My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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A Historic California Motel Where Guests Still Find Original Metal Keys, A Vintage Phone, And A Neon Vacancy Sign

Have you ever checked into a motel using a real metal key with a plastic diamond tag, then dialed a rotary phone just to hear it ring? That old-fashioned experience is still alive...

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10-European Influenced New Jersey Towns That Transport You Overseas

Craving a Tuscan hill town or a Bavarian village but your wallet says "staycation"? These New Jersey spots have you covered.

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11 Michigan Abandoned Theme Parks With Eerie Atmosphere

Have you ever wondered what happens to theme parks after the crowds disappear? Michigan has more than a few abandoned parks...

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A Massive Nevada Indoor District With Immersive Gaming, Boutique Bowling, And A Chef-Driven Restaurant Under One Roof

What if you walked into a place where a surreal grocery store hides secret portals, a Boeing 747 is being turned into a nightclub, and you can sip a cocktail 130 feet in the air?...

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One Outlet Mall In Arizona Could Eat Up Your Entire Day

There are some places you visit expecting to spend an hour, and then suddenly you look up and half the day is gone. Arizona Mills in Tempe is exactly that kind of place.

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Why Visiting The Rose Bowl Belongs On Every California Travel Bucket List

Let me pitch you something simple: If you are doing a California road loop, the Rose Bowl should be a real stop, not a drive-by thought.

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A Haunted 1902 Victorian House In Oregon Serves Dessert And Coffee After Dark

Dessert after dark sounds romantic until the floor creaks behind you. There is a Victorian house that figured out the perfect business model.

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This Rhode Island Independent Library Hides A Grand Greek Revival Reading Room Behind Its Historic Doors

Have you ever been to a library that feels like a secret, just waiting for you to find the door? Tucked behind the stately Greek Revival columns of a 19th-century building in Providence,...

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Ancient Fossils Are Hidden In The Cliffs Of This Virginia State Park

The cliffs along the water look like ordinary dirt and rock. But inside them, pressed into the layers of ancient sediment, are things that should not be there.

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This Virginia Stadium Features One Of The Largest FCS Video Boards

College football stadiums come in all sizes. But the video board at this Virginia field is something else. One of the largest...

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This Giant Georgia Flea Market Welcomes Thousands Of Bargain Hunters Every Weekend

The smell of sizzling tacos and fresh tortillas drifts through an enormous warehouse, where more than seven hundred vendor stalls stretch in every direction.

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This New Jersey Japanese Kitchen Serves A Multi-Course Omakase In A Sleek, Modern Dining Room

You want a Japanese omakase in New Jersey that doesn't require a flight to Tokyo or a second mortgage? This sleek modern dining...

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The Small California Town Locals Say Feels Frozen In Time

I am thinking of swinging off the highway and rolling into Columbia, because the place really does feel like someone pressed pause on the Gold Rush and never hit play again.

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Modern Quilters In Oregon Know That The Real Magic Is Hiding On This One Street

You think you know what quilting looks like. Think again. No grannies, no doilies and no beige. The modern quilters have taken over, and they are wielding geometric shapes like...

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Shoppers Keep Spending Entire Days At This Connecticut Flea Market

I made a huge mistake. I showed up to this Connecticut flea market with only one hour to spare. That was nowhere near enough...

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The Enormous Ohio Antique Mall Where You Can Spend Long Hours Hunting For Treasures In Hundreds Of Stalls

Aisles stretch in every direction, lined with hundreds of stalls packed with vintage furniture, retro kitchenware, old books, and oddities you never knew you needed. This enormous...

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This Oklahoma Shop Feels Like Digging Through a Dusty Attic Full of Hidden Treasures

The name does not lie. This place is dusty. In the best way possible. I walked in and immediately felt like I had stumbled into someone's grandparent's attic, the kind where everything...

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This 24/7 Missouri Diner Is a Late-Night Legend for Messy Chili Burgers and No-Frills Comfort

It was past midnight and I was hungry. Not fancy restaurant hungry. Not cook-at-home hungry. I needed something messy, cheap, and satisfying.

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This Small-Town Wisconsin Diner Rotates Its Homemade Pie Selection Daily And Locals Call Ahead To Reserve Slices

The phone starts ringing early at this small-town Wisconsin diner, and it is not just for takeout orders. Locals call ahead to reserve slices of the daily pie selection, because...

