Bob McCarty Writes

Hotwire.com used a news release today to announce its list of Top 10 summer road-trip destinations for those who can afford the gas:

1.  San Diego: This sun-soaked city in beautiful Southern California boasts some of the best beaches and includes the world-famous San Diego Zoo.  [BMW adds: And it offers visitors opportunities to see countless U.S. Navy ships stuck in port as a result of a serious Navy cash crunch.]

2.  Philadelphia: The city of brotherly love is home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed.  [BMW adds: And it's also the largest city in the state that's represented in the United States Senate by slimeball, turncoat Arlen Specter.]

3.  Houston: The fourth-largest city in the US is home to NASA mission control and an up-and-coming Museum and Theater District.  [BMW adds: And it's murder rate has decreased 22 percent!]

4.  San Francisco: Leave your heart in the city by the bay, which is home to the famous Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fisherman’s Wharf.  [BMW adds: And a bunch of recycling fanatics.]

5.  Dallas: Two-step your way around the Big D with visits to its dozens of theme-parks including Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor. [BMW adds: More than $100 million has been raised already for construction of the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas.]

6.  Los Angeles: With celebrity sightings abound, the city of glitz and glamour offers Hollywood, the beaches of Malibu and the world-famous Disneyland. [BMW adds: Play your cards right, and you might land a free trip to Mexico or some other glamorous foreign locale.]

7.  Boston: The unofficial capital of New England, this northeast city gives travelers a taste of colonial America with historical sites such as the Boston Tea Party and a chance to catch a game at the fabled Fenway Park. [BMW adds: You might find something you "dig" there.]

8.  Phoenix: This desert city boasts world-class golf courses, spas and resorts. [BMW adds: And your chances of being kidnapped are higher in Phoenix than anywhere else in the country and second only to Mexico City on the world stage.]

9.  Saint Louis: The “Gateway City” offers a variety of attractions for road-trippers, including the Gateway Arch and plays host to the Anheuser-Busch brewery. [BMW adds: That's the ABInBev brewery now!]

10.  Washington D.C: If you can’t catch a sight of Obama, check out the historical sites and monuments that dot the nation’s capitol, including the White House, Smithsonian and Lincoln Memorial. [BMW adds: Do it now before tax hikes and/or job losses prevent you from being able to afford it.]

Enjoy the trip!