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...

Fishing and music are among Florence's lures, including the annual W.C. Handy Festival.

Mother Nature smiles on Wildwood, N.J., with a quarter-mile of clean white sand.

Seven miles inland from the Wildwood's wide, sandy beaches is shady Historic Cold Spring Village, a living-history museum.

Courtesy Wildwoods Tourism Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority 4501 Boardwalk Wildwood, NJ 08260 800-992-9732 www.wildwoodsnj.com What’s new: The Wildwoods Convention Center now offers free Wi-Fi  throughout the building. Rooftop solar...