julian hayes author at My Family Travels
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The Lost Ocean Motel in South Carolina That Rises from the Tide Each Year

Stories ripple across Folly Beach about a motel that slips in and out of view with the tides. The truth is stranger and more...

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The South Carolina Island Escape Travelers Are Calling Their New “Paradise Found”

South Carolina holds a handful of islands where time slows, yet one feels different the moment the mainland fades from view. Daufuskie...

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The 10 Most Peaceful Nebraska Cities Travelers Can’t Stop Loving

Travelers chasing quieter days often find their compass pointing to Nebraska. The state’s smaller cities deliver calm streets,...

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The Haunted Gold Mine Restaurant in Georgia With a Shaft Beneath the Floor

Curiosity tends to grow louder when a dining room has a hole to history in its floor. In Dahlonega, Georgia, The Smith House...

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The Haunted Alaska Cinema Where Ghosts Still Walk the Aisles

Alaska’s legends cling to the cold like breath on glass, and few tales grip travelers as tightly as the whispers about Anchorage’s vanished movie palace.

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Traveling Pennsylvania Amish Country: Rules, Rituals, and Roadside Wonders

Pennsylvania’s Amish Country invites you to slow down and notice what most road trips rush past. Fields stretch to the horizon,...

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8 Hole-in-the-Wall Pie Houses in Kentucky Worth the Stop

Kentucky hides its sweetest treasures behind humble doors, and that is exactly where you’ll find the best slices. Skip the...

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The Arkansas Backroad Drive Locals Swear Is the Prettiest in the State

Arkansas hides a ribbon of road that locals whisper about when they want real Ozark magic. The Pig Trail Scenic Byway, tucked...

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10 Maine Restaurants That Make Thanksgiving Feel Like Home

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and a feast that leaves you needing a comfier pair of pants. But what if the kitchen’s not your thing, or perhaps you just want...

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Why Locals in Iowa Love Their “Boring” Town and Don’t Want Tourists Finding It

Some places in Iowa move at a pace that feels almost invisible to outsiders, and that is exactly why locals guard them. What...

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8 Hole-in-the-Wall Breakfast Spots in Florida You’ll Want to Visit

Florida mornings feel different, with salt air, sunlit porches, and locals who know exactly where to find a soulful first bite. Beyond...

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Why This Oregon Village Might Be America’s Most Charming Old-fashioned Winter Escape

Winter on the Oregon coast feels different in Yachats. Waves drum the basalt, lights glow from cottage windows, and the village...

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The Abandoned Hillside Resort in Nevada Where Shadows Linger Too Long

Nevada holds more than neon, it keeps quiet stories in the trees. On a pine-covered slope above Zephyr Cove on Lake Tahoe’s...

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The 10 Weird Laws in West Virginia That Trip Up Tourists

West Virginia hides some truly oddball rules behind its postcard views and winding roads. Travelers arrive for the New River...

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The 10 Best Thanksgiving Buffets in California Locals Swear By

California knows how to feast, and Thanksgiving brings out the state’s most beloved buffets. From ocean-view ballrooms to...

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The 10 Best Coastal Towns in California to Spend Thanksgiving Away from Crowds

If your ideal Thanksgiving trades traffic for tide pools and long, quiet walks, California has a coastline full of calm. These...

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The 10 Weird Connecticut Laws That Will Leave You Scratching Your Head

Curious travelers love a good story, and Connecticut has a trove of peculiar rules that read like folklore scratched into a town ledger.

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A Ghostly Journey: Riding the Phantom Train of Colorado

Chilled alpine air, a dirt road climbing toward the sky, and a legend that refuses to fade, Marshall Pass in Colorado is where history whispers through the pines.

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The Bizarre Minnesota Laws That Can Get You Fined Just for Singing

Minnesota charms with lakes and trails, yet the state hides a curious playlist of rules that can trip up an unsuspecting vocalist.

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The All-You-Can-Eat Fried Chicken Buffet In Alabama That’s Making Headlines

Alabama buzzes with talk of a rare all you can eat fried chicken experience, the kind that feels like a throwback and a local secret at the same time.

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Why Tourists in West Virginia Keep Getting Cited for River Rafting Without Permits

Travelers come to West Virginia for wild water and big scenery, then leave with unexpected citations. The rules look invisible...

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10 So-Called Boring Minnesota Cities Locals Know as “Peace Itself”

Some places in Minnesota get labeled boring by people who have never lingered on their main streets at dusk or listened to the river slip past after the crowds leave.

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“We’re Not a Theme Park”: Real Comments From Florida Locals About Tourists

Florida is beautiful, complicated, and crowded, often all in the same afternoon. Ask residents, and you will hear pride and...

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The Peaceful Tennessee Lake Town Locals Call a Magnet for Love Stories

Couples keep whispering about a quiet lake town in Tennessee where soft light and mountain reflections turn everyday moments into chapters worth keeping.

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Why Locals in New Hampshire Say Tourism Has Pushed Prices Out of Reach

Tourism keeps New Hampshire buzzing, from leaf-peeping weekends to powder days in the Whites. Every season draws a new wave of visitors chasing views, trails, and cozy inns, and...

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Locals Call This Endless Fried Chicken Night in Kentucky Southern Heaven on a Plate

Kentucky knows comfort, and nowhere does that ring truer than on endless fried chicken nights that locals whisper about with a smile. I went to Madisonville and Shelbyville to...

