elias vaughn author at My Family Travels
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This Short Indiana Trail Is Quickly Becoming One Of The State’s Most Talked-About Hikes

Not every great hike needs to be long to leave a lasting impression. The 3 Dune Challenge at a Lake Michigan shoreline state park packs a serious punch into just 1.5 miles of sandy,...

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This Small-Town Indiana Shop Is Dedicated Entirely To Over 200 Unique Spices And Bulk Teas

Not every great shopping experience happens in a big city mall. Sometimes the best finds are waiting in a quiet small town, right along a simple road you might almost drive past.

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This Legendary Indiana Meat Market Has Been Serving Up Famous Handmade Treats Since 1984

Some places earn their reputation not through flashy marketing but through decades of hard, honest work. A family-owned meat market in Celestine has been doing exactly that since...

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This Historic Indiana Town Keeps Wild Bluegrass Nights, Backroad Charm, and Pure Nostalgia Alive

Nestled in the rolling hills of southern Indiana, a small town in Brown County has built a reputation for art, music, and laid-back charm that far exceeds its size. It has long...

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This Hidden Indiana Spot Fries Up Crispy Golden Catfish That Keeps Locals Entirely Hooked

Some spots just have that thing you can’t explain until you actually eat there. A local fish and chicken spot in Muncie, Indiana is exactly that kind of place.

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This Hidden Fabric World In Indiana Features Thousands of Bolts For Creative Makers

If you love fabric, quilting, or anything creative with a needle and thread, Shipshewana, Indiana has a spot that belongs on your must-visit list. Inside a local shopping center,...

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10 Massive Amish Markets In Indiana Hidden In Plain Sight With The Best Homemade Goods

I have a confession to make. The first time I stumbled into an Amish market, I had no idea what I was walking into. I thought...

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This World-Class Indiana Art Museum Opens Completely Free On The First Thursday Each Month

Imagine walking into a place where world-famous paintings, lush gardens, a historic mansion, and outdoor sculptures all share the same campus. In Indianapolis, Indiana, this expansive...

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This Breathtaking Hidden Nature Escape In Indiana Is One You’ve Probably Driven Past A Million Times

Most people pass right by Muncie, Indiana without realizing they are missing one of the region’s most quietly stunning natural spaces. A historic garden property along the White...

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This Timeless Amusement Space In Indiana Charges Absolutely Nothing To Walk Through The Gate

Imagine a place where the gates swing open for free, the animals seem to greet visitors, and the kids never want to leave. In Lafayette, Indiana, a beloved public park has been...

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This Picturesque Harbor Town In Indiana Serves Up Stunning Cape Cod Vibes Close To Home

Imagine a place where sandy beaches stretch along a sparkling Great Lake, charming lighthouses dot the shoreline, and the whole town feels like a coastal getaway without the long...

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This Booming Small Town In Indiana Is Steadily Becoming The States Next Massive Hotspot

Tucked just north of Indianapolis in Hamilton County, a fast-growing Indiana city is quickly transforming from quiet suburb into one of the state’s most talked-about destinations....

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This Old-School Indiana Meat Market Is A Flavor Paradise For Foodies

Some places don’t just earn a reputation; they build it over generations. Word of mouth keeps them alive for decades, and the ones that last more than a century usually have...

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This Indiana Waterfront Village Looks Exactly Like A Picturesque Storybook Town

Somewhere in northern Indiana, a waterfront village sits quietly along the shores of a lake, looking like it was lifted straight from the pages of a fairy tale.

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This Small-Town Family Market In Indiana Is An Absolute Mecca For Hidden Food Gems

Frankfort might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about standout local food stops, but a long-running family-owned market along a quiet stretch of highway...

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This Historic Indiana Hotel Lets You Book a 2 AM Paranormal Investigation for Under $50

Somewhere in a small Indiana town, a 130-year-old hotel stands quietly with a past that feels almost untouched by time. Built in the late 1800s, this historic building has become...

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This Massive 1-Mile Outdoor Race Track In Indiana Features A Blistering 950-Foot Straightaway

If you have ever wondered what it feels like to push a kart to its limits on a real racing circuit, a motorsports facility in New Castle, Indiana delivers that kind of experience....

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This Tiny Century-Old Indiana Counter Is Secretly Serving Up America’s Best Burger

Some of the best food in America hides in plain sight, served at a worn counter in a small town in Indiana that most people pass right through.

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These 7 Gorgeous Indiana Beaches Look And Feel Exactly Like A Hidden Caribbean Paradise

You do not need a passport to find turquoise water and soft white sand. Just a map of Indiana. That sounds impossible until...

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This Giant 40,000-Square-Foot Indiana Indoor Market Lets You Load Your Trunk For Under $40

Can you really fill the trunk of your car for less than a dinner out? In Indiana, this giant indoor market proves it is possible, with forty thousand square feet of bargains waiting...

