The New Hampshire city of Manchester combines its past history with present-day vibrancy. On the historical front, Manchester began as a mill town with the main mill, the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, becoming the largest producer of textiles in the world before closing in 1935. Today, the historic Amoskeag Millyard is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the centerpiece of a revitalized area adjacent to a thriving downtown.

Manchester is also an art town. The Currier Museum of Art, one of the country's finest smaller art museums, is internationally renowned and features European and American paintings by Picasso, Monet, and O'Keefe, among others. The museum also owns Frank Lloyd Wright's Zimmerman House, designed in 1950 and now open for tours. More art can be enjoyed four times a year by hopping on an Art Trolley that loops around to arts and cultural venues in the area.

Manchester is also a sports-minded town with an incredible line-up of affordable teams to watch, including minor league hockey, double-A baseball, and arena football. Nothing pairs better with sports than beer and you can see how it's made at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in nearby Merrimack.

• Choice of accommodations
• Hotel taxes