My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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This Gorgeous Oklahoma Town Might Just Be The State’s Most Beautiful Getaway

Forget everything you thought you knew about Oklahoma. Most people picture flat plains and tumbleweeds, but southeastern Oklahoma has a secret it's been quietly keeping for years.

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This Beloved New Jersey Market Is A Foodie Paradise Wrapped In Rustic Charm

So here’s the scoop: Delicious Orchards isn’t just a market, it’s practically a pilgrimage site for Jersey foodies. Forget...

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This Indiana Gem Is Frying Up Crispy Gator and Hand-Breaded Catfish, And Locals Are Lining Up for a Taste

I’ll be honest, I never expected to find some of the best seafood of my life on the east side of Evansville, Indiana. But there’s a spot on East Virginia Street that has a...

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Prepare To Be Enchanted By The Sweetest Hidden Residents Of This Virginia Sanctuary

Imagine stepping into a quiet corner of Virginia where the air smells of pine and the rustle of leaves hints at something adorable waiting just out of sight. This tucked?away sanctuary...

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People Drive From All Over Texas To This Unassuming Restaurant For Its Seriously Good Food

There are places you stumble across once and never stop thinking about, and this one is exactly that kind of place. The moment you pull up to that weathered building on Commerce...

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People Drive From All Over Oregon For The Ribeye Steak At This Classic Old-School Steakhouse

There are some restaurants that just feel like home the moment you walk through the door, and Sayler's Old Country Kitchen in Portland is exactly that kind of place. I had heard...

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10 Over-the-Top Chicken Fried Steaks in Oklahoma You’ll Dream About

Oklahoma takes its chicken fried steak seriously, and if you have never experienced the real deal, you are missing out on one of the great American comfort foods.

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This Small-Town Bistro In New Jersey Serves Its Signature Voodoo Shrimp At Wallet-Friendly Prices

Keyport, New Jersey is the kind of town you might drive through without a second thought, but tucking yourself into a seat at Drew's Bayshore Bistro will make you glad you stopped....

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This Famous Virginia Bakery Serves A Perfect $2 Donut That Draws Crowds From All Over The East Coast

What makes people drive hours before sunrise just for a pastry? In Blacksburg, there's a tiny bakery that's been creating morning magic since way back when, and folks still can't...

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This Majestic Texas Library Feels Like Hogwarts Hidden In Houston

You expect office buildings and neighborhoods. What you get at Lanier Theological Library looks like it belongs in another century entirely.

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7 Oklahoma Roads So Haunted They’ll Send Shivers Down Your Spine

Oklahoma is known for wide open skies, long stretches of highway, and small towns where everybody waves as you pass. During the day, it feels calm and predictable.

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“One More Souvenir” Ruined These New Mexico Rock Art Stops And Brought New Rules

Stealing a tiny rock art souvenir sounds harmless until you realize you just damaged history. New Mexico rock art stops have been hit hard by people who chip, scratch, stack, or...

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This Cozy New Jersey Bookstore-Cafe Is A Hidden Haven For Readers And Coffee Lovers

Have you ever dreamed of a place where shelves of stories meet the aroma of freshly brewed coffee? This cozy New Jersey bookstore-café...

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The Top 10 No-Frills Diners in Indiana With Mouth-Watering Homestyle Food You Have to Try

I have a soft spot for the kind of place where the coffee is bottomless, the booths are worn smooth from years of regulars sliding in, and the food tastes like someone’s grandmother...

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This Ancient Virginia Forest Is One Of The Last Places On Earth Where You Can Walk Among 400-Year-Old Giants

Think you've seen every old tree Virginia has to offer? Think again. Tucked away in the rolling hills of Orange County lies a...

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This Colorado Bin Store Sells Surprise Finds For Cheap, And The Restock Rush Is Real

I went in planning a quick lap, and walked into a restock rush that felt like a sport. Black Fridays in Aurora, Colorado is a bin store where surprise finds show up cheap, and...

