maeve ashford author at My Family Travels
Article
This California Fabric Store Feels Like A Color-Packed Wonderland For Sewists, Designers, And DIY Dreamers

The colors hit you first, row after row of fabric in every shade you can imagine. This California store has been a destination for sewists, designers, and DIY lovers for decades,...

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This Ohio Public Market Turns Butcher Counters, Bakery Cases, Produce Stalls, And Lunch Lines Into A Food-Lover’s Maze

The pierogi are handmade, the sausages are smoked, and the strudel is still warm from the oven. That is the rhythm of a historic public market in Ohio, where butcher counters,...

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This Kentucky Dinner House Serves Southern Comfort Plates, Homemade Desserts, And Old-School Road-Trip Charm

A dinner house born from a fried chicken empire and a family's pride opened its doors in the late nineteen sixties. It was originally called The Colonel's Lady, a tribute to the...

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This Maine Country Store Packs Penny Candy, Hardware Aisles, Old-School Gifts, And Road-Trip Nostalgia Into One Village Stop

A wooden floor worn smooth by a century of boots creaks beneath your feet as you step into a place where time seems to have taken a detour.

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This Beloved Michigan Fabric Store Feels Like A Color-Packed Wonderland For Quilters, Designers, And DIY Dreamers

There is not a single bolt of beige in the place. That is the first clue that this Michigan fabric store is something different. The...

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This Wisconsin Public Market Turns Cheese Counters, Seafood Stalls, Bakery Cases, And Lunch Lines Into A Food-Lover’s Maze

The smell of aged cheese and smoked fish drifts through the air, and the sound of sizzling food and friendly chatter bounces off the walls.

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This Colossal Subterranean Cavern In Pennsylvania Is An Astounding Underground Wonderland Hidden Directly Beneath The Rolling Hills

You walk across a green meadow, then step into a boat that drifts into a dark hole in the hillside. That is how you enter this colossal subterranean cavern in Pennsylvania, an...

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This Sprawling North Carolina Drive-Through Safari Invites Families To Hand-Feed Rare Exotic Wildlife Right From Their Own Car Windows

I still remember the moment a giraffe lowered its long neck and gently took a carrot from my palm. That surreal encounter happened right here in North Carolina, at a sprawling...

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This Tennessee Boarding House Serves Southern Comfort Plates, Homemade Desserts, And Old-School Road-Trip Charm

A table set for a proper meal is a serious thing in Tennessee. Since the early nineteen hundreds, a boarding house in a small town has been serving traditional Southern plates...

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This Vermont Country Store Packs Penny Candy, Old-School Gifts, And Road-Trip Nostalgia Into One Village Stop

Ever tasted candy that has not changed in fifty years? This Vermont store has been selling the same penny sweets since the middle of the last century, and the wooden floors still...

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This Majestic North Carolina Waterfall Pathway Transforms A Simple Family Hike Into A Cinematic Mountain Adventure

Can a short walk through the woods feel like a scene from a movie? This majestic waterfall pathway in North Carolina proves that answer is yes.

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This Historic Oceanfront Restaurant Along Rhode Island’s Scenic Coast Is A Spectacular Visit This Summer

You step onto the deck, and the ocean is right there, endless and loud. That is what you came for. This historic oceanfront...

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This Pennsylvania Indoor Waterpark Resort Brings Timber-Lodge Rooms, Wild Slides, And Splashy Poconos Energy Year-Round

Summer in Pennsylvania is in full swing, and this waterpark offers a cool escape from the heat. Slides twist through the building, a wave pool churns in a steady rhythm, and a...

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This Massive Massachusetts Fabric Store Feels Like A Colorful Basement Wonderland For Quilters, Sewers, And DIY Dreamers

The entrance is easy to miss, tucked into a strip mall off the highway. But once you step inside and head downstairs, the space opens up into a colorful basement packed with bolts...

