Summer’s end will arrive sooner than later, so it’s time to start planning that last big splash before the chill of autumn sets in. Points north are calling, along with spots closer to home that are ripe for a quick getaway. Whether you’re looking to travel back in time, hear live music, glamp on the beach or frolic in the lake, here are a few noteworthy late-summer events and destinations for all types of travelers to get in one last hoorah before the season ends.
Credit: Niagara Parks
Credit: Niagara Parks
Niagara Falls, Ontario
What could be more refreshing on a hot summer day than watching 700,000 gallons of water cascade over Horseshoe Falls every second? Take in a bird’s-eye view of the natural splendor from the newly renovated visitor center and observation deck on the Canadian side, known as Table Rock Centre. Part of Niagara Parks, which operates many sites along the Niagara River corridor, the center recently underwent a multiphased renovation that upgraded and modernized the facilities while adding new attractions. Niagara Takes Flight, opening Aug. 29, is a “flying theater” experience that feels like a thrill ride. Guests’ feet dangle in the air and their seats move while they watch an immersive, drone-shot film of the falls and the river corridor. Another new experience, Power Station at Night, includes walking underground through a 2,200-foot tunnel at the Niagara Parks Power Station and emerging for a one-of-a-kind nighttime view of the illuminated falls. Bundled passes for Niagara Parks sites and attractions start at $50. Dine at Table Rock House Restaurant ($20 and up), where Horseshoe Falls serves as the backdrop to your table. The summer menu features seafood dishes with an international flair. Among the mostly chain hotels near the falls is the 42-floor Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview ($158 and up). It contains some of the best room views of the falls and is directly across from the incline railway leading to Table Rock Centre.
Ontario Tourism Information Centre, 5355 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls, 1-800-668-2746. niagarafallstourism.com.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
Nassau and Paradise Island, Bahamas
Atlantis Paradise Island ($260 and up) has served as a palatial getaway in the Bahamas since its opening in 1994, expanding in the ensuing years to include many water-based attractions and a large marine habitat, along with 5 miles of white sand beach. This summer, the Marine Life Camping Adventure provides a dusk-to-dawn experience — inspired by the nocturnal tourism trend — for those seeking adventure after dark. This experience allows guests to see the resort in a way they never have before, in a quiet glamping environment away from the hubbub of the casino and hotel complexes. With glow sticks in hand, you’ll go on a behind-the-scenes tour of Dolphin Cay, the resort’s marine habitat for rescued dolphins and sea lions, camp in luxurious climate-controlled tents on the sand and get an upclose encounter with the dolphins in a kayak. During downtime, roast s’mores at the beach bonfire and watch outdoor movies.
Across the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge from Paradise Island, the capital city of Nassau provides an authentic slice of Bahamian life. For an immersion into the culture of the islands, visit the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, ($10) with galleries showcasing the works of historical and contemporary artists. For local flavor head to the section of Arawak Cay known as the Fish Fry, where multiple vendors serve seafood delicacies in a relaxed atmosphere. One spot that receives consistent high marks is Twin Brothers ($9 and up, known for its conch dishes and wide variety of daiquiris.
Nassau and Paradise Island Promotion Board, 242-327-2903. nassauparadiseisland.com
Credit: Blake Guthrie
Credit: Blake Guthrie
Greensboro
Lake Oconee, Georgia’s second-largest lake, is 80 miles from Atlanta, making for a quick getaway that feels a world away from the city. But while you’re there, don’t overlook “Lake Oconee’s Hometown,” as proclaimed by a mural on the side of a building in tiny downtown Greensboro (population 3,600). Just be aware, there are two sides to Greensboro. There’s the lake side, home to gated residential communities and the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee ($670 and up), and there’s the authentic small-town side, a place with deep agrarian roots where tractors still roll through town and you can dine on buttermilk pie at The Yesterday Cafe ($10.99 and up). They’re so tasty, Carrie Underwood ordered more than a hundred pies for her 2010 wedding at the Ritz. The restaurant closed in 2021 but has recently reopened.
Attractions include the Old Gaol, a small stone fortress with a gallows and dungeons built in 1807. Take a free self-guided tour by asking for the key at Genuine Georgia Artisan Marketplace on Main Street. Letting yourself into the old jail is about as Mayberry as a town can get. Be sure to press the button on the solar box outside to learn about the history of the structure and then continue along the solar box tour of town. On Aug. 14, the performing arts venue Festival Hall will host Atlanta’s Jazz Legacy Project, with an illuminating narrated performance honoring Ray Charles called "Ray Charles, Jazz + Soul = Genius" ($25).
Visit Downtown Greensboro, 102 N. East St., 706-453-7674. downtowngreensboroga.com .
Credit: Grand Hotel
Credit: Grand Hotel
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Above the tip of Michigan’s glove, Mackinac Island has been a time-honored summer destination for generations of travelers. They come for the relaxed pace of life on this car-free island where people get around via foot, bike and horse. Visitors arrive by ferry from the mainland. Grand Hotel ($450 and up, a Victorian-era white-columned behemoth that first opened in 1887, claims to have the world’s longest front porch. Before it shuts down for the season, the Grand throws its Endless Summer Celebration, with packages available Aug. 22-28. Included along with your room is breakfast and dinner, pool parties, a bike ride, a guided tour of the stables and museum, along with evening activities such as twilight golf and movie screenings on the front lawn.
Those interested in learning more about the island’s history can do so at Fort Mackinac and the Biddle House Native American Museum, both sites part of the Mackinac State Historic Parks ($10.50 and up). From its location on a bluff, the fort offers some of the best views on the island. Enjoy dinner and live music with a waterside view of the harbor at the Pink Pony ($17 and up) on Main Street in the downtown village. Even here, in the most heavily trafficked portion of the island, the loudest sounds you’re likely to hear are the clip-clop of horse hooves and the clanging of bike gears.
Mackinac Tourism Bureau, 7274 Main St., 1-800-454-5227. mackinacisland.org
Credit: Daniel Kelleghan
Credit: Daniel Kelleghan
Nashville, Tennessee
A lot has changed in Nashville since 2009 when the Hutton Hotel ($150 and up) first opened in a converted 1960s-era office building, including the Hutton itself. In the late aughts, it was considered Music City’s first lifestyle luxury boutique hotel. (The city has since blossomed with such properties.) Today, it’s fresh off an extensive renovation with amenities music fans will relish, like in-room record players, a library of vintage LPs and guitars on reserve for picking parties in your room. A highlight is the Hutton’s intimate and stylish on-site entertainment venue and craft cocktail lounge Analog, featuring rising acts and hitmakers like Post Malone and Dierks Bentley. The hotel’s convenient location near Music Row is a few blocks from Historic RCA Studio B — the “Home of 1,000 Hits” — now a museum operated by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum ($21.95 and up). Many songs you likely know by heart were recorded in Studio B, including pop and rock hits by Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison. At the Hall of Fame’s main museum downtown, two new exhibits, Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker and American Currents: State of the Music, will run throughout the year and into 2026. Proving that Nashville isn’t just about country and pop, the Deep Tropics Music, Art and Style Festival takes place Aug. 15-16 spotlighting electronic dance and techno house music from acts around the globe in Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park downtown. Among this year’s headliners are Lane 8, Alison Wonderland and Riordan.
Nashville Visitor Center, 501 Broadway. 1-800-657-6910, visitmusiccity.com.
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