My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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This Iconic Virginia Record Store Holds Over 100,000 Records And Is A Must-Visit For Music Lovers

Some places just have soul. Tucked into the beating heart of Richmond, Virginia, there is a record store so packed with musical treasure that a single afternoon barely scratches...

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This Massive Asian Market Is A Virginia Staple For Bulk Groceries And Authentic Korean Counter-Service Meals

Where else in Virginia can you pick up live crab, a bag of premium rice big enough to last a year, and a steaming bowl of kimchi stew all in one trip? Exactly.

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This Historic Maine Lighthouse Is Rumored To Be Haunted By Its Former Keeper’s Wife

A lighthouse commissioned by George Washington, a ghost story involving a piano, and the brightest beacon on the Maine coast. This historic island light has it all.

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12 ADA Accessible Hiking Trails In New Jersey From The Shore To The Highlands

Whoever said hiking was only for people who own trekking poles and trail mix has clearly never explored New Jersey properly. Some...

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This Texas Antique Mall Has Over 250 Vendor Booths Filled With Fiestaware and Handcrafted Decor

You know you are in for a long afternoon when an antique mall has over 250 vendor booths. That is not a quick stop. That is a...

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This Family-Owned Oregon Restaurant Is Known for Generous Portions of Traditional Mexican Dishes

The plate arrives and your eyes go wide. That cannot possibly fit one person. The family behind the counter just smiles because...

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A North Dakota Thrift Store So Big Your Wallet Will Beg for Mercy

A thrift store in North Dakota stopped me cold the moment I pulled into the parking lot. The sheer size of the building gave me a hint of what was waiting inside, but nothing prepared...

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A North Dakota Thrift Store So Big Your Wallet Will Beg for Mercy

A thrift store in North Dakota stopped me cold the moment I pulled into the parking lot. The sheer size of the building gave me a hint of what was waiting inside, but nothing prepared...

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This Florida Antique Mall Is A Massive Treasure Trove Of Vintage Finds

Where else can you wander through 44,000 square feet of vintage treasures, stumble upon authentic Disney park memorabilia, and still be standing inside a former grocery store?...

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People Are Lining Up At This Historic Oklahoma Diner For Comfort Food That Never Misses

The aroma of wood-smoke hits you before you even cross the threshold. That is just how it works at this historic 1902 Chickasha landmark where the BBQ has been perfected over decades.

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This Missouri Swinging Bridge Stretches Over 500 Feet Above the River, Turning Every Step Into a Heart-Pounding Crossing

Five hundred feet of bridge that does not trust itself. That is what you get at this Missouri crossing where every step makes the whole structure bounce and sway like it is having...

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This North Carolina Gas Station Hides A French?Italian Bistro That Locals Swear By

Ordering escargot and osso bucco at a gas station sounds like a joke, but the punchline is that the food is absolutely incredible. That is the delicious surprise waiting at this...

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This New Jersey Italian Restaurant Just Opened Its Doors And It Is Already Drawing Crowds

What happens when a guy who already runs four popular restaurants opens a fifth? New Jersey is about to find out. This brand...

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Georgia Locals Know Summer Truly Starts When This Farmer’s Market Opens

That first Saturday morning hits different. The air still carries a little cool from the night before, but the sun already promises something warm and golden.

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This Is Why Visitors In Georgia Struggle With Drone Laws

Have you ever packed your drone for a trip, only to realize you have no idea what the local rules are? That’s exactly the situation many visitors face when they land in Georgia....

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Georgia Locals Know Summer Truly Starts When This Farmer’s Market Opens

That first Saturday morning hits different. The air still carries a little cool from the night before, but the sun already promises something warm and golden.

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How Tourist Crowds Impact Colonial Landmarks In Massachusetts

Have you ever visited a historic site and felt like the crowds were part of the experience? In Massachusetts, that’s exactly what’s happening at colonial landmarks.

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Virginia’s Iconic 15,000-Square-Foot Tool Paradise Is A Dream Destination For Builders And DIYers

Walk into most hardware stores and what do you get? Fluorescent lights, confused employees, and a sinking feeling that you are about to buy the wrong thing.

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This Michigan Drive-In Theater Offers A Nostalgic Movie Experience Under The Stars

Can you imagine watching a movie under the stars while a built-in heater keeps you toasty and a playground waits for the kids during intermission? That is the scene at this Michigan...

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This Enchanting Virginia Tea Room Is An English-Inspired Escape For Pastry Lovers

Hold on. A tea room inside a shopping center that feels like an English manor? I did not believe it either until I walked through...