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The Haunted Cemetery in Louisiana That Locals Avoid After Dark

Louisiana’s cemeteries carry stories that seem to wake as the sun goes down, and locals know which iron gates to pass by after dark. From New Orleans’ oldest burial grounds...

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10 Marina Restaurants In California Locals Swear By

Ah, California! Home to sun-kissed beaches, endless highways, and the most exquisite marina dining experiences you could ever imagine. Whether you’re a local or just passing...

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10 Lessons About Southern Life Travelers Learn Only After Visiting Alabama

Visiting Alabama is like diving headfirst into a pot of sweet tea: refreshing, unexpected, and brimming with Southern charm. This state, with its rich traditions and warm hospitality,...

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10 California Surfside Huts With Fish Tacos Worth Driving For

California’s coastline is a sun-soaked paradise peppered with surfside huts serving fish tacos that are nothing short of legendary. Each spot is a culinary treasure trove waiting...

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10 Hidden Crab Shacks That Make Delaware Worth Visiting

Ah, Delaware! Often overshadowed by its larger neighbors, but let me tell you, this small state holds some hidden culinary treasures. Prepare yourself for a delicious journey as...

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10 Maryland Crab Feasts That Will Make You Drive Across The State

Maryland is the land where blue crabs are practically royalty, and I'm here to guide you through ten feasts that will have you donning a bib and cracking shells with sheer delight....

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10 Kentucky Restaurants Serving Endless Plates Locals Swear By

Kentucky is a treasure trove of culinary delights, where endless plates of goodness await those bold enough to dig in. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, these 10...

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Will New York City Be Buried in Snow or Enjoy a Mild Winter?

Will New York City dust off the parkas or stroll through a softer season? Forecasts point in different directions, and that tension makes planning a trip to New York all the more...

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The Old Mining Camp in Nevada That Still Feels Like a Scene From the Past

Southern Nevada holds a pocket of time where wood creaks, metal rusts, and desert wind carries the past. Minutes from Las Vegas, the former mining camp of Nelson still looks and...

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The Mississippi River Town That Looks Straight Out of the 1800s

When you visit Natchez, Mississippi, the past feels wonderfully near. Brick streets, river vistas, and gaslit corners set a scene that mirrors the 1800s with remarkable fidelity....

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This Desert Town in Nevada Has One of America’s Best Italian Kitchens

I drove into Pahrump just before sunset and felt the desert quiet wrap around me. I came for one reason: a small Italian kitchen that locals swear by and road-trippers whisper...

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10 Most Boring Towns in Delaware That Are Oddly Endearing

I chase calm places where small details matter. Delaware rewards that habit with towns that keep life simple and plans flexible. These spots feel quiet at first glance, yet they...

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What North Carolina Locals Think About Tourists Who Try to “Go Local”

I love watching visitors try to “go local” in North Carolina, because the wins feel real and the misses teach fast. If you want locals to welcome you, show curiosity and keep...

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Why Tennessee Locals Cringe When Tourists Call It “NashVegas”

I hear the nickname a lot on flights, in rideshares, and along Broadway, and I get why it sticks. Still, I’ve learned that many Tennessee locals wince because it skips past what...

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Why Tourists in Alaska Are Paying Big for Illegal Drone Footage of Glaciers

Alaska’s glaciers hold a magnetism few places can match. From the blue ice walls of Mendenhall to the jagged flow of Exit Glacier, these landscapes look almost otherworldly....

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Why North Dakota Locals Laugh at How Tourists Handle the Cold

I came to North Dakota for the frost and stayed for the lessons. Winter here feels alive, like a trickster that tests gear, plans, and patience. Locals laugh, not to mock, but...

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The Lost New York Amusement Park That No One Wants to Talk About

New York has seen its share of grand amusement parks, Coney Island, Rye Playland, and Adventureland still draw crowds, but one park has almost vanished from public memory. Freedomland...

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Why Tourists in Colorado Keep Breaking a Law They Didn’t Know Existed

Colorado’s mountains attract millions of visitors every year, but many of them don’t realize they’re breaking one of the state’s most misunderstood laws, rules designed...

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This North Carolina Smokehouse Serves Pork That Locals Swear Can’t Be Matched

In a state famous for barbecue rivalries, one small-town spot earns loyalty that crosses county lines. Lexington Barbecue, in the city of Lexington, North Carolina, has become...

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Why Hawaii’s Locals Say Tourism Has Crossed the Line

Hawaii has welcomed visitors for generations, but many residents now say the balance has tipped too far. What once felt like a respectful exchange has become overwhelming pressure...

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This Tiny Rhode Island Seafood Shack Serves Clam Cakes Worth the Trip

Rhode Island’s coast is full of seafood spots, but Evelyn’s Drive-In in Tiverton has earned a reputation that stretches well beyond its size. For decades, this roadside shack...

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10 Halloween Streets in Georgia Locals Say You Have to See to Believe

I spent the past few Octobers crisscrossing Georgia to see which streets locals praise for Halloween magic. I found several streets and neighborhoods in Georgia that locals say...

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Tourists Reveal What is Like to Drive Through West Virginia at Night

Night drives in West Virginia feel personal in a way daylight never does. I’ve gathered stories from tourists and locals who know these roads and their hush. Their accounts balance...

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10 Pennsylvania Waterfronts That Lost What Made Them Special

When I talk to old timers in Pennsylvania river towns, their stories often begin with docks, steamers, factories, whistles, things gone. These waterfronts didn’t vanish all at...

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