chloe hartwell author at My Family Travels
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You Can Get Everything From Hibachi To Salad Bar At This All-You-Can-Eat New Jersey Buffet

This buffet does not force you to choose between a sizzling hibachi show or a fresh salad bar. At this spot, you can have both, and that is the beauty of it.

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Summer Isn’t Complete Without A Day At This Classic New Jersey Shore Pier And Waterpark

The salt air hits you, the boardwalk buzzes beneath your feet, and suddenly summer makes perfect sense. This classic shoreline...

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10 Historic New Jersey Sacred Sites That Will Make You Feel Like You’ve Stepped Back In Time

History has a way of lingering in certain places, and these sacred sites practically vibrate with it. New Jersey holds a collection...

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You Can Browse Books In Six Languages While Sipping Authentic Turkish Tea At This New Jersey Bookstore

You are not just looking at a book, you are holding a passport to another culture in your hands. This bookstore boasts a stunning...

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11 Summer Day Trips In New Jersey That Feel Like A Vacation Without The Airport Lines

The TSA line is a nightmare, the baggage fees are insulting, and you still have to take your shoes off. Skip all of it. New...

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12 New Jersey Restaurants With Senior Discounts Worth Knowing About

Discounts taste sweeter when the bill arrives. For seniors in New Jersey, that moment carries a special kind of satisfaction....

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This Stunning New Jersey Lake Beach Feels Almost Caribbean Without The Jersey Shore Crowds

To the people who love a beach day but hate the chaos, New Jersey has a secret waiting. A quiet, sprawling oasis on the banks...

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This New Jersey Ice Cream Trail Is The Sweetest Way To Celebrate National Ice Cream Day 2026

The third Sunday in July is the official start of a very important holiday. National Ice Cream Day 2026 lands on July 19,...

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This Portuguese Restaurant Is Known For Having The Best Rodizio In New Jersey

Some restaurants let you choose a few options from a menu. This one brings the entire meat parade to your table, nonstop, until you wave the white flag.

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A New Jersey Restaurant Where You Can Dock Your Boat And Join The Party All Summer Long

Imagine pulling your boat right up to the table. That is not a fantasy, that is a Tuesday afternoon here. This waterfront spot...

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This New Jersey Marina Has Great Bay Access By Day And Stunning Sunsets By Night

A marina is usually just a place to park a boat and buy some bait. This one refuses to be that boring. By day, it gives you...

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One Of New Jersey’s Most Unassuming Mexican Restaurants Serves Tacos Beyond Amazing

Tacos are supposed to be quick comfort food. Easy, familiar, the kind of bite you grab without much thought. Yet in New Jersey,...

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This New Jersey Town Has A Healthcare System So Advanced It’s Ranked Among America’s Best

This town does not just treat you when you are sick, it basically rewrites the entire playbook on healthcare. The medical...

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The Ghost Of A Little Girl Has Been Seen Roaming The Halls Of This Revolutionary War Mansion

This mansion has history written all over its walls, and apparently, a little girl refuses to leave the premises. Visitors...

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The Prime Rib And Crab Cakes At This New Jersey Inn Have Been Drawing Loyal Customers For Decades

Some meals are not just food. They are commitments. You plan your day around them, you refuse to share them, and you talk about...

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This New Jersey Diner Has A Menu So Big You Can Get Everything From Disco Fries To A Kobe Burger

What do disco fries, a Kobe burger, and General Tso's Calamari all have in common? They are all on the same menu at this New Jersey diner.

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This New Jersey Diner Has A Retro 1950s Train Car Design That Has Been Preserved For Decades

Is it a diner or a time machine? Pulling up to this spot feels like cruising into a scene from a 1950s movie. The gleaming...

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Thomas Edison Lost A Fortune On This New Jersey Iron Mine That You Can Still Hike Through Today

What do you get when the greatest inventor in history bets millions on a mountain of low-grade rock? A colossal financial...

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Plant Lovers Keep Returning To This Massive New Jersey Garden Center Year After Year

Plant people are a loyal bunch, and they keep flocking back to this sprawling garden center like it is their second home. Maybe...

