asher bennett author at My Family Travels
Article
Wisconsin Lakefront Villages Struggling To Keep Up With Visitor Influx

What happens when a quiet getaway spot suddenly turns into a tourist hotspot? That’s the reality facing Wisconsin’s lakefront villages. Once known for calm weekends, fishing...

Read More    8 min read

Article
The Under-the-Radar Oklahoma Collectibles Store With Over 80 Vendors You Could Browse For Hours

You walk through a door and suddenly time collapses. Old wood, warm lighting, and shelves stacked with objects that each carry a story.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Adventure Lets You Glide Above the Osage Hills Like a Bird

Imagine standing on a wooden platform high above the treetops, the wind picking up, your heart doing something between a drumroll and a full sprint. Below you, the Osage Hills...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Hilltop Steakhouse Serves Food That Tastes as Epic as the Panoramic Views

I was driving through the wide open plains of western Oklahoma, nothing but sky and horizon in every direction, when something on a hill caught my eye. A building perched up there...

Read More    7 min read

Article
True Oklahomans Remember the Nightly Ice Cream Runs at This Local Favorite

There's something about a warm Oklahoma evening that makes you crave something cold and sweet. Maybe it's the heat that lingers long after the sun dips below the horizon, or maybe...

Read More    7 min read

Article
10 Gorgeous Small Towns In Oklahoma You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Oklahoma is not the state most people picture when they think of breathtaking scenery or charming small-town streets. But honestly, that is exactly what makes it so worth exploring.

Read More    9 min read

Article
10 High-Rated Oklahoma Restaurants That Are Actually Worth The Hype (And The Drive)

I have heard plenty of people say Oklahoma is not exactly a food destination. Usually that opinion changes pretty quickly once they sit down and take a few bites.

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Theme Park Is A Wild West Thrill Ride Waiting To Happen

Imagine wooden storefronts, the smell of funnel cake in the air, and a roller coaster screaming overhead while a cowboy tips his hat nearby. That's the kind of place that makes...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Small Oklahoma Steakhouse Is Quietly Serving Legendary Prime Cuts

There are places you stumble upon completely by accident, and then there are places that feel like the universe nudged you in the right direction.

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Vintage Music Haven In Oklahoma Keeps Vinyl Dreams Alive

The first thing you notice is the smell. Old paper, cardboard sleeves, and that unmistakable hint of nostalgia that only comes from stacks of vinyl records.

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Haunted Hotel Stay In Oklahoma That Will Keep You Awake All Night

Imagine you check into a stunning historic hotel, sink into a cloud-soft bed, and just as you drift off to sleep, something knocks on your door. Nobody is there.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Unassuming Oklahoma Restaurant Serves BBQ Ribs Locals Are Obsessed With

Some restaurants never need flashy signs or big social media hype to stay busy. People hear about them the old fashioned way. A...

Read More    7 min read

Article
8 Haunted Oklahoma Cemeteries Locals Swear Are Truly Terrifying

Cemeteries are quiet by design. Some of them feel quiet in a different way. Across Oklahoma, certain graveyards have built...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Oklahomans Drive Miles For The Mouthwatering Steaks At This Unassuming Restaurant

Certain restaurants build their reputation slowly, one perfectly cooked steak at a time. No flashy campaigns, no big hype. People...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Sleep Inside A 1920s Bathhouse At This Historic Oklahoma Inn

Every once in a while you pull up to a place and immediately know it has a story to tell. The old brick walls, the wide front porch, the quiet sense that time moves a little slower...

Read More    9 min read

Article
Oklahoma’s Tiger Safari Is a Wild Adventure You Can’t Miss

Somewhere outside the small town of Tuttle, Oklahoma, there's a place where a tiger might stare you down through reinforced acrylic, lemurs bounce around like they own the place,...

Read More    8 min read

Article
11 Oklahoma Steakhouses That Are Totally Worth the Trip

I grew up knowing beef mattered in Oklahoma. It is part of the landscape, part of the economy, and definitely part of the dinner table.