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This New Jersey Park Lets You Spot Owls And Warblers From A Bird Blind Without Ever Leaving The Boardwalk

Who says boardwalks are just for souvenir shops? This New Jersey spot swaps saltwater taffy for owls and warblers. (Spoiler:...

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Buns Ready, The Maine Red Hot Dog Festival Is Coming Back To Dexter

Red hot dogs are a Maine thing. If you know, you know. Bright red casing, snappy bite, served on a New England style bun with...

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Buns Ready, The Maine Red Hot Dog Festival Is Coming Back To Dexter

Red hot dogs are a Maine thing. If you know, you know. Bright red casing, snappy bite, served on a New England style bun with...

Read More    6 min read

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The Quiet Lake Town Minnesotans Keep To Themselves

Have you ever wondered which small towns locals would rather keep to themselves? In Minnesota, Battle Lake is one of those places.

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This Virginia Park Offers High-Flying Zipline Views Of The River

There are two ways to see the river. You can stand on the bank and look out across the water, which is lovely and calm. Or you...

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11 Ways Visitors Are Damaging Montana’s Wilderness

Have you ever wondered if the way people explore Montana’s wilderness is actually hurting it? The truth is, while visitors come for the mountains, lakes, and wide-open beauty,...

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This Virginia Region Is Home To The Famous 151 Scenic Loop

Some drives are just transportation. This one is the destination. The 151 Scenic Loop winds through a part of Virginia that...

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You Can See Wild Horses Roaming Free in This Hidden Missouri Valley

I did not believe it at first. Wild horses in Missouri? That sounded like something you see out west, not tucked away in the Ozarks. But then I drove down a gravel road, rounded...

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These Kansas Grocery Stores Have The Best Meat Departments

If you want to understand a Kansas town fast, skip the greeting card aisle and head straight for the meat counter. That is where the real priorities show up. In grocery stores...

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These Pennsylvania Amish Buffets Are Always Packed For A Reason

So if we are actually doing this Pennsylvania loop, we should plan our hunger around the smorgasbords because they fill up fast and for good reason.

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Nebraska’s Sand Hills Are The Most Intact Temperate Grassland On Earth, And They Have Zero Federal Protection

Most people drive across Nebraska and see nothing but empty fields. Flat roads. Long distances. Maybe a cornfield or two.

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You Need A Key To Walk This Oregon Boardwalk And That Is Exactly Why It Is Perfect

A locked gate usually means keep out. But sometimes it means keep everyone else out. That is a huge difference. Most trails are crowded, loud, and full of Bluetooth speakers.

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A Sacred Arapahoe Burial Site In Colorado Is Also One Of The Most Haunted Places Near Boulder

You would never guess what lies beneath that grassy field in Colorado. To the untrained eye, it looks like open land. Peaceful...

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The Under-The-Radar State Park In Texas That’s Nothing But Trails, Trees, And Solitude

No gift shop, no splash pad, no noisy tour groups. Just trails, trees, and the kind of quiet that makes you hear your own footsteps.

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Goat Bottle Feeding And Overnight Stays At A 1,200-Acre Arkansas Ranch

I showed up thinking I would just pet a few goats and head out. Five hours later I was still there, bottle feeding a kid named Pickles and seriously considering canceling my hotel...

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This Indiana Family Favorite Is Known For Family-Style Pan-Fried Chicken, Homemade Pie, And Warm Down-Home Service

I’ve driven past small-town Indiana diners my whole life, but few have stopped me in my tracks quite like this one. This roadside restaurant in Morristown isn’t just another...

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This 750-Acre Indiana Off-Road Park Throws Mud, Steep Hills, And Rugged Trails At Both Driver And Machine

I remember the first time someone told me about an off-road park in Indiana where you could spend an entire weekend getting muddy, climbing hills, and pushing your vehicle to its...

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This Historic Alabama Restaurant Serves A Reuben Sandwich People Drive Miles Just To Try

I never expected to find myself driving miles out of the way for a sandwich, but one long-running, historic restaurant completely changed how I think about destination dining....

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You Won’t Believe These Incredible Hiking Trails Are Hiding In Flat, Cornfield Illinois

Illinois has a reputation. Flat. Farmland. Cornfields stretching to the horizon.