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This Remote Texas State Natural Area Has Some Of The Clearest Water In The State

There are easy parks, and then there is Devil's River State Natural Area. This is the kind of place that makes you double-check your gas tank and accept that your phone is about...

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This Texas Diner Lets You Watch Planes Take Off While You Dig Into Classic Comfort Food

There are diners, and then there are experiences that make you forget to check your phone for an hour straight. Airport Diner is the kind of place that catches you completely off...

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Climb Oklahoma’s Historic Mounds for Sweeping Views and a Taste of History

Located in the Arkansas River Valley near the small town of Spiro, Oklahoma, the Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center preserves one of the most significant prehistoric Native American...

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This Alabama Museum Walkthrough Makes Old Assumptions Fall Apart Fast

Walk in confident, and this museum will calmly take that confidence apart. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute makes old assumptions fall apart fast, because it grounds history...

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The Pork Roll Sandwiches At This New Jersey Eatery Are Being Called The Best Breakfast In America

There are breakfast spots, and then there are places that stop you mid-bite and make you rethink everything you thought you knew about a morning sandwich.

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This Indiana Secret Spot Serves Unlimited Made-to-Order Sushi for Under $30

I'll be honest, when I first heard about an all-you-can-eat sushi spot in Fishers, Indiana, I was a little skeptical. Indiana isn't exactly the first place that comes to mind when...

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This Massive Virginia Safari Park Lets You Bathe Elephants, Feed Giraffes, And Zip Line Through 1,100 Acres Of Rolling Forest

Picture yourself cruising through rolling hills while a curious llama sticks its entire head through your car window, begging for snacks. Sounds wild, right?

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This New Mexico Landmark Makes Enchiladas Feel Like A Tradition You Join On Arrival

Think you can taste a place the second you sit down? La Posta De Mesilla in New Mexico makes enchiladas feel like a tradition you join on arrival.

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We Found The Most Quintessential Old-School Texas Breakfast Spot Worth Waking Up Early For

Some mornings just call for something real, something that feels like it was cooked with actual intention. That is exactly the feeling you get pulling into Avalon Diner in Stafford,...

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The Charming Texas Farmers Market Where Everything Feels Fresh From The Farm

Saturday mornings feel different when they start at the Palestine Farmers Market. The mix of fresh bread, just-picked produce, and steady conversation creates its own kind of rhythm.

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This Oregon Seafood Counter Serves Fish Straight From The Docks

Let me suggest you a plan for a coast drive, and yes, it absolutely includes pulling off in Newport because you need to see the counter that sits practically on the docks.

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This Unassuming Oklahoma Thrift Shop Is Hiding Designer Brands For Less Than A Cup Of Coffee

Most people drive past Heart and Hand Thrift Center without a second glance. It sits quietly on NW 23rd Street in Bethany, Oklahoma, looking like just another thrift shop in a...

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The No-Fuss Donut Shop In Wisconsin That Makes Glazed Classics Taste Extra Fresh

Your morning gets better the second a warm glazed donut hits the bag. Honeydip Donuts in Wisconsin is the no-fuss kind of place that makes glazed classics taste extra fresh, because...

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This Under-The-Radar Antique Store In New Jersey Is A Wonderland Of Retro Finds

There is something about stepping into a place that feels like time slowed down just for you. Walking into Red Bank Antiques...

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10 Unique Indiana Adventures That Can’t Be Done Anywhere Else

I'll be honest, I never thought Indiana would be the state to blow my mind. Growing up in Oklahoma, I figured the Hoosier State was mostly cornfields and interstates.

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Delaware Has A Strict Rule About Dog And Cat Fur Products In Stores

Who knew a fuzzy keychain could be a problem in Delaware? Delaware law bans selling or offering for sale the fur or hair of a domestic dog or cat, or any product made in whole...

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This Incredible Virginia Seafood Buffet Features Over 100 Items And Is Worth A Road Trip From Anywhere

Think your local buffet is impressive? Wait until you see what Virginia has been hiding in plain sight. Yukon Steakhouse &...

