The Windy City itself, Chicago needs no introduction as it is the third most populous city in the United States and has the third-busiest airport in the world! Though it ranks bronze in those areas, Chicago is one of the most beloved cities in the country due to its' sheer mass and broad diversity while remaining truly American. The home of the Bears, the Navy Pier, many museums, art galleries and jazz, there is truly something for everyone in old Chi-Town, from the rich to the poor and everyone in between. A busy, bustling city during the day pushing into a loud, fun and exciting nightlife to throw yourself into whenever the mood should strike you, Chicago may be known by many names, but it is never associated with words like 'quiet' or 'slow.' With an atmosphere almost as identifiable as the accent, it's no wonder people return to Chicago when they happen to stray too far, and fall all over again for Second City.

Often considered the heart and lifeblood of Sunny Southern California, Los Angeles is swimming with the diverse (and large) population it boasts. Although the county touts places like Hollywood to lure in the tourists (and they certainly do flock), the entertainment-focused area is only one small part of the whole. Like all major metropolises, each area is wildly different than its neighbor. You have Compton, the dangerous south side. Downtown, where businesses and highrises boom. Beverly Hills, where the celebrities stow themselves in their mansions. You have the beachy town of Santa Monica, and a thirty minute drive east is Glendale, bordering the San Gabriel Mountain Range, leaving plenty in between. There is something for everyone, whether that means snapping photos at the Wax Museum, or singing songs with the homeless man nearby; this city, and in fact this county, truly never rest.

You've seen and heard it mentioned in movies, songs, books, television and basically every newspaper in the country: The City That Never Sleeps, The Big Apple, NYC. The most populated city in the United States and the stomping ground of nearly fifty million tourists every year, it's no wonder that the streets are never quiet and the lights never dim. A great influence on world culture, fashion, art, business, technology and entertainment, people flush to the city to be part of the things that are happening now, in the moment. It's tough to find real estate in the moment, though, and housing can cost a pretty penny for a studio apartment, or an arm and a leg for anything bigger, but is it worth it? A cultural mosaic of people from all over the world, there is literally no way to know exactly what you'll take away from your time spent in New York City: only that you'll be able to find what you're looking for.

Aiken is the kind of small, southern town where everyone knows everyone's business, while keeping their manners in tact. Originally built as a railroad town, its now known for its equestrian traditions and war reenactments, as well as home to the historic Willcox Inn, one of the city's biggest tourist draws. On top of that, it has it's good, small-town charm with many local businesses to keep it thriving and active. From tiny, decrepit poor households to large, lavish historical estates, Aiken has a full range of social classes who work as maids and farmhands to mayors and investment bankers, and the two rarely mix. The upper class is expected to participate in cotillions, charity banquets and beauty pageants while the lower class is expected to do all the dirty work, and that's just the sort of place it's always been. That's southern hospitality for you!

Located in Coos County, Bandon is a small riverside community full of tales of old times and very heavy on its traditions. Back in the 1930's, there was a fire that burned down a lot of the older buildings, but still a few remain around the downtown core and there lie the city's roots. The community relies mostly on fishing and tourism to keep it in good shape, but there are many local businesses that also thrive due to the pull of the traditional feeling of a 'charming fishing village.' As for the residents themselves, there's a broad range of financial and social classes that live in Bandon: from families that hand down small houses to each new generation to people who move in and buy large, grandiose beach houses along the coast. Even so, for the most part, everyone that resides in Bandon is in it for the peace of mind that can only come from living so close to the water's edge; the serenity. However, once the sun goes down, Bandon's pubs and bars turn into a little more lively of a place, where everyone goes to meet up with old friends and maybe make some new ones.

Located just off of a desert highway is the sleepy town of Van Horn, Texas, marked with a 'V' on the Three Mile Mountain, the only raised part of the otherwise flat land. As a rather poor area, the only real sights are just outside of Van Horn, meaning that most jobs are either out of town or rather low-income professions. While ranches are common along the mountain range, the main downtown of Van Horn is mostly littered with sparsely placed smaller homes and a few local businesses like grocers, motels, diners and bars. Anyone can tell you it's a boring place to live just by looking at it, but if you live here there's a good chance you're either quite fitted to small-town life because you know everyone and it's comforting, or you're dying to get out because you know everyone and it's killing you.