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This New Jersey Boardwalk Restaurant Serves A Giant Pizza Slice That Takes Two Hands To Hold

This is not a pizza slice. This is a public event. A carbohydrate commitment that requires its own seatbelt.

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Everyone Goes to Atlantic City, But This Nearby New Jersey Town Might Be Even Better

Atlantic City has the neon, the boardwalk, and the crowds. This little town has something quieter, better, the ocean without the circus.

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This Walk-Up New Jersey Hot Dog Stand Has Been Called The “Holy Grail Of Hot Dogs”

Some places achieve legendary status without trying. They just keep serving the same perfect thing, day after day, until the reputation builds itself.

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This New Jersey Transit Hub Is A Cathedral Of Art Deco With Terrazzo Floors And Stained Glass

Can a train station actually feel like a cathedral? This one absolutely does. The soaring ceilings, the intricate terrazzo...

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You Can’t Even Rent A Cabana At This New Jersey Beach Town Unless You Know A Member

You know that feeling when you spot a perfect beach cabana and immediately start daydreaming about a day of sun and surf? At...

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This New Jersey Tea Room Serves Authentic British Tea With Fresh Scones And Clotted Cream

What happens when you combine a charming colonial setting with authentic British tea traditions and a few American twists? You...

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12 New Jersey Pancake Houses Where The Stacks Are So Big They Hang Off The Plate

What is the limit for pancakes? Honestly, these places test the boundaries of a standard plate. The stacks are so generous...

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This Historic New Jersey General Store Has Been Serving The Community Since 1925

What happens when a grist mill built in 1925 turns into a breakfast spot that serves sandwiches all day long? You get a historic...

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This Historic New Jersey Trestle Has Been Standing Over The Rockaway River Since The 1860s

Honestly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when a friend casually mentioned an old railroad bridge hiding inside a park in New Jersey.

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This New Jersey Store Has Been Serving Premium Homemade Ice Cream For Over 50 Years

Fifty years is a long time to be doing anything, let alone churning out some of the creamiest, most satisfying ice cream you will ever taste.

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This New Jersey Seafood Market Rivals Manhattan’s Best At A Better Price

For a long time, Manhattan was the only game in town for seafood that truly impressed. Then this Jersey City market came along...

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This New Jersey Shore Spot Is Open 24/7 In Summer And Has A Man Vs. Food Challenge

There is a place at the Jersey Shore where the lights never go out and the wing sauce never runs dry. This spot operates around...

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13 Latin Restaurants In New Jersey You Need To Try This Summer

Summer in New Jersey just got a whole lot more flavorful. From sizzling street food to elegant dining, the state is brimming...

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This Cage-Free New Jersey Sanctuary Has Rescued Nearly 5,000 Cats From Desperate Circumstances

What has over 4,000 whiskers, zero cages, and enough purrs to power a small generator? This incredible sanctuary, that is what. Since...

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This New Jersey Spot Is Where You Can Watch Boats Pass By While Enjoying The Freshest Seafood Around

Let us be real for a second. Seafood restaurants that actually deliver on their promises are about as rare as a parking spot at the shore in July.

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This New Jersey Carriage House Serves Menus Inspired By The Stage Next Door

You know how some meals just feel like they have a story behind them? Well, this place takes that literally.

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This New Jersey Spot Serves Smash Burgers Built For Serious Cheeseburger Fans

Crispy edges, gooey cheese, and that perfect smash that makes burger lovers weak in the knees. This place knows exactly what...

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Why This New Jersey Deli Has Locals Lining Up For Fresh Meats And Sandwiches

Let us talk about a place that takes sandwiches very, very seriously. This is not your average corner deli throwing some cold cuts between bread and calling it a day.

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This New Jersey Chocolate Tour Takes You From Bean To Bar With Tastings Of Single-Origin Chocolate

Have you ever wondered how a humble cacao bean transforms into that silky, melt-in-your-mouth bar you crave? This immersive...

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This Massive New Jersey Brazilian Steakhouse Serves Continuous Tableside Meat For One Set Price

Let us address the obvious question. How many skewers of perfectly grilled meat can one person reasonably consume? The answer...

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11 Overrated New Jersey Shore Towns That Have Become Way Too Overpacked And Crowded In Summer

We have all been there, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, hunting for a parking spot for an hour, only to find a beach that looks more like a sardine can than a relaxing getaway....

