Brewhouse Triathlon - Short Course

Anyone have a suggestion of a hotel to stay at? My whole family is coming to this tri including my parents, brother & his wife, my sister & family, plus my family with 5 kids. 5 of us are doing this tri...3 are doing it as their first (my brother, nephew-15, and son Kyle-17). It will be a fun day.

Have any of you done this before or ridden the course, and have anything to share about the course?

Are most of you coming up the day before? Any suggestions of stuff to do in Duluth? My Mom lived there as a child.