elodie fraser author at My Family Travels
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10 Oregon Waterfall Hikes Under Two Miles That Pack More Drama Than Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls gets all the attention but sometimes the quieter trails offer even bigger surprises. I have stood at the bottom of famous waterfalls and found myself looking around...

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This Oregon Off-Road Trail Leads To A 1920s Gold Mine Hidden In The Mountains

The trail rattles the car so hard that loose teeth feel even looser afterwards. After a bumpy ride, an old gold mine from the 1920s appears out of nowhere.

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This 5.4-Mile Oregon Trail Crosses A Natural Bridge Of Solid Rock

The river disappears underground and then pops back out like a magic trick. I stood on solid rock while water rushed somewhere beneath my boots completely hidden.

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This Old School Italian Restaurant In Oregon Serves Spaghetti That Locals Call The Best In The State

The door creaked open and I smelled garlic from three blocks away actually. Red checkered tablecloths and old photos cover every single wall in here.

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You Can Watch 200 Gray Whales Feed 20 Feet From Shore At This Oregon Town That Most People Drive Right Past

Two hundred gray whales feeding just twenty feet from the shore sounds like a nature documentary lie. But this little Oregon town delivers that magic on a regular basis without...

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Oregon’s Adults-Only Soaking Pool With A Swim-Up Bar And Endless Relaxation

No kids splashing or screaming cannonballs anywhere near my peaceful soak today. The warm water wrapped around me as I floated toward the little swim up bar.

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This Old School Oregon Fair Is Everything You Love About Classic American Summers

The smell of elephant ears hit me before I even paid for parking today. A teenager screamed on a rickety ride that looked older than my dad honestly.

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This Oregon State Park Will Make You Feel Like You Have Entered A Fantasy Realm

The moment I stepped onto that dusty trail my jaw completely dropped open. Giant rock spires jut out of the ground like some dragon's teeth honestly.

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9 Picturesque Oregon State Parks That Feel Like National Parks Without The Crowds

National parks are wonderful, but the crowds are exhausting. You wait forever just to take one photo. Someone's Bluetooth speaker...

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Slow Down And Wander Through Vibrant Flowers At This Hidden Oregon Coast Garden

The Oregon Coast is known for storms and crashing waves. Not gardens. That is what makes this place such a delightful trick....

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This Minnesota Spot Has Everything You Need for the Perfect Road Trip

A Minnesota stop like this doesn’t just fill your gas tank - it quietly sets you up for the entire road trip ahead. It feels less like a single destination and more like a perfectly...

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This Non-Profit Oregon Craft Thrift Store Is A Must-Visit Treasure Trove For Local Artists

This Oregon thrift shop isn’t just a place to browse - it feels like a rotating gallery of creativity. I walk in and immediately notice it’s less “store” and more “artist...

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These 10 Oregon Day Trips Are Big On Beauty And Easy On The Budget

You do not need a fat wallet to have a big adventure. That is a lie the travel industry sells you. The truth is much better....

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The Oregon Coast Stop Where Albacore Tuna Gets Lightly Coated And Fried Into The Best Fish And Chips

A fish and chips stand inside a converted fishing boat. Already weird. Then they tell you they only use albacore tuna, not...

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A Haunted 1902 Victorian House In Oregon Serves Dessert And Coffee After Dark

Dessert after dark sounds romantic until the floor creaks behind you. There is a Victorian house that figured out the perfect business model.

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We Drove 3 Hours From Portland For This Buffet And We Would Do It Again Tomorrow

Three hours in the car for a buffet. That sounds crazy until you have tasted the food. Oregon has a spot in Medford that turns...

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This Tiny Minnesota Dairy Farm Sells Cheese So Fresh, It’s Still Warm When You Buy It

Warm cheese. Not melted cheese, but cheese that is literally still warm because it was made a few hours ago. Minnesota has a...

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The Stunning 2.8-Mile Minnesota Hike That Takes You to Two Jaw-Dropping Waterfalls

A short hike that delivers not one but two waterfalls. That is efficiency and beauty all in one package. Minnesota's north shore...

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This Oregon Burger Spot Is Famous For Cheeseburgers That Keep Hungry People Coming Back

The name says five stars, and the locals say that is about right. Oregon has a burger spot where the cheeseburger is simple, honest, and completely addictive.

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The Best Homemade Breakfast in Oregon Is Hiding in This Humble Small-Town Diner

The sign is faded and the parking lot is gravel, but the line stretches out the door every single morning. That is how you know something good is happening inside.

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This 1800s Chinese Apothecary in Oregon Is a Perfectly Preserved Time Capsule

Stepping through the door feels like traveling back more than a century. The air smells old in the best possible way. Oregon...

