owen carlisle author at My Family Travels
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This New Jersey Town Just Got A Japanese “Kitchen Lab” Unlike Your Typical Sushi Spot

Sushi is wonderful, but Japanese food has a much bigger story to tell. A newly opened “Kitchen Lab” is bringing that idea...

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This New Jersey Farm Is Home To A Herd Of Seriously Adorable Miniature Donkeys

Tiny hooves have a ridiculous amount of power over a grown adult. One look at the miniature donkeys here and, yep, serious plans for the day are probably over.

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A Century-Old Inn Became One Of New Jersey’s Most Scenic Lakefront Restaurants

Dinner tastes a little better when a lake is shimmering outside the window. Add a building with more than a century of stories behind it, and well, now we’re staying awhile.

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You Can Tour This New Jersey Amazon Warehouse And See What Happens After You Click Buy

Click. Buy. Done. For shoppers, that is usually where the story ends. Behind the scenes, though, things are just getting started.

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Copperheads Call This Massive New Jersey Preserve Home So Watch Where You Step

Those crunchy leaves beside the trail deserve a second glance. This sprawling New Jersey preserve protects rugged forest, rocky...

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Everyone Goes To The Big Farm Markets, But This New Jersey Country Store Might Win You Over

Big markets get the crowds. Little country stores get the dangerous phrase: “Oh, I’ll just grab one thing.” That plan...

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This Abandoned New Jersey Mill Town Has Been Empty For More Than A Century

The forest won this one. Deep in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, brick walls, foundations, and other remnants mark the place where...

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This New Jersey Italian Restaurant Looks Like An Antique Shop You Can Eat In

Your eyes may need a minute to figure out whether they should be looking at dinner or the room around it. This is not a minimalist...

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New Jersey Has An Off-Road Playground Built For People Who Love Getting Dirty

Clean shoes are wildly overrated here. Mud, dirt, roaring engines, and flying dust are much more appropriate. This off-road...

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This European-Style Christmas Market Has Been Bringing Holiday Magic To New Jersey For 25 Years

Christmas shopping in a fluorescent-lit store? Hard pass. Give us twinkle lights, wooden stalls, warm treats, and enough holiday...

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New Jersey Has An Art Museum With The World’s Largest Collection Of Soviet Nonconformist Art

An ordinary museum visit can take an unexpected turn very quickly. One minute, you are wandering through galleries. Then suddenly,...

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11 Spots Across New Jersey Known For Their Foot-Long Hot Dogs

Apparently, a regular hot dog just wasn’t ambitious enough. Somewhere along the way, someone looked at that little bun and thought, “We can do much more damage than this.”

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New Jersey Turned A Historic Horse-Racing Estate Into A Gorgeous 667-Acre Park

The horses are no longer thundering around the property, but this sprawling landscape still gives visitors plenty of room to roam.

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This New Jersey Museum Sits Where Dinosaurs Roamed 66 Million Years Ago

Well, this certainly beats staring at fossils through a glass case and calling it a day. Here, the prehistoric story begins beneath your feet.

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Come Hungry To This New Jersey Italian Market Where The Sandwiches Mean Business

There are sandwiches, and then there are sandwiches that require a quick reassessment of your lunch plans. Prosciutto, capicola,...

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This New Jersey Italian Restaurant Serves Sunday Gravy Every Day Of The Week

Sunday gravy has never been particularly good at respecting the calendar. That slow-cooked, red-sauce comfort usually brings...

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This Tiny New Jersey Airport Is Becoming A Haven For Low-Cost Flights

Big airports can turn a vacation into an endurance test before the vacation even starts. There are sprawling terminals, long...

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The Oldest Italian Bakery In New Jersey Is Still Going Strong After More Than A Century

A lot can change in 116 years. Apparently, the desire for a really good pastry is not one of those things. This bakery's story...

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More Data Centers Are Coming To New Jersey As AI Demand Grows

AI may live in the cloud, but the buildings powering it are very much on the ground. New Jersey is preparing for more data...

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12 New Jersey Food Shops That Are Almost Impossible To Leave Empty-Handed

Going in for “just one thing” is a bold strategy at a good food shop. In New Jersey, it is also one you may want to abandon immediately.

