harper livingston author at My Family Travels
Article
The Indoor Flea Market In Ohio’s Amish Country That Eats Half Your Day

You lose track of time the moment you realize the next aisle is just as packed as the last. This indoor flea market in Ohio’s Amish Country eats half your day in the best way,...

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This California Thrift Store Is Packed With Good Finds And Serious Dig-Around Energy

Your best finds are not on the first rack, and this place knows it. This California thrift store is packed with good stuff and serious dig-around energy, so you come in ready to...

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The Massive Illinois Garden Center Opening Soon For Spring Is Already Worth Planning A Trip Around

Want to plan a spring day trip around plants and somehow feel like that is the most exciting idea you have had all week? This massive Illinois garden center opening soon for spring...

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The Pastrami, Egg, And Cheese At This Pennsylvania Sandwich Spot Was Named Best Breakfast In America

Some breakfast sandwiches are good, but some get crowned and suddenly everyone wants proof. At this Pennsylvania sandwich spot, the pastrami, egg, and cheese was named Best Breakfast...

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This Michigan Amish Discount Store Feels Like A Treasure Hunt For Bakers

Your baking plans are about to multiply the second you spot the bulk shelves. This Michigan Amish discount store feels like a treasure hunt for bakers, because it is packed with...

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This California Reuse Warehouse Makes Thrifting Feel More Like Urban Exploration

Ever walked into a thrift spot and felt like you should have brought a flashlight and a sense of adventure? This California reuse warehouse makes thrifting feel more like urban...

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The Pennsylvania Garden Center Where The Café And Bakery Make A Plant Run Feel Like A Day Trip

Your plant run just got promoted to a day trip! This Pennsylvania garden center feels like a destination because the café and bakery make the errand taste like a reward.

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This Missouri Amish Country Restaurant Adds A Bakery Stop To The Plan Automatically

Heads up, your diet plan is going to pretend it never met you! This Missouri Amish country restaurant makes the bakery stop automatic, because the smell hits before you even finish...

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This Haunted Georgia Mansion Tour Keeps Getting Linked To The Same Basement Story

Why does every haunted mansion tour in Georgia seem to circle back to the exact same basement story? This tour keeps getting linked to that one downstairs detail, and it follows...

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The North Carolina Amish Country General Store That Feels Like A Snack And Gift Trap

Ready to walk into a general store for one simple thing and leave with a bag you did not plan? A North Carolina Amish country general store can feel like a snack and gift trap...

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This Haunted Florida Hotel Stay Sits In A Town Built Around Spiritual Readings

Your weekend gets weird in the best way the moment you realize the town is built around spiritual readings. A haunted Florida hotel stay in Cassadaga puts you right in the middle...

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The High Desert Escape In Wyoming That’s Best Experienced In Spring

Want a Wyoming escape where the desert feels wide open, but the weather is still on your side? Spring is the sweet spot for the high desert, because the days are milder, the light...

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The Tulip-Filled Countryside In Iowa That Turns Into A Colorful Escape Each Spring

Want a spring day in Iowa that looks like someone spilled a paint box across the countryside? Bloomsbury Farm’s Tulip Festival turns a regular drive into a colorful escape, because...

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The Ultimate California Desert Drive From Joshua Tree To Eastern California Desert

Picture a long ribbon of road sliding from boulders and spiky silhouettes into wide, bright emptiness, and you are basically there already.

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The Lighthouse Getaway In Rhode Island That Shines Before Summer Arrives

Want a Rhode Island lighthouse getaway that feels like you got there before everyone else remembered it exists? Rose Island Lighthouse is perfect before summer arrives, because...

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The Tiny Nebraska Bake Shop Where A Simple Glazed Donut Steals The Whole Visit

You walk in for a quick treat and leave acting like you discovered something important. This tiny Nebraska bake shop has that effect, because the vibe is simple, the case looks...

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This Wisconsin Cheese Stop Made With Amish Milk Turns Snack Shopping Into A Sport

You try grabbing one snack and suddenly you are doing cheese math like it is a competitive sport. This Wisconsin cheese stop made with Amish milk turns a simple visit into a full-on...

