eli grant author at My Family Travels
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The Scenic Oregon Road Trip That Combines Mountains, Forests, and Beaches

You want an Oregon road trip that feels like three adventures in one, and this route delivers it with mountains, forests, and beaches in one continuous flow.

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8 Alabama Smokehouses Where Smoked Chicken Deserves Top Billing

Barbecue traditions in Alabama are as varied as the state itself, but smoked chicken holds a special place on the menu. Paired...

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8 Wyoming Villages Worth Visiting for a Quiet Weekend

Wyoming offers more than just wide-open spaces and famous national parks. Tucked between mountain ranges and high plains,...

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What Your Favorite Coastal Spots in Maine Reveal About Your Hidden Personality Traits

Maine's rugged coastline stretches for miles, dotted with charming villages, historic lighthouses, and sandy beaches that attract visitors from around the world.

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8 Texas Hill Country Drives That Turn Into All-Day Adventures

Rolling hills covered in wildflowers, winding roads that disappear into the horizon, and small towns that feel like stepping back in time all wait for you in the Texas Hill Country....

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Image credits: © Pella/Google maps © Amana Colonies Visitors Center/Google maps
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6 Iowa Communities Recognized for Local Food Traditions and Festivals

Iowa communities have built vibrant food traditions that celebrate local harvests, family recipes, and seasonal gatherings. Across...

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8 Maine Coastal Towns Where Mornings Start Slower

Morning light filters through fog along the Maine coast, where time seems to move at a different pace than the rest of the world.

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Image credits: © Dooky Chase Restaurant/Google maps © Commander's Palace/Google maps
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9 Louisiana Restaurants Travelers Say Capture the State’s True Flavors

Louisiana kitchens tell stories that stretch back centuries, blending French technique with African spices, Native American traditions, and Caribbean heat into something entirely...

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8 Oregon Forest Hikes Locals Save for Quiet Weekends

Oregon's forests hold secrets that locals guard carefully, saving the quietest trails for weekends when they need a true escape. These...

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Image credits: © Old Homowack Lodge Historical Landmark/Google maps © Site of Former Grossinger's Resort Hotel/Google Maps
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6 Abandoned New York Resorts That Time Quietly Left Behind

New York State once flourished as a vacation playground, filled with grand resorts that promised escape and leisure. As tastes...

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9 Nevada Desert Stops That Make Long Drives Actually Enjoyable

Long stretches of highway across Nevada can feel endless, but the Silver State hides unexpected and rewarding stops between its vast desert expanses.

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Image credits: © Leavenworth/Google Maps © Langley/Google Maps
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11 Washington Towns Where Tourism Quietly Reshaped Daily Life

Tourism in Washington has not just filled hotels, it has rewritten morning routines, storefront habits, and even the way quiet streets sound after sunset.

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The 9 Quiet Arizona Desert Towns Hiding Surprisingly Great Local Food Halls

Arizona rewards curious travelers who look beyond the headline attractions and wander into smaller desert towns with genuine community energy.

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Image credits: © Idora Park (Historical Landmark)/Google Maps Image Credit: Dana Beveridge from Chicago, IL, USA, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
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7 Abandoned Ohio Amusement Parks Locals Still Can’t Stop Talking About

Ohio is full of stories that refuse to fade, especially the ones set in parks where music, lights, and laughter once defined summer.

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The Little Oklahoma Town That Surprises Visitors With Its Big Charm

The road slips into Pawhuska with a hush, and the prairie opens like a low whisper before you notice the brick storefronts glow against the sky.

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This Vallejo, California Soul Food Restaurant Puts the Community First

Vallejo, California invites you to slow down, look around, and meet a restaurant that treats neighbors like family. Noonie's...

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The Dullest Town in New Mexico Where the Desert Feels Too Still

Carrizozo waits at the edge of quiet like a town that learned to breathe with the desert. Sunlight lands on low storefronts...

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10 Remote Washington Cabins So Deep in the Woods They Feel Off-Grid

There are cabins in Washington that feel like the map forgot them, where the trees close in and the world gets quiet enough to hear your own footsteps on the porch.

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The Dullest Town in Nevada Where the Nights Feel Uncomfortably Quiet

Night folds over Goldfield like a heavy blanket, and the quiet feels so complete that your footsteps start to sound like a clock you cannot see.

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Inside the Hidden North Carolina Village That Cherishes Its Holiday Magic

Tucked into the mountains of North Carolina, Dillsboro is a quiet gem where holiday magic thrives without flashy lights or crowded attractions.

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Texas Stuns Visitors With Austin Trail of Lights Everyone Wants This Year

You arrive in Zilker Park and the night feels alive, a canopy of color rippling over Barton Springs Road as if Austin decided to paint the sky.

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11 Food Sayings in Texas That Leave Tourists Totally Confused

Texas loves to talk about food, and the sayings can sound like riddles until you sit down at a table and taste what they mean. You...

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New York Turns the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Into This Year’s Most Magical Light Walk You Must Witness

New York in winter glows brighter when the Brooklyn Botanic Garden turns its pathways into a twinkling dream. You step in...

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11 Oregon Coastal Villages Locals Say Tourists Have Changed Forever

Oregon’s shoreline still smells like salt, cedar, and campfire smoke, yet locals say the rhythm has changed with every new selfie and suitcase.