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Massive Oklahoma Vintage Store Is A Goldmine For Rare Home Décor

Some stores make you feel like you've stepped into a time machine, and RINK Gallery in Bethany, Oklahoma is exactly that kind of place.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Hidden Waterfall Hike In Oklahoma Reveals a Gorgeous Natural Escape

I still remember the first time I saw Post Oak Waterfall. I rounded a bend in the trail and actually stopped mid-step. In southwest...

Read More    7 min read

Article
9 Oklahoma Burger Joints That Are A Cut Above The Rest

I used to think you had to leave Oklahoma for a truly great burger. Big cities, flashy spots, places with long waits and bigger hype.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Small Oklahoma Lake Town Is Punching Way Above Its Weight in Food

Nobody warned me about Langley, Oklahoma. I rolled into this tiny lake town on Grand Lake o' the Cherokees expecting gas station snacks and maybe a sad vending machine, and what...

Read More    7 min read

Article
8 Lesser-Known Hikes in Oklahoma to Add to Your 2026 Bucket List

Oklahoma doesn't usually make the top of anyone's hiking bucket list, and honestly, that's exactly why you should go. While everyone else is booking trips to Zion or the Smokies,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Step Inside the Living History of One of Oklahoma’s Most Powerful Native Nations

I still remember the moment I first walked onto the grounds of the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma. The sprawling campus, nestled in the rolling hills of southern...

Read More    10 min read

Article
This Magical Restaurant In Oklahoma Is Made for Spring Nights

Spring in Oklahoma City hits different. The air gets soft, the evenings stretch longer, and suddenly you want to be outside with good people and even better food.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Rail Adventure Is A One-Of-A-Kind Journey Through History

Sometimes I think the best way to understand history is to get close enough to feel it move. That’s exactly what happens in McLoud, just east of Oklahoma City, where Locomotive...

Read More    6 min read

Article
These Oklahoma Spots Serve Biscuits and Gravy So Good They’re Worth Waking Up Early For

In Oklahoma, biscuits and gravy are not a side note. They are the main event. I have watched people set alarms just to beat...

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Town Is A Flavorful Surprise You’ll Never See Coming

I’ll admit it, I didn’t expect Ponca City to surprise me. When I first pulled in, I figured it would be a quick stop, maybe a decent meal if I was lucky.

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Stunning Oklahoma Lake Looks Straight Out of a Postcard

The first time I saw Tenkiller Ferry Lake, I had to remind myself I was still in Oklahoma. I expected flat land and open prairie. Instead,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
10 Ways To See Wyoming’s Cowboy Culture Up Close

You want the real thing, right? Not the staged stuff. Well, the everyday Wyoming that still smells like dust and saddle leather....

Read More    6 min read

Article
This All-You-Can-Eat Amish Buffet in Oklahoma Serves Homemade Comfort Food You’ll Crave for Days

You know that Sunday feeling when the table is full and nobody is counting calories? That is exactly what hit me when I walked into Dutch Pantry in Chouteau.

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Tiny Oklahoma Town Blends Cowboy Charm With Local Shops and Surprising Eats

I pulled into Tishomingo on a sunny afternoon and immediately felt like I'd stepped into a place where time moves a little slower and people still wave from their porches.

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Eatery May Be The Hardest Reservation To Score In 2026

Securing a table at Mahogany Prime Steakhouse feels less like making dinner plans and more like winning a small victory. I have watched friends refresh reservation pages, compare...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Little-Known Oklahoma Park Feels Like A Wonderland With Crystal Rivers And Lakes

I'll admit that before visiting Beavers Bend State Park, I had no idea such a stunning natural escape existed in southeastern Oklahoma.

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Magical Road Trip Feels Like a Tour of Oklahoma’s Most Dreamy Stops

Oklahoma surprises travelers with landscapes that look like they belong in a fantasy novel. Rolling prairies suddenly give way to rocky peaks, while hidden waterfalls tumble into...

Read More    8 min read

Article
Oklahoma Thrifters Hit the ROC Bottom at This Secondhand Goldmine

I did not expect much when I pulled up to The ROC: Resale Shop on N Rockwell. I figured it would be another quick in and out thrift stop, maybe a few racks to flip through before...

