My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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11 Upstate New York Ranches Perfect For A Getaway

Looking for a road trip that feels easy and refreshing? Upstate New York has the perfect loop: fresh pine air, relaxed ranches,...

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This Lesser Known Oregon Spot Is Making the Popular Ones Look Overrated

I’ve driven past Cannon Beach more times than I can count, crawling through traffic just to snap the same photo as everyone else. Then I found Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area...

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11 Unassuming Spots in Oklahoma Serving Outrageously Fresh Seafood

Oklahoma and fresh seafood might sound like an unlikely pairing to some folks, but that assumption couldn't be more wrong. Landlocked doesn't mean limited when restaurant owners...

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This Once-Quiet New Jersey Spot Is Now Tourist-Ruined, According To Locals

I remember when Asbury Park felt like a peaceful seaside escape. Back then, I could stroll the boardwalk without weaving through crowds or waiting forever for a slice of pizza....

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10 Unusual Monuments Only Nevada Could Create

Nevada doesn’t do ordinary, and I like that. When it comes to monuments, the state has a knack for turning wild ideas into...

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This Indiana City Has a Cat Cafe That’s Basically a Paradise for Feline Fans

Walking into Nine Lives Cafe & Cat Lounge on Shelby Street, you might expect a cute coffee shop with a few cats wandering around. What you find is something entirely different.

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This Virginia BBQ Joint Proves Small Menus Can Deliver Big Flavor

I used to fall for the biggest-menu-wins idea until I pulled up to County Smoak on Timberlake Road in Lynchburg and realized I had it backwards. This place keeps it simple on purpose,...

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These 12 Texas Towns Feel Made for Valentine’s Weekend

Valentine’s Day in Texas does not have to mean fighting for reservations or pretending a crowded restaurant feels romantic. I started looking for places where romance happens...

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This Indiana City Is Home to a Massive 10-Day Festival That Takes Over the Entire Town

Rockville is one of those places that makes you wonder why you waited so long to visit. Tucked into Parke County, it comes alive every October during the Covered Bridge Festival,...

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9 Nevada’s Most Underrated Museums Worth The Detour

We are rolling through Nevada with a loose plan and a strong curiosity! These museums just keep popping up like friendly surprises...

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This Haunted Oregon Lighthouse Locals Avoid After the Sun Goes Down

Perched high on Oregon’s rugged coastline, Heceta Head Lighthouse has been guiding ships safely for over a century - but after dark, it feels like something else is in charge....

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These Oklahoma Diner Burgers Are So Good, Loyalty Comes With the First Bite

Can a burger really make you loyal on the first bite? Some folks in Norman say absolutely yes, while others think the glory days are gone.

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A Lesser-Known New Jersey State Park That Deserves Your Attention

I’ll admit it - the first time I heard about Cheesequake State Park, I thought someone was joking. But in Middlesex County, this New Jersey park is one of the state’s best-kept...

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This Indiana River Trail Is a Favorite for Kayaking and Wildlife Spotting

I first paddled Blue River on a bright May morning, and I remember thinking the water looked like liquid glass reflecting the limestone bluffs above. Southern Indiana holds plenty...

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This Virginia Seafood Restaurant Built Its Reputation On No-Frills Freshness

I thought I knew seafood until I realized how often it gets smothered, dressed up, and overcomplicated for no good reason. Then I found The Atlantic on Pacific, and everything...

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8 Texas Thrift Stores That Make $35 Feel Like a Fortune

I set myself a challenge that sounded ridiculous at first. Walk into Texas thrift stores with just thirty-five dollars and see what actually happens.

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This Oregon Train Serves Gourmet Meals as You Cruise Through Breathtaking Canyons

I hopped aboard the Santiam Excursion Trains in Lebanon, Oregon, and immediately knew this wasn’t your average train ride. Imagine gliding through the stunning Santiam Canyon...

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This Unassuming Oklahoma Restaurant Delivers Dock-to-Plate Flavor Far From the Coast

Landlocked states don't get enough credit for serving top-tier seafood, and Oklahoma City proves that theory wrong every single day. Seafood lovers swear by coastal spots, but...

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10 Places in Indiana That Prove the State Is Way More Interesting Than People Think

I used to think Indiana was all about cornfields and racetracks until I started exploring the state with fresh eyes. What I discovered completely changed my perspective and turned...

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This Striking Norfolk Pier Is A Record-Breaking Paradise For East Coast Anglers

I thought I had seen every fishing spot Virginia could throw at me, then I spent time on Ocean View Fishing Pier and realized how wrong I was.

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This Small Texas Town Feels Like a Secret You’ll Want to Keep for Yourself

Salado feels like the kind of place you accidentally fall in love with. One minute you are driving through Central Texas, the next you are slowing down without even trying, wandering...

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This Epic Horseback Ride in Oregon Leads Straight to a Stunning Waterfall

I never imagined a single horseback ride could completely change how I see Oregon, but Double Mountain Horse Ranch in Hood River did just that. Tucked into the Columbia River Gorge,...

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Sleep Aboard a WWII Submarine in Oklahoma and Pretend You’re on a Secret Mission

Sleeping on a submarine sounds like something you'd do in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, not landlocked Oklahoma. Hidden in Muskogee, a genuine World War II combat submarine...

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This New Jersey Shore Walk Has Been Creating Family Memories For Generations

I’ll be honest - Ocean City’s boardwalk isn’t just a stretch of wood along the Atlantic, it’s a ribbon of pure nostalgia.

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This Indiana National Park Is Home to a Rare Fen You Can Walk Through

Walking through Cowles Bog makes me feel like I have stepped into a hidden corner of northwest Indiana that most people never notice. I watch cars speed past Porter County on their...

