maeve collier author at My Family Travels
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This West Virginia Lake Hides An Underwater Ghost Town Beneath Its Clear Blue Water

Imagine paddling across crystal clear water, gazing down at the submerged remnants of a forgotten community. It sounds like...

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12 West Virginia Farms Where You Can Pick Your Own Fruit And Veggies This Summer

Get your baskets ready, because summer in West Virginia is calling your name. Nothing beats the taste of a strawberry still...

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13 West Virginia Restaurants Offering July Fourth Dinner Across The Mountain State

Fireworks, flag-waving, and mountain views. What could be better? This curated list of West Virginia restaurants combines all...

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This West Virginia County Was The Nation’s Leading Coal Producer In 1960

Can you imagine being the absolute king of coal production? That was this county back in 1960, sitting proudly at the top...

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You Can Find Some Of West Virginia’s Best Fresh-Sliced Sandwiches At This Tiny Deli Market

Let us be honest. A great sandwich can turn a mediocre day into a spectacular one. This little market understands that truth...

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This West Virginia Quilt Shop Hides A Whole World Of Fabric, Thread, And Crafting Treasures

Step through the door, and suddenly the outside world just melts away. A hush falls, replaced by the soft rustle of cotton and the gentle hum of sewing machines.

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The Best Fish Sandwiches Have Been Served At This Historic West Virginia Market For Over A Century

There is a holy war over who makes the best fish sandwich in West Virginia, and this place has been winning it for a hundred years.

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This West Virginia Antique Store Is A Treasure Trove For Vintage Lovers

Some places call themselves antique stores. This one is more like a joyful maze of forgotten treasures. Spread across two floors...

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This West Virginia Monument Turns Silence Into The Loudest Tribute Of All

Some monuments shout, but this one chooses to speak in whispers and reflections. It is a two-story oval structure composed...

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11 Birdwatching Destinations In West Virginia For Year-Round Sightings Of 170+ Breeding Species

Binoculars optional, but you are going to want them anyway. West Virginia is home to over 170 breeding bird species, which is basically a birder's dream come true.

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This Classic West Virginia Drive-In Has Been Serving Legendary Fried Chicken Since 1945

You know a place is legendary when it has been doing the same thing since 1945 and nobody is complaining. This classic drive-in...

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This West Virginia Wilderness Feels Like The Canadian Arctic But Still Hides WWII Shells In Its Bogs

Standing on this high-altitude plateau feels like a glitch in the matrix. You are in West Virginia, but the landscape screams...

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This West Virginia Country Store Makes Every Day Feel Like Christmas With Its Year-Round Holiday Room

Some people wait all year for December. Others just drive to this one room in West Virginia. A whole corner of a country store...

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Adena People Built This 62-Foot West Virginia Mound 2,000 Years Ago With Nothing But Bare Hands

Sixty two feet high. Two thousand years old. Zero heavy machinery. This massive earthen cone rises from the flat valley floor...

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10 West Virginia Campgrounds Where You Can Pitch Your Tent Right Beside The Water

There is something special about falling asleep to the sound of moving water. Not a distant river you have to hike toward. Right...

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The Most Photographed West Virginia Waterfalls Have Easy Access And Stunning Views

Some waterfalls make you work for it. Hiking for hours. Sweating through your shirt. Questioning your life choices.

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11 Hidden Seafood Gems Across West Virginia You’ll Be Glad You Found

Eleven places where the best seafood hides far from any ocean. Yes, you read that correctly. West Virginia does not touch the...

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This West Virginia Farm Turns Summer Days Into Magical Sunflower Adventures

You turn a corner and bam. Fifteen acres of sunshine standing at attention. This farm plants so many sunflowers that bees throw...

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This Abandoned West Virginia Hotel Is Too Dangerous To Keep And Too Expensive To Tear Down So It Just Sits And Rots

Some buildings have a story that refuses to end, even when the owners give up. This one sits on a hill in West Virginia, crumbling...

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This West Virginia Church Restaurant Serves Home Cooking Worth The Winding Roads

The GPS says you have arrived, but all you see are winding roads and endless West Virginia woods. Then a charming white church...

