On America’s East Coast, College Park is the antidote to the heavy-weight politicking of nearby Washington DC. It’s got a huge lake (Artemesia) right in the middle of it with all the scenic hiking trails and aquatic gardens that go with it. UMD provides plenty of fixtures for sports fans and there’s a performing arts center on campus too. Nearby Greenbelt is home to the NASA space research laboratory (worth a visit) or go low-tech with a picnic in the 1,200-acre Greenbelt Park.