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This Indiana Joint Stacks Thick Beef Burgers With Peanut Butter and Ghost Pepper Cheese

Indianapolis has no shortage of places to grab a bite, but every once in a while a spot comes along that makes you stop and think. A popular local joint in the Broad Ripple neighborhood...

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This Giant, Hidden Canyon In Indiana Is Packed To The Brim With 450-Million-Year-Old Fossils

The wild thing about Whitewater Gorge Park is that you can show up expecting a nice walk in Richmond and end up staring at stone packed with creatures from a vanished sea, which...

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This Scenic Indiana Trail Features Massive 100-Foot Towering Bluffs And Ancient Old-Growth Trees

You turn off the highway and the world immediately gets quieter. The gravel road leads you between a calm river and a wall of ancient sandstone that rises like something from a...

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This Beautiful Indiana Trail Features a Gorgeous 12-Foot Waterfall Open for Summer Swimming

Indiana has some genuinely beautiful natural spots, and Anderson Falls might be one of the most underrated among them. Nestled in Bartholomew County, this 44-acre park and State...

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This Whimsical Indiana Village Bookstore Has Secret Rooms Hidden Inside

Some bookstores are just places to buy books. This independent bookshop in Zionsville, Indiana is something else entirely. Housed...

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This Hidden Indiana Off-Road Wilderness Features Intense Technical Trails Deep In The Forest

Southern Indiana holds some seriously underrated outdoor adventures, and this off-road park in English is one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Set across nearly 350 acres of...

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This Romantic Indiana Spot Lets You Have A Candlelit Dinner Right Next To Real Dolphins

Indiana has a lot of surprising places, but few compare to the magic waiting inside the Ascension St. Vincent Dolphin Pavilion at the Indianapolis Zoo. This is not your average...

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This Unique $3 Indiana State Park Adventure Lets You Ride a Cave Boat to See Rare Blind Fish

Some adventures cost hundreds of dollars and still leave you underwhelmed. A unique underground boat tour inside a beautiful state park near Mitchell, Indiana, costs just three...

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This Legendary Indiana Dirt Track Is Famous For Insane High-Speed Sprint Car Battles

There are race tracks, and then there is this legendary dirt oval in southeastern Indiana. For decades, it has been drawing racing fans with the kind of atmosphere that only a...

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Locals Say This Once-Peaceful Indiana Lake Town Has Been Completely Ruined By Overcrowding

Culver, Indiana sits quietly on the northern shore of Lake Maxinkuckee, one of the state's deepest and most beautiful natural lakes. For generations, it was the kind of place where...

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This Is Officially Ranked The #1 Cheapest Town In Indiana To Buy A Home Right Now

Gary, Indiana sits along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, and it carries more history, grit, and natural beauty than most people expect. Known across the country as the most...

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This Legendary Indiana Amish Spot Serves Giant Pretzels Drowned In Warm Butter

Indiana has a way of surprising you with food worth driving for, and Ben's Soft Pretzels is one of those places that genuinely earns the trip.

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This Tiny Alabama Town Is The Unlikely Capital Of The Best BBQ In America

I never expected a small city in northern Alabama to stop me in my tracks, but Decatur did exactly that. Sitting along the banks of Wheeler Lake on the Tennessee River, this place...

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This Massive Indiana Waterpark Kicks Out the Kids for After-Hours Adults-Only Parties

Carmel, Indiana has a waterpark that does something most places would never dare to try. On select summer evenings, this Hamilton County facility clears out the families and reopens...

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This Hidden Indiana Butcher Shop Serves Up Heavy Giant Sandwiches Wrapped In Butcher Paper

Not every great food spot announces itself loudly. Some of the best places in Indiana quietly earn their reputation one sandwich at a time.

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The Ultimate Indiana Custom Ramen Bar That Lets You Build Your Own Dream Bowl

If you've ever felt completely lost staring at a massive noodle menu, this Indiana hotspot is about to completely redefine your ramen game.

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10 Indiana Towns Where Surging Property Taxes Are Forcing Families To Move Away

Property taxes in Indiana have been climbing fast, and for many families, the numbers are becoming impossible to ignore. Towns...

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9 Unique Indiana Factory Tours You Had No Idea You Could Actually Take

Indiana is full of surprises, and some of the best ones are hiding right inside its factory walls. Most people drive past these buildings every day without realizing what is happening...

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Many People Don’t Know This 105-Year-Old Indiana Hot Dog Stand Is Secretly A Part Of American History

Some restaurants are just places to eat. Others carry the weight of an entire community’s memory. This Gary, Indiana hot...

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8 Bizarre Indiana Nature Wonders That Prove Our State Isn’t Just Flat Cornfields

Most people picture Indiana as a flat stretch of cornfields and interstate highways, and honestly, I get why that reputation sticks. But the state hides some genuinely jaw-dropping...