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A Pennsylvania Farmers Market Turns Fresh Pretzels, Bulk Goods, Quilt Shops, And Bakery Counters Into A Country Day Trip

You walk into a Pennsylvania market and the smell of fresh pretzels pulls you past the quilt shop and toward the bakery counter. This is the kind of country day trip where you...

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This Georgia Mountain Garden Has Fairyland Caves, Giant Rock Passages, And Views That Feel Almost Unreal

The view from this Georgia mountain is what keeps people coming back, and it is the kind of view that stops you cold. A swinging bridge sways above the trees, and narrow rock passages...

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This Pennsylvania Dutch Counter Inside A Historic Market Serves Comfort Food Worth Waiting For

The sizzle of scrapple hitting a hot griddle and the scent of butter-soaked pancakes drift through the market air, pulling you toward a counter where locals have been eating for...

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This New York Cave Hides A Massive Underground Waterfall Behind An Old-School Roadside Entrance

A hand-painted billboard on a rural New York road promises something strange, and the promise is not empty. Around a bend,...

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This Hidden Pennsylvania Japanese Garden Feels Like A Quiet Escape Tucked Inside The City

It is easy to miss the entrance if you are not looking for it, tucked away behind the trees in a sprawling city park. But once you step through the gate, the sounds of the city...

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This Michigan Deli Is A Food-Lover Landmark Where Overstuffed Sandwiches Turn Lunch Into A Full Ann Arbor Detour

You order a sandwich the size of your forearm and immediately realize lunch is not a quick stop anymore. That is the reality at this Michigan deli, a food-lover landmark where...

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An Illinois Pizzeria Serves Cracker-Thin Tavern Squares So Crispy Locals Treat Every Corner Piece Like Gold

The rule at this Illinois pizzeria is simple: you do not ask for a corner slice. You fight for it. The tavern-style squares...

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The Absolute Freshest Seafood In California Is Sourced Straight From This Iconic Harbor Market Every Local Trusts

What is the secret to the freshest seafood in California? It comes off the boat and onto your plate within hours, no detours, no long freeway trips.

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This High-Energy California Tapas Lounge Serves Up Showstopping Paella Feasts Right Out Of The Sizzling Kitchen

Here is a fact: the best paella in California comes from a tapas lounge where the kitchen sends out pans still sizzling. The rice is golden, the shrimp are plump, and the crispy...

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The Massive Georgia Flea Market You’ll Want To Explore Time And Again

Have you ever walked into a flea market with no plan and walked out with a trunk full of treasures you never knew you needed? That...

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This Pennsylvania Deli Serves An Overstuffed Pastrami Sandwich So Huge People Plan Whole Detours Around It

The pastrami comes piled so high that the bread disappears somewhere beneath the layers, and the first bite demands your full attention. You stop talking, you stop scrolling, and...

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North Carolina’s Juiciest Steak Dinner Is Tucked Inside This Timeless Barnhouse Restaurant

The restaurant started as a simple idea on a patch of pastureland in 1960, and it has since grown into a legendary North Carolina steakhouse.

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This Maine Museum Moved Into A New Home Filled With Bigfoot, Sea Monsters, And Strange Creature Lore

The world's only museum dedicated to the creatures that may or may not exist has found a new home, and it is now larger and stranger than ever. After more than two decades in another...

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This Quiet Florida Park Hides The State’s Tallest Waterfall Inside A Fern-Covered Sinkhole

Have you ever watched a waterfall disappear into a hole? Florida has one, and it is tucked inside a quiet park that feels nothing like the beaches and theme parks the state is...

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This Wisconsin Sausage Shop From The Eighteen Eighties Feels Like A Hidden Old-World Market

The scent of smoked meat and spice hangs in the air the moment you push open the door, a fragrance that has clung to these walls since the late eighteen hundreds.

