Road Trippin’

Most students spend their summers studying, working or acting as if they were bums, lounging in whatever site their body finds comfortable. With only three weeks of school left, EDGE proposes four cities to vacation to, not for a few weeks or even a month, but just long enough to enjoy the surroundings. Located in four different states, one on the opposite side of the country, the cities each have something to offer to the young and trendy generations. Wherever you go, remember that it will be summertime, and the living will be easy.

Joanna Davila can contacted at j.davila1@umiami.edu

Close: Charleston, S.C.
Not quite so alluring at first, especially when driving in a Super Yellow from the airport, a visitor eventually finds out that Charleston is all about charm. A historical town, Charleston is filled with old wooden structures, historical landmarks and even some eerie ghost stories from the previous hundred years. There is some appeal other than old buildings and a history lesson, though. Intertwined with the College of Charleston and numerous streets of shops, places to nosh and even bars; old is perfectly blended with new. Reminiscent of cities such as New Orleans and even a tiny bit like New York where streets are loaded with shops and eateries one right after another, Charleston is the perfect escape.

Closer: Savannah, Ga.
Another southern city, Savannah is full of history, historical monuments and beautiful landscaping. Quiet and peaceful during the day, visitors can take a carriage ride, walk by the water or cozy up in a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast. There are other attractions, like the beach, shopping, and even Jekyll Island, where an old hunting lodge has been turned into a resort, but Savannah is the place to just lay back and relax. That is, of course, unless you’re strolling the bars at night, which have been known to get rather rowdy. If you get tired of relaxing, Atlanta, Jacksonville and even South Carolina are just a few hours away.

Far: San Diego, Calif.
The perfect spot for a visit to the West coast, San Diego offers a myriad of places to go and things to do. Located in southern California, visitors can “flee” to Mexico for some tequila and original Mexican food and be back in time to party with the local scene downtown. Surrounded by colleges and universities, San Diego is a young city, catering to twentysomethings and visitors looking to have fun. Then, of course, there is the beach; it is California. Aside from the fun, San Diego is one of the richest and most culturally influenced cities in the state. Infused with the Mexican culture yet modern in structure, San Diego has general appeal. As far as more commercialized attractions, well, there’s Lego Land.

Closest: Delray Beach, Fla.
An hour or so north of Miami is a pristine beach, beautiful waves and a laid-back beach town. Upscale in a non-snobby sort of way, Delray Beach is a perfect beach vacation spot without all the drastically tacky souvenir shops, over-priced beach rentals and trashy surf bums. Full of class and well-balanced fun, the few-blocks town of Delray is a subtle look at how other Florida beach towns were before they became