nolan pierce author at My Family Travels
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The Maine Coastal Cliff Walk That Turns Into a Frozen Wonderland Every Winter

You come to Maine for the coast, and Marginal Way shows it to you with a winter twist that feels almost otherworldly. The...

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The California Coastal Hideaway That Turns Into a Seaside Lantern Village Every Winter

Winter on the Central Coast feels different when the pines lean close to the sea and the air turns glassy with mist. Cambria,...

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The North Dakota Main Street Holiday Market You Must Visit, Underplayed by Residents

You hear North Dakota and think wide horizons, then Medora slips in with winter charm that feels personal and quietly festive. Main...

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9 Colorado’s Small Art Villages That Fuel Creative Spirits

Colorado surprises you when creativity pops up between high peaks and quiet valleys, shaping entire towns into living studios. These...

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7 Small Texas Art Villages Locals Can’t Get Enough Of

Texas rewards curious travelers who chase creativity beyond the big cities. Tucked into hills, deserts, and coastlines, these...

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9 Oregon Coast Farmers Markets Hidden in Tiny Villages

Oregon’s coast hides small town markets where ocean air mixes with farm soil, and every stall tells a story you actually want to hear.

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The Oregon Mountain Village With Winter Magic Tourists Haven’t Discovered Yet

You think you know Oregon winters until you step into Government Camp and feel the hush settle over the snow lined streets. The...

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South Carolina Has a Town Where Every House Looks Historic in Snow

Snow and the South rarely share a page, yet Beaufort, South Carolina turns into a quiet period film when flurries drift in. Streets...

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The Ohio Seasonal Barns Amish Locals Prepare All Winter for Travelers

Winter in Ohio slows the roads but quickens the hands that work behind barn doors, where the hum of saws and the whisper of quilts carry through the cold.

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The Texas City Where Strange Laws Still Land Tourists With Fines

You arrive in Galveston, Texas, ready for beaches, breezes, and that easy island rhythm, then stumble on a rule that turns a casual pause into a pricey mistake.

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A 2-Day Winter Ride Across South Carolina’s Hidden Coastal Villages

Winter hush changes how South Carolina feels, and the Lowcountry answers with quiet roads and softer light. You get open views,...

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The Forgotten Bay Café in Louisiana That’s Always Out of Chairs

You hear whispers about a roadhouse on the water in Louisiana where the chairs seem to vanish as fast as the crowds roll in. The...

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The 9 Weird Laws in Washington D.C. That Still Trap Tourists Today

Washington D.C. looks effortless from a distance, yet the rules on the ground can trip up even seasoned travelers. Small choices,...

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8 Hole-in-the-Wall Beachside Crabhuts in South Carolina Worth Every Grain of Sand

Beach towns in South Carolina reward curiosity. Tucked behind marsh grass and boardwalks, you will find scrappy little crabhuts...

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10 Small Indiana Cafés Known For Great Desserts

Pack your sweet tooth and hop on a delightful journey through Indiana, where hidden gems serve up desserts that will make your heart sing and your waistband groan. These cafés...

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The Fenced-In Roadhouse in Texas Where Country Legends Never Pay the Band

The Broken Spoke in Austin, Texas, stands as a living monument to classic country music and honky-tonk tradition. Since 1964,...

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This “Sleepy” Louisiana Town Holds a Story No Textbook Covers

Hidden deep in the Louisiana marshes once stood a village that changed American history forever. St. Malo was home to brave...

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The Desert Motel in Arizona That Still Receives Mail from the Dead

In the heart of the Arizona desert lies the enigmatic Lee Hotel Yuma, a place where history and mystery intertwine. While...

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A Sweet Road Trip Through Minnesota’s Most Charming Candy Shops

Embark on a whimsical journey through Minnesota, where the allure of charming candy shops beckons. From nostalgic classics...

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The California Beach Town Gen Z Says Has Main Character Energy

Santa Cruz has long been a classic coastal escape, but in recent years it has become a favorite among Gen Z travelers who describe the town as having main character energy.

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Inside the Minnesota Candy Barn That Opens Only for Part of the Year

Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store is one of the Upper Midwest’s most recognizable seasonal shops. Located along Highway...

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The Haunted Cliff Hotel in Michigan Where Windows Look into the Past

Michigan holds stories that never quite fade, and this cliffside legend is one of them. Perched over Lake Superior, the historic...

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9 Hole-in-the-Wall Brownie Bars in North Dakota That’ll Surprise You

North Dakota hides sweet surprises in unassuming corners, and brownie lovers are in for a treat. Tucked inside cafes, diners,...

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The 9 Indiana Hole-in-the-Wall Cafés That Feel Like a Holiday Tradition

Indiana winters invite slow mornings, glowing windows, and the kind of cafés that feel like home. These nine small spots...

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10 Hole-in-the-Wall Brunch Cafés in Alaska Worth the Early Alarm

Alaska wakes early, and the best brunch spots do too, humming before the streets fill and the mountains fully light up. If...

