asa whitlock author at My Family Travels
Article
The Oldest Classic Texas Deli That’s Been a Local Legend Since 1882

If a place has been around since the 1800s, I’m already curious, because nothing survives that long by accident. Walk in...

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This Small Town Texas Boutique Is A Treasure Trove Of Unique and Fun Finds

You walk in thinking it will be a quick browse, and that idea does not last long. Shelves are packed with colorful finds, gifts,...

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This Texas Barbecue Joint Is Serving The Most Unbelievable Loaded Baked Potato You’ll Come Across

You expect good barbecue, but this is not what you think of first. The baked potato shows up loaded past the point of reason,...

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The Oldest Bar In Texas Is Hidden Inside A Historic Building And Full Of Character

History shows up in the details here, and none of it feels staged. Dim lighting, worn floors, and old walls carry the kind...

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This Texas New and Used Bookstore Turns Browsing Into An All-Day Experience

Losing track of time feels almost guaranteed once you start looking around. Shelves are packed tight with new and used books,...

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The Barbacoa At This Iconic Restaurant In Texas Is Simply Outstanding

Barbacoa is one of those things you either get right or you do not, and this place clearly figured it out. The meat comes out...

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The Massive Texas Farm Market Where Visitors Leave With Bags Full Of Local Goods

Saturday mornings hit different when your plans involve fresh bread and a tote bag you already know will end up too full. Rows...

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The Gigantic Flea Market In Texas Where Time Flies By Quickly

Texas knows how to go big, and this flea market takes that idea seriously. The place stretches across more than 100 acres of...

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This Texas Cafe Lets You Dine Underground In Style

The entrance does not give away what is waiting just below. It feels unexpected in the best way once you realize where you are about to eat.

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This Old-School Texas Cafeteria Has Been Serving Generations Of Loyal Locals

You grab a tray, start moving down the line, and suddenly everything looks familiar even on your first visit. Places like this hold a quiet kind of loyalty across Texas, where...

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The Hidden Spring In Texas With Crystal-Clear Water And A Laid-Back Atmosphere

Clear water like this is not what most people expect to find hidden away in Texas. Hidden spots like this draw visitors from across Texas who are looking for something calm and...

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You’ll Be Stuffed in Minutes at This Legendary Texas Buffet

One plate is never enough at this Texas buffet. The portions are generous, the options keep coming, and it is easy to go back for more.

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This Hill Country Lavender Farm In Texas Feels Straight Out Of Rural France

The sight alone stops people in their tracks. Long rows of lavender stretch across the fields, filling the air with a soft fragrance and turning the countryside into a sea of purple.

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The Texas BBQ Joint Named The Best In The State By Texas Monthly In 2025

Barbecue fans pay attention when a restaurant earns major recognition. This Texas BBQ joint drew statewide attention after being named the best in the state by Texas Monthly in...

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This Haunted Texas Ghost Town Offers Chilling Thrills While Supporting A Good Cause

Dusty buildings, creaking doors, and a quiet ghost town setting give this unusual attraction an eerie atmosphere from the moment visitors arrive. What makes it even more interesting...

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This Quiet Texas Lake Has Suddenly Become The Center Of Heated Debate

Peaceful lakes in Texas are usually known for fishing, boating, and quiet afternoons on the water. Recently, however, this normally calm lake has found itself at the center of...

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The 10 Top Brisket Spots In Texas That Locals Always Recommend

Great brisket is something Texans take seriously. When a barbecue spot manages to get the smoke, seasoning, and tenderness just right, word spreads quickly among locals.

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The Tiny Texas Chapel Perched On A Hill With Sweeping Hill Country Views

Every once in a while you see a place and immediately wonder how it ended up there. This chapel has that effect. Perched high...

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This Forgotten Texas Park Is One of the Only Places on Earth Where You Can Stand Beside a 1,000-Year-Old Tree

Somewhere along the Texas Gulf Coast, tucked between salt marshes and quiet bay waters, there is a park that most people have never heard of. Goose Island State Park in Rockport...

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This Tiny Texas Pizza Place Serves Slices People Dream About

When I first saw this place, I thought this is just another pizza place in a city full of them, right? But the moment I stepped inside and caught the smell of caramelized cheese...

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This Tiny Texas Riverfront Town Perfectly Blends Smoked Brisket and Slow Living

I wasn't expecting much when I took the exit off Highway 183 toward Luling. Just another small Texas town, I figured, maybe a gas station and a barbecue joint if I was lucky.

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This Charming Texas Diner Serves 16 Different Fresh-Baked Pies Every Day

Small towns tend to hide their best spots in plain sight, and Koffee Kup Family Restaurant is a perfect example. The smell of something warm and buttery drifting through the door...

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This Massive Texas Park Has Some Of The Most Epic Campsites Around

Far out in West Texas, the landscape opens up in a way that almost feels unreal. Big Bend National Park spreads across more than 800,000 acres where desert, mountains, and the...

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This Texas Diner Has Been Serving Its Famous German Pancakes For Six Decades

Late-night cravings and early-morning hunger both lead to the same place in Fort Worth. Ol' South Pancake House has been serving around the clock for more than six decades, and...

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We Found a Texas Diner Serving a Chicken Fried Steak That Rivals the Legends

Some meals just stay with you long after the last bite. Jonathon's Diner on North Beckley Avenue in Dallas is one of those places that earns a permanent spot in your memory, not...

