Pennsylvania can really be split into two distinct sections: Western and Eastern Pennsylvania. Western Pa. is anchored by the steel town of Pittsburgh and surrounded by the Allegheny plateau to the west of the Appalachians. Here you'll find some terrific white water rafting on the Youghiogheny River and Frank Lloyd Wright's spectacular "Falling Water." Eastern Pa. is Philadelphia-centric and is more densely developed than its western counterpart.

The Delmarva Peninsula, made up of Southern Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and a small piece of Virginia, consists primarily of flat farmland. Sitting between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, the peninsula provides ample opportunity to bum around on the beach, fish on the bay, and explore back country roads--in short, to take life easy.

Central Maryland contains both Maryland's largest city, Baltimore, as well as its quiet and quaint historic state capital, Annapolis, along with acres of horse country. Delaware sits smack in the middle of everything, offering easy access to major metropolitan areas along the Eastern Seaboard; Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are all within a two hour train ride.

While it might all boil down to the perspective of the visitor, there are absolutely Southern, Northern, and even Midwestern influences apparent throughout the region. Another way to look at the region is to divvy it up into "Inside the Beltway" and "Outside the Beltway." The culture of Washington, D.C. (with its sometimes cramped quarters of 9,316 people per square mile!) and the surrounding Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs is profoundly political regardless of the political party currently in power.

As you move further away from the Capital Region, the culture of the residents shift away from the political. The Dutch-German ancestry of many in the Philadelphia region is still noticeable. The pace slows considerably from the bustle of the city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where the Amish still live in large numbers and tourists flock to watch the horse-and-buggies.

Another draw for those who dislike extremes: the climate. Aside from certain pockets, these states experience less intense summers and milder winters than their surrounding neighbors. Whatever your fancy, the fantastic colleges and universities that dot the region are worthy of exploration. Whether you want to be in the center of it all or off the beaten track, you'll have plenty of options in the Mid-Atlantic region.