American Dreams

I'm trying to decide where to go on my next skipping of the country (well, Cannes, excepted) and conveniently, the New York Times has an article with 31 suggestions of American locations to visit this summer, for those Yanks unable to cope with the exchange rate with the euro and even the pound. I'm thinking I would like to travel down the East Coast and see some of the Southern U.S., although I couldn't possibly cheat on New York with Dixie, so I'd probably go via the Big Apple, and then there's Boston, which I love... It's so hard, especially as I can't even afford a plane ticket at the moment, thanks to my NYC shopping. Still, here are my top five from the NYT list:

1. Pacific Northwest (by rail). "Beginning in Chicago, passing through the Great Plains and the other-worldly Glacier National Park and ending in Seattle or Portland, Ore., the roughly 48-hour ride is a throwback to the golden age of train travel." This sounds awesome as I am really keen to visit both Portland (for its local music scene, shopping and general cool atmosphere if nothing else) and Chicago. See also #11, then: Portland, Oregon.
2. Philly. I've been before, a number of years ago, but have good memories, despite being there a the same time as the Republican Party National Convention and dining in the same restaurant as Dubya.
3. Chesapeake Bay. Sun, sea and sails in Virginia.
4. Beartooth Road. Brokeback revisited.
5. The Sunshine Coast. Mmm, aquatic activities...

Actually, the list wasn't that great because most of the destinations were based in the northwest, west and Canada, rather than the Virginia-Georgia-Carolinas-Louisiana area I was imagining. That said, this grand road trip is far better suited to next summer when I will be 25 and, having had my driving licence for nearly eight years, will finally be deemed worthy of not paying a surcharge, so I will probably end up going to NYC, Philly, DC and maybe North Carolina, depending on the Amtrak route map. I would go and get myself and up to date guidebook but travel books are so depressing when you fear you might not be able to afford any of it. That aspect of travelling alone is a pain, even if I have no problem finding amis de voyage, en route.