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The Ghostly Indiana River Town Where A Gilded Age Victorian Mansion Hovers Over Deep Waters

Aurora, Indiana sits quietly along the Ohio River, the kind of small town that holds more history than its size suggests. Rising above the water on a wooded bluff is a striking...

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This Historic Indiana Steakhouse Still Charges $0 for Your Soup, Salad, and Sides With Your Steak Dinner

Some restaurants just have a way of making you feel like you got more than you paid for, and this family-owned steakhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana is exactly that kind of place....

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This Quiet Indiana Narnia Trail Turns An Easy Family Hike Into A Magical Adventure

Some parks feel like ordinary green spaces, and then there are places like this 311-acre nature reserve in Harrison County, Indiana that feel genuinely different the moment you...

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The Changing Indiana City Where Lifelong Residents Say They No Longer Feel Welcome

Fishers, Indiana is not the quiet suburb it used to be. Over the past decade, this Hamilton County city has transformed at a pace that has left some longtime residents feeling...

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The Secret Indiana Woods Hiding Pre-Colonial Era Trees Most Locals Have Never Seen

Most people drive past it without a second glance. Hidden on the east side of Michigan City, this Indiana nature preserve holds one of the rarest pockets of old-growth forest in...

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This Peaceful Indiana Park Conceals a Grim, Flood-Scarred Past Known as Death Valley

There is something genuinely different about this nature park in urban Bartholomew County, Indiana that is hard to put into words until you actually experience it. Spread across...

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This Immersive Indiana Facility Lets You Safely Smash Glass And TVs For The Ultimate Stress Relief

Some days, you just need to let off steam. This Indianapolis, Indiana rage-room experience offers a controlled, safe space where people can release stress in a very physical way.

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Book A Private Sloth & Kangaroo Encounter With This Legendary Indiana Crew

Most people drive past Acton, Indiana without a second glance, not realizing that the headquarters for the state’s most famous traveling wildlife crew is tucked away there. While...

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The Hidden Indiana Beach With A Secret Free Walkway To Avoid Crowds

Most people driving along the southern shore of Lake Michigan have no idea that a quiet, almost hidden beach community sits just a short drive from Chicago. This Indiana lakeshore...

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This Massive Indiana Pizza Buffet Is the Ultimate Family Fuel-Up Spot in Amish Country

Shipshewana, Indiana is the kind of place that surprises you. Most people come for the Amish quilts, the flea market, and the horse-drawn buggies rolling quietly down country roads.

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This Wooded Indiana Escape Looks Like A Deep Forest Stumbled On By Accident

Some parks announce themselves with big signs and busy parking lots. This wooded escape in east Indianapolis, Indiana is not one of those places.

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These Stunning Indiana Hidden Gems Look Like A Secret Escape To Rural Italy

Indiana is not the first place most people think of when they imagine cobblestone courtyards, Palladian columns, or vine-covered hillsides. But scattered across this Midwestern...

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Eat, Play Pinball, and Get Your Laundry Done at This Secret Indiana Spot

Not every great spot announces itself loudly, and this Indianapolis, Indiana hangout is proof of that. Tucked into a neighborhood setting, it blends a working laundromat with pinball...

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This Toxic Indiana Junkyard Is Being Reclaimed Into A Massive 400-Acre Adventure Park

I grew up in southern Indiana knowing the Ohio River shoreline as a stretch of rusted fences, overgrown lots, and land that felt forgotten. So when I first heard about a major...

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This Indiana Zoo Has An Exhibit Where River Otters Swim And Dive Right In Front Of You

There is something about watching a river otter twist and spin through the water right in front of you that makes you forget everything else for a moment. I have visited a lot...

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This Indiana Bin Store Refills Every Friday With High-End Tech For Deeply Discounted Finds

If you love the thrill of finding something amazing at a price that feels almost too good to be true, this liquidation bin store in Portage, Indiana might become your new favorite...

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This Massive Mid-Century Warehouse In Indiana Is Now An Industrial BBQ Smokehouse

There is something genuinely exciting about walking into a space that used to be a bustling department store and finding it transformed into a warm, community hub. This Indianapolis...

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This Indiana Ghost Town Site Was Once A Small Settlement And Now Exists As Faint Remains Hidden In The Landscape

There is something quietly haunting about a place that was once alive with hundreds of voices and is now softened by trees, river sounds, and time. I first heard about this historic...

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This 4-Mile Coastal Indiana Trail Moves From Untamed Dunes To City Lights

I have walked a lot of trails in Indiana, but the Singing Sands Trail in Michigan City genuinely surprised me. It is not just a path through nature.

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This Indiana Amish Country Store Is A Hidden Favorite For Fresh Sandwiches And Homemade Bakery Treats

I will admit that some of my favorite discoveries in Indiana have been the kind you almost drive past without noticing. This Amish-rooted country market in Milroy is exactly that...

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