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This New Jersey Restaurant Makes Choosing Between Pizza And Pasta Nearly Impossible

Pizza or pasta? Ah, the kind of difficult decision we can happily live with. This New Jersey restaurant gives hungry diners...

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This New Jersey Farm Market Is A Go-To Stop For Homegrown Jersey Tomatoes

A good Jersey tomato barely needs an introduction. Slice it, sprinkle a little salt, and try not to eat half of it before dinner.

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A Huge Fall Festival With Pumpkins, Apples And Hayrides Is Coming To This New Jersey Farm

Pumpkin season has entered the chat, and it is bringing a hayride. Fall weekends are about to get considerably busier at this...

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Children Can Dig For Fossils And Explore Space At This New Jersey Museum

Kids get bored fast when a museum means “look, but don’t touch.” New Jersey has a museum that flips that script with hands-on science, fossils, dinosaurs, and space exhibits....

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This New Jersey Country Store Is A Treasure Trove Of Organic Groceries

Grocery shopping can feel like a chore when every trip means the same aisles and the same tired choices. New Jersey has a country store that flips that routine on its head.

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This New Jersey Restaurant Has A Line That Tells You Everything Before You Even Walk In

Okay, if there’s already a line outside, somebody knows something. This little New Jersey restaurant has built a serious...

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This Old-School New Jersey Drive-In Still Feels Like A Blast From The Past

Okay, who doesn’t love a meal that comes with a little nostalgia on the side? Pulling up to this old-school drive-in feels...

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Locals Drive Hours To This New Jersey Ranch For Grass-Fed Beef That Is Aged To Perfection

Good beef has a way of turning an ordinary dinner into something worth talking about. Add a working ranch, grass-fed cattle,...

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This Gorgeous New Jersey Lake Has A Chilling Legend That Comes Alive After Dark

Listen, some lakes are peaceful, some are pretty, and some come with a reputation that makes you glance over your shoulder. This one has all three.

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This Walkable New Jersey Lake Town Is A Must-Visit Summer Escape

Summer crowds can feel like a test of patience. Parking lots overflow, beaches buzz with noise, and boardwalks pulse with chaos. Yet...

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This New Jersey Ice Cream Shop Has A Line So Long It Is A Summer Tradition On Its Own

Summer in this shore town comes with a guarantee, a line that wraps around the block like a stubborn serpent refusing to budge. You...

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The First Cultivated Blueberry Was Born At This Fascinating New Jersey Farm Village

Some places grab you slowly, and this one did exactly that. Sandy roads crunch underfoot, pine trees lean in close, and wide stretches of water throw the sky right back at you.

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Coffee Comes With Old-Mill Charm At This New Jersey Cafe Hidden Inside A Former Grist Mill

Some coffee shops wake you up. This one makes you want to cancel whatever you were supposed to do next. Set inside the first...

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Three Days A Week Is All You Get At This New Jersey Market Packed With Pennsylvania Dutch Favorites

Listen, this New Jersey market is only open three days a week, and honestly, that just makes it more special. You walk in...

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This New Jersey Aviation Museum Has Been Preserving Flight History Since 1972

Okay, so you think you have seen every museum New Jersey has to offer? Think again. This aviation museum has been quietly preserving...

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People Drive Hours For The Fresh Donuts At This Tiny New Jersey Amish Bakery

There are road trips planned around scenery, and then there are road trips planned around donuts. Frankly, the second kind has excellent priorities.

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Honey Gets The Entire Spotlight At This Tiny New Jersey Specialty Shop

Most shops have a specialty. This one basically looked at honey and said, “Yes, we’re building the whole personality around that.”

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Hundreds Of Herbs Turn This Rural New Jersey Farm Into A Fragrant Garden Escape

Did you know there is a farm in New Jersey where the plants actually smell like coconut, pine, and even Parmesan cheese? No joke.

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12 New Jersey Places That Make You Feel Like You’ve Gone Back 100 Years

A hundred years can disappear faster than you expect in New Jersey. One turn off a busy road can lead to a village of weathered...

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11 New Jersey Towns That Feel Even Better After The Summer Crowds Leave

You know that feeling when the beach finally exhales? The crowds vanish, the parking spots appear, and the whole coast remembers how to be itself again.

