beckett lawson author at My Family Travels
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The Rathbone Well In Creston, West Virginia, Marks One Of The World’s Oldest Oil-Producing Sites

Tucked along a quiet stretch of country road in West Virginia sits a spot that most travelers zip right past without a second glance. Yet this humble roadside marker points to...

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West Virginia Locals Drive Way Out Of Their Way For The Spicy Chili Dogs At This Roadside Stand

Some of the best meals in West Virginia hide behind the plainest little counters, the kind you might drive past without a second glance. Tucked into a busy corner where locals...

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7 Things Only True West Virginians Know That Go Way Beyond Knowing Country Roads

Everybody can hum along to that famous song about country roads, but real West Virginians carry a whole treasure chest of knowledge that outsiders never quite catch. From a lunch...

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This West Virginia Wildlife Refuge Hides Dozens of WWII TNT Bunkers Where Mothman Sightings Began

Some places in West Virginia look quiet on the surface, then quietly knock the wind out of you once you start walking. Picture a stretch of farmland and swamp where grass-covered...

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This Old-School West Virginia Ice Cream Parlor Has Regulars Driving In From Every Corner Of The State

Some places in West Virginia feel like a warm memory the second you spot them. Picture a cheerful little corner shop with fluttering pennant flags, a line curling into the parking...

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The Best Pepperoni Rolls In America Come Out Of This Legendary West Virginia Bakery

Some of the tastiest bites in West Virginia come from places you might drive right past without a second look. Tucked into a quiet neighborhood, there is a little bakery that claims...

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7 Tiny West Virginia Diners Locals Swear Serve the Best Home Cooking in the State

Some of the best meals in West Virginia don't come from fancy kitchens with long wait lists. They come from little spots tucked along mountain highways and small-town Main Streets,...

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12 Unforgettable West Virginia Day Trips Worth Making Before The Leaves Turn

There's a special kind of magic in West Virginia when late summer starts leaning toward fall, and the mountains feel like they're holding their breath before the big color show....

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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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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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This Nearly Deserted West Virginia Town Sits Frozen In Time Deep In The New River Gorge

Some places in West Virginia feel like they belong to another century the moment you arrive. Picture a quiet Main Street where weathered brick storefronts line active railroad...

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This West Virginia Tea Room Serves Afternoon Tea With Fresh Scones And Tea Flights To Sample

Tucked inside an old glass factory in West Virginia, there's a little spot where the teapots outnumber the tables and the scones come out warm. You might walk in curious and leave...

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This Charming West Virginia Small Town Feels Like A Living Postcard You Never Want To Leave

Some places in West Virginia sneak up on you. You roll into a quiet little valley town expecting nothing special, and by the time you leave, you are already planning your next...

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This Unassuming West Virginia Covered Bridge Is Where The Civil War’s First Land Battle Actually Began

Picture driving down a quiet country road in West Virginia when a long white wooden structure suddenly swallows your car whole. From the outside, it looks like an ordinary old...

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This Peaceful West Virginia Town Is So Affordable Retirees Call It The Best Decision They Ever Made

Tucked into the mountains of southern West Virginia sits a quiet little railroad town called Hinton. It is the county seat of Summers County, and with just over 2,000 people, it...

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This Tiny West Virginia Diner Serves The Best Cheeseburgers Locals Swear By

Tucked along an old turnpike near Romney, West Virginia, there's a little spot where the burgers taste like home and the folks behind the counter greet you like family. Rt.50 Biscuits...

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This Mom-And-Pop West Virginia Restaurant Nails Breakfast Every Single Time

Tucked away in Fairmont, West Virginia, there's a little diner where the biscuits are huge, the coffee keeps coming, and the folks behind the counter treat you like family. Mom's...

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Here’s why families keep road-tripping to these 7 West Virginia small towns

Some places surprise you the moment you roll into town, and the mountain state has a whole collection of them. Picture winding roads that open up to waterfalls, tiny main streets...

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This West Virginia Shop Makes Browsing Half The Fun Of The Road Trip

Show me a road trip that does not get better with a stop like this. A West Virginia shop where artists and makers fill the...

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Locals Swear By The Made-To-Order Sandwiches At This West Virginia General Store

You pull in off the road and the sign above the door reads "General Store" like it has for years. Nothing flashy. But inside,...