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This Oregon Roadside Art Stop Turns Tree Burls Into Whimsical Fairytale-Like Creations

Oregon has a strange and wonderful habit of hiding art in the most unexpected places. This roadside stop is proof of that. Tree...

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This Tiny Oregon Island Is Only Accessible By A Pedestrian Footbridge And Feels Worlds Away

You cross a small footbridge and suddenly everything changes. The noise from the road just disappears. It is that fast. This...

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This Oregon Flea Market Is the Oldest and Largest in the State With Hundreds of Unique Finds

An Oregon flea market like this doesn’t just open - it unfolds. The oldest and largest in the state stretches across rows and rows of booths.

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The Remote High Desert Outpost Where Spanish Sheep Herders Left Their Mark

Out in Oregon’s high desert, the landscape stretches wide and quiet. This remote outpost holds marks that most people would walk right past.

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This Enchanting Oregon Tea Room Is Actually A Real-Life Fairy Tale For Pastry Lovers

You half expect a woodland creature to pull out your chair. The moment you step inside, everything feels smaller, sweeter, and more deliberate.

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This Wild Oregon Attraction Is Full of Weird, Wacky, and Totally Unbelievable Finds

A wild Oregon attraction like this doesn’t really ease you in - it just drops you straight into weird, wacky, and completely unexpected territory. Every corner feels like a different...

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10 Cheap Must-Try Spots During Oregon’s Portland Pizza Week

Portland Pizza Week turns the whole city into a low-key treasure hunt for slices that hit way above their price tag. For a limited time, spots across Oregon’s pizza scene drop...

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Experience Oregon’s Richest Native American Heritage Site as a Journey Into the High Desert

Wide-open desert, big sky energy, and stories etched into the land - this Oregon heritage site hits different the moment you arrive. It’s not just a visit, it’s a full-on journey...

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Discover The Best Hand-Pressed Tortillas Hiding Inside This Oregon Gas Station

A gas station in Oregon doesn’t look like the kind of place you’d plan a food stop around, but this one flips that expectation instantly. Tucked inside is a small counter quietly...

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This Massive Oregon Thrift Store Is So Big You Could Easily Spend All Day Exploring It

Aisles stretch like they were designed to test your stamina, and somehow every turn hides another “wait… what is that?” moment. This massive Oregon thrift store isn’t just...

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This Massive Minnesota Bookstore Has Thousands of Titles at Surprisingly Low Prices

A massive Minnesota bookstore opens up like a paper labyrinth, packed wall to wall with stories waiting to be picked up and taken home. Thousands of titles stretch across shelves...

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This Iconic Oregon Coast Spot Has Been Serving Classic Seafood Since 1963

A salty breeze rolls in from the Pacific, and it hits you before you even spot the building. This iconic Oregon Coast spot has been quietly doing one thing right since 1963 - serving...

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This Oregon Food Cart Pod Channels Yacht Club Vibes With Rotating Taps and a Laid-Back Atmosphere

A cluster of food carts in Oregon somehow pulls off yacht club energy without a single yacht in sight. The moment you arrive,...

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This Picturesque Little Café in Minnesota Is Famous for Its Homemade Pies Known Around the World

A tiny Minnesota café sits quietly on the corner, but don’t let the size fool you - this place has a global reputation baked right into its pie crust.

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This Oregon Home Was a Key Filming Location in a Famous Vampire Film

At first glance, it looks like just another quiet Oregon home tucked away from everything. But then you find out it once played a key role in a pretty famous vampire film, and...

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Historic Ruin in Oregon That Belong on Your Bucket List

This Oregon ruin doesn’t need a full building to leave an impression. I arrive and what’s left standing feels like a quiet outline of something that used to matter a lot more...

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This 3.1-Mile Oregon Hike Leads To A Forgotten Ghost Town In The Forest

A 3.1-mile Oregon hike doesn’t feel long until the forest starts changing around you. I step onto the trail and immediately get that quiet, slightly eerie sense that something...

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The Lumberjack Burger at This Oregon Spot Is So Good You’ll Plan Your Next Trip Before You Leave

This Oregon burger spot doesn’t play around. I walk in and the smell alone already feels like a warning that I’m not leaving unimpressed.

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This Massive Oregon Log Cabin Retreat Sits on 250 Private Acres With Direct Access to the Forest

A log cabin retreat like this doesn’t feel like a getaway - it feels like its own world. I arrive and immediately realize 250 private acres means silence has serious competition.

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This Historic 1936 Oregon Restaurant Has Giant Pine Trees Growing Right Through the Dining Room

A 1936 Oregon restaurant like this doesn’t just serve history. It literally grows with it. I walk in and instantly spot massive...

