Long-lived Mills House stays true to Charleston’s traditions.

Having cuisine cred makes Charleston's restaurants a natural for after-hours events.

Courtesy Mills House Mills House Hotel 115 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 800-874-9600 www.millshousehotel.com What’s new: Early this year, the Mills House was the location for a live broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Flat-screen televisions have been added in...

Duluth is walkable and compact, with everything a meeting attendee needs within a few blocks.

More than 5,000 times a year, the free show in Duluth’s harbor begins with the blast of a ship’s horn.

Summers on Spirit Mountain, a ski and snow sports attraction near Duluth, are even more spirited with the addition of warm-weather fun.

Courtesy Visit Duluth Visit Duluth 21 West Superior St. Duluth, MN 55802 800-438-5884 or 218-722-4011 www.visitduluth.com What’s new: Three hotels are being proposed in the downtown area; two of them would be on the water and include marinas. Spirit Mountain will...

The upsides of academic life are apparent at George Mason’s 
hotel and conference center.

A mile and half from the Mason Inn is the small city of Fairfax, ranked third in Forbes’ 2009 list of the “Top 25 Places to Live Well.”

Courtesy George Mason University The Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel 4352 Mason Pond Drive Fairfax, VA 22030 877-296-6695 www.themasoninnva.com What’s new: The hotel and conference center opened in July 2010. Crestline Hotels and Resorts assumed management in...