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The West Virginia Restaurants And Bakeries Where Gluten-Free Foodies Can Indulge Without Worry

Finding a gluten free meal that does not taste like cardboard should not require a treasure map. But let us be honest. It...

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This West Virginia Town Is The Peaceful Escape Locals Keep To Themselves

I almost did not tell you about this place. Not because I am greedy, but because that is exactly what locals are hoping. They...

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The Smallest Church In West Virginia Is A Perfect Escape For Quirky Roadside Photos And Peaceful Reflection

Pull over. Seriously. You will see a tiny white building nestled among the trees and wonder if you just stumbled into a storybook....

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Locals Have Been Flocking To This West Virginia Carhop Since 1932 For The State’s Most Legendary Hot Dog

Carhops bring your food right to your car window. No need to put on real pants. Since 1932, locals have been pulling into this...

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The West Virginia Caverns Where Towering Rock Formations Reveal A Hidden Underground Wonderland

You step off the ladder and into another world. Fifty feet below the surface, the air turns cool and the silence feels sacred. Towering...

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11 Antique Malls And Shops In West Virginia Offering Salvaged Furniture, Vintage Décor, And More

Let me ask you something. Do you ever walk into a furniture store and feel absolutely nothing? Same here. That is why I hunt...

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The Countryside Flea Market In West Virginia Where Every Sunday Feels Like A Festival

Sunday mornings possess a particular magic when they begin with a treasure hunt stretching across sprawling countryside fields. In...

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This Historic West Virginia Town Lets You Explore The Roots Of American Resilience

Matewan is not just a town; it is a defiant scar on the map where American workers finally drew a line in the dust. The infamous shootout on Main Street in 1920 might have ended...

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The New Jersey Pond Where Martians “Landed” And Panicked The Nation (Yes, There’s A Memorial)

A quiet pond in suburban New Jersey is the last place you would expect to find proof of a Martian invasion, but the plaque on the rock says otherwise.

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10 West Virginia Factory Tours That Make For A Surprisingly Fun Day Trip

Have you ever watched something being made and thought, wow, humans are actually pretty clever? That feeling hits you over...

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The New Jersey Antique Store Where Hollywood Set Designers Secretly Shop

Notice how movies always get the details right? The perfect lamp in a 1940s bedroom. That odd clock on a villain's desk. Someone...

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This Mountain Town In West Virginia Hides History, Hospitality, And Breathtaking Vistas

This small town was built on the belief that clear, mineral-rich spring water could change your life. For centuries, weary travelers have arrived in the heart of West Virginia...

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The West Virginia U-Pick Farm Where You Can Get Fresh Blueberries For Just $2.25 A Pound

There is something deeply satisfying about picking your own food straight from the bush. This family-run farm in the Greenbrier...

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This Massive West Virginia “Amish Walmart” Is Packed With Bulk Deals And Homemade Goods

Have you ever walked into a store and suddenly realized you need twelve pounds of flour, a jar of homemade jam, and a fresh donut you did not know existed?

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This Haunted West Virginia Hospital Has Become A Must-Visit Destination For Paranormal Hunters From Around The World

I am not the kind of person who chases ghosts. I get spooked by my own closet door. But even I felt a strange tingle walking...

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This West Virginia Cathedral With Italian Marble Is A Stunning Slice Of Europe In Appalachia

Close your eyes for a second. Now open them and pretend you just stepped into Rome without the expensive flight. Pink Italian...

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The Artisan Donuts At This New Jersey Bakery Are So Delicious, They Literally Melt In Your Mouth

My willpower completely abandoned me the moment the smell hit me from the parking lot. There was no turning back after that.

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This Abandoned West Virginia Railroad Is Now One Of The Most Unique Bike Trails In The State

I love a good transformation story. This one starts with a forgotten railroad track, overgrown and silent, rusting quietly...

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The West Virginia Race Track Where Amateurs And Government Agents Train On The Same Pavement

Imagine this. On one side of the pit lane, a dentist in a slightly too tight racing suit is learning to brake later. On the...

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10 Haunted West Virginia Towns Where History And Ghosts Share The Same Address

Some places wear history on their sleeves. Others keep it buried in the walls, whispering through floorboards when the living finally go quiet.

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The West Virginia Road Trip That Hits Four Iconic State Parks In One Weekend

You have just read a small novel’s worth of West Virginia beauty. Grist mills kissing creeks, bridges that steal your breath,...