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This New Jersey Country Market Looks Modest Until You See The Bakery Counter

I came for the bread. I left with a pie, a sandwich, and a new goat obsession. That is the kind of hold this New Jersey market...

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This Surprisingly Affordable New Jersey River Town Is Quietly Winning Over Retirees

It is not flashy. That is exactly the point. This New Jersey river town has been quietly winning over retirees who want a slower...

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Campers Have Been Loading Up On Adventure Gear At This New Jersey Store Since 1978

What do you get when you mix a garage startup with decades of outdoor know-how? A New Jersey shop that has been keeping campers geared up since 1978.

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More Than 300 Local Makers Fill This New Jersey Gift Shop With One-Of-A-Kind Finds

Imagine stepping into a space where the entire state of New Jersey shows up in gift form. More than 300 local makers, artists,...

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Go Make Something Instead Of Just Looking At Art At This New Jersey Pottery Studio

A place where you can finally prove to your friends that you have more talent than just scrolling through Pinterest. This...

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Model Train Fans Could Lose An Entire Afternoon Inside This Old-School New Jersey Hobby Shop

You walk in for one little train car and walk out two hours later with a starter set, a book, and a sudden urge to build an entire miniature world in your basement.

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One Of New Jersey’s Most Charming Historic Farms Is Now A Peaceful Public Park

They say you cannot have your farm and park it too. But at this New Jersey spot, you get both. A 1753 farmhouse that once hid...

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This Tiny New Jersey Steakhouse Looks Easy To Miss But Tables Keep Filling Up

A historic brownstone with walls that could talk and a steak that will make you forget how to speak. That is the vibe at this tiny New Jersey spot.

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This 2.5-Mile New Jersey Trail Leads To Gorgeous Fall Foliage And Late September Is The Perfect Time To Go

You want fall foliage without the bumper-to-bumper traffic and crowded overlooks? This New Jersey trail is your answer. Two...

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This Tiny New Jersey Bakery Looks Easy To Miss But The Line Outside Says Otherwise

The line outside this tiny New Jersey bakery might make you do a double take. It draws crowds before the sun even crests the horizon.

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The Italian Hoagies At This New Jersey Deli Are So Good People Drive From Pennsylvania For Them

Okay, listen. You know how some places just get it right? This is one of them.

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Locals Say These 9 New Jersey Towns Are Being Secretly Bought By Investors

Something strange is happening in New Jersey, and the locals are starting to talk. I kept hearing the same thing at diners,...

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This Adults-Only New Jersey Beach Club Turns A Summer Escape Into Pure Coastal Relaxation

No screaming kids, no crowded shore chaos, just pure seaside bliss. This adults-only beach club in New Jersey has mastered the art of summer escape. Peaceful, refined, and perfectly...

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This Restored 18th-Century New Jersey Estate Hides Peaceful River Views Behind Its Historic Walls

Walk through the gates and suddenly the modern world simply melts away. This stunning 18th-century estate in New Jersey offers a rare glimpse into the past, where history whispers...

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This Family-Friendly New Jersey Diner Has Become Legendary For Its Comfort Food Classics

Why do some diners become family legends while others fade away? The answer usually involves pancakes.

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This New Jersey Indian Spot Is A Go-To For Butter Chicken And Goat Curry Lovers

Finding a truly great butter chicken can be a lifelong quest. But this place?

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This Almost-Hidden New Jersey Spring Sits Just Steps From A Scenic Bayshore Trail

The water has been bubbling here since before anyone kept track of time. You have probably walked past springs before. A trickle....

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This New Jersey Park Is The Perfect Spot For A Picnic With A Front-Row Seat To Manhattan

Some parks have trees and benches. This one has a front-row seat to one of the most famous skylines on earth. You have probably...

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This New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Draws An Estimated 5 Million Visitors Every Year

Five million visitors a year. That is not a number. That is a testament. This...

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This Dog-Friendly New Jersey Bookstore Has A Children’s Annex And Hosts Storytime Events

A bookstore where dogs are not just allowed, they are practically part of the staff. Wagging tails, happy kids, and shelves...

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