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This Secret Virginia Swimming Hole Is Nature’s Most Perfect Answer To A Summer Heatwave

I thought I knew what summer swimming was until I ended up deep in the backcountry of southwestern Virginia, standing in front of a pool that made every neighborhood swim spot...

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8 Texas Restaurants Worth Booking Ahead for Valentine’s Day

Planning a Valentine’s Day dinner in Texas is not for the indecisive. I have learned the hard way that the best spots book up fast, and waiting too long usually ends with a backup...

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9 Non-Portland Sushi Spots in Oregon That Outshine Expectations

I used to think Oregon sushi meant dodging traffic in Portland and praying for a reservation. Then I started venturing beyond the city and wow - what I was missing.

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Sweep Valentine’s Day Sky-High at This Oklahoma City Restaurant Where the View Does Half the Wooing

Want to win Valentine's Day without even trying? Park yourselves 49 floors above Oklahoma City and let gravity do the heavy lifting.

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This Picturesque Town In New Jersey Has Fresh Seafood Wherever You Turn

You know that little spot at the very bottom of New Jersey where the Atlantic Ocean shakes hands with the Delaware Bay? Yeah,...

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This Indiana State Fair Food Experience Is a Rite of Passage for Locals

Walking through the gates of the Indiana State Fairgrounds, the smell of fried food hits me instantly. It’s unmistakable and impossible to ignore.

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This Famous Virginia Thrift Warehouse Is A High-Stakes Paradise For Vintage Lovers

Think thrifting is all dusty racks and sad graphic tees that should have stayed in 2009. I used to think that too, until I walked into the bins in Virginia Beach and everything...

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This Texas Diner Is Hiding Inside a Real Train Car and Locals Love It

I was not expecting one of my favorite diner stops in Texas to involve climbing into a train car, but here we are. Brownwood surprised me, and Runaway Train Cafe is the reason.

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This Little Oregon Coast Café Makes Clam Chowder That Steals the Show

I stumbled into Harbor Light Restaurant on Highway Avenue expecting decent seafood and walked out planning my next visit before I even reached my car.

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The Amish Home Meal in Oklahoma Where Hospitality Is Served Before the Food

Some folks swear the best restaurant in Oklahoma isn't a restaurant at all. It's a working farm where Earl and Lisa Miller open their home to strangers who quickly become friends...

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10 New Jersey Restaurants With Outdoor Seating Locals Build Their Nights Around

There’s something about a Jersey evening that makes me want to trade four walls for string lights and fresh air. The second I sit outside, the food tastes brighter, the drinks...

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These 10 Virginia Towns Feel Stuck Between Tradition And Change

Think your hometown is the only place wrestling with its past while tiptoeing toward the future? Virginia's got a whole lineup of towns doing the exact same dance.

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The Secret Texas Diner That Food Lovers Are Driving Miles to Reach

Strawn, Texas is tiny enough that you could blink and miss it, which makes what happens inside Mary’s Cafe even more ridiculous in the best way. I am talking about a place that...

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9 Oregon Buffets That Will Leave You Rollin’ in Happiness

I never thought buffets could win me over, but Oregon proved me wrong. There’s something magical about walking into a place where you can taste a little bit of everything without...

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How Oklahoma’s Hole-in-the-Wall Backroad Cafés Decide Dinner Without Menus

Why do some of Oklahoma's best backroad cafés don't have menus? You walk in hungry, ready to order, and the server just tells you what's for dinner.

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The Giant Thrift Warehouse In New Jersey Where $30 Stretches Far

I’ll admit it: I walked into the Goodwill NYNJ Store & Donation Center at 455 Green St thinking thirty bucks would barely cover gas and a snack. Ten minutes later, I was...

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This Indiana Bistro Is Serving Elegant Plates That Food Lovers Can’t Stop Raving About

A French bistro tucked into a Noblesville shopping center might not seem like the place to find Parisian elegance, but Ble French Bistro at 16771 Clover Rd, Noblesville, IN 46060...

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This Historic Virginia Jail Has Become An Unexpected Tourist Stop

Think all historic jails are just gloomy cells and rusted bars? Think again. Tucked away at 10 Ashby Street in Warrenton sits...

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10 Texas Restaurants That Look Sketchy but Serve Incredible Food

Texas taught me early that looks mean nothing when it comes to food. Some of the best meals I have ever had came from places that made me hesitate before opening the door.

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This Oregon Coast Seafood Stop Is Smoking in the Best Possible Way

I stumbled onto South Beach Fish Market on a foggy Oregon morning, and the moment I caught a whiff of hickory smoke drifting across Highway 101, I slammed on the brakes.

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This Amish Farmhouse Kitchen in Oklahoma Quietly Sells Comfort Food Locals Swear By

Ever stumble across a place so unassuming that you almost drive right past, only to discover it serves the kind of food that makes you want to bring the whole neighborhood back...

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The Unassuming New Jersey Spot Serving Pepperoni Pizza Locals Call The Best In The State

Have you ever stumbled on a place so legendary you wonder how you almost missed it? Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza at 639 S...

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This Indiana Bistro Is Serving Classic French Fare That’s Winning Over Even the Fussiest Foodies

Strolling down East Westfield Boulevard in Indianapolis, it’s hard to miss Petite Chou Bistro & Champagne Bar at 823 Westfield Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46220, a charming spot...

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This Quiet Virginia Lake Town Hides A Complex Local History

Think all small towns in Virginia are just pretty postcards with nothing going on beneath the surface? Think again. Clarksville...

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The Best Texas Events in 2026 That Are Worth Planning Your Trip Around

Texas does not do small, and the 2026 event lineup proves it. Once I started looking at what is coming up, it felt impossible to pick just one reason to visit.

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