amara blake author at My Family Travels
Article
A Half-Mile Trail Of Animated Christmas Lights Is Returning To This Virginia Garden

A half-mile walking trail filled with animated Christmas lights sounds like a pretty good reason to bundle up and head outside. The displays are designed to turn an ordinary evening...

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9 Old-School Virginia Drive-In Restaurants Where Burgers, Milkshakes And Nostalgia Still Come Together

One drive-in on this list still makes waffle cones the same way its founding family did over a century ago. Another lets you call in your order from a phone mounted right beside...

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This Virginia House Has Been Standing Since 1685, Making It One Of The Oldest Brick Homes In America

A love poem was scratched into a window here with a diamond in 1840, and that glass still survives today. I love a detail that makes me stop scrolling.

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9 Virginia Orchards Where You Can Buy Fresh Fruit Straight From The Growers

Thomas Jefferson once accepted part of a mountain as payment for legal work. Today, that same mountain is covered in apple trees you can pick yourself.

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This 200-Year-Old Virginia Landmark Transforms Into A Spectacular Light Show After Dark Every Halloween

Dancing skeletons, a haunted house, and purple skulls get projected across a building designed by a Founding Father. Yes, really. Every...

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This Virginia Family-Owned Discount Warehouse Buys Truckloads Of Store Returns, And Shoppers Never Know What Bargains They’ll Find

The price tag here shrinks every single day of the week. Wait until Thursday, and whatever is left in the bins costs a fraction of what it did on Saturday.

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A Virginia Family’s Business Began In 1919, And Today Their Christmas Shop Welcomes Holiday Lovers All Year Long

Christmas ornaments are on sale every single day of the year at one tiny Virginia shop, including the sweaty days of July. Yes, even when it's hot enough to melt a candy cane.

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The 3,334-Acre State Park In Virginia With A Mountain Lake That Deserves More Attention

A lost child, wandering out of the woods, could only say two words: "Hungry Mother." Those words became the name of a mountain park, a creek, and eventually a lake.

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This Virginia Fabric Store Is a Hidden Paradise for Anyone Who Loves Sewing on a Budget

The people who cut your fabric here also own the store. That's right, this sewing shop is employee-owned and operated. It has...

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A Former Celebrity Chef Protégé Now Runs The Kitchen At This Virginia Steakhouse Known For Prime Beef

The chef running this steakhouse kitchen spent three years climbing from line cook to sous chef under a famous TV chef. That training now shows up on plates of Prime Certified...

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This Virginia Bagel Bakery Is Open 365 Days A Year For Your Fresh-Baked Breakfast Fix

Most bakeries close for at least a few holidays. This Virginia bagel bakery does not. It is open 365 days a year, which means...

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This Unassuming Virginia Consignment Shop Hides Chanel, Gucci And Louis Vuitton Among Its Secondhand Finds

Walking into this Virginia consignment shop, you might not expect to find designer labels. The exterior is plain, the racks are packed, and the whole place has the kind of casual,...

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12 Virginia Animal Attractions Where Families Can Meet And Feed Friendly Farm Animals

Kids and animals tend to get along well, especially when the animals are friendly and the kids are allowed to feed them. This list has twelve Virginia animal attractions where...

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Workers Renovating a Virginia Historic Home Found a Hidden Brick Well Shaft Beneath the Floor

Renovations often uncover surprises. A hidden layer of wallpaper, an old newspaper stuffed in a wall, a coin that slipped through the floorboards a century ago.

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This Completely Free Virginia Museum Sits Inside A 45-Acre Historic Park

Free admission is rare, especially when the museum is worth paying for. This Virginia museum charges nothing, and it sits inside a 45-acre historic park that adds another layer...

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This Once-Quiet Virginia Small Town Has Become So Overrun By Tourists Locals Wish It Never Went Viral

Going viral sounds like a dream for a small town. Suddenly everyone knows your name, your shops are full, and your restaurants have waiting lists.

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This Virginia Cafe Is Quickly Becoming One Of The State’s Most Popular Brunch Spots

Brunch has become a weekend ritual for a lot of people, and finding the right spot can make or break a Saturday. This Virginia cafe has been building a following fast, and the...

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The Donuts at This Tiny Virginia Bakery Are the Most Unforgettable Thing You’ll Ever Taste

Donuts are everywhere. Gas stations, grocery stores, chain shops on every corner. But most of them are forgettable. They are...

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This Virginia Aquarium Transforms Into A 21+ Experience After Dark

Aquariums are usually family territory. Strollers, field trips, and crowds of kids pressed against the glass. But after dark,...

