southern
DESTINATIONS
spring 2009
great places to
Live & Play
feature destination: South Carolina’s Lowcountry Hilton Head Island Beaufort Charleston
southern
DESTINATIONS Flanked by the historic cities of Charleston to the north and Savannah to the south, the Lowcountry of South Carolina offers an abundance of destinations that will make you glad that you came, and never want to leave. If you are thinking about where you might want to retire, or are interested in investing in a second home for vacation getaways, or if you are just looking for a great place for your next vacation, we have the ideal destination for you. On the following pages, you will find a selection of exceptional resort and residential communities that provide the utmost in luxury and amenities located in nature’s most beautiful and inspirational settings. To make it convenient for you to find additional information about the Lowcountry, each article contains quick-links to other websites. Whether you’re searching for the perfect beach, the perfect place to play golf, or the perfect place to live, you’ll find it here. We invite you to come and stay for awhile. We’re confident that once you come for a visit, you’ll come back to stay for good.
Photos provided by the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Savannah Area Chamber and Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Coastal Destinations
Contents Great Places to Visit Hilton Head Island Bluffton Beaufort Charleston Savannah
Great Places to Stay Beach Properties Hilton Head Rentals & Golf ResortQuest Vacation Time of Hilton Head SeaCoast/HH Vacations Direct
Great Places to Golf Two Lowcountry Classics Melrose Golf Club
Great Places to Live Ussery Group Spring Island
Southern Destinations
Heritage
A Rich and History
Whether you are looking for the ideal place for your next vacation or the perfect place to live, South Carolina’s Lowcountry is the place for you. Surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty and blessed with a mild year-round climate, the Lowcountry offers an abundance of great things to see and do. Miles of dazzling white sand beaches, brilliant green salt marshes and rivers, and stately maritime forests under a canopy of bright Carolina-blue skies provide a perfect environment for an unbeatable lifestyle. Against nature’s spectacular backdrop, you will enjoy the hospitality and heritage of the South combined with the rich diversity of friendly people who come from all over the world to make the Lowcountry home Flanked by the historic cities of Charleston to the north and Savannah to the south, the Lowcountry has a rich heritage. Native Americans, English, Spanish, and French colonists, pirates, African-Americans, and soldiers have all left their footprints on the sands of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Evidence of early residents dates back to 1450 B.C. with the Indian Shell Ring in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve on Hilton Head Island. In 1663, Sir William Hilton lent his name to the island while searching for the entrance to Port Royal. His glowing report of the ideal farming conditions promoted British colonization. Continued on next page
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
Coastal Destinations
The historic town of Beaufort was discovered by the Spanish in 1514 and chartered by the British in 1711. The city enjoyed great prosperity as indigo, cotton, and rice plantations thrived prior to the Civil War, and wealthy plantation owners built their large second homes overlooking the river. Today, Beaufort’s graceful past can still be enjoyed with more than 90 historic structures and the entire downtown listed on the national register. In 1670 the original Charles Town settlement was established across the Ashley River from Charleston’s present location, and in 1733 General James Oglethorpe founded both the Georgia colony and the city of Savannah. Today, both cities attract millions of visitors who come to discover their spectacular beauty and enjoy their southern hospitality and charm. Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and Daufuskie Island have all played important roles in American history – from the American Revolution through the Civil War and the Reconstruction, and up to the present time where the famed Parris Island Marine base located near Beaufort trains new recruits. The Gullah culture and language is a living legacy of African-American history in the region. Gullah is a word used for both the native islanders and the language they speak. These islanders, former slaves from the West African coastal countries of Senegal and Sierra Leone came with their own traditions, beliefs and skills, which they were able to maintain given the relative isolation that came with living on the islands. They have lived here for generations, and their unique culture remains largely intact. Today, the Gullah culture can be seen at a number of locations throughout the region. For More Information, Click Here.
Flanked by the beautiful and historic cities of Charleston to the north and Savannah to the south, South Carolina’s Lowcountry is a wonderful place for history buffs.
Southern Destinations
Nature’s Bounty
Here, where the marshes, rivers, and forests compete with the ocean in daily beauty contests, you’ll understand why so many people are drawn to the Lowcountry. An astonishing variety of fish, fowl, and land animals graces the marshlands and sea coast. Walking or bicycling on the many trails is the best way to quietly eavesdrop on our wilder residents. You’ll meet herons, egrets, wood ducks, Carolina chickadees, jays, bluebirds, and yellow-rumped warblers. See alligators and turtles sun themselves on the banks of lagoons, and catch glimpses of whitetail deer and small brown rabbits among the trees. Watch dolphins glide gracefully through the water while pelicans dive for fish and marsh hawks soar overhead, hovering and hunting. If you listen very carefully at low tide and you can even hear the sounds of oysters in the mud. The foliage is, quite simply, spectacular in any season. Tall, skinny pines share the landscape with redbuds, gum trees, Chinese tallow trees, and majestic live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. Marsh grasses, ferns, orchids, water lilies, cattails, swamp potatoes, and flowers of every color, shape, and aroma will fill your senses. Like the loggerhead turtles that toddle to the sea from their nests, you’ll be drawn to the ocean and the flat, smooth beaches. Give in to the daily cycles of sunrises, sunsets, and the ebbing and flowing of the tide, and you’ll find how easy it is to relax to nature’s rhythms. For Nature Activities, Click Here.