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A Popular Texas Lake That Locals Say Is Getting Too Crowded

There is something about Lake Travis that grabs you the moment you round that last hill and catch your first glimpse of the water. The blue stretches out wider than you expect,...

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A Texas Resale Shop Where Locals Score Designer Pieces for a Fraction of the Price

This shop feels like the kind of place people debate before sharing. Step inside and it is nothing like a typical resale shop. The...

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This Historic Cafe In Texas Will Serve You A Pulled Pork Sandwich You Won’t Forget

Walking into this BBQ spot on a random Wednesday, the smell of slow-smoked meat hit me before I even made it to the counter. One breath in and I already knew I was in the right...

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The Texas Rodeo That Still Feels Authentic And Unpolished

You can feel the energy building before you even find your seat at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo in Mesquite. Trucks fill the lot, boots hit the pavement, and the low hum of...

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These Texas Towns Don’t Want to Be “Discovered” but You’ll Want to Find Them

Texas has a way of holding onto its secrets, tucking away small towns that locals cherish and visitors stumble upon like hidden treasure. I've found that the best places in this...

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This Real Working Texas Cattle Ranch Lets You Live the Cowboy Life for a Weekend

There is something about pulling onto the wide open land at Dixie Dude Ranch that makes you sit up a little straighter. Horses move through the pastures like they own the place,...

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This Texas Market Offers Fresh Food, Global Flavors, and Artisan Crafts

I pulled into that lot on Airline Drive thinking it would be a quick in and out. Five minutes, grab something, leave. That plan...

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This Scenic State Park In Texas Feels Like Paradise For Nature Lovers

Spending a day at Brazos Bend State Park feels like stepping into a different side of Texas. The trails wind past lakes and through wetlands where Spanish moss hangs from old trees...

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This Quirky Small Town In Texas Is Rich In Charm And History

Rolling into Brownwood feels like easing into a different rhythm. The streets are lined with historic buildings that have clearly seen decades come and go, and downtown has that...

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A Texas Antique Store That Will Be the 2026 Destination Everyone Talks About

I walked into Carol Hicks Bolton Antiques expecting another quaint shop, but what I found was something entirely different. Spread across three massive warehouse buildings on South...

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This Classic Restaurant Is a Reminder of What Tex-Mex Should Be

I pulled into the parking lot of Lopez Mexican Restaurant on a weeknight and immediately noticed something unusual. Cars filled nearly every space, which is always a good sign,...

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This Spring in Texas, You Can’t Miss This Peaceful Nature Wonderland

When I first heard about a hidden garden tucked away in Weatherford, Texas, I didn't know what to expect. Most places that promise tranquility end up being overhyped or underwhelming,...

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9 Texas Mexican Restaurants That Nail Authentic Flavor

I've spent years chasing authentic Mexican food across Texas, and what I've learned is that the best spots rarely shout about themselves.

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This Obscure Texas Restaurant Serves Seafood You Won’t Be Able to Get Out of Your Head

I was surprised when I first pulled up to Gaido's on Seawall Boulevard in Galveston. From the outside, it looks like just another beachside restaurant trying to catch tourists...

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A Texas State Park That Has the Kind of Views You Remember Forever

Pedernales Falls is one of those places that makes you stop mid-step and just stare for a second. I was not expecting that much scenery packed into one Hill Country park.

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8 Texas Thrift Stores That Make $35 Feel Like a Fortune

I set myself a challenge that sounded ridiculous at first. Walk into Texas thrift stores with just thirty-five dollars and see what actually happens.

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These Texas Cheeseburgers Will Make You Travel as Far as It Takes Just To Taste Them

I almost missed this place, which would have been a huge mistake. Rhome is one of those tiny Texas towns most people blow through without a second thought, but that changes fast...

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This Texas Restaurant Proves Sometimes the Best Ribeye Comes From a Simple Spot

If someone told me the best steak of my life would come from a converted hay barn in the middle of nowhere, I probably would have laughed. Then I went to Perini Ranch Steakhouse...

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This Massive Texas Flea Market Brings Bargain Hunters From Every Corner of Texas

The first time I went to Traders Village, I thought I was just stopping by a flea market. I was very wrong. Sitting off Mayfield...

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People Travel Miles Across Texas Just for the Homemade Pies at This Restaurant

Stephenville, Texas, might not be the first place you think of when planning a road trip, but locals and travelers alike know better.

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A Texas Thrift Store Where $16 Can Completely Upgrade Your Wardrobe

Tucked away on South Broadway Avenue in Tyler, Texas, sits a fashion treasure chest that has savvy shoppers buzzing with excitement. Uptown Cheapskate Tyler at 4540 S Broadway...

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This Texas Flea Market Is a Giant with 5,000 Vendors and Food for Every Craving

Tucked away in East Texas, about an hour southeast of Dallas, lies a treasure hunting paradise that transforms the small town of Canton into a bustling marketplace four days every...

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This Texas Festival Feels Completely Bizarre But Locals Love It

Picture a world where knights thunder past on horseback, jesters tumble through dusty lanes, and everyone around you wears velvet capes and leather boots like it's the most natural...

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This Enormous Texas Antique Store Keeps Everyone Wandering for Hours

Walking into Lone Star Mercantile feels like stumbling onto a treasure map where X marks every single spot. Located at 2031...

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People Can’t Stop Driving Across Texas for These Legendary Onion Rings

West Texas isn't exactly where you'd expect to find one of the state's most talked-about restaurants, but Lowake Steak House in tiny Rowena has become a full-blown phenomenon....

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