My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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This Lively Texas Restaurant Pairs Southern Comfort Food With Live Blues

A good meal and great music can turn an ordinary night out into something memorable. This lively Texas restaurant brings the two together by serving classic Southern comfort food...

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The Small-Town Restaurant In Oregon With $28 Steaks That Locals Swear Are the Best In The State

I’ve always believed good food doesn’t need a big-city address, and my recent trip to a tiny Oregon town proved it. I walked into a modest diner and was greeted by the smell...

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This Laid-Back Oklahoma Restaurant Is A Full-On Latin Flavor Fiesta

You’re walking around downtown Oklahoma City, one of those afternoons where you’re hungry but not sure for what, when a bright little spot suddenly catches your eye and makes...

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This Huge North Carolina Antique Mall Feels Like A Road Trip Stop With No Off Switch

Some places do not have an entrance so much as a trapdoor for your afternoon. This huge North Carolina antique mall feels like a road trip stop with no off switch, because the...

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The New Jersey Cemetery Known For Its Eerie Angel Statue

New Jersey has a cemetery that feels more like a scene from a gothic novel than a quiet resting place. The paths are lined with old stones that seem to whisper stories if you linger...

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This Indiana Swap Meet Only Opens for a Rare Hunt of Farm Animals, Hunting Gear, and Hidden Relics

There is something genuinely exciting about pulling off a rural Indiana county road and discovering a sprawling outdoor market that feels like it belongs to a different era.

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This Virginia Bakery Is A French Castle Escape Straight Out Of A Fairytale

Picture stepping through a door in Northern Virginia and landing somewhere that feels like a storybook brought to life. Tucked inside a Chantilly shopping plaza is a cafe so enchanting,...

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This South Carolina Seafood Buffet Keeps The Calabash Favorites And Crab Legs Coming All Night

The butter cup is basically your compass for the night here. This South Carolina seafood buffet keeps the Calabash favorites and the crab legs coming all night, so the meal turns...

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The Texas Cave With Cathedral-Like Chambers Deep Underground

Beneath the surface of Texas lies a hidden world that feels almost impossible to imagine from above ground. This remarkable cave opens into massive chambers where towering rock...

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This Magical Old-Growth Hike In Oregon Feels Like Walking Through A Storybook Forest

There’s something magical about walking among trees that have stood for centuries, and Oregon gave me that exact feeling on my recent adventure. I followed a narrow trail that...

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This Stunning Oklahoma Botanical Garden Is The Ultimate Stress-Free Weekend Escape

Let me be honest with you: I did not expect a botanical garden in Oklahoma to stop me in my tracks. But here I was, standing at the edge of a lotus pool, watching dragonflies skim...

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The Chili Cheese Dogs At This Low-Key Tennessee Stand Taste Like A Small-Town Legend

You know a chili cheese dog is serious when people talk about it like a landmark. This low-key Tennessee stand has that small-town legend energy, because the dogs come out hot,...

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The Tranquil New Jersey Point Where Freshwater Ponds And Coastal Dunes Rule The Landscape

New Jersey has a stretch of coast that feels alive with energy. The dunes roll like soft waves of sand, inviting you to climb, wander, and take in the view.

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This Massive Indiana Sinkhole is So Large It Has Its Own Secret Ecosystem and Cave Entrances

I had no idea a place like this existed in Indiana until a friend mentioned it almost offhandedly, like it was no big deal. Tucked into the hills of southern Indiana is a massive...

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10 Virginia Restaurants Locals Secretly Gatekeep From Tourists

Virginia has a serious culinary secret problem, and locals want to keep it that way. Tucked between colonial history, rolling Blue Ridge foothills, and sun-drenched coastlines,...

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The Pastrami, Egg, And Cheese At This Pennsylvania Sandwich Spot Was Named Best Breakfast In America

Some breakfast sandwiches are good, but some get crowned and suddenly everyone wants proof. At this Pennsylvania sandwich spot, the pastrami, egg, and cheese was named Best Breakfast...