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This Cozy West Virginia Bookstore Lets You Browse Secondhand Books With Coffee In Hand

You walk in for a coffee. You walk out with a stack of books and zero regrets. That is just how it works at this West Virginia...

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The Ruins Of This West Virginia Bridge Still Stand As Ghostly Reminders Of Civil War Chaos

The first thing that catches your eye here is a line of stone blocks rising out of the water, spaced apart like footprints left by something enormous.

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Spend The Last Days Of Summer At This West Virginia Park With A Splash Pad And Two-Story Slide

Late August has a certain sound to it, and I always notice it first in the way water echoes off concrete when kids are trying to squeeze one more swim out of the season.

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This West Virginia Mine Tour Takes You 1,500 Feet Underground And Is Led By Retired Miners

You have to be tough to go down into a mine, but you only have to be curious to take this tour. The cart rattles as it carries you deep into the hillside.

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This Charming West Virginia General Store Is The Perfect Stop Before Hitting The Trail

Before you even tie your laces, you should probably duck into this West Virginia shop. It sits right near the trail and it...

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The Quiet West Virginia Mountain Town Most Visitors Completely Miss

You know those places that feel like they belong in a storybook, but nobody seems to know about them? This is one of them. A...

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This West Virginia Craft Store Is Packed With Bargains And Way More Supplies Than You’d Expect

Walk in for a roll of tape and you are not leaving with just tape. That is the trap. This West Virginia craft store is absolutely...

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This Secret West Virginia Pizzeria Is So Good People Drive Three Hours Just For A Slice

People drive three hours for a slice of pizza. In West Virginia. That is not an exaggeration.

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One Of America’s Largest Zoos Is Right In West Virginia And It Is Absolutely Magical

One of the largest zoos in the country is hiding in plain sight in West Virginia. And it is absolutely magical. This place...

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This Family-Friendly West Virginia Lake Is The Ideal Spot To Spend Your Last Summer Days

Do not let summer slip away without one more lakeside escape. This West Virginia gem sits high with cool mountain air and...

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This Historic West Virginia Town Is Packed With Grand Mansions And Coal-Era Stories

Wander through a West Virginia town where coal barons once built mansions so grand, they turned this place into a symbol of old-money opulence.

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11 Best Mexican Restaurants In West Virginia With Truly Authentic Flavor

A taco is a simple thing. Tortilla. Meat. Maybe some cilantro and onion. But when it is done right, it stops you in your tracks....

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This Scenic West Virginia Lake Has Enough Shoreline To Keep You Exploring All Day

The shoreline just keeps going. That is the first thing you notice about this West Virginia lake. Thirty-one miles of water's...

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This Old-School West Virginia Meat Market Still Cuts Steaks In-House And Makes Its Own Sausage

The saw hums. The knives stay sharp. And the smell of fresh meat hangs in the air like a promise. You have probably walked...

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This West Virginia Market Proves Country Cooking Is Alive And Well

Country cooking is thriving, and this West Virginia market is proof. Step inside and you are greeted by the warm aroma of...

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This West Virginia Bakery Has Been Named The Best Cake Shop In The U.S. Two Years In A Row

What does it take to be named the best cake shop in the entire country not once, but twice? This West Virginia bakery has...

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This West Virginia Roadhouse Slow-Roasts Its Prime Rib For Six Hours Before Carving It To Order

Six hours. That is how long this prime rib spends in the oven before it ever meets your plate. Seasoned and slow-roasted until...

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This Historic West Virginia Restaurant Still Serves Recipes That Have Survived For Generations

Trends come and go. Spaghetti sauce that has not changed since the 1940s? That is forever. Some restaurants spend all their...

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9 Small Towns In West Virginia With The Best Antique Shopping

You never know what you might find. A vintage lamp. A weathered sign. A piece of furniture that carries a century of stories.

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This West Virginia Collection Has One Of The Country’s Largest Gatherings Of Vintage Muffler Men

Imagine a retired lawyer trading briefs for a 25-foot fiberglass giant in a golden crown. He decided a suburban lawn needed a bit more presence.

