asa whitlock author at My Family Travels
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This Texas Restaurant Serves Dinner Inside A 19th Century Cotton Gin

A dinner inside a 19th-century cotton gin is not something a person experiences every day. This Texas restaurant has transformed a historic building into a unique dining destination.

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More Than 3,000 Cactus Plants Fill This Unexpected Texas Desert Garden

A desert garden with more than 3,000 cactus plants is a sight to behold. This Texas spot offers a stunning display of desert diversity.

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Texas Grocery Store With Low Prices and Shelves Packed with Unexpected Treasures

A grocery store that offers low prices and unexpected discoveries is a rare find. This Texas spot is known for its affordable prices and its wide selection of items.

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This Meat Market in Texas Is So Incredible You’ll Want to Make a Special Visit

A meat market that is worth a special visit is a sign of quality. This Texas shop has been serving its community for decades, and its reputation is built on high-quality meats...

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The Fresh Made Gelato At This Texas Café Comes In More Than 20 Rotating Flavors

A gelato place that rotates through more than twenty flavors is a place worth returning to. This Texas café makes its gelato fresh daily, using traditional methods that give it...

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This Texas Market Has Become A Go To Destination For Fresh Produce, Plants, And Local Products

A market that offers fresh produce, plants, and local products is a community hub. This Texas market is exactly that. It is...

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This Texas Museum Lets Visitors Walk Through More Than 150 Years Of Ranching History

Ranching history is a big part of Texas. This museum captures that history in a unique way by displaying real ranch buildings arranged in chronological order.

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This Mind-Blowing Texas Italian Spot Is Worth Booking a Month in Advance

A restaurant that requires a month of advance planning is not for everyone. But for those who book a table, it is a memorable meal.

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This Texas Smokehouse Has Been Serving Barbecue From The Same Brick Pits Since 1976

Barbecue made in the same brick pits for nearly 50 years is worth noticing. This Texas smokehouse has been serving brisket and sausage from those pits since 1976, and the flavor...

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This Massive Texas Frontier Fortress Makes You Feel Like You’ve Time-Traveled

A fort that feels like a time machine is a rare find. This Texas frontier fortress was once a key outpost on the edge of the unknown, and its original stone buildings still stand.

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Texas Bakery That’s Known For Delicious Cream Puffs You Won’t be Able to Resist

A cream puff is a simple thing, but when made right, it can be unforgettable. This Texas bakery has perfected them. The puffs...

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This Texas Bookstore Lets You Browse Thousands Of Books While Enjoying A Fresh Cup Of Coffee

A good bookstore is a sanctuary. A bookstore with a coffee bar is a paradise. This Texas spot offers both, a well-curated selection...

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9 Grocery Stores in Texas Famous for Their Top-Quality Meat Departments

A grocery store is only as good as its meat department. These Texas grocery stores have earned a reputation for quality, with in-house butchers, custom cuts, and meat that is genuinely...

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11 Places in Texas to Watch the Most Spectacular 4th of July Fireworks

Fourth of July in Texas is a big deal. The skies light up, the crowds cheer, and the barbecue smells drift through every park. But...

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The Catfish At This Texas Restaurant Comes With Unlimited Homemade Hush Puppies

A plate of golden fried catfish and a bottomless basket of homemade hush puppies. That is the draw at this Arlington spot. The...

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Texas’ Finest Seafood Is Hiding In This One Charming Small Town

A small town where the seafood tastes like the ocean just a few feet away. That is Rockport. The bay is calm, the shrimp are...

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Locals Say This Once-Peaceful Texas River Town Is Now Overrun by Tourists

The Frio River still runs clear. The cypress trees still line the banks. But the peace is gone. Concan used to be a quiet escape,...

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A Floating Tiki Boat With Panoramic Lake Views Makes This One Of The Most Unique Experiences In Texas

There are some experiences that just stop you mid-scroll and make you think, wait, that actually exists in Texas? This boat cruises Lake Ray Hubbard at a chill pace, with a captain...

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This Texas Bakery Is Turning Heads With Organic Flour, Scratch Pastries, And No Preservatives

How many bakeries can say they use organic flour and zero preservatives? Not many. This one does, and the results speak for...