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Incredible Small-Town Texas Restaurants Worth The Drive For Serious Food Lovers

Great food has a way of turning a simple drive into a worthwhile adventure. Scattered across small towns in Texas are restaurants that locals proudly recommend and visitors quickly...

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People Drive For Hours Just To Eat The Giant Pancakes At This Oregon Breakfast Spot

There’s something magical about a breakfast spot that becomes a destination, and in Oregon I found exactly that. I’d heard whispers about a pancake so huge it practically earned...

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The Haunted Hotel Stay In Oklahoma That Will Keep You Awake All Night

Imagine you check into a stunning historic hotel, sink into a cloud-soft bed, and just as you drift off to sleep, something knocks on your door. Nobody is there.

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The Wisconsin Garden Center Where Coffee, Lunch, And Plant Shopping Blur Together Fast

Your plant run turns into lunch the second you smell coffee near the greenhouse. This Wisconsin garden center makes coffee, lunch, and plant shopping blur together fast, because...

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New Jersey Locals Drive Miles For Apple Fritters That Are Crispy, Sweet, And Totally Worth It

There are two kinds of people in New Jersey: those who have been to this bakery, and those who are seriously missing out. I...

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These Eerie Ruins Once Adorned a New York Skyscraper Before Being Dumped in an Indiana Park

I never expected to find pieces of a New York City skyscraper hidden in a park, quietly standing among the trees on the north side of Indianapolis. But there they are; weathered,...

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Wyoming Limits Shed Antler Collecting And Makes It A Calendar Sport

Wyoming turned shed hunting into an opening-day tradition, and the calendar is basically the rulebook. In key parts of the state, collecting shed antlers and horns on public land...

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Virginia’s Most Unusual Coffee Shop Is An Industrial Auto Garage From The 1920s

Somewhere in the Shenandoah Valley, tucked behind downtown Staunton, Virginia, a century-old auto garage has been reborn as one of the most jaw-dropping coffee spots in the entire...

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This Massive Georgia Hall Of Fame Is Packed With College Football History And Fan Fun

Just when you think you know college football, this place makes your memory look incomplete. The College Football Hall Of Fame in Georgia is massive, interactive, and built to...

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Beginner-Friendly Hikes Around Texas To Explore This Spring

Spring is one of the best times to get outside and explore the natural beauty of Texas. As the weather warms and the landscapes begin to bloom, many people start looking for simple...

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This Tiny Oregon Restaurant Is Famous For Its Authentic Thai Food

I’ve always chased the perfect bowl of tom yum. On a rainy afternoon in Oregon I found a little kitchen tucked behind a storefront that changed my mind about where great Thai...

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This Forgotten South Carolina Church Ruin Looks Like A Movie Scene In Real Life

Ready to walk into a ruin that looks staged, even though it is completely real? This forgotten South Carolina church ruin looks like a movie scene in daylight, with open walls,...

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The Massive Oklahoma Flea Market Where $40 Buys A Carload Of Treasures

Forget the polished mall experience and the overpriced boutique scene. There is a place in Oklahoma City where $40 can fill your car with things you never knew you needed, and...

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This California Bookstore Is So Big It Feels More Like A Book Village

Ever walk into a bookstore and immediately feel like you should have packed snacks and a schedule? This California bookstore is so big it feels more like a book village, because...

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The New Jersey Spot Where Every Scoop Comes With A Side Of Nostalgia

There’s something about ice cream in New Jersey that feels bigger than just dessert. The first lick takes me straight back...

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This Indiana Open-Air Sightseeing Car Is the Ultimate Way to Chase Spring Wildflowers

There is something about riding in an open-air train car through the Indiana countryside that feels like a secret the rest of the world has not discovered yet.

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This Pennsylvania Amish Theater And Homestead Tour Turns Curiosity Into A Full Itinerary

You wish you could learn about Amish life without turning it into a rushed, awkward checklist? This Pennsylvania Amish theater and homestead tour turns curiosity into a full itinerary,...