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This Haunted Nevada Hotel Has A “Lady In Red” Legend That Never Really Left

Ready to check into a hotel where the most famous guest is the one who never checked out? This haunted Nevada hotel has a Lady In Red legend that never really left, and the story...

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The Boardwalk Donut Shop In North Carolina That Keeps The Glazed Donut Tradition Simple And Perfect

What is it about boardwalk air that makes a glazed donut feel like the only correct breakfast? In North Carolina, this boardwalk donut shop keeps the tradition simple and perfect.

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This Kentucky Amish Country Store Makes Bulk Foods And Baked Goods A Weekly Habit

Ready for the kind of store that turns a quick stop into a weekly routine without even trying? This Kentucky Amish country store makes bulk foods and baked goods feel like a habit...

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This Ohio Castle House Has A Reputation That Refuses To Retire

Ready to walk into a castle house and immediately start listening for sounds you cannot explain? Ohio has a castle-style home with a reputation that refuses to retire, because...

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The No-Fuss Donut Shop In Wisconsin That Makes Glazed Classics Taste Extra Fresh

Your morning gets better the second a warm glazed donut hits the bag. Honeydip Donuts in Wisconsin is the no-fuss kind of place that makes glazed classics taste extra fresh, because...

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Amish Country Stops In North Carolina That Feel Real And Low-Key In The Best Way

Want an Amish country day that feels calm, respectful, and actually low-key instead of touristy and loud? North Carolina has Amish country stops that keep it real, with simple...

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The Montana Ghost Town Boardwalk Where The Past Still Runs The Show

Want a ghost town that still knows how to put on a show? Virginia City, Montana feels like the past is still running the place, especially when you step onto the wooden boardwalks...

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The Peaceful Oregon River Village Locals Hope Tourists Skip

Pulling off the highway for a quick coffee turned into an afternoon that slipped by without notice. The river was right there, moving slowly, catching light between tall trees,...

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The Peaceful Countryside Escape In Pennsylvania That Feels Like Europe In March

Your March reset might be hiding in Pennsylvania, and it is prettier than it has any right to be. Brandywine Valley feels a little European this time of year, with rolling hills,...

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Virginia’s “Dullest” Town With Surprisingly Great East Coast Sunset Views

What if the “dullest” town in Virginia turned out to be one of the most peaceful sunset spots on the East Coast? That is the quiet surprise waiting on Tangier Island, a place...

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New York Has A Donut Shop With Retro Vibes And Zero Interest In Trends

Your feed can keep the rainbow cereal donut, because Greenpoint has a classic that does not care. Peter Pan Donuts in Brooklyn is retro in the best way, with old-school charm,...

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Pennsylvania Has An Amish Village Stop Where Jams, Quilts, And Snacks Turn Into A Full Afternoon

Your quick stop plan does not survive Kitchen Kettle Village. Tucked in Pennsylvania Country, this Amish village stop turns a simple browse into a full afternoon without trying.

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The Haunted Ocean Liner In California That Feels Unsettling Long After The Tour Ends

Think you can walk off a ship tour and leave the vibe behind you? The Queen Mary in Long Beach is a haunted ocean liner in California that makes that feel unlikely, because the...

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Amish Farm Stands In Illinois That Make Seasonal Produce Feel Like A Prize

Ready to turn a simple produce stop into a full-on seasonal treasure hunt? Amish farm stands in Illinois make seasonal produce feel like a prize because everything looks like it...

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11 Off-The-Beaten-Path Breakfast Spots In Nevada Beloved By Travelers

Why not let breakfast decide where the day takes you? Nevada has plenty of spots where mornings feel easy. Think diners with bottomless coffee, booths made for swapping stories,...

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Tennessee Highway Hot Chicken Stops That Deliver Spice

We all want that road trip meal that actually wakes us up, am I right? In Tennessee, that usually means hot chicken. It’s not just a Nashville thing anymore; highway stops across...

