivors You Can Meet in Person
“Hee-haw.” A donkey has apparently decided the tour needs commentary. A rooster objects. A pig makes a completely different...
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This Old-Fashioned West Virginia Soda Fountain Still Makes Milkshakes Like It’s the 1950s
Tucked into the hills of southern West Virginia sits a little shop where the milkshakes are still hand-spun the old way, and where walking through the door feels like flipping...
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This Old-School Italian Market In Indiana Is Where Locals Pick Up Handmade Ravioli For Dinner
The pasta cutter is working. Again. And again. By mid-morning, the counters have a light dusting of flour and another tray of...
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This Middle-of-Nowhere Indiana Market Has Secret Bakery Deals You’ll Never Find at Walmart
Your Walmart receipt has a barcode army. This one has a pie. And maybe six doughnuts. That contrast says almost everything about...
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This Gorgeous Virginia Beach Town Might Just Be The Most Beautiful Small Town On The Chesapeake
The water is calm, the sunsets are spectacular, and the streets are lined with colorful houses that look like they belong on a postcard. This gorgeous Virginia beach town might...
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Thirty Thousand Coffee Mugs Cover a North Carolina Cabin, Its Fences, and Even the Trees
Handles hooked on nails and ceramic glinting in the afternoon light, that is what I found at the end of a gravel road in North Carolina. I had heard about a cabin covered in coffee...
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This Texas Bakery Is One Of The Best Allergen and Gluten-Free Spots In The State
Gluten-free baked goods that taste like the real thing. That is not a myth. This Texas bakery proves it. Everything here is...
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Every Night, This 1892 Georgia Hotel Leads Guests Through Rooms Usually Closed to the Public for Ghost Stories
That tower sticking up above the storefronts in a small Georgia town caught my attention the moment I pulled into the downtown, and I had booked a room mostly for the architecture....
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This Gorgeous West Virginia Town Is The One Most Travelers Have Never Heard Of
Some places sneak up on you. You roll into town expecting nothing special, and before long you're wandering brick sidewalks, peeking into old storefronts, and wondering why nobody...
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The World’s Only Bigfoot Trap Sits Along an Oregon Forest Trail
Traps built for imaginary creatures don't usually stick around this long. Somehow, this one still sits exactly where it was built decades ago, waiting for a capture that's never...
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When you want a rainy afternoon saved, these 8 Ohio indoor play spaces do the trick
Gray skies and puddles used to mean a whole afternoon of restless kids and worn-out patience, at least around Ohio. Then I started poking around for places where little ones could...
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This Eerie West Virginia Asylum Is So Creepy You Wouldn’t Want To Wander It After Dark
Some places in West Virginia look ordinary from the road, then grab hold of you the second you step inside. Tucked away in a quiet mountain town sits a giant stone building that...
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This Quiet Texas State Park Has A Snake Problem So Bad Locals Know To Watch Their Step
A quiet park with beautiful trails and a hidden warning locals have learned to respect. The snakes here are no joke. They are...
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Pack a picnic because these 7 Ohio gardens let kids roam among fountains and blooms
Somewhere between the buzz of everyday errands and the endless question of what to do this weekend, Ohio hides pockets of green so lovely you almost want to keep them a secret....
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This Tiny West Virginia Town Fills Its Slow Streets With Mountain Views And Old-Fashioned Antiques
Some places in West Virginia don't shout for attention. They sit quietly beside a river, wrapped in green hills, waiting for you to slow down long enough to notice.
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People Drive From All Over West Virginia To This No-Frills Spot For Its Shrimp And Grits
Some of the best meals in West Virginia hide behind the plainest front doors. Tucked into a historic little town where the rivers meet and trains slip through mountain tunnels,...
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One Woman’s Land Donation Helped Start The Entire Texas State Park System
Texas state parks exist because of one woman's vision. She saw the land, loved it, and decided it should belong to everyone. That...
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This West Virginia Thrift Store Lets $30 Fill Your Bags With Rare Treasures
Some of the best shopping trips in West Virginia start with almost no expectations at all. You walk into an ordinary-looking store, and an hour later you are carrying out beanie...
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9 Under-The-Radar Texas Italian Restaurants Locals Keep Recommending
You can find Italian food just about anywhere in Texas. But the places locals keep recommending? Those are a different story....
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This Middle-Of-Nowhere Oklahoma Diner Serves Cinnamon-Swirl French Toast All Day Long
What is better than a stack of cinnamon-swirl French toast? A stack served all day at a little diner in the middle of nowhere. This...
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12 New Jersey Spots Where You Can Spend Less Than $20 And Still Have A Great Afternoon
Some afternoons I just want a change of scenery without the whole production of planning a trip. I keep a running mental list...
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The Smallest Church In West Virginia Has A Trust-Based Post Office Hiding Out Back
Sometimes the best stops in West Virginia are the ones you almost drive right past. Along a quiet stretch of country road sits a chapel so small you could nearly miss it behind...
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Down A Quiet New Jersey Road Is A Family Farm With Hot Cider Donuts And Pick-Your-Own Apples
There is real confidence involved in saying, “I’m only here for apples,” while standing within smelling distance of hot cider donuts.
