sebastian reed author at My Family Travels
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This Oregon Restaurant Just Got A James Beard Nod And It Is Absolutely Worth The Drive

A James Beard nomination puts a restaurant on the map but this place earned it with every single flavorful bite. I walked in and the energy felt electric like the kitchen was creating...

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This Oregon Restaurant Lets You Dine Under a Starry Night Sky Inside a Modern Cowboy Dream

A starry night sky twinkles above while you eat dinner and that is not a metaphor for once. I walked into a space that feels like a modern cowboy dream with warm leather and soft...

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Enter This Oregon Coast Shop Where Crystals, Oddities, and Victorian Enchantment Come Together

The door opens with a little bell and suddenly you are standing in a Victorian dream filled with sparkle and mystery. Shelves hold crystals that catch the light next to oddities...

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This Hole In The Wall Oregon Tavern Has Served The Same Burger Recipe For 73 Years And Nobody’s Allowed To Change It

Seventy three years of the same burger recipe and nobody has dared to touch it. I walked into a dusty tavern where the menu might as well just say "the burger" and stop there.

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This Massive Oregon Safari Park Lets You Wash African Elephants, Feed Towering Giraffes, and Drive Through 615 Acres of Wild Adventure

A giraffe's long tongue curled around the lettuce leaf right from my open car window. I did not expect to start my morning making friends with a creature tall enough to see my...

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10 New Oregon Restaurants You’ve Probably Never Heard Of But Need To Try Immediately

New restaurants pop up all the time but most of them vanish just as fast. These ten spots are different because people are already talking about them quietly everywhere.

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You Can Soak In 102 Degree Oregon Water While Wild Horses Walk Past Twenty Feet Away

I sat in 102 degree water while wild horses just strolled by casually. A stallion looked at me like I was the weird one for soaking naked probably.

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Oregon’s Best Indoor Adventure for Hikers and Cyclists Alike

Rain is pouring outside and your outdoor plans just washed away. Again. You could sit on the couch and scroll through your phone....

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Oregon’s Only Boardwalk Trail Through A Quaking Bog Lets You Feel The Ground Move

The ground wiggled beneath my feet like a giant water bed today. I looked down and realized the entire bog was shaking slightly. A...

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This Oregon Lava Lookout Is a Stone Castle with a Mountain-Framing Window and a Brass Compass Too

A stone castle built from lava rock sits right at the top of a windy pass. The walls are rough and dark and feel like they belong to another planet entirely.

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9 Massive Flea Markets in Oregon Where $30 Goes a Lot Further Than You’d Expect

30$ does not buy much at a regular store these days. A tank of gas or two sandwiches and maybe a cheap shirt honestly. But...

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Oregon Once Had A Nuclear Reactor In A Underground Bunker And You Can Still See The Control Room With All The Buttons Intact

Oregon once had a nuclear reactor hidden inside an underground bunker somewhere. I am not making this up because the control room is still completely intact today.

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The First Public Library West Of The Mississippi Was Built In Oregon And It Still Has The Original Card Catalog From 1872

I ran my fingers along a card catalog from 1872 yesterday. That is older than my entire family tree going back generations honestly.

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The World Renowned Oregon Peony Garden With Over 500 Varieties Is Finally Back Open

Peonies are not subtle flowers. They are loud, ruffled, and completely extra. That is why we love them. Now imagine over five...

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The Oregon Breakfast Spot Where The Hazelnut Challah French Toast Is Worth The Wait In Line

Waiting in line for breakfast is usually a bad decision. You are hungry. You are uncaffeinated. Someone behind you is breathing too loud.

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Oregon Has A Beach That Most Tourists Cannot Find And Locals Pray It Stays That Way

There is a beach that does not want to be found. Seriously. It hides behind a tunnel you could walk past a hundred times without noticing. Locals mention it in whispers, if they...

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We Pulled Over For Gas And Accidentally Found Oregon’s Most Dangerous Good Marionberry Pie

The gas tank was low, and so were our expectations. That changed fast. Oregon has a fruit stand near the Columbia River Gorge...

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10 Rainy-Day Activities on the Oregon Coast That Are Still Totally Worth It

Rainy days on the Oregon Coast don’t cancel the fun - they just change the vibe. I show up expecting grey skies and end up chasing cozy, unexpected adventures instead.

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The Most Delicious Fried Chicken In Oregon Is Tucked Away Inside This Tiny Unassuming Spot

The building looks like you should keep driving past it. But the smell coming from the kitchen says otherwise immediately. A...

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This Oregon Aviation Museum Will Take You Straight Back To The Golden Age Of Flight

Remember when flying felt like an occasion, not a chore? When people dressed up to stand inside an airport? This place remembers...