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The Massive Outlet Mall In Florida That Turns A Quick Shopping Stop Into An All-Day Mission

Your feet will understand what an all-day mission means about ten minutes in. Sawgrass Mills in Florida turns a quick shopping stop into a full-on strategy day, because the place...

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The All-You-Can-Eat Texas Buffet Where No One Leaves Hungry

Every city has that one buffet locals mention with a small nod, like they are letting you in on something. Heavens Gate Restaurant fits that description.

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This Little Oregon Seafood Shack Is Winning Against Fancy Restaurants

Ever think a tiny shack could outshine fancy restaurants? In Astoria, Oregon, Bowpicker proves it can. This little spot doesn’t...

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Timed Entry Ruined These California Coastal Park Days That Used To Feel Spontaneous

Nothing kills a coastal mood faster than realizing you need a time slot to see the ocean. Timed entry has changed the feel of some California coastal park days, because what used...

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11 Oklahoma Steakhouses That Are Totally Worth the Trip

I grew up knowing beef mattered in Oklahoma. It is part of the landscape, part of the economy, and definitely part of the dinner table.

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This Wisconsin Secondhand Shop Feels Like A Warehouse Of Deals, And Shoppers Keep Coming Back

Your quick browse plan is about to get swallowed by the aisles. Bargains Galore Thrift Store in Wisconsin feels like a warehouse of deals, and shoppers keep coming back because...

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The BBQ Ribs At This New Jersey Restaurant Are So Delicious, People Drive Miles Just For A Bite

There are some meals you stumble upon by accident, and then there are the ones you hear about so often that you finally have to go see what all the fuss is about.

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This Hidden Indiana Bistro Transformed Fried Deviled Eggs Into a Must-Try Dish

Some of the best meals I have ever had came from places I almost drove past. Red Bridge Bistro in Cicero, Indiana is exactly that kind of spot.

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Amish Woodshops In Michigan Where The Craftsmanship Speaks Before Anyone Does

Want to walk into a woodshop where the work does the talking and nobody needs a sales pitch? Amish woodshops in Michigan have that quiet confidence, with clean lines, solid joinery,...

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This Unassuming Virginia Charity Shop Is Hiding Designer Gems For Less Than A Cup Of Coffee

Think thrift stores are all musty racks and picked-over junk? Think again. Tucked into a charming corner of Alexandria sits a...

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This Discount Grocery Store In Texas Has Cult-Favorite Deals And A Loyal Following

There is a certain thrill in watching your grocery total stay reasonable while your cart keeps filling up. Joe V's Smart Shop has built its reputation on exactly that feeling.

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Event Weekends Ruined These Ohio Small-Town Downtown Loops And Made Parking The Whole Plot

Ever pull into a cute Ohio downtown expecting a relaxing loop, and immediately realize parking is the main event? Event weekends do that to small-town main streets, turning what...

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This Oklahoma Mexican Kitchen Is A Full-On Fiesta On A Plate

Certain restaurants stay with you long after the first visit, the kind you keep circling back to without even thinking about it. That is the feeling you get at Casa Juanito in...

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The Louisiana Plantation Porch Where Stories Show Up Uninvited

Think you can sit on a quiet porch and not feel like you are being watched a little? The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana has a way of making stories show up uninvited,...

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This Postcard-Worthy Botanical Garden In New Jersey Feels Like Stepping Into Another World

Step into a world where flowers look like they’ve been styled by fashion designers. Every path feels like it was built for Instagram, with blooms practically begging for a photo...

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This Indiana Produce Market Is Hiding a Seafood Counter Known for Fresh East Coast Oysters

I never expected to find a serious seafood spot tucked inside a grocery market in Carmel, Indiana, but Slapfish completely changed that assumption. Located right next to Market...

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Amish Country Stops In North Carolina That Feel Real And Low-Key In The Best Way

Want an Amish country day that feels calm, respectful, and actually low-key instead of touristy and loud? North Carolina has Amish country stops that keep it real, with simple...

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