Read More    9 min read

Article
This Old-Timey Oklahoma Restaurant Has Burgers So Good Locals Drive Miles For Them

El Reno is known for a burger, and the first time I walked into Sid's Diner, I understood why within seconds. The grill was already sizzling, onions hitting the flat top in a steady...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Bike Trail Follows an Old Railroad Through Scenic Small-Town Country

I pedaled along the Osage Prairie Trail in northeastern Oklahoma and discovered something I hadn't expected: a converted railroad corridor that delivers genuine surprises around...

Read More    9 min read

Article
Sand Dunes Meet Small-Town Sass In This Unexpectedly Charming Oklahoma Town

I never expected to find a desert landscape in the middle of Oklahoma, but Waynoka proved me completely wrong. This tiny Woods County town of just over 700 residents sits about...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Mexican Spot Is Nacho Average Neighborhood Favorite

Abel's Mexican Restaurant has been serving up generous plates of Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican fare to hungry diners in the Oklahoma City metro area for years.

Read More    6 min read

Article
These Oklahoma Crab Cakes Are the Kind of Meal That Turns a Drive Into a Mission

Crab cakes in Oklahoma might sound like an unlikely pairing, but Rococo on Western is flipping that script with seafood so good it has locals debating whether it rivals coastal...

Read More    7 min read

Article
The Oklahoma Canyon That Still Bears the Deep Scars of America’s Westward Journey

Red Rock Canyon sits just outside Hinton, Oklahoma, carved into the earth like a secret chapter of American history. The rust-colored sandstone cliffs rise dramatically from the...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Ghost Town Fell Hard, Fell Fast, and Never Quite Bounced Back

I first heard about Fallis, Oklahoma, while tracing old railroad routes through Lincoln County, and what I discovered was a community that once thrived with promise but couldn't...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Amish Bakery Is Basically a Time Machine, Powered by Butter and Faith

In the heart of Chouteau, Oklahoma, Nettie Ann's Bakery isn’t just another stop on Main Street, it’s a little time machine. One step through the doors at 101 S Chouteau Ave,...

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Buffet Feels Like Back to the Future’s Roadside Stop With Trains and Nostalgia

I walked into Ollie's Station expecting a gimmick and ended up lingering longer than planned. The moment I stepped inside, it felt like time bent a little.

Read More    6 min read

Article
This Tiny Oklahoma Jail Is a Time Capsule From the Wild Days of Frontier Justice

Some people think that real history lives in museums behind velvet ropes, but what if the most authentic slice of the Old West sits unlocked in a ghost town, waiting for you to...

Read More    8 min read

Article
The Unmapped Pecan Pie Trail in Oklahoma That Locals Follow by Word of Mouth

Is there really an "unmapped" pecan pie trail in Oklahoma that only insiders know about? Or is this just another overhyped food trend that locals secretly roll their eyes at?

Read More    8 min read

Article
This Lavish Oklahoma Prairie Palace Proves Oil Money Came With Plot Twists

What happens when oil money, ambition, and scandal collide on the Oklahoma prairie? Spoiler alert: you get a 55-room palace that could rival European estates, complete with gold-leaf...

Read More    8 min read

Article
People Cross Oklahoma Without Thinking Twice for the Seafood at This No-Frills Spot

What if the best seafood buffet in Oklahoma sits right off Mustang Road in Yukon, serving up golden catfish and steaming crab legs in a space that feels more like a neighborhood...

Read More    7 min read

Article
This Oklahoma Village Brings Pioneer Life Off the Page and Into Reality

Think pioneer life is just dusty textbooks and boring history lessons? Think again. Har-Ber Village Museum in Grove, Oklahoma,...

Read More    7 min read

Article
Oklahoma’s Comfort-Food Map of Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes Is Peak Cozy

Some people believe meatloaf is outdated, that it belongs in a bygone era of TV dinners and suburban sameness. But drive through Oklahoma and you will find a different story entirely,...

Read More    8 min read