marissa lockwood author at My Family Travels
Article
This Magical Oregon Treetop Retreat Lets You Sleep Among the Trees

Imagine waking up to the soft rustle of leaves, sunlight filtering through the canopy, and the feeling of being cradled high above the forest floor. Out'n'About Treehouse Treesort...

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This All You Can Eat Buffet in Oregon Feels Like a Hidden Playground for Food Lovers

Portland, Oregon has never been short on amazing places to eat, but tucked along the vibrant SE Hawthorne Boulevard sits a spot that locals swear by for one simple reason: the...

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Oregon Locals Still Use These Places Like It’s 2005

Oregon has always marched to its own beat, and locals know the best spots never really go out of style. While the rest of the world chases trends and viral hotspots, Oregonians...

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These Oregon Restaurants Locals Go to Without Even Looking at Reviews

When you live somewhere long enough, you stop checking star ratings and start trusting your gut. In Oregon, locals have their go-to spots where the food speaks for itself, the...

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These 10 Oregon Spots Are Criminally Underrated (Locals Know Why)

Oregon is a state packed with iconic landmarks that draw crowds from around the world, but the real magic lies in the places that don't make every travel brochure. While visitors...

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These 10 Oregon Lookout Points Locals Visit for Stunning Views

Oregon's landscape is a masterpiece painted with contrasts, where rugged coastlines meet alpine peaks, and high desert vistas stretch endlessly beneath wide-open skies.

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10 Restaurants in Oregon That Are Better Than Anyone Tells You

Oregon has long been celebrated for its craft beer scene and farm-to-table dining, but some of its most remarkable restaurants fly under the radar, hidden from the typical tourist...

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10 Oregon’s Best Comfort Food Spots Locals Don’t Talk About on Purpose

Oregon holds onto its culinary secrets with a fierce protectiveness that borders on possessive. Locals whisper about certain restaurants only among trusted friends, afraid that...

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9 Secret Picnic Spots in Oregon Locals Never Tell Tourists About

Oregon hides some of the most breathtaking picnic spots right under the noses of tourists, and locals prefer to keep it that way. While...

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10 Oregon Beaches Perfect for a Quick Local Getaway

Oregon's coastline stretches for more than 360 miles, offering some of the most breathtaking and accessible beaches in the Pacific Northwest.

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10 Places in Oregon That Don’t Seem Strange Until You Know the History

Oregon looks calm at first glance, yet the ground beneath those forests and shores remembers fire, shipwrecks, and improbable fortunes.

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10 Hidden Oregon Roadside Attractions Worth a Winter Drive

Winter in Oregon reshapes the roadside into a theater of mist, tide, and evergreen glow. You roll past quiet towns and discover...

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10 Nevada Ghost Towns That Are Mostly Abandoned Today

Nevada invites you with legends of boomtown grit, but some maps point you to places that are little more than wind and dust. You picture saloons and ore carts, then arrive to silence,...

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Oregon Day Trips That Feel Like a Secret Escape

Oregon rewards curiosity, and the best day trips feel like whispered directions from a friend who knows where the crowds never linger.

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These 11 Nature Spots in Oregon Locals Save for Weekdays

Weekdays in Oregon feel like a secret handshake, the trailheads open up, and the hush of the forest finally returns. You get...

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California Buffets Locals Say Are Always a Good Choice

Chasing a reliable buffet in California can feel overwhelming, so I did the legwork and found the spots locals recommend time after time.

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These 10 Hidden Gluten-Free Dessert Spots in Oregon Are Too Good to Miss

You came to Oregon for scenery, but the gluten-free desserts might steal the show tonight. Tucked along the coast and inside...

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10 Hole-in-the-Wall Breakfast Burrito Trucks and Tiny Spots in Oklahoma Worth Waking Up Early For

You can chase sunrise across Oklahoma, but the real reward waits at curbside windows and tiny counters that greet you with warm tortillas and friendly smiles.

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48 Hours of Local Oregon Experiences You Won’t Find in Guides

You have 48 hours in Oregon and want stories that feel like secrets, not souvenirs. This guide skips the obvious routes and...

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12 All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants in Michigan Travelers Say Are the Best

Planning a Michigan food crawl and craving endless plates without sacrificing quality. This curated list highlights all-you-can-eat...

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11 Hole-in-the-Wall Carolina-Style BBQ Taverns Across Virginia Worth Visiting Again

Finding true Carolina-style BBQ in Virginia takes curiosity, patience, and a love for tangy, vinegar-kissed pork that whispers of road miles and smoke. You want chopped or pulled...

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10 Hole-in-the-Wall BBQ Diners in Oklahoma That Locals Adore

Oklahoma barbecue thrives in humble rooms where the smoke does the talking and the regulars know your name. If you crave real-deal...

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11 Oklahoma Restaurants That Turn a Drive Into a Destination

Road trips across Oklahoma feel richer when the destination tastes unforgettable. This list highlights places where the scenery,...

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11 Texas Seafood Buffets Locals Can’t Stop Raving About

Texas knows how to turn a simple seafood spread into a full blown event, and locals are the first to shout about it. You will find buffets here that keep trays brimming, service...

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10 Legendary BBQ Spots to Hit on a Florida Road Trip

Florida road trips hit different when smoke hangs in the air and the map is dotted with pit-masters. You are about to trace a route where oak fires, friendly counter crews, and...

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Winter Villages in New Hampshire Known for Lights and Traditions

New Hampshire glows in winter, where mountain towns and coastal streets flip on their lights and traditions take center stage. You will find candlelit walks, illuminated ice sculptures,...