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Giant Kites Will Take Over The Oregon Coast Sky At This Free Summer Festival

Summer finally does something worth leaving the house for. No entry fee. No wristband. Just pure sky chaos.

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Oregon Pastry Lovers Are Driving Hours Just To Sit Inside This Tiny Storybook Tea House

The building looks like something a hobbit would live in if hobbits ran a pastry shop. Oregon has a tiny tea house that feels like it was lifted straight from a children's book.

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Tufted Puffins Are Back in Oregon and This Is the Place to Spot Them

They look like clowns of the sea with those bright orange beaks and funny waddles. Oregon's coastline gets a little more magical every spring when these birds return.

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This Mountain Loop In Oregon Takes You Past Waterfalls And High-Country Meadows

You start on the trail and immediately understand why it is called Strawberry. Not because of the fruit, but because it is just that sweet.

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The Best Morning Coffee on the Oregon Coast Is Hiding in a Greenhouse with Vintage Chandeliers

You walk into a greenhouse and find yourself surrounded by vintage chandeliers. That is not something you expect, but Oregon has a way of surprising you.

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Oregon’s Strangest Museum Has an Alien Autopsy, Bigfoot Exhibits, and a Gift Shop That Will Haunt Your Dreams

A giant furry monster greets you at the door, which is your first clue that things will get weird. Oregon embraces the strange like no other state, and this museum might be the...

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This Oregon Landmark Has Been Perfecting Its Legendary Thin?Crust Pizza Since 1964

Six decades of perfecting the same pizza recipe. That is not a gimmick, that is dedication. Oregon has a landmark where the...

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This Peaceful Oregon Chapel Sits Within a Lush 62-Acre Sanctuary and Garden

Sixty two acres of quiet wrapped around a tiny chapel. That is a lot of peace packed into one property. The building itself is...

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This 2-Mile Oregon Boardwalk Trail Takes You Through A Hidden Bird Sanctuary Most People Drive Past

You have driven past this spot a hundred times without a second glance. That is exactly what makes it so special. The trail...

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This Oregon Quilt Shop Is a Go-To Spot for Modern Fabrics and a Thriving Creative Community

A bright Oregon quilt shop greets you with walls full of modern fabrics that feel like pure inspiration on display. Bold prints, clean patterns, and soft textures fill every corner,...

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This Incredible Oregon Hike Takes You Through an Underground Lava Tube Wonderland

A rugged Oregon trail suddenly drops you into something that feels like another world entirely. This hike doesn’t just go through nature - it slips beneath it, into an underground...

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Oregon Is Home To One Of The Grandest Gothic Cathedrals Ever Built In The United States

You do not have to be religious to feel something the second you walk inside. The ceilings reach up like they are trying to poke a hole in the sky.

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The Massive Minnesota Thrift Store Where You Can Spend All Day Shopping for Less Than $30

A massive Minnesota thrift store like this doesn’t really feel like a store - it feels like a full-day expedition. Aisles stretch farther than you expect, packed with racks,...

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10 Stunning Lakes in Minnesota Perfect for Spring Getaways

Minnesota doesn’t do spring halfway - when the ice finally breaks, the whole state feels like it exhales at once. And nothing captures that shift better than its lakes, each...

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The 19th Century German Colony Where Time Stopped In 1856

A quiet pocket of history in Oregon feels almost frozen in time, like the world decided to pause and never press play again. This 19th-century German colony carries that rare kind...

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This Oregon Drive-In Feels Like a Nostalgic Slice of Classic American Summer Nights

Neon lights flicker on, engines idle, and suddenly it feels like summer decided to stick around a little longer. This Oregon drive-in leans all the way into that classic American...

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13 Oregon Towns With The Lowest Taxes That Locals Pick For Affordability

Not all of Oregon comes with a high price tag, and some towns are quietly proving that affordability is still very much possible. Tucked between mountains, farmland, and small-town...

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The Best Steaks in the World Are Waiting at This Small-Town Minnesota Supper Club

A small-town Minnesota supper club quietly serves steaks that feel like they belong in a much bigger culinary conversation. The kind of place you might drive past without a second...

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This Oregon Museum Is Housed in a Real Historic Jail and a Famous Movie Filming Location

Walking into this Oregon museum already feels different before you even realize what the building used to be. Behind the walls of a real historic jail, every hallway carries a...

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This Modern Minnesota Art Museum Showcases American and Contemporary Works in a Striking Architectural Space

A modern Minnesota art museum rises with bold architecture that feels like a work of art before you even step inside. Glass, steel, and clean lines set the tone for a space that...

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The Oregon “Narnia Trail” That Turns a Simple Family Hike Into a Magical Experience

A quiet Oregon forest trail hides something that feels like it stepped straight out of a storybook. The moment you enter, the trees seem to close in just enough to make the world...