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Virginia’s Vintage Paradise Over 225 Dealers In One Spot

Forget scrolling through online marketplaces at midnight, hoping to snag a dusty treasure before someone else does. Virginia is home to what many consider the ultimate antique...

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This Florida Café Lets You Hang Out With The Internet’s Favorite Animal

Are you really ready to hang out in person with the internet’s favorite animal? This Florida café lets you meet capybaras, the chill little celebrities everyone online treats...

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This Easygoing Texas Spot Serves Seafood That Locals Insist Is Hard To Beat

Finding standout seafood in Texas always feels like a pleasant surprise. This laid-back restaurant has built a loyal following thanks to generous portions, fresh dishes, and an...

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Locals Say This Oregon Town Is Tourist-Ruined Beyond Recognition

I spent a weekend in an Oregon town that used to feel like a secret retreat, only to find it now packed with tour buses and endless “must-see” signs. The locals I met were...

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This Forgotten New Hampshire Castle Ruins Hike Has A Reputation That Won’t Quit

Ready to hike to a castle ruin that still feels like it is holding onto a story it will not finish for you? This forgotten New Hampshire castle ruins hike has a reputation that...

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Oklahoma’s Catfish Spot That’s Totally Off the Hook With Flavor and Sides

There are places you stumble into by accident, and then there are places that stop you in your tracks the moment the smell hits you. You know the kind.

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This New York Laundromat Has A Pinball Arcade To Keep You Busy While You Wait

What if your laundry day came with bonus high scores and a tiny rush of competition? This New York laundromat has a pinball arcade to keep you busy while you wait, so the usual...

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The New Jersey Beach Where Birdwatchers Flock For Rare Sightings

I didn’t realize New Jersey could make birdwatching feel like a real adventure. One moment you’re just walking the beach,...

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This Indiana Steam Forest Features Miniature Locomotives Hidden in the Deep Woods

There is something genuinely magical about riding a miniature locomotive through a quiet Indiana forest, and I had no idea how much I needed that experience until I stumbled upon...

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This Michigan Amish Discount Store Feels Like A Treasure Hunt For Bakers

Your baking plans are about to multiply the second you spot the bulk shelves. This Michigan Amish discount store feels like a treasure hunt for bakers, because it is packed with...

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Virginia’s Underground Crystal Cathedral Is The Alien Landscape You Need To See To Believe

Somewhere beneath the rolling hills of Virginia, the Earth keeps a jaw-dropping secret. A world of towering crystal columns, mirror-still underground lakes, and glittering stone...

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This California Reuse Warehouse Makes Thrifting Feel More Like Urban Exploration

Ever walked into a thrift spot and felt like you should have brought a flashlight and a sense of adventure? This California reuse warehouse makes thrifting feel more like urban...

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This Indiana Retro Warehouse Opens Its Secret Bins Only Once a Month for the Ultimate Treasure Hunt

There is something genuinely thrilling about walking into a place that looks modest from the outside and then realizing it stretches on and on like a maze of memories. That is...

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Sleep Among Giraffes At This Beautiful Texas Sanctuary For A Getaway Unlike Any Other

Imagine spending a night in Texas where the morning view includes giraffes strolling through open fields. This remarkable sanctuary offers a peaceful escape where guests can slow...

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This Giant Burger Challenge In Oregon Is A Must Try For Serious Food Lovers

When I heard about a legendary burger challenge tucked away in Oregon, I couldn’t resist the pull of a truly epic eat-off. From the first bite, the layers of juicy meat, melted...

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One Mile of Oklahoma Trail That Feels Like a Scenic Jackpot

Let me be honest with you: I did not expect one mile of trail to leave me standing still, mouth open, just staring at a creek like I had never seen water move before. But that...

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The Dreamy Town In New Jersey Where Clean Air Is The Main Attraction

I never thought clean air alone could make me fall for a place, but New Jersey proved me wrong. You know that feeling when you take a deep breath and it actually feels like a reset...

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