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This New Jersey Steakhouse Serves Massive Prime Cuts And Weekly Specials That Keep Tables Busy

You know that feeling when you spot a steak across the room and it just calls your name? That happens here with alarming regularity.

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This Hidden Local Hangout On The Water In New Jersey Is The Perfect Place To Kick Back

You could drive right past the turn and never know this place exists. Down a twisty Pine Barrens road in Galloway, a waterfront spot has been a local secret since 1930.

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This New Jersey Bakery Has Been Perfecting Italian Pastries Since The Great Depression

I have sampled pastries from coast to coast, and I have the expanding waistline to prove it. But this place?

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This New Jersey Lake Town Skipped The Stoplights And Went All In On Trails, Pizza And Lakeside Fun

You know those towns that feel like they were designed specifically for weekend reset buttons? This is absolutely one of them.

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12 Upcoming Summer Events In New Jersey You Can’t Miss

Get ready to clear your calendar and fuel up the car, because New Jersey is about to burst into full summer mode. From blueberry...

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This Iconic New Jersey Hot Dog Shack Packs Flavor Into Every Bite

A walk-up window, a beach view, and a line that often stretches forty people deep. This is the scene at a beloved spot where...

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Century-Old Ghost Bridge Resurfaces In New Jersey After Reservoir Drain Reveals Lost Highway

Sometimes a drought gives you more than dry grass. It gives you a ghost. A century old bridge that no one has seen for decades...

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12 Free Splash Parks In New Jersey Perfect For A Family Day Out

The best water park ticket costs exactly zero dollars. You heard that right. Across this state, a dozen public splash pads...

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This Tiny New Jersey Seafood Shack Gets So Busy On Weekends You Will Want A Reservation To Snag A Seat In Their Fun And Festive Courtyard

The outside looks like nothing special. A tiny shack you might breeze right past on a busy weekend. But here is the secret...

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This Year-Round Christmas Shop In New Jersey Feels Magical Even In Summer

Why should December have all the fun? Open the door on a sticky July afternoon and sleigh bells suddenly fill the air. The...

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This Quaint New Jersey Diner Might Just Have The Most Famous Breakfast On Long Beach Island

You have not lived until you have ordered pancakes from a place that looks like a tiny silver railroad car. The locals keep...

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This Massive Family-Owned Market In New Jersey Is A Hidden Gem For Food Lovers

Corn might be great on the cob, but it is even better when you pick it straight from the source. This sprawling family owned...

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This Family-Run New Jersey Spot Has Been Frying Chicken Since 1967 And The Buffalo Wings Are Worth Every Single Mile

A place that has been frying chicken since 1967 knows exactly what it is doing. You do not stay open that long by accident. This...

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Most People Drive Past This New Jersey Ghost Town, But The Floating Bridge Is Worth The Detour

You have probably driven right past it a hundred times. I almost did too. That exit comes up fast, and most people just keep...

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This Dog Daycare In New Jersey Is Basically A Five-Star Hotel For Your Furry Best Friends

You drop off your pup and there are no sad eyes in the rearview mirror. That is the dream, right? This place offers fully interactive...

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The Gentle 1-Mile Hike In New Jersey That Leads You Right To A Hidden Waterfall

Not every adventure needs to leave you gasping for air or reaching for a knee brace. Sometimes the best treasures come with...

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This Animal Sanctuary In New Jersey Offers 43 Acres Of Freedom For Rescued Farm Animals

Imagine 43 acres where the only bosses are goats, pigs, and a very opinionated rooster. That is the magic here. Every animal...

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This New Jersey Bookstore Is Named After Its Faithful Shop Dog Who Greets Every Customer

Who needs a bookmark when a book dog does the job better? Seriously, this four legged librarian has mastered the art of the welcome.

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This 18th-Century New Jersey Ironmaster’s Mansion Is A Museum By Day And A Paranormal Hotspot By Night

Wait, did that candle just flicker on its own? Or was it the wind? This 18th century New Jersey beauty plays tricks like that...

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10 New Jersey Small Towns That Feel Like Stepping Into A Different Century

Let me paint you a picture. Porch swings creaking gently in the afternoon breeze.

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