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The Weird California Rule That Might Get You Fined on a Sunday Walk

Sunday strolls feel carefree in California, yet a little known rule can turn a mellow walk into an expensive lesson. Travelers...

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The Haunted Motel in New Mexico That Smells of Smoke Each Dawn

Curiosity brings travelers to the small village of Cimarron, nestled along the historic Santa Fe Trail, but it is the spectral stories of the St. James Hotel that truly draw them...

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The Haunted Alaska Hotel Where Ghostly Footsteps Roam the Halls

Alaska rewards brave travelers with northern lights, wild coastlines, and the occasional chill that does not come from the weather.

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9 Hidden Hole-in-the-Wall BBQ Cafés in Virginia That Locals Adore

Virginia’s backroads and side streets hide barbecue cafés that locals whisper about and travelers celebrate once they find them.

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The “Nothing Ever Happened Here” Tennessee City That Hid a Cold War Secret

Quiet streets can hide astonishing histories. In Tennessee, one city learned to speak softly while shaping world events in...

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This Quiet Texas Town Helped Shape the State’s Wildest Legends

Texas legends rarely start with noise. They begin in places like Bandera, where the Hill Country breathes softly and stories...

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Colorado Hot Spring Rules Tourists Always Forget

Ah, the mystical allure of Colorado hot springs; a blissful blend of nature's embrace and steamy relaxation. But before you dive headfirst into those soothing waters, let's chat...

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Why Florida Continues to Be America’s Favorite Holiday Escape

Florida makes winter feel optional. Step off the plane, feel the warm air, and the season’s stress loosens its grip before your bag reaches the carousel.

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Why Travelers Are Falling in Love With This Quaint Iowa Getaway

Decorah, Iowa sits quietly in the Driftless, yet it keeps surprising travelers who arrive expecting only farmland. The bluffs...

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This “Nothing Happens Here” City in Indiana Is Suddenly on Every Food Blogger’s Map

Food maps are being redrawn, and a quiet Indiana city just landed in the margins with a bold underline. Wabash, long treated...

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Hidden Gem in Idaho Is Serving Up Some Sensational BBQ

Idaho’s barbecue scene keeps surprising me, especially where the map looks quiet and the smoke smells bold. Tucked inside...

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The Beach Resort in California Locals Swear Was Cursed from the Start

California is full of beach myths, but few stories travel as far as the tale of a grand seaside icon that locals whisper was cursed from the start.

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The Illinois River Town Too Beautiful to Be This Haunted Keeps Travelers Coming Back

Alton, Illinois, feels different the moment you crest the river bluffs and see brick storefronts glowing in soft Midwestern light.

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The Delaware Boardwalk Haunted by Footsteps From Nowhere

Night settles over Rehoboth Beach, and the boardwalk begins to speak. Wood planks whisper, lights shimmer, and something that...

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The Forgotten Hunting Lodge in Kansas That Locals Swear Still Echoes Gunshots

Kansas has a way of holding on to sound, letting it roll across valleys and settle into memory. Ask locals in Topeka, and...

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Tourists Can’t Believe This Georgia BBQ Barn Keeps Refilling Plates for Free

Travelers arriving at Ole Times Country Buffet in Macon expect good barbecue, but what they find goes far beyond that. Inside,...

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10 Strange Rules Tourists Break Visiting Ohio Amish Towns

Curious travelers flock to Ohio for the quiet charm of its Amish towns, then unknowingly step on cultural landmines. Small...

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Nothing to Do Here? 10 Idaho Towns Locals Call Heaven on Earth

Idaho keeps its best days quiet, tucked in towns where the pace invites you to breathe. If you think there is nothing to do,...

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10 Quirky Vermont Laws and Myths That Still Fascinate Tourists

Vermont is more than rolling hills, picturesque towns, and vibrant fall foliage, it’s a state full of surprises, including a surprisingly long list of quirky laws.

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8 Odd Wisconsin Rules Visitors Have No Idea They’re Breaking

Travelers think they know the Midwest, then Wisconsin surprises them with rules that feel both practical and wonderfully quirky.

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Georgia Locals Share Their Behind the Scenes Stranger Things Stories

Georgia turned a global hit into a neighborhood story, and locals have the receipts. From courthouse squares that morphed...

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Iowa’s All-You-Can-Eat Catfish Buffet Locals Would Drive Hours For

Iowa road-trippers swear by a hidden retreat near Maquoketa where a rustic dining room, lake views, and a roaring waterfall set the stage for a memorable Friday night.

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9 Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants in New York That Should Be Famous by Now

New York State thrives on small spaces that deliver big character, and nowhere is that clearer than its hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

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The Abandoned Arkansas Resort Hotel the Lake Tried to Hide

Arkansas hides a fascination beneath the ripples of Beaver Lake, where a once-grand resort still tugs at the imagination. Monte Ne, the audacious dream of William Hope “Coin”...

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The Haunted Poor Farm in Illinois Where the Lights Never Go Out

Illinois hides places that feel stitched from twilight, and Ashmore Estates is one of them. Though no longer abandoned, the building is preserved and opened on a schedule for tours...

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