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This Texas Marketplace Has Become A Favorite Destination For Antique Lovers And Collectors

A marketplace that keeps antique lovers coming back is a rare thing. Most spots get picked over fast, but this one keeps the inventory fresh.

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The Giant Windmill Collection In This Texas Town Is Unlike Anything Else In America

A hundred windmills in one place is not something a person sees every day. But in this Texas town, that is exactly what is on display.

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A Texas Spanish Restaurant with Portions So Generous You’ll Have Enough for Days

A plate of paella shows up and it looks like a family meal. That is the portion size here. This Spanish restaurant does not...

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People Travel To This Texas Town Just To See Its Unusually Beautiful Courthouse

A courthouse should not be a tourist attraction. But this one is. Limestone walls, a red tile roof, and a clock tower that...

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The Cheesecake at This Charming Texas Cafe Is Worth the Drive From Anywhere

A cheesecake worth driving across the state for. That is a bold claim, but this cafe backs it up. Made from scratch with seasonal...

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This Small Texas Town Is Quietly Becoming the State’s Next Big Thing

A town that used to be a blink and you miss it stop on the highway is suddenly booming. New shops, new restaurants, and new faces showing up every week.

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These Restaurants Hold The Title Of Texas’ Most Expensive Dining Destinations

A dinner that costs more than a car payment is not for everyone. But for those who want the experience, these Texas restaurants deliver.

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This Legendary Texas River Float Is The Coolest Way To Escape The Summer Heat

A tube, a cool drink, and a river that moves just fast enough to keep things interesting. That is the summer survival kit. This...

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The Texas Escape Where Dining Feels Like a Beautiful Scenic Retreat

Floor to ceiling windows. A view of the bay that does not quit. And shrimp and grits that actually live up to the scenery....

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The Texas Beach Town With So Few Residents You Will Feel Like You Stumbled Upon A Hidden Gem

Less than a thousand people call this place home. That is not a typo. A tiny strip of sand, a few fishing piers, and more quiet...

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A Texas Forest Area With Tall Pines And Quiet Trails Is Perfect For Hiking

The air smells like pine needles and cool earth, and the only sounds you hear are birds and the soft crunch of the trail beneath your feet. This Texas forest spreads across more...

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A Texas Lake With Sandy Shores And Camping Areas Feels Like A Mini Beach

You do not expect to find sandy shores and clear water in Texas without driving all the way to the coast. But this lake has been hiding a mini beach experience for years, and the...

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A Texas Pizza Shop Serving Square-Cut Pies And Crispy Edges

You take a bite and the crust shatters. Not in a dry, crumbly way, but in that perfect thin, crispy, almost delicate way that makes you look at the slice and wonder how they did...

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This Texas Cafe Is Known For Massive Omelets And All-Day Breakfast Plates

Texas does breakfast big. That is not news. But this cafe takes big to another level. The omelets here are the size of your...

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This Texas Harbor Area Combines Boardwalk Views, Dining, And Boat Watching

Texas has coast. Not as famous as Florida or California, but it counts. This harbor area makes the most of it, with a boardwalk...

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A Texas BBQ Spot Known For Smoked Pork Steak And Classic Sides

You order the pork steak without knowing what to expect. Beef is the usual star at Texas BBQ joints. But this place figured out...

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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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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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This Texas State Park Delivers Lakefront Fun And Overnight Stays Without Breaking The Budget

A weekend getaway should not require a second mortgage. This park gets that. The lake is small but perfect, 14 acres of calm...

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Authentic Tacos And Consistently Long Lines Make This Texas Spot Worth The Wait

A line down the block is usually a sign of something good. Or a sign of poor planning. But at this spot, it is definitely the...

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This Texas Food Store Is Packed With Hot Sauces For Every Heat Level

A shelf of mild sauces. Another shelf of medium. Then a whole section of bottles that come with actual warnings. This place...

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The Yarn Selection At This Texas Shop Feels Like A Treasure Hunt For Knitters And Crocheters

Skeins stacked on shelves. Cubbyholes filled with colors that do not exist in nature. A wall of hand dyed luxury fibers that...

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Float the Texas Heat Away On These 9 Refreshing Lazy Rivers

The Texas sun has a mean streak. No denying that. When the temperatures climb and the humidity sits on a person like a wet...