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10 Hole-in-the-Wall Ice-Cream Butcheries in Illinois That Are Wildly Unique

Illinois hides some delightfully odd corners where scoops and steaks share the stage, and the thrill is in the hunt. You will find small counters tucked into markets, tiny walk-ups...

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10 Oklahoma Towns That Are Much Better in Person

Some places simply refuse to squeeze into a screen, and Oklahoma has a surprising number of them waiting off the highway. You feel it in the way brick streets echo footsteps, in...

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A Charming Washington Town Wrapped in Olympic National Forest

Forks, Washington draws you in with emerald rainforests, wild shores, and a small town vibe that feels refreshingly real. You get trailheads, tide pools, and cozy storefronts on...

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48-Hour Winter Village Route in Kentucky Through Frosted Farm Roads

Embark on a cozy 48-hour journey through Kentucky’s charming winter landscapes, exploring the heart of the Bluegrass and the enchanting Appalachian Winterlands. This guide offers...

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10 Small Towns in Oklahoma That Slow Down Nicely in Winter

Winter in Oklahoma invites a quieter kind of travel, where small towns trade summer buzz for soft light and easy rhythms. You get short lines, friendly conversations, and streets...

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10 Idaho Towns That Feel Like a Winter Movie Set

Idaho in winter feels like a director whispered action and snow answered with a curtain call. Each town invites you into crisp air, warm lights, and scenes that seem storyboarded...

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California Inns Loved by Locals but Often Missed by Travelers

Locals in California often slip into stays that travelers overlook, favoring personality, history, and a true neighborhood feel. This list pulls from insider favorites where character...

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Oklahoma Towns That Slow Down Completely Between Christmas and New Year’s

Between Christmas and New Year’s, many corners of Oklahoma settle into a gentler rhythm that makes room for quiet walks and slow mornings. If you crave calm after the holiday...

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What Keeps This California Town Feeling Like a Secret

You blink on the 101 and almost miss it, yet Buellton lingers in your mind like a whispered tip from a friend. The small city sits in the Santa Ynez Valley, quiet and confident,...

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Why People Who Love South Carolina’s Small Beach Towns Tend to Have the Same Traits

If South Carolina’s small beach towns call your name, you are probably chasing more than postcard views. You want a place where neighbors wave, the ocean breeze resets your mind,...

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This Town in Oregon Is Way Cooler Than People Expect

You expect a sleepy stop on the Oregon Coast, then Yachats sweeps in with volcanic drama and small town magic. Waves explode over black rock, artists hang mosaics on cedar fences,...

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This Remote Small Town in Nevada Feels Like the End of the Road

Reach the eastern edge of the Loneliest Road in America and Ely appears like a final outpost, practical and poetic at once. The Nevada mountains ring the town with quiet confidence,...

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This Underrated Washington Town Is a Scenic Fishing Haven

Tucked into the rolling heart of eastern Washington, Palouse feels like a secret you are delighted to share. The town sits among sculpted hills that glow green in spring and warm...

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The Oregon Town That Quietly Steals Every Visitor’s Heart

Silverton, Oregon feels like a secret garden waiting right off the Willamette Valley’s back roads, and every corner whispers a reason to linger. Color pops from murals, trails...

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This Oregon Mountain Town Is Where Winter Adventure Begins

Winter starts to feel real the moment you roll into Detroit, Oregon, with frosty evergreens rising above Detroit Lake and the Cascades quietly shimmering around town. The streets...

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The “Quiet” Arkansas Town Locals Say Is Ideal for Doing Absolutely Nothing

Tucked in the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, Leslie, Arkansas feels like a quiet breath you can finally hold. The streets slow your stride, the sky opens wide, and time seems...

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Image credits: © Fuji buffet/Google Maps
Article
7 Arizona Buffets Locals Can’t Stop Going Back To

Arizona loves a good buffet, and locals know exactly where to find the ones worth a return trip. You will see casino dining rooms buzzing, neighborhood spots packed, and family...

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Montana’s Abandoned Railroad Town Swallowed by Forest and Fog

Fog drifts between dark pines as wooden walls loom from the slope like ribs of a vanished beast. Coolidge sits quiet in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, where wind hums...

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The North Carolina Smokehouse Locals Claim Makes the Best Pork Around

If you have ever chased the perfect bite of pork, the kind that whispers smoke and snaps with a peppery tang, Lexington Barbecue in North Carolina makes the search feel like destiny....

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A Snowy Village in Pennsylvania Perfect For Hot Chocolate and Old-Fashioned Winter Walks

Winter in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania wraps every street in a hush that feels timeless, with lights glinting off snow and footsteps tapping softly on old stone. The city’s Moravian...

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11 California Coastal Towns Locals Claim Tourism Has Ruined

California’s coast looks like a dream until you try to live in the places everyone wants to visit. Locals keep saying the charm is fading under crowds, traffic, and sky high...

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10 New York Villages That Turn Into Storybook Christmas Towns Each December

December in New York transforms small villages into living snow globes, where lights glow against brick facades and carols float through crisp air. You can stroll historic streets,...

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Illinois Brings a Massive Crowd to Chicago’s Christkindlmarket in This Must-Visit Holiday Hotspot

You can feel the season the moment you step into Chicago’s Christkindlmarket, where the lights glow against Daley Plaza and the air smells like roasted nuts and cinnamon. Crowds...

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7 Arizona Villages Locals Say Have Lost Their Peace Due to Tourists

Arizona holds unforgettable landscapes, but some small communities say the quiet that once defined them is slipping away. You will hear about traffic, parking gridlock, and homes...

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