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This Vermont Farm Turns Summer Nights Into Magical Evenings Of Live Music, Food Trucks, And Red Barn Views

The sun dips behind the Green Mountains, string lights flicker to life, and the scent of wood-fired pizza mingles with the sweet hay from a classic red barn. This is the scene...

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This Massive Ohio Fabric Outlet Feels Like A Dream Come True For Quilters, Crafters, And DIY Treasure Hunters

Great fabric at bargain prices, that is the promise of this massive Ohio outlet. Quilters and crafters treat it like a pilgrimage site, filling their carts with bolts of high-quality...

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This Pennsylvania Farmers And Antique Market Is Packed With Vintage Finds, Local Food, And Weekend Energy

What does a weekend market sound like when it is at its best? The hum of friendly haggling, the sizzle of fresh funnel cake, and the scrape of wooden crates being unpacked with...

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This Rhode Island No-Frills Pizzeria Serves Ridiculously Good Square Pizza At Old-School Prices

You fold a thick, square slice of pizza and the cheese stretches for miles while the crust stays crisp underneath. That is the daily magic at this no-frills pizzeria in Rhode Island,...

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The Best Homemade Pies In North Carolina Are Waiting Inside This Cozy Little Cafe

A slice of coconut cream pie so tall it wobbles when the server sets it down. That is the first thing you notice when you step into this cozy little cafe in North Carolina, where...

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This Vermont Mountain Chapel Is Covered With Notes, Photos, And Tributes To Beloved Dogs

What do you do with the love you still feel for a dog who is no longer by your side? In Vermont, people drive up a winding mountain road to a small wooden chapel covered in sticky...

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This North Carolina Mountain Farm Lets You Spend The Day With Alpacas, Llamas, And Working Farm Animals

You walk into a pasture in North Carolina, and a curious alpaca immediately walks over to check you out. That is not unusual here. The...

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The Premier Seafood In Massachusetts Is Found Inside This Renowned Waterfront Market Every Local Recommends

Have you ever tasted a fried clam so fresh it felt like the ocean was still clinging to it? That is exactly what happens at this renowned waterfront market in Massachusetts, the...

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This Legendary Subterranean Cavern In Ohio Is A Breathtaking Hidden Wonder Beneath Rolling Hills

When was the last time you discovered something truly hidden beneath your feet? Beneath the quiet farmland of Ohio, a legendary cavern opens into a breathtaking underground world...

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Why This Historic Florida Coast Community Is Regularly Ranked As An Ultimate Place To Retire In America

What if your retirement came with salt breezes, a walkable historic district, and a tax code that actually helps? That is the daily reality in this Florida coast community, regularly...

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This Nevada Casino Cafe Serves A Bountiful Prime Rib Dinner With Sides For An Incredible Value Every Single Day

You know that feeling when you order a meal and the price seems too low? That happens here every single day. The prime rib dinner...

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This Illinois Landmark Has Been Baking Its Famous Thin Crust Tavern Pizza Since The 1940s

You fold a thin, cracker-crisp slice, and it holds. No flop, no droop, just a satisfying snap that echoes through a room buzzing with the chatter of regulars who have been coming...

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This Genuine South Carolina Barbecue Joint Is A Legendary Favorite That Locals Truly Love

The smoke rolls out of a long brick pit, and you follow it like a compass needle. That is how you find this genuine South Carolina barbecue joint, a legendary favorite that locals...

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This Vintage Old-School Hamburger In Florida Is Served Inside This Historic Counter Joint

What happens when you take a classic American hamburger and give it a Cuban soul? You get a frita, a griddled beef patty topped with crispy shoestring potatoes, melty cheese, and...

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This Genuine Tennessee Barbecue Joint Is A Legendary Staple That Locals Truly Love

The smell of hickory smoke drifts down the sidewalk long before you reach the door. That is how you know this genuine Tennessee barbecue joint is the real thing, a legendary staple...