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This Award-Winning Oregon Adventure Park Offers an Epic Zipline Experience Through the Forest

An award-winning Oregon adventure park doesn’t ease you in - it sends you straight into the trees. I arrive and immediately spot the zipline course weaving through the forest...

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The Oregon Lake That Nearly Disappeared And Is Now Raising Serious Concerns

Oregon has a lake with a story that feels almost unreal. It nearly disappeared, then came back in a way that’s now raising serious concern.

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This Oregon Trail Honors a Blind Coos Woman and Her Powerful Story From the 1860s

This Oregon trail doesn’t just tell a story - it brings one powerful 1860s life back into focus. I step onto the path and immediately feel like I’ve entered something far deeper...

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Oregon Has A Massive Liquidator Warehouse Where You Can Dig Through Bins For Hidden Treasures At A Tiny Fraction Of Retail

Oregon’s massive liquidator warehouse turns bargain hunting into a full-on adventure. I walked in expecting a quick look, then got pulled into rows of bins packed with random...

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9 Underrated Oregon Road Trips You’ll Want to Take This Spring

Think you’ve seen all of Oregon? Think again. These 9 underrated road trips are full of hidden gems, quirky stops, and scenery...

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This Oregon Resort Is a Craft Beverage Wonderland With Gardens, Spa, and Epic Soaking Pools

Ever dreamed of a place where craft drinks, lush gardens, and epic soaking pools collide? Welcome to this Oregon resort, where every corner feels like a mini vacation for your...

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10 Mystical Oregon Oddities Shops That Feel Like Stepping Into A Victorian Apothecary

Oregon’s oddities shops are basically a playground for the curious and slightly weird. Stepping inside feels like walking into a Victorian apothecary, but with fewer prescriptions...

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These 10 Tiny Oregon Eateries Are Worth Every Mile Of The Drive

Some of the best meals in Oregon come in tiny packages - and the drive is half the fun. I didn’t expect a little roadside spot to blow my taste buds away, but here we are.

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This Oregon Underground Lava Cave Hike Belongs On Your Bucket List

Few hikes in Oregon come with a story as wild as this underground lava cave trail. Walking through the twisting tunnels feels like stepping into another world, where shadows dance...

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This Often-Overlooked Oregon State Park Feels Like a Secret You’re Not Supposed to Find

Imagine hearing a whisper from the trees about a place in Oregon that most visitors never write about. It’s the kind of spot that appears on a friend’s “hidden-gem” list,...

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Oregon’s Steakhouse Experience That Turns Ordinary Nights Into Destination Dining

Ever notice how a single bite can rewrite an entire evening? That’s exactly what happened the first time I sat down for a steak dinner that felt less like a meal and more like...

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This Quiet Oregon Lake Is A Forested Sanctuary That Feels Worlds Away

After a hectic week, I craved a place where the only sounds were water lapping against a smooth shore. The soft rustle of pine needles completed the calm.

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This Otherworldly Oregon Lake Looks Like A Giant Sapphire From Above

When a friend sent me a quick snapshot of a hidden lake in Oregon, I was instantly drawn in by the way the water glittered like a polished gemstone from the sky. The aerial view...

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This Horror-Themed Oregon Bar Keeps The Halloween Spirit Alive All Year Long

Last weekend I found a bar that feels like stepping into a horror movie, and I couldn’t help but stay for the whole night. The moment I walked in, the walls were covered in eerie...

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Locals Say This Oregon Town Is Tourist-Ruined Beyond Recognition

I spent a weekend in an Oregon town that used to feel like a secret retreat, only to find it now packed with tour buses and endless “must-see” signs. The locals I met were...

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Our March Hike Of The Month Is This Easy 1.5 Mile Oregon Waterfall Trail

When March rolls in, I love finding a trail that’s both easy and unforgettable, and this Oregon waterfall walk hits the sweet spot. A leisurely 1.5 miles of soft forest floor,...

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This Tiny Oregon Deli Serves Sandwiches Locals Say Are Impossible To Forget

You know how sometimes the best things come in the most unexpected packages? Well, get ready to discover a true culinary treasure nestled right here in our beloved Oregon.

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This Little-Known Oregon Beach Looks Like Something From Another Planet

I’ve spent countless weekends exploring the coast, but every now and then, I stumble upon a spot that completely stops me in my tracks. There’s a quiet stretch of shoreline...

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This Storybook Trail in Oregon Leads to a Secluded Beach Straight Out of a Fairytale

There is a place on the Oregon Coast where the trees lean in close and you half-expect a hobbit to peek out from behind a mossy root. I stumbled across the Hobbit Beach Trailhead...

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