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10 Quick Adventures Waiting In New Mexico

Looking for a quick escape that actually fits into your week? New Mexico is just perfect for that. It’s the kind of place where you can toss a bag in the trunk, hit the road,...

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These North Carolina Treehouse Stays Turn A Weekend Into A Storybook Trip

Want a weekend that feels like you stepped into a childhood daydream, but with better coffee and an actual mattress? North Carolina treehouse stays turn a simple getaway into a...

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This Washington Amusement Park Still Haunts Seattle After Dark

You know that strange hush Seattle gets when the wind picks up around the Space Needle at night? You feel it in your shoulders before you even notice the sound. It is like the...

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10 North Carolina Day Trips From Charlotte That Drop You Right Into Nature

Need a break from Charlotte that swaps traffic for trees without eating your whole weekend? North Carolina is stacked with day trips that drop you straight into nature, from waterfall...

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The Under-The-Radar Donut Spot In Wisconsin That Keeps The Display Case Moving Fast

My self-control lasted exactly one glance at the display case at Donut Squad in Milwaukee. This is the under-the-radar donut spot where the trays keep shifting, the favorites sell...

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The Artsy Small Town In New Mexico That’s Perfect For A Slow Spring Weekend

Ready to swap a packed itinerary for a slow spring wander where the main plan is just follow the color? Madrid, New Mexico, is small, artsy, and weirdly perfect for a weekend that...

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The Abandoned Pennsylvania Campus That Still Gives Visitors The Chills

Did you just feel the temperature drop, or is Pennhurst doing that again? Pennhurst State School and Hospital is an abandoned Pennsylvania campus that still gives visitors chills...

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Ohio’s Under-The-Radar Donut Stop With Donuts The Size Of Your Face

Ready for a donut that makes your coffee look like the sidekick? Bill’s Donut Shop in Centerville, Ohio is an under-the-radar stop that locals treat like a weekly ritual, and...

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This Amish Breakfast Buffet In Ohio Is The Weekend Plan People Do Not Cancel

Your weekend is officially booked the moment you smell this breakfast line. Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen in Ohio is the kind of Amish breakfast buffet people do not cancel, because...

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New York Has An Abandoned Island Castle That Makes The Hudson Feel A Little Haunted

Your boat ride feels normal until Bannerman Castle shows up and the Hudson starts acting haunted. Sitting on Pollepel Island, this abandoned-looking ruin has a dramatic silhouette...

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Wyoming Hot Spring Retreats With Big Views And Small Crowds

Your brain stops sprinting the second warm water meets cold air. Wyoming hot spring retreats feel like a real reset because the views are huge, the pace is slow, and the crowds...

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These Amish Bakeries In Ohio Turn Simple Pies Into A Road Trip Reason

Ever taste a pie so good it turns the car keys into a suggestion? Ohio Amish bakeries have a way of making simple pies feel like a full-on road trip reason, because the flavors...

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Massachusetts Has A Donut Shop With A Glazed Classic People Drive For On Purpose

You know a donut is serious when people plan their morning around the drive. Kane’s Donuts in Saugus is that kind of Massachusetts stop, especially for the glazed classic.

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A Massachusetts Prison Island That Makes Even Daytime Feel Suspicious

Think you are just taking a simple daytime trip and then the place makes you lower your voice without realizing it. A Massachusetts prison island has that effect, because the isolation...

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These Amish Farm Stores In Wisconsin Have Cheese Counters That Pull In Locals Weekly

Ready to watch a simple cheese counter turn into your weekly routine? In Wisconsin, Amish farm stores have a way of pulling locals back again and again, and the cheese counters...

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Missouri Has A Low-Key Donut Spot That Turns “One Glazed” Into A Dozen

Tell yourself you are only getting one glazed and see how long that plan lasts. Missouri has low-key donut spots that turn a quick stop into a full-on box situation, because the...

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New Mexico Has A Route 66 Ghost Town That Makes You Check Your Car Doors Twice

Feel that little “maybe I should lock the doors” reflex kicking in for no reason? That is the magic of a Route 66 ghost town in New Mexico, where the emptiness feels louder...

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