Years ago, I took an Amtrak NY > Chicago > Seattle > SF > LA > Texas > New Orleans, stopping in each for a few days. I brought programming textbooks and some novels, and just read/thought all day long. At night I'd either eat in the dining car (expensive) or from a supply I'd picked up in the previous city. I'd get a sleeper car when it was cheap (eg Chicago > Seattle) and sleep in my seat during more expensive legs of the trip.
You meet people from every part of US culture (North Dakota oil field workers, Portland hippies, LA actors...) all unified by not being in a rush and a dislike of flying. On trips outside the NE corridor, the train attaches an observation car which becomes an incredible place to talk the night away with fellow passengers.
You have to be flexible, in sound physical shape, and have a month and $2k to part with (or you can just take on a few Wordpress theme contracts and call it even) but it's a truly wonderful experience for a certain person at a certain stage in their life.
You meet people from every part of US culture (North Dakota oil field workers, Portland hippies, LA actors...) all unified by not being in a rush and a dislike of flying. On trips outside the NE corridor, the train attaches an observation car which becomes an incredible place to talk the night away with fellow passengers.
You have to be flexible, in sound physical shape, and have a month and $2k to part with (or you can just take on a few Wordpress theme contracts and call it even) but it's a truly wonderful experience for a certain person at a certain stage in their life.