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This Easy-to-Miss Missouri Spot Serves Authentic Balkan Plates and Wood-Grilled Cevapi That Taste Like the Real Deal

You have driven past this place a hundred times and never noticed it. That is the point. Hidden in plain sight in Missouri, this...

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This Arizona Pizzeria Has The Crispiest Thin Crust In The Region

A pizza so good that the man behind it became the first pizzaiolo to ever win a James Beard Award. That is the kind of legendary status you will find at this Arizona pizzeria,...

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This Alabama Cafeteria Is The Last Surviving Location Of A Beloved Southern Chain

A 31-cent meal, a self-serve concept that sounded crazy at the time, and over a hundred homemade dishes prepared from scratch every single day. That is how this Alabama cafeteria...

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A Texas Drive-In Where You Get Two First Run Movies for Less Than the Price of One Multiplex Ticket

Movie tickets keep getting more expensive, and that is just for one screen. This drive in gives you two first run movies for less than what a multiplex charges for a single showing.

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Dekalb Illinois Just Got Sweeter With Homemade Mini Cheesecakes

A tiny round dessert stopped me cold at a farmers market in northern Illinois, and I have not been the same since. The moment I caught a glimpse of those perfectly portioned mini...

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This Cute Little Zoo In Oregon Might Be The Best Budget-Friendly Family Day Trip

Family days out usually cost a small fortune. Tickets, parking, overpriced hot dogs, and everyone leaves broke and tired. This...

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Salt Lake City Utah Locals Cannot Stop Talking About This Wood Fired Pizza

A pizza place in Salt Lake City followed me home, and I am not complaining one bit. The smell hit before I even reached the door, that deep, smoky warmth of a wood-fired oven doing...

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The Obscure Texas Hole-In-The-Wall Serving Perfectly Crispy Pressure Fried Chicken

You would walk right past this place if you blinked. It is that small, that easy to miss, and that worth finding. The chicken...

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A Humble Colorado Cafe Serves Biscuits And Gravy You Will Dream About

A Denver cafe tucked along a quiet side street completely changed how I think about breakfast. This cozy spot blends the soul of New Orleans with the warmth of a Colorado neighborhood...

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Illinois Keeps A Breakfast Legend Hidden In Plain Sight

Breakfast spots don’t always announce themselves, and this one makes its presence known the moment the door opens. A wave of coffee aroma meets a griddle already in motion, setting...

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These Indiana Theme Parks May Be Gone But Not Forgotten

I have a certain urge to slow down across Indiana and stop at places where the rides are gone but the echoes still hang in the air.

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This Virginia Suspension Bridge Leads To One Of The State’s Most Beloved River Islands

You know that feeling when you find a spot so cool you almost do not want to tell anyone about it? Yeah, this is that place. Hidden...

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This Richmond Landmark Proves The State Capital Is The Real Heart Of Virginia Culture, No Matter What NoVA Says

Northern Virginia likes to think it runs the show. Good economy, fancy suburbs, a commuter train to D.C. But culture? History?

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Florida Farm Offers Goat Yoga And Hammock Meditations That Will Ruin Regular Yoga Forever

A farm tucked along a quiet Florida road completely rewired my idea of what a reset looks like. Goats wander freely between yoga mats, hammocks sway gently beneath a canopy of...

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Tennessee Invents The Self Brew Coffee Lounge And It Is Absolutely Genius

There are coffee shops that just serve you a cup. Others hand you the keys to the whole operation. I heard about this place and...

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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 Texas Thrift Store Is a Hidden Gem Run by Volunteers Where Every Purchase Supports Local Charities

Thrift shopping feels even better when your money actually helps someone. This spot is run entirely by volunteers, which means every dollar you spend goes straight to local charities.

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Florida’s Coast Turns Red And The Air Alone Can Send You To The Hospital

A stretch of Gulf coast with water so clear it looks fake and sand like powdered sugar under your feet. That is the kind of place that gets under your skin in the best way.

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Florida’s Coast Turns Red And The Air Alone Can Send You To The Hospital

A stretch of Gulf coast with water so clear it looks fake and sand like powdered sugar under your feet. That is the kind of place that gets under your skin in the best way.

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Alaska Has Underground Zombie Fires That Smolder All Winter And Wake Up In Spring

Beneath the frozen surface of a northern wilderness, fires are quietly burning right now. Invisible. Patient. Waiting for the...