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10 Virginia Restaurants Where Peruvian Food Goes Way Beyond Charcoal Chicken

Peruvian food has a reputation problem in the United States. Most people know it for one dish, charcoal chicken with green sauce, and they stop there.

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This Virginia Chinese Restaurant Is The Kind Of Local Favorite People Keep Coming Back To

Some restaurants become institutions without ever trying to. They open with a good menu, treat people well, and keep showing up year after year until suddenly they have been part...

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This Historic Virginia Bank Was Transformed Into A Boutique Hotel In The Middle Of Downtown

Banks are not usually the first buildings you think of when you picture a hotel. They are solid, formal, and built to feel permanent.

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This 1819 Virginia Mansion Just Reopened With A Restaurant After Decades Of Sitting Empty

Reopening a building that has sat empty for decades is not a simple project. There are structural issues, historical requirements, and the question of what the space should become.

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11 Virginia Restaurants Where Korean Food Goes Way Beyond Tabletop Barbecue

Korean food has become synonymous with tabletop grills in a lot of people's minds. And that is fine, because grilled meat is delicious.

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This Virginia Bagel Shop Makes Its Bagels From Scratch And Boils Them Before Baking

Bagels are simple food, but simple does not mean easy. Getting them right takes time, technique, and a stubborn commitment to doing things the hard way.

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11 Virginia Döner Kebab Spots Worth Trying For A Taste Of Classic Street Food

Street food has a way of translating across cultures. The format changes, the spices shift, but the idea stays the same, something fast, satisfying, and full of flavor.

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Virginia Has A Farm Bakery With More Than 38 Kinds Of Pies

Pie is one of those desserts that can go wrong in a dozen ways. A soggy crust, a filling that is too sweet, a topping that does not hold up.

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12 Virginia Shops Where You Can Find Fall Decor Without Blowing Your Budget

Decorating for fall can get expensive fast. A few pumpkins, some wreaths, a couple of candles, and suddenly the seasonal budget is gone.

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12 Virginia Ranches Where Beautiful Scenery Is Only Part Of The Adventure

Ranches are often associated with wide-open spaces and mountain views, but the ones on this list offer more than just a pretty backdrop. These twelve Virginia ranches turn beautiful...

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10 Virginia Aquariums Where You Can Get Surprisingly Close To Ocean Life

Seeing ocean life up close is not something you get to do every day. But Virginia has aquariums where the distance between you and the animals shrinks in surprising ways.

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11 Places In Virginia To Enjoy Breakfast With A Million-Dollar View This Fall

Breakfast tastes better when there is a view. Not just any view, but the kind that makes you put your fork down and stare for a minute.

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This Virginia Chapel Keeps A Saint’s Historic Artifacts And Relics On Display

History and faith meet in this Virginia chapel, where artifacts and relics connected to a saint are kept on display. The building itself is beautiful, with architecture that inspires...

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This Custom Virginia Carriage Ride Might Be The Most Charming Mountain Escape Around

Carriage rides are usually associated with cities, clip-clopping through historic districts while tourists snap photos. This one is different.

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This Virginia Water Buffalo Farm Produces Some Of The Most Delicious Meat In The Region

Raising water buffalo is not something you see every day. But this Virginia farm has built a reputation for producing some of the most delicious meat in the region.

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Thousands Of Giant Tundra Swans Fill The Sky Over This Quiet Virginia Wildlife Refuge At Sunset

Watching the sky fill with swans is something you do not forget. Thousands of tundra swans arrive at this quiet Virginia wildlife refuge each year, and at sunset, they take flight...

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Virginia’s Haunted Scenic Drive Along The Colonial Parkway Winds Through Centuries Of History And Unsolved Murders

Driving this route is not like driving anywhere else in Virginia. The Colonial Parkway connects three historic towns, but the road itself is the attraction.

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This Virginia Butcher Shop Is So Clean and Fresh, Locals Have Given Up on Supermarket Meat

Buying meat at the supermarket is convenient. But convenience only goes so far, especially when the quality is inconsistent. This...

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This Isolated Virginia Diner Has Pancakes So Incredible They Are A Local Legend

Some pancakes are just pancakes. They are fine, they do the job, and you forget about them by lunchtime. Then there are pancakes...

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10 Virginia Dog Walking Spots That Make An Everyday Walk Feel Like A Proper Outing

Walking the dog is usually a quick loop around the block. But Virginia has spots that turn an everyday walk into a proper outing, places where both you and your dog can enjoy the...