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This Massive Alabama State Park Stretches 11,000 Acres And Feels Almost Too Beautiful To Be Real

I never expected to find such a vast natural escape just outside a major city, but there’s a huge protected wilderness area in the region that stretches across more than 11,000...

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This Peaceful Indiana Trail Winds Through Shaded Forest And Creek Beds Perfect For Scenic Nature Walks

I’ll admit it. I’ve become spoiled by the kind of hiking spots that actually deliver on the promise of peace, miles of trails that leave you refreshed without feeling like...

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You Can Find Fossilized Shark Teeth At This Virginia State Park

Walking through the woods of this Virginia state park, you would never guess that ancient sharks once swam where you are standing. But the cliffs along the water tell a different...

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This Virginia Waterfall Trail Features A Historic 19th-Century Furnace

You come for the waterfall, but you stay for the history. That is how this Virginia trail works. The cascade is beautiful, falling...

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They Just Found A Massive Tunnel System Hidden Under Buffalo, New York

Buffalo has been keeping a secret. A big one. Engineers doing routine work recently discovered a massive tunnel system running...

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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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These 8 Connecticut Italian Restaurants Feel Like Sunday Dinner At Grandma’s

You know that feeling. Walking into a house where something is simmering on the stove. The smell of garlic and tomatoes hanging...

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This Retro Candy Wonderland In Texas Is A Sugar Lover’s Paradise

Your inner child will start screaming for mercy the moment you walk through the door. The shelves are packed with every color, every flavor, and every weird candy you forgot existed.

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Boulder, Colorado Surf And Turf Combo Is Finally Getting The Attention It Deserves

Colorado and seafood do not usually go together. Landlocked state. Mountains. Beef country.

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Get To This Simple Florida Seafood Spot Before Everyone Finds Out About The Blue Crab

I almost did not write about this place. Not because the food is bad. The opposite. It is so good that part of me wants to keep...

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Don’t Miss the Biscuits & Gravy At This Unassuming Illinois Spot

You might drive past this place and think nothing of it. A simple building. A plain sign. The kind of spot that does not try...

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One Oregon Beach Town Is So Overrun That Locals Have A Secret Code To Avoid It

Every beach town has a tipping point. You know the moment: the parking disappears, the coffee line hits fifteen minutes, and a family of six blocks the entire sidewalk.

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This Ohio Coffeehouse Feels Like Stepping Into a Renaissance Painting With Every Sip

I have been to themed coffee shops before. Fake vintage signs. Maybe a chalkboard with a pretentious quote. This is not that.

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This Quirky New Hampshire Eatery Serves Seafood So Good, You’ll Want To Move In Next Door

I have driven past places like this a hundred times and wondered if they are actually good or just coasting on location. This one in New Hampshire is the real thing.

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These California Beaches Stay Peaceful Even In Peak Season

If you are craving ocean air without the shoulder to shoulder shuffle, I have a plan that keeps things mellow even when California is in full summer mode. You can trace the coast,...

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People Drive Hours for the Klobasneks and Kolaches at This Texas Gas Station

A gas station is the last place you expect to find life changing pastries. But here we are. People drive hours out of their...

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These California Bakeries Serve Treats That Turn Trips Into Memories

Some of the most memorable moments in California don’t come from landmarks or long itineraries but from the simple act of following a good smell down the street. A bakery can...

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These Are The Real Breaking Bad Landmarks You Can Visit In Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico looks ordinary until you realize how many familiar scenes are hiding in plain sight. For fans of Breaking Bad, this city is less a backdrop and more a character,...

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7 Hidden Texas Fishing Spots That Locals Try to Keep Quiet

You know those fishing spots where locals look the other way when you ask for directions? These are those places. The ones...

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A Drive-In Where You Order Pit Beef Through a Window and Eat in Your Car

Some people think fancy restaurants are the peak of dining. Those people have never ordered dinner through a window and eaten it behind the steering wheel.

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The Castle at This Texas Park Has Stone Stairs That Lead to a Surprise Lake View

You do not expect to find a castle in a Texas park, but here it is. The stone stairs wind upward, worn smooth by years of footsteps and curiosity.

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This Retro Oklahoma Ice Cream Shop Serves Sundaes So Good People Drive Miles for Them

I am not usually a "drive forty minutes for dessert" person. Ice cream is ice cream, right? That is what I thought before someone dragged me to this retro Oklahoma shop.

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