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The Best Seafood in California Is Found Inside This Celebrated Waterfront Market Every Local Recommends

Mountains of garlicky shrimp, sizzling with bell peppers and onions, spill over the edges of a tray meant for sharing. This is the legendary feast that has drawn crowds to a celebrated...

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This Vintage Old-School Hamburger In North Carolina Is Served Inside This Classic Counter Joint

You pull up to a small building, walk to the counter, and order a burger that has not changed in decades. That is the beauty of this classic joint in North Carolina, where the...

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Why This Historic Florida Atlantic Coast City Is Ranked As A Top Place To Retire In All Of America

What if your retirement came with cobblestone streets, centuries-old forts, and the gentle crash of the Atlantic? That is the reality on Florida’s historic Atlantic coast, where...

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This Fairytale California Redwood Trail Turns An Everyday Family Walk Into A Magical Adventure

What if the tallest living things on Earth could turn a simple family walk into a story you will tell for years? On this fairytale California redwood trail, the path is short and...

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This Historic Haunted Georgia Cemetery Is A Place You Must Avoid After Dark

Do not be here when the sun goes down. That is the honest warning locals give about this historic Georgia cemetery, a place that feels peaceful and beautiful during daylight but...

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One Of North Carolina’s Most Breathtaking University Botanical Gardens That Every Traveler Needs To Experience

What if the most stunning garden you have ever seen was tucked behind a university parking lot? That is the delightful surprise waiting in North Carolina, where a breathtaking...

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South Carolina Locals Brave Massive Weekend Crowds For This Eatery’s Legendary Brunch And They Don’t Regret It

You show up twenty minutes before opening and still find a line. That is the weekend ritual at this legendary South Carolina eatery, where locals gladly trade their sleeping hours...

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The Pennsylvania Buffet That Locals Call The Greatest All-You-Can-Eat Spot In The State

Your eyes will be bigger than your stomach. That is the only warning anyone needs before walking into this Pennsylvania buffet, the one locals call the greatest all-you-can-eat...

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This Renowned California Spanish Restaurant Serves Up Authentic Paella Feasts Perfect For Sharing

The pan arrives at your table wide and shallow, saffron rice glistening under a blanket of shrimp, mussels, and chicken. That is the moment this renowned California Spanish restaurant...

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The Best Legendary Butter Burger In Wisconsin Is Found Inside This Historic Counter Diner

You bite into a burger and butter drips down your wrist. That is not a kitchen accident. That is a Wisconsin legend served from...

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North Carolina Locals Endure Massive Weekend Crowds For This Eatery’s Famous Brunch And They Don’t Regret It

What makes a person willing to stand in line for an hour before noon on a Sunday? The answer is waiting inside this beloved North Carolina eatery, where a famous brunch draws massive...

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This Superb Waterfront Restaurant Along Maine’s Shoreline Is A Must-Visit This Summer

The salt spray hits your face as you bite into a warm, butter-drenched lobster roll. That is the experience waiting at this superb waterfront restaurant along Maine's shoreline,...

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This Spectacular Georgia Drive-Through Safari Lets You Cruise Past Free-Roaming Exotic Animals

Roll down your window. A giraffe's head might poke through it. That is the glorious chaos of this spectacular drive-through safari...

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Why This Beautiful Florida Gulf Coast City Is Rated As A Premier Place To Retire In All Of America

You have to wait for low tide and keep your eyes on the sand. That is the quirky charm of life in this beautiful Florida Gulf Coast city, where fossilized shark teeth wash ashore...

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The Best Legendary Cheeseburger In Washington Is Found Inside This Tiny Hole-In-The-Wall Drive-In

The grease-stained paper bag is the only thing between you and the best cheeseburger of your life. That humble wrapper holds a thin, crispy patty smashed on a flat top that has...

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This Outstanding Restaurant Along Delaware’s Coast Is A Must-Visit This Summer

The oyster sliders alone are worth the drive. That is what every local will tell you about this outstanding restaurant along the Delaware coast, and they are not wrong.

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