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10 Things to Do in Minnesota This Spring That You’ll Actually Want on Your Bucket List

Spring in Minnesota doesn’t ease in quietly - it bursts out of winter like it’s making up for lost time. Lakes thaw, trails come alive, and suddenly the whole state feels like...

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This Oregon Spot Is Known for Its Sustainable “Boat-to-Table” Coastal Comfort Food

A salty breeze, a working harbor, and plates that taste like they just met the ocean moments ago - this Oregon spot turns “fresh” into something you can actually see and feel....

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This Oregon Off-Road Park Is Also the Site of One of America’s First Inclusive Democratic Votes

I came here expecting an off-road park, but what I found felt way deeper than just trails and engines. This Oregon spot isn’t only about mud, speed, and adrenaline.

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This Historic Oregon Spot Is a Local Favorite Featuring a Full-Service Deli With a Small Grocery Store

A historic Oregon spot like this doesn’t need flash to stand out. I walk in and immediately feel that lived-in local energy that only comes from decades of steady regulars.

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We Found An Old-School Oregon Diner Serving The Most Incredible Marionberry Pie Imaginable

An old-school Oregon diner like this doesn’t try to impress you - it just quietly wins you over. I walk in and it feels like time slowed down on purpose.

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The Dungeness Crab At This Restaurant In Oregon Is So Delicious, It Has People Hooked

This Oregon restaurant doesn’t ease you in - it goes straight for obsession-level seafood. I sit down and the Dungeness crab hits the table like it already knows it’s the main...

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This Oregon Coast Aquarium Is a Must-Visit Right Now Thanks to Its Adorable Sea Otters

An Oregon coast aquarium like this doesn’t need a big introduction. I walk in and immediately hear the energy shift the moment the sea otters come into view.

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10 Spring Wildflower Hikes in Oregon That Turn Trails Into Colorful Dreamscapes

Spring in Oregon doesn’t whisper - it explodes in color. I step onto the first wildflower hike and the trail immediately feels like it’s showing off on purpose.

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This 1.7 Million Acre Outdoor Escape in Oregon Is Packed With Camping, Fishing, and Hiking Adventures

Oregon doesn’t really do “small” when it comes to nature. I arrive at this 1.7-million-acre outdoor escape and it immediately feels like the map keeps going no matter how...

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This 1.5-Mile Bike Path In Oregon Combines Waterfront Beauty With Skyline Magic

Oregon packs big views into a short 1.5-mile bike path that runs right along the water. I hop on the bike and immediately get hit with fresh air and open space.

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This Iconic Oregon Doughnut Shop Is Famous for Its Wild Flavors and Cult Following

Oregon’s iconic doughnut shop doesn’t do boring, and honestly, it refuses to even try. I walk in and get hit with wild flavors, bright colors, and a line that already feels...

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9 Bizarre Oregon Laws That Will Make You Question Reality

Oregon has laws that make you blink, laugh, and seriously question reality. I dug into 9 of the weirdest rules, and yes - some of them are actually still on the books.

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The Best Home-Style Breakfast In Oregon Is Found At This Local Favorite

Craving a breakfast that feels like a warm hug on a plate? This local Oregon spot serves the kind of home-style breakfast that makes you want to start your day all over again.

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New Brazilian Steakhouse in Oregon is Giving More Meat Than You Can Handle

Oregon’s new Brazilian steakhouse doesn’t believe in holding back, and honestly, neither does the meat. I walk in and...

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The Oregon Park Where You Can Walk Among Rare Wild Cats

This Oregon park doesn’t just offer a walk in nature - it puts you face-to-face with rare wild cats like you’ve stepped into a real-life nature documentary. I moved along the...

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Oregon Diner Known for Massive Burgers, Fresh Seafood, and All-Day Breakfast Favorites

Hungry? This Oregon diner throws down massive burgers, fresh seafood, and all-day breakfast like it’s a personal challenge. I...

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This Small Oregon Steakhouse Is Quietly Serving Some of the Best Prime Cuts in the State

Hidden away in Oregon, this small steakhouse is quietly slaying the prime cut game. I walked in expecting a good meal and left convinced I’d just discovered a state secret.

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The High-Desert Oregon Escape Where You Can Camp Between Two Massive River Canyons

Camping in Oregon’s high desert feels like stepping into your own epic adventure movie. You can pitch a tent right between two massive river canyons, and the views make it impossible...

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This Central Oregon Spot Glows Seafoam Green and Looks Almost Unreal

Finding this spot in Central Oregon felt like stumbling into a painting. The water glows a surreal seafoam green, shimmering in a way that almost doesn’t seem real.

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