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This 6.6-Mile Trail In West Virginia Combines Civil War History With Scenic Overlooks

History fans and view chasers, this one is for you. This West Virginia trail follows the footsteps of soldiers who once defended...

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This Unassuming West Virginia Restaurant Serves Blackened Tuna Bites So Good Customers Dream About Them

Do not let the humble exterior fool you. This unassuming spot in a small West Virginia town serves blackened tuna bites so...

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This West Virginia Drive-In Has Been Serving Messy, Sweet-Chili-Slaw Hot Dogs Since 1947

Since 1947, this West Virginia drive in has been perfecting the art of the messy, glorious chili slaw hot dog. No fancy tweezers or foam here.

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One Of The Most Crave-Worthy Lunch Stops In West Virginia Serves Sandwiches That Bite Back (In A Good Way)

You push open the door and the chalkboard menu basically winks at you. This Fayetteville lunch spot doesn't do boring.

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This Wood-Fired Pizza In West Virginia Comes Hot, Melty, And Topped With Fresh Flavor

The crust blisters in a wood-fired oven until it chars in spots and bubbles along the edge. That is how you know it is real. This...

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This Sprawling West Virginia Market Houses Over 100 Vendors Across Two Levels And An Annex

You do not just walk into this place. You surrender an afternoon to it. Spread across two sprawling levels plus a separate...

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13 Beginner-Friendly Hikes In West Virginia To Tackle This Spring

Spring in West Virginia means muddy boots and mountain views without the agony. These beginner friendly hikes serve up gorgeous...

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The Best Onion Rings In West Virginia Are Hiding Inside This No-Fuss Local Spot

You smell the fryer before you see the sign. That's how you know you're in the right Huntington parking lot. This no-fuss counter...

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This Historic West Virginia Railroad Track Is Now A Magical Railbike Journey Through A Lush Mountain Gorge

You know those old railroad tracks that just sit there rusting? West Virginia took one of them and did something brilliant....

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These West Virginia Springs Were So Good Even George Washington Became A Regular

Long before anyone called them presidents, a sixteen year old surveyor named George Washington camped here and scribbled in his diary about some warm springs.

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A West Virginia Riverboat Ride Takes You To A Reconstructed 18th-Century Mansion On An Island Frozen In Time

You need a boat to get there. That is the first clue this place is special. Step aboard a real sternwheeler riverboat and let...

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This Market In West Virginia Is A Local Favorite For Fresh Finds And Community Spirit

What do you get when you turn an old freight depot into a food lover's paradise? This West Virginia market.

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This National Register Historic Site In New Jersey Went From Drinking Water Source To Quiet Birdwatching Sanctuary

Once upon a time, this New Jersey landmark quenched the thirst of a growing city. Pipes and pumps did their duty for decades. But...

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This New Jersey Museum Houses One Of The State’s Largest Collections Of Working WWII Vehicles And Secret Cold War Technology

History class never had wheels like these. This New Jersey museum hides one of the state's largest collections of working WWII vehicles plus secret Cold War gadgets that actually...

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This New Jersey Pickleball House Is The Largest Indoor Facility In The Mid-Atlantic With 19 Pro Courts And A Full Taproom

You do not have to be a pickleball pro to appreciate the sheer size of this New Jersey facility. It is the largest indoor...

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The Massive Thrift Store In West Virginia Where You Can Haul A Cart For $45

Forty five dollars. That is the magic number at this massive Morgantown thrift store. You can haul an entire shopping cart...

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This New Jersey Restaurant Transforms Afternoon Tea Into A Whimsical Experience

You might walk in expecting just a cup of tea, but this house in Wayne serves something closer to a fairy tale with crumpets. The...

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This Humble New Jersey Shop On Route 9 Is A Treasure Trove Of Forgotten Stories And Unique Finds

Route 9 in New Jersey is crowded with strip malls and fast food signs. But set between the chaos sits a dusty little shop that time forgot to lock up.

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12 New Jersey Museums That Are Housed In Former Prisons, Factories, And Even A Lighthouse

New Jersey is full of surprises, and some of the best ones are hiding inside buildings you would never expect. Old prisons,...

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