During spring break, Martha Stewart emerged from prison in a grey, knit poncho that received… During spring break, Martha Stewart emerged from prison in a grey, knit poncho that received tons of media hype. Pope John Paul II returned to the Vatican after receiving treatment for severe breathing problems. Former “American Idol” contenders performed at a Congressional reception in support of national music education funding. Me? I traveled and found pleasant surprise in several under-appreciated U.S. cities.

I’ve never been one to truly experience the beauty that is spring break. Both my former elementary and high schools deprived their students of a spring break, and instead, granted us two “off” days sandwiching Easter weekend. I spent these mini-breaks quite normally: watching movies, reading and catching up on sleep and/or homework.

That said, when I found out that Pitt would be granting me a spring break, I got excited and started planning. I knew right away that I didn’t want to do something typical with my time — a “bikini blast” spring break would be out of character, and the thought of sitting at home bored and alone for yet another break made me cringe. I didn’t want to visit just one place for an extended period of time, and I didn’t want to sit in Pittsburgh for a whole week, either. With the majority of my spring break options ruled out, what was I left to do?

The solution dawned upon me quickly: Take a few road trips! There are amazing places within driving distance of Pittsburgh. So I packed my bag and began my journey. Here’s what I discovered along the way:

Columbus, Ohio — I wound up in Columbus because of my obsession with Joanna Newsom, a harpist-singer-songwriter who played a sold-out show at the Warhol on March 4 for which I was unable to obtain tickets. Luckily, I found out that Newsom would be playing at the Ohio State University on Saturday. So, I made the trek, attended her concert, and learned Columbus, which is extremely clean and expansive, and offers not only good concerts, but also verdant, sprawling parks with fountains, interesting consignment shopping and a huge selection of ethnic food.

Breezewood, Pa. — Breezewood’s “traveler’s oasis” is sort of frightening. OK, Breezewood is very frightening. I’ve never seen so much fast food in my life. Nevertheless, I feel obliged to include Breezewood as a sightseeing spot on my spring break tour, because it has always been an important midpoint stop during my past travels to Washington, D.C. A large, commercial area, Breezewood not only offers travelers access to the turnpike and the interstate, but it also offers travelers food, gas, lodging and … shopping. Indeed. The best part of my brief stop in Breezewood? An “American Outdoors” T-shirt featuring a wolf decal that I bought at an Exxon station for $3.99.

Occoquon, Va. — Occoquon is described by its Web site as a “peaceful, riverfront community” that is “the perfect tonic for a busy, metro-area lifestyle.” My impromptu stop in Occoquon occurred en route to Alexandria, Va. In Occoquon, I visited a local coffee shop decorated wall-to-wall in country furnishings, and drove down a quaint Main Street, home to country stores and riverfront restaurants. Although I only stopped in Occoquon for a short amount of time, it left a definite, positive impression upon me.

Old Town Alexandria, Va. — Old Town is a well-maintained, beautiful historical area. I walked down cobblestone streets, took pictures of historical home fronts accented with lanterns and flowers, explored record and book stores and visited the Torpedo Factory, a waterfront “visual arts center” home to local artists who create and distribute their work daily.

And somewhere in between my “surprise discoveries,” I also roamed our nation’s capital, drove through scenic Western Pennsylvania and experienced suburban strip malls at their very best. Sure, I didn’t leave the country or dip my feet into exotic beach water, but I discovered surprising new places. Like Augustine once said, “the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

Claire Donato’s life travels are nowhere near over. She still wants to experience Prague, St. Petersburg and Doylestown. Send feedback to [email protected].