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This West Virginia Overlook Is ADA Accessible, Making Gorge Views Available To Visitors Of All Abilities

There is a special kind of magic in a place that refuses to let a steep cliff keep anyone from enjoying the view. This West...

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This West Virginia Landmark Preserves The Forgotten War That Shook America’s Mines

Some conflicts fade from memory, but this one refuses to stay buried. Hidden in a small Appalachian town, this museum preserves...

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The Prettiest Small Town In West Virginia Is A Perfect Escape For Waterfalls, Hiking, And Mountain Adventure

Some towns just whisper. Others grab you by the shoulders and say look at this. This one does the latter.

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This Beautiful West Virginia Mansion Sits At The Center Of A Very Messy American Scandal

Some mansions hold quiet history. This one holds a full-blown conspiracy. You have probably visited beautiful estates before....

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One Of West Virginia’s Most Thrilling Adventures Is A Via Ferrata With A 150-Foot Hanging Bridge

Some adventures test your courage. This one tests your grip and your nerve. You have probably crossed a bridge before. Solid....

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10 West Virginia Restaurants That Never Spend A Dollar On Ads Yet Are Always Packed

Some restaurants spend a fortune on billboards and social media ads. Others rely on a simpler strategy: food so good you cannot stop talking about it.

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This West Virginia Restaurant Serves Crepes You’ll Be Thinking About All Day

Somewhere between a road trip playlist and a rumbling stomach, I stumbled onto a food tip that changed the entire direction of my day.

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This West Virginia Water Park Makes Summer Better With A Half-Million-Gallon Wave Pool

Summer without a wave pool? Unthinkable. This West Virginia water park fixes that problem in a big way. You have probably splashed...

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West Virginia’s First Vegan Restaurant Has Carnivores Raving About Its Comfort Food

You do not have to be vegan to love this place. West Virginia's first all-plant-based restaurant has meat-eaters coming back for seconds.

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The Best Rodizio In West Virginia Is Hiding In This Lively Brazilian Steakhouse

Nobody warns you about the moment a Tuesday afternoon craving completely hijacks your plans and sends you chasing the smell of wood-fired meat down a road you barely knew existed....

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This Old-School Diner In West Virginia Is A 24-Hour Time Capsule Of Classic Americana

Some doors are always open, and this one welcomes you at any hour, day or night. A red beacon for hungry travelers, this West...

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This West Virginia Greenhouse Has Been A Plant Lover’s Paradise Since 1944

Since 1944, this West Virginia greenhouse has been the ultimate paradise for anyone who loves getting their hands dirty. What...

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This West Virginia Restaurant Has A Senior Discount Too Good To Miss

The check arrives, and suddenly, your wallet breathes a sigh of relief. This West Virginia spot offers a deal so good it feels like a reward for just showing up.

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This West Virginia Historic District Is A Walkable Museum Of Capitol Street Architecture And Quirky Public Art

History does not have to be locked away in a quiet museum. This stretch of downtown West Virginia puts it right on the street, where the architecture does all the talking.

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The West Virginia Museum Where The Floor Changes From Stone To Dirt To Highway As You Walk Through History

The floor literally changes beneath your feet as you walk, like some kind of history-themed magic carpet ride. You start on...

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A Family Of Bavarian Immigrants Turned This West Virginia Mansion Into A Potomac River Resort

Some dreams start with a road map, others start with a gut feeling and a station wagon full of hope. A family left everything...

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You Can Borrow A Fancy Hat And Enjoy Unlimited Tea At This Historic West Virginia Farmhouse

This beautiful two-story brick farmhouse has been standing proud since 1856, and it knows a thing or two about hospitality. Inside,...

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13 West Virginia Towns With Fascinating Name Origins You Need To Know

Ever wonder why a town is called something completely unexpected? Names carry stories, and West Virginia has a treasure chest of them.

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This West Virginia Shelter Has Been A Safe Haven For Abandoned Animals For 25 Years

Every animal deserves a second chance, and this place has been handing them out for a quarter of a century. Born from the...

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This West Virginia Town Has A Lion Ordinance Still On The Books From The 1890s

Somewhere between a history book and a tall tale, there exists a small town with an ordinance so specific, so wonderfully odd, that it stops you mid-sentence when you first hear...

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