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This Mind-Bending Indiana Landmark Looks Exactly Like a UFO Landed in the Middle of the Landscape
The first sketch must have sounded ridiculous. “Let's make the church six-sided.” “Keep it low.” “Now put a giant gold cross nearly 200 feet in the air.”
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This Hidden Indiana Lakehouse Serves Massive Fried Catfish Dinners On A Deck Overlooking The Water
The driver says, “We are eating here.” Nobody knows why. There was no careful research. No reservation strategy. Just a...
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This Neighborhood Texas Buffet Built A Loyal Following With Huge Portions
A buffet is only as good as its loyal following. And this neighborhood Texas spot has built one on a very simple formula: huge portions and consistent quality.
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A U.S. President Once Crowned This Small Oklahoma Town The Blackberry Capital Of The World
McLoud, Oklahoma, is the kind of small town story that sounds made up until you learn a president really did praise its blackberries in public. That sweet moment gave McLoud a...
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12 Oregon Places That Look So Strange You’ll Think You Left the U.S.
Some landscapes just don't match their surroundings at all. A handful of spots across Oregon manage exactly that, looking like they belong somewhere else entirely.
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This Missouri Restaurant Serves Fried Guacamole Inside One Of The City’s Oldest Buildings
The building has witnessed over a century of history, from its origins as a doctor's office and pharmacy to its current life as a vibrant Peruvian kitchen. The walls that once...
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Hundreds Of Herbs Turn This Rural New Jersey Farm Into A Fragrant Garden Escape
Did you know there is a farm in New Jersey where the plants actually smell like coconut, pine, and even Parmesan cheese? No joke.
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Everything At This New Hampshire Cafe Is 100% Gluten-Free And Dairy-Free
You know how hard it can be to find a place to eat when you have dietary restrictions. Most restaurants offer one or two options that are safe, and they are usually boring.
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Ocean Views Steal The Show At This New Jersey Restaurant Just Across From The Beach
Hey, guess what? There is a rooftop deck in New Jersey that will actually make you forget to check your phone. No joke. Right...
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This Cozy Maryland German Joint Serves Up Crispy Schnitzel and Buttery Spatzle Diners Love
German food has a way of being both hearty and comforting. Schnitzel, spatzle, bratwurst, all the dishes that make you want to settle in for a long meal.
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Oregon Has a Restaurant Where the Menu Changes With What the Forest Provides
Some restaurants follow the seasons, this Oregon restaurant follows what the forest actually offers. The menu is built around wild mushrooms that foragers bring to the back door,...
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This Oklahoma Rooftop Sushi Restaurant Comes With A Front-Row View Of The Tulsa Skyline
You expect a certain kind of view when you sit down for sushi. Usually, it is a busy street or a strip mall parking lot. But...
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9 Small Towns In New Hampshire With Rich History
You do not have to visit a big city to find fascinating history in New Hampshire. Some of the most interesting stories are tucked away in the small towns that most people drive...
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11 Fascinating West Virginia Discoveries Every Local Should Make At Least Once
There's a special kind of thrill in finding out that a place you've driven past a hundred times holds a story you never knew. West Virginia is packed with corners like that, where...
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10 New Jersey Cafés That Are Worth Visiting For The Pastry Case Alone
Some people walk into a café and look at the coffee menu. Other people immediately lock eyes with the pastry case and forget why they came in.
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This Dreamy 35-Acre Alabama Bed & Breakfast Lets You Wake Up Surrounded by 100+ Rescued Animals
“Cock-a-doodle-doo.” There goes the alarm clock. Then comes a donkey. Then a goat. Then something large snorts somewhere...
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A California Resort Town Was Abandoned When Its Lake Dried Up, Leaving Streets and Buildings Behind
A swing set sitting in shallow water on a salt-crusted shore was not what I expected to find at the end of a California desert drive. The first time I rounded that dirt berm, the...
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This Mennonite Country Store In Oregon Is Packed With Bulk Foods And Homemade Goods
Fresh bread and cured meats fill the air the moment you step inside. This unassuming country store in Oregon does not look like much from the road, but the shelves tell a different...
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This Buffet Was Just Voted The Most Mouthwatering All-You-Can-Eat Destination In New Hampshire
You know that feeling when you walk into a buffet and everything looks like it has been sitting out for hours? That is not the case here.
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10 Maryland Restaurants So Remote They Turn the Drive Into Half the Fun
There is something appealing about a restaurant that requires a bit of effort to reach. The winding roads, the changing scenery, the anticipation of what is waiting at the end.
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Silk, Locomotives And Industry Fill This Surprisingly Fascinating New Jersey City Museum
They say this city was built with an arm of iron in a sleeve of silk. This New Jersey museum proves it. Inside a restored 19th-century...
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A California Gold Rush Town Lost Its Railroad, and a Whole Row of Brick Storefronts Was Left Behind
Roofless brick walls with rusted iron shutters and hinges line both sides of that old California main street, and I pulled off a highway expecting a quick leg stretch. I ended...
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Dozens of Giant Whirligigs Spin Above This North Carolina Park, and One Man Built Nearly All of Them
Wheels turning, small metal figures pedaling bicycles in midair, and a soft clatter that followed me across the grass, that is what I found when I turned a corner in a North Carolina...
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