Southern Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland consist primarily of flat farmland. Sitting between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, their shared 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.

The state of 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 Frank Lloyd Wright's spectacular "Falling Water," as well as some water that will make you want to grab a canoe. Eastern Pa. is Philadelphia-centric, rich in history and the arts, and is more densely developed than its western counterpart.

As you head north into New England, you'll find beautiful countryside and more quaint towns than you can count. Despite the commonly held notion that Connecticut is all suburbs and small cities, the state does contain large tracts of forested land, much of which is protected as state parks and state forests. Gorgeous hilly countryside abounds in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, while Eastern Mass. has Boston and the seashore, including Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The Appalachian Trail--a backpacker's paradise stretching from Georgia to Maine--meanders through every state in this region except Delaware, Washington, D.C., and Rhode Island. While it may be the littlest state in the Union, Rhode Island boasts some of the prettiest shoreline around (and the resort prices to prove it!).

Way up north you'll find smaller and fewer cities and much wilder terrain. The Green Mountains stand majestically in Vermont, while the Whites cover parts of New Hampshire. Maine has mountains of its own, plus miles of rocky Atlantic coastline, stunning Acadia National Park, and many islands to explore. Last, but not least, one thing all of the Northeastern states have in common: amazing fall foliage and a full four seasons.

If you're interested in government, you will be hard pressed to find a more appropriate region to spend four years. But even if you aren't, there's enough going on to keep you busy (and take your mind OFF politics!). And don't forget the bonus of that big, beautiful stretch of Atlantic coastline.

While many folks might think Connecticut is all Martha Stewart living, New York is high society, and Massachusetts is Yankee ingenuity, in truth, the region's culture has been impacted as much by the waves of immigrants that have entered the United States through Ellis Island and other port cities as it has by the original settlers. While nine of the original thirteen colonies are included in this region, there is no shortage of vibrant ethnic communities to explore and enjoy as well.

The Northern states tend to attract outdoorsy types who love to ski and snowboard, hike, bike, and climb. Further south, "getting outdoors" often means summer weekends at the shore. We all know about the issue-driven ways of Washington, D.C. But as you move away from the Capital Region, the culture of the residents becomes less political. The Dutch-German ancestry of many in the Philadelphia region is still noticeable. The pace slows considerably from the bustle of the city when you arrive in Lancaster County, PA, where the Amish still live in large numbers and tourists flock to watch the horse-and-buggies. D.C. offers ethnic foods for the sophisticated palates of diplomats and Baltimore showcases fresh seafood, while Pennsylvania's fare ranges from Scrapple to beloved Philly cheesesteaks.

From lobstermen (and women) working their traps off the rocky coast of Maine to the shipbuilders and fishermen of Massachusetts and Connecticut to the farmers of upstate New York and the maple syrup purveyors of Vermont, and from Wall Street and the White House, the Northeast truly offers a bit of something for everyone.