When it begins to seem like vacation days are mysteriously and almost magically slipping away, find at least a temporary distraction in the hometown of world-renowned illusionist, Harry Houdini. You might not be able to recover lost holiday pay, but visitors can at least have a stab at learning a few tricks to entertain cubicle-bound colleagues back at the office.

One has but to take in a spectacular sunrise over Lake Michigan to get a glimpse of why Door County is such a popular destination - and beloved by those who actually live there. This small peninsula juts out of mainland Wisconsin separating Green Bay from the vast expanse of Lake Michigan sparkling off to the distant horizon. Bright fields and serene forests make way for scalloped coves and rocky promontories guarded by a stately lighthouse.

Unfolding tidily at the southern semicircle of Lake Winnebago, the small town of Fond du Lac is a top fishing destination even when frigid temperatures send less single-minded travelers scurrying indoors.

Travelers bound north along Lake Michigan out of Sheboygan, Door County bound, shouldn't be in so big a rush as to miss out on all the activity easily accessible from the cities Manitowoc and Two Rivers. Once an important center for naval ship-building industry, modern Manitowoc is now more noted for its charter fishing ? and cultural sights located in the vicinity.

Many a child has encountered early joys dressed to impress in overalls emblazoned with the "Oshkosh B'Gosh" label ? and it's the little city on Lake Winnebago that started it all. Oshkosh, cut through by the Fox River, is still home to the factory, but, closed to the public, the most visitors can do is buy an Oshkosh souvenir to take home. But don't think for a minute that this is a place to pass through quickly ? there's more to life than clothes.

Settled comfortably along the shores of Lake Michigan north of Milwaukee, Sheboygan, half-way up the side of Wisconsin, is a medium-sized city with a very Bavarian past. Efforts to set Sheboygan up as a destination popular with a 21st-century crowd have succeeded, awarding visitors with pleasant parks to wander and a fine clutch of cultural sights.

Some people think Door County is about as close to heaven as it gets here on earth, a stretch of land washed by Green Bay waters on one side and bright blue Lake Michigan on the other. Whether you're catching the first light of morning streaking across the horizon from an island campsite or enjoying a locally made wine over a gourmet dinner and sunset, this lovely part of the world is so popular in part because it has the best of several worlds. Sturgeon Bay is really the gateway to the region, and serves as an excellent base for exploring the lower half of Door County.

Don't stress about making time for a stop in Wausau: this, the heart of ginseng country in America, has more than just an herb on offer to attract outside visitors. Set along the Wisconsin River on the northern shores of Lake Wausau, Wausau lures in those looking for a bit of river running fun, lake activity, easy access to downhill slopes and local cultural sights.