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A Gold Rush Town in California Once Had 10,000 People Now Only Ghosts Remain

High in a remote mountain range above a vast desert valley, a forgotten mining town stops you cold the moment you arrive. Once roaring with thousands of miners, merchants, and...

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Forget Colorado, This Tiny Maryland Town Just Became Your New Outdoor Obsession

Somewhere between a rugged mountain range and a winding river, a small town rewired how I think about outdoor travel on the East Coast. The moment you roll in, something shifts.

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This Cozy Oregon Cafe Serves Fresh Seafood With Stunning Ocean Views

The view hits you before the menu even touches your hands. Big windows frame the ocean like a painting that moves in real time. Waves...

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This Historic Connecticut Tavern Operates From A Perfectly Preserved 1776 Building

A building that was already nine years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed. A tap room that started life as a one-room schoolhouse down by the dock.

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A Texas Museum With Over 1,400 Decorated Toilet Seats That Tells American History in the Quirkiest Way

You have seen history told through paintings, statues, and old documents. But toilet seats? That is a new one. This museum...

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This Illinois Bin Store Transforms Overstock Into A Weekly Bargain Hunt

What if you could walk into a store on Friday, pay ten dollars for a mystery box, then come back on Thursday and grab the leftovers for a single buck? That is the weekly rhythm...

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This Florida Thrift Store Is Packed With Rare Vintage Treasures That Mostly Cost Under $30

What if you could walk into a store where almost every rare vintage treasure costs less than a dinner out? That is the delightful reality at this Florida thrift shop, a Latino-owned...

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This Montana Overlook Reveals A Jaw-Dropping View Of Rugged Wilderness

A jaw?dropping view of rugged wilderness, a 1940s time capsule perched at over 8,400 feet, and a hike that will make your legs burn long before your eyes get the reward. That is...

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Texas’s Most Authentic Puerto Rican Food Spot Is Hidden In A Spot Only Locals Know

Puerto Rican food does not get enough attention in Texas, but that is slowly changing. This spot stays hidden on purpose, tucked away where mostly locals know to look.

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This South Texas Steakhouse Has Been Serving Ribeyes Since 1960 And North Texas Still Can’t Catch Up

Some steakhouses come and go, but this one has been around since 1960 for a reason. The ribeyes here have had decades to get perfected, and it shows.

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11 Laid-Back Oklahoma Towns Where You Can Retire Comfortably on Just $1,800 a Month

Let us be honest. Twelve hundred dollars a month does not get you far in most places. But in Oklahoma? That is a whole different...

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This New Jersey Home Was Once A Civil Rights Journalist’s Headquarters And Now Welcomes Visitors

What does a Victorian house have to do with taking down the powerful? Everything, actually. This New Jersey home was once the...

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This Indiana Roadside Stop Features a Breathtaking Panoramic View of Rolling Hills That Feels Like Stepping Into a Painting

Some places stop you in your tracks before you even realize what is happening. That is exactly what this roadside overlook did to me the first time I drove along a country road...

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This Indiana Trail Features Remnants of One of the Earliest Electric Railways Hidden Inside a Lush Wildlife Sanctuary

I never expected to find a piece of 19th-century railway history quietly buried beneath a canopy of trees just minutes from downtown.

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The Massive Sprawling Antique Mall In Indiana Where You Can Get Lost For Hours Searching For Beautiful Vintage China

I still remember the first time I walked through the front door of this antique mall on South Main Street and immediately felt like I had stepped into a different era. The smell...

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This Texas Cathedral Stuns With Spanish Colonial Architecture And Towering Details

You do not have to be religious to appreciate a building that looks like it took centuries to dream up. This cathedral stops you the second you walk through the doors.

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12 Authentic Oklahoma Restaurants That Aren’t Tourist Traps And Locals Actually Love

Nobody warned me that eating in Oklahoma would completely ruin every other food experience I'd ever have. I showed up expecting chain restaurants and sad highway food, and instead...

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This Oregon Coast Museum Houses the Original Cannon That Inspired the Town’s Name

A whole town named after a single cannon. That sounds made up, but it is completely true. This small museum holds the very cannon...

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This Oklahoma Community Hub Brings Generations Together in Gatherings Most Outsiders Never Get to See

You will not find this place on a typical tourist list. And honestly, that is how the locals prefer it. This Oklahoma community...

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South Jersey Swears By Their Sliders But This North Jersey Roadside Joint Just Won A National Award

Let us settle this once and for all. A tiny smoke filled roadside stand in North Jersey just landed on USA TODAY's list of the top 44 restaurants in America.

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