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People Walk Into This Texas Cafe Planning To Eat Light And Instantly Change Their Minds

A salad sounds reasonable. Maybe a bowl of soup. Something light, something responsible. Then a plate of chicken fried steak...

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This Texas Smokehouse Has Brisket So Tender People Show Up Before Opening Time

A line before opening time is a good sign. A really good sign. This smokehouse has people waiting on the sidewalk, coffee in...

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This Texas Botanical Garden Offers Free Admission And The Kind Of Scenery People Usually Pay To See

Twenty three acres of blooming flowers, koi ponds, and themed gardens. A conservatory filled with tropical plants. A rose garden...

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This Texas Bohotique Feels More Like A Psychedelic Treasure Hunt Than A Regular Store

One minute a person is looking at a tie dye hoodie. The next, they are holding a lava lamp and questioning all their life choices. That...

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10 Best Restaurants in Fredericksburg, Texas You’ll Want to Visit

Fredericksburg, Texas is one of those places that sneaks up on you in the best possible way. The Texas Hill Country town sits about an hour and a half west of Austin, and the moment...

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This Texas Deli Has The Kind Of Menu That Makes Deciding What To Order Weirdly Difficult

A person walks in and immediately freezes in front of the menu board. Too many choices, too little time. This Texas deli does...

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This 1-Mile Enchanted Texas Trail Is Home To A Magical Village Of Small Fairy Homes

A short loop trail where tiny painted doors appear at the base of trees, and small fairy homes peek out from behind roots and rocks. This Texas path has become a local treasure...

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This Tiny Texas Town Feels Like It Hit Pause Sometime In The 1950s

The only real landmark is a weathered building that has been standing since the late 1800s, housing a general store, a saloon, and a defunct post office under one creaky roof....

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This Iconic Texas Biker Bar Is Known For A Wild Roadside Vibe And A Loyal Crowd

Bikes rumble into the parking lot by the dozen, especially on weekends when the live outdoor stage is shaking. This place is more than a bar, it is a full on motorcycle empire.

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Walking Into This Texas Restaurant Feels Like Accidentally Stepping Into An Old Ranch Gathering

The smell of smoked meat and buttery rolls hits before a person even finds a seat. Reclaimed barn wood covers the walls, vintage cowboy gear hangs between windows, and a massive...

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8 Eerie Texas Destinations That Feel Unsettling Even In Daylight

The kind of places where a person feels watched even when nobody is around. Empty hallways, flickering lights, and shadows that move on their own.

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10 Texas Towns Residents Believe Felt Different Before The Crowds Arrived

Every local has that one story. The one about the time before the stoplight showed up, before the weekend traffic, before the souvenir shops multiplied.

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A Texas Restaurant Where Big Portions And Casual Small-Town Atmosphere Go Hand In Hand

A 1.5 pound chicken fried steak demands serious respect and a very loose belt. This family-run spot started as a humble drive-through in 1994, slinging barbecue and deer corn to...

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This Texas Burger Joint Has a Monster Burger With a Full Pound of Meat That Is a True Test of Appetite

A Texas burger this size is a serious commitment, a full pound of beef, a quarter pound of crispy bacon, and four melty cheese slices all stacked between a butter soft bun. This...

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A Texas Antique Store That Has Been a Hidden Gem for Over 20 Years

This place is a full-blown maze, and getting lost is the entire point. Spanning a massive 30,000 square feet across two beautifully restored 1924 buildings, it's packed with over...

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A Peaceful Corner of France Is Secretly Found Within This Texas Sanctuary

A slice of French peace exists right here in Texas, built by priests who wanted to bring a little European tranquility to the Lone Star State. This hidden sanctuary is an exact...

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This Texas Puerto Rican Restaurant Is Known For Pernil, Mofongo, And Huge Portions

A little blue building off a busy street. Does not look like much. But the smell? Oh, the smell will stop a person mid stride.

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A Texas Cuban Cafe Serving Authentic Sandwiches, Espresso, And Homemade Plates

A good Cuban sandwich should crackle when pressed and drip just a little when bitten. This Texas cafe nails that every single time.

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