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This Quiet Virginia Overlook Opens Onto An Endless Sea Of Blue Ridge Mountains

You park the car, walk a few steps, and then the ground drops away. The view opens up into an endless sea of Blue Ridge Mountains, ridge after ridge fading into the distance.

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This Virginia Dairy Bar Feels Like The Kind Of Summer Stop You Eat In Your Car

Some places are made for sitting down and taking your time. This one is not. This Virginia dairy bar feels like the kind of summer...

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We Found 10 Virginia Day Trips That Feel Like A Vacation Without The Big Price Tag

Vacations are expensive. Flights, hotels, rental cars, and meals out add up fast, and sometimes you just need a break without the bill.

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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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9 Places in Virginia With Rich History

Virginia wears its history differently than most states. It is not just something you read about in textbooks or watch in documentaries.

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The Once-Quiet Virginia Lake Town That Fall Crowds Have Completely Taken Over In The Last Few Years

There was a time when this Virginia lake town was a quiet place. The locals knew each other, the water was calm, and the biggest decision of the day was whether to fish or swim.

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This Virginia Restaurant Looks Like A Tiny Local Joint But People Drive Miles For The Food

The building is small, the sign is modest, and the dining room is cozy. But this Virginia restaurant looks like a tiny local joint for a reason, because the food is what matters.

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This Virginia Cruise Lets You Search The Shore For Wild Ponies And The Water For Dolphins

The boat glides across the water, and everyone on board is scanning the horizon. This Virginia cruise lets you search the shore for wild ponies and the water for dolphins, a combination...

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This Native American Museum In Virginia Holds Stories Most History Books Completely Skip

The history books often tell one side of the story. But this Native American museum in Virginia holds the stories that most history books completely skip, a place where the past...

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11 Filipino Restaurants In Virginia Serving Authentic Island Cuisine

Filipino food is a celebration of flavor, a mix of sweet, sour, and savory that reflects the islands' rich culinary history. Virginia has a growing number of Filipino restaurants,...

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This Secluded Virginia Lake Is Made For One Last Warm Weather Escape

The water is still warm, the days are still long, and the summer crowds have already gone home. This secluded Virginia lake is made for one last warm weather escape, a place where...

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This Virginia Farm Turns Summer Nights Into Magical Evenings Of Music And Food

The sun is setting, the lights are twinkling, and the sound of music fills the air. This Virginia farm turns summer nights into magical evenings of music and food, a place where...

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This Charming Virginia Italian Joint Has A James Beard-Nominated Chef Behind It

The pasta is silky, the sauces are balanced, and the wine list is thoughtfully curated. This charming Virginia Italian joint has a James Beard-nominated chef behind it, and the...

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This Iconic Virginia Dairy Bar Serves Some Of The Tallest Ice Cream Cones Around

You order a cone and they hand you something that defies gravity. Three scoops, maybe four, towering high and dripping just enough to keep things interesting.

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This Virginia Seafood Spot Makes Every Meal Feel Like A Vacation

The water is close enough that you can hear the waves while you eat. The breeze carries the smell of salt and grilled fish, and the pace of the meal moves at the rhythm of the...

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This Virginia Restaurant Feels Like Sunday Dinner Made By Someone Who Has Been Cooking All Morning

There is a certain feeling that comes with Sunday dinner. The kind of meal where the food has been simmering for hours, the smells have filled the house, and the table is set with...

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This Legendary Virginia Sichuan Spot Has Foodies Driving From Out Of State For Their Crispy Pork Belly

The Sichuan peppercorns tingle on your tongue, the chili oil glistens, and the pork belly arrives at the table with a crackling skin that shatters with every bite. This legendary...

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This Virginia Grocery Store Has Become A Go-To Spot For Thrifty Families

The aisles are busy, the carts are full, and the prices are low enough to make you do a double take. This Virginia grocery store has become a go-to spot for thrifty families, a...

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10 Historic Landmarks in Virginia Every History Buff Must Visit

Virginia is a state built on history. From the first English settlements to the Civil War to the civil rights movement, the ground is layered with stories.

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This Stunning Virginia Landmark Has Been Called One Of The Natural Wonders Of The World

Thomas Jefferson called it one of the natural wonders of the world. And standing beneath it, you understand why. This stunning...

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This Virginia Haunting Overgrown Field Protects 40 Crumbling 20-Foot-Tall Concrete Busts of American Presidents Left in Ruin

You walk through the tall grass, pushing aside weeds and brush, and then you see them. Massive concrete heads, twenty feet tall, staring blankly into the sky.

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