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9 Texas Small Towns Locals Say Don’t Feel Authentic Anymore

Texas small towns carry stories you can feel in the sidewalks and storefronts, yet some places now seem tailored to visitors more than neighbors.

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The New Mexico Village That Turns Centuries-Old Craft Culture Into a Living Tradition

You arrive in Chimayó and feel the quiet rhythm of northern New Mexico shaping every step. Adobe walls glow softly, and the...

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The 9 Local Winter Breakfasts in North Carolina Worth Planning a Trip Around

Winter in North Carolina turns breakfast into a destination, with cozy rooms, glowing windows, and the hush that follows a cold morning.

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This Small-Town Butcher Near Dallas Might Be the Best Holiday Meat Stop You Don’t Know

Holiday plans get easier when you find a butcher who treats your table like their own, and that is exactly what you feel at Hamm’s Meat Market in McKinney, Texas.

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10 Idaho’s Most Beautiful Small Towns You’ve Likely Never Discovered

Idaho rewards curious travelers who trade crowded hot spots for quiet streets and wide skies. You will find towns where storefronts...

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9 Ways Ohio’s Small Towns Outsmart Tourist Booms and Busts

If you have ever fallen for a postcard perfect Ohio main street, you have seen the charm that fuels these towns when the crowds roll in.

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6 Hyped Texas BBQ Joints That Actually Live Up to the Smoke

Texas loves its smoke rings and pitmasters, and some names on the map have grown into full fledged destinations. You deserve...

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Haunted Colorado Hotel With Snow-Day Aesthetics and Midnight Visitors

Snow falls in Georgetown, and the Hotel de Paris Museum seems to inhale the cold air like a living relic that remembers every whisper.

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A Whispered Weekend Travel Plan Across North Carolina’s Hidden Towns

North Carolina, with its charming mix of history and nature, offers a perfect backdrop for an intimate weekend getaway. Beyond...

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The Colorado Ice Labyrinth That Only Exists for a Few Short Weeks Each Winter

Winter in Colorado has a secret that does not stick around for long, and it transforms Cripple Creek into a glittering maze of light and ice.

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The Cozy Vermont Diner That Locals Flock to During Winter Storms

Snow starts to stack on the Green Mountains, and Montgomery Center tightens into a bright little constellation of lights. You...

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Discovering the Magic: The Alaskan Ice Structure That Glows Under the Polar Night

Alaska invites you to slow down, look up, and feel wonder settle in. At Chena Hot Springs Resort in Fairbanks, Alaska, the...

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The Hawaii Beach Legend Locals Say Feels Strongest During a Lunar Eclipse

Hawaii holds stories that ride the wind, and Sandy Beach Park on Oahu feels like one of the loudest whispers. Under a shadowed...

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The “Most Forgettable” Montana Town With the Clearest Night Skies in America

If quiet roads, big skies, and true darkness call to you, Jordan, Montana delivers the kind of night most places forgot. This...

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The West Virginia Cliffside Hamlet Locals Refuse to Publicize

Set in the stunning New River Gorge region, Thurmond, West Virginia, stands as one of the most quietly captivating places to explore.

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The Cliffside Theater in Washington That Locals Treat as Sacred and Tourists View from Afar

The Gorge Amphitheatre sits perched on the cliffs of Central Washington, where the Columbia River carves through ancient basalt formations.

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10 Classic Vermont Breakfast Spots & Diners Piling Up Pancakes and Pure Maple Syrup

Vermont is famous for its maple syrup, and there's no better place to enjoy it than at one of the state's classic diners. These...

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The Old-Fashioned Christmas Customs Make This Kentucky Village Magical

Deep in Kentucky’s countryside, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill becomes a seasonal showcase each December. Known for its...

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8 Hole-in-the-Wall Biscuit & Gravy Saloons in Missouri Locals Swear By

Missouri knows comfort food like few other places, and nothing says morning tradition quite like a plate of warm biscuits smothered in thick, savory gravy.

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New York’s Top 10 Fast Food Restaurants Worth the Wait

New York City never sleeps, and neither does its appetite for incredible fast food. From classic delis serving up towering sandwiches to street carts dishing out flavors from around...

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The Haunted Harbor Restaurant in Delaware That Echoes With Laughter

Curious travelers love a good waterfront mystery, and Lewes, Delaware offers one that comes with friendly service and a view. Along...

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The Forgotten Arizona Mine That Still Echoes With Voices Below

Arizona keeps its secrets in stone, and some of them still speak if you know where to listen. In Bisbee, the Copper Queen...

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10 Timeless Small Towns in West Virginia That Feel Frozen in Time

Small towns in West Virginia reward slow travel with streets that still echo earlier centuries. Step into compact districts...

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The “Most Forgettable” City in Nebraska That Accidentally Became a Tourist Meme

Kearney in Nebraska gained an odd reputation as the place you forget by the next exit, then the internet turned that punchline into a dare.

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Ohio’s Amish Barns, Bakeries, and Backroads: A Complete Travel Route

Ohio’s quiet backroads reward unhurried travelers with everyday scenes that feel timeless yet alive. Barn rooftops crest...

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9 Hole-in-the-Wall Seafood Houses in Minnesota That Taste Like the Coast

Minnesota might be far from the ocean, but its quiet seafood counters and modest shacks deliver coastal spirit with surprising accuracy.

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