Background Photograph by Geoff Hobbs
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
Hilton Head
Island
Named after English Captain William Hilton, who sighted the high bluffs of the island while exploring the Port Royal Sound in 1663, Hilton Head Island is the largest island in the southeast. For most of the next three centuries following Hilton’s discovery, Hilton Head Island remained isolated and accessible only by boat. Its plantations produced rice, indigo, and cotton. Then, in the nineteen-fifties, Georgia businessmen Joseph Fraser and Fred Hack purchased 19,000 of the Island’s 25,000 acres for its timber. It was Joseph Fraser’s son, Charles, who brought about the early growth of Hilton Head Island into a resort community when in 1957 he broke ground for Sea Pines, a new resort located on the Island’s south-end. Sea Pines represented a whole new approach to land development. By focusing on preserving the natural environment, Charles Fraser brought a system of land use that became the prototype of many other successful developments throughout the southeast and all over the world. Soon, other developments, such as Hilton Head Plantation, Palmetto Dunes Plantation, Shipyard Plantation, and Port Royal Plantation followed, imitating Sea Pines’ architecture and landscape. When Fraser started planning Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head Island was an isolated place, but Sea Pines’ extraordinary success changed all of that. Today, Hilton Head is one of the premier resort destinations in the world where over 2.3 million visitors a year come to relax, reconnect and rejuvenate in a lush and pristine beach-side environment. Hilton Head offers a unique combination of scenic beauty, clean sandy beaches along with world-class golf, a wide variety of outdoor activities, plus museums and cultural events, shopping and more than 200 restaurants for every imaginable taste. It provides a vacation experience that will long be remembered. For More Information, Click Here.
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
Bluffton Ancient oak trees draped with Spanish moss line the quaint streets of historic Bluffton. Incorporated in 1852, Bluffton was the first town in southern Beaufort County. The bluffs along the May River offered strong breezes that provided a welcome summer refuge from the heat, isolation and mosquitoes of the surrounding plantations. Today, Bluffton is a friendly community known for its historic charm and relaxed Lowcountry lifestyle. Located just over the bridge from Hilton Head Island and a short drive to historic Savannah, Bluffton is home to a thriving arts district. The original one square mile historic district of Bluffton’s Old Town offers a charming blend of antique shops, restaurants, art galleries, and historical and cultural events that bring this eclectic community alive and attract thousands of visitors each year. The historic district of Old Town Bluffton is merely the introduction to this vibrant community. The town continues to expand and today Bluffton is home to some of the area’s best shopping, fine dining, world class golf courses, quiet neighborhoods and luxurious private communities. For More Information, Click Here.
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
BEACH PROPERTIES OF HILTON HEAD
Beach Properties of Hilton Head Come discover what Hilton Island and Beach Properties has to offer. Owners Ray and Linda Moloney have dedicated themselves to providing the finest quality care and personal service to their owners and guests for the last 14 years. Whether you’re looking for a team of experts to manage your investment or a luxury oceanfront property to rent for that special vacation, you can count on Beach Properties to take care of you. Beach Properties specializes in luxury vacation rentals. Offering privately owned 1 to 7 bedroom oceanfront or near ocean vacation homes and villas in Sea Pines, Forest Beach, SeaCrest and Palmetto Dunes. Whether it is just the two of you or a large family gathering, we can select the right location for you. We want to make your vacation experience the best it can be by providing you with exceptional service and quality care.
Coastal Destinations
Contact us for more information or to book your reservation. Online: www.beach-property.com Toll Free: 800-671-5155 Email: rentals@beach-property.com Mention you saw us in the online Destinations Magazine and receive $200 off a weekly vacation.
Southern Destinations
BEACH PROPERTIES OF HILTON HEAD
SeaCrest • 1- 4 Bedroom Vacation Condos • Located in the Forest Beach Area • Luxurious Oceanfront Living • Private Balconies • Beautifully Landscaped Grounds • 2 Outdoor Pools • Children’s Pool • Extra Large Hot Tub • Fitness Center • Poolside Snack Bar (Open Seasonally) • On-site Restaurant • Garage Parking Coastal Destinations
For more information and rates, click here.
5 Long Boat
For more information and rates, click here.
• 2nd-Row, Located on Beach Path • 4 Bedroom • 4 & 2 Half Baths • Sleeps 10 • 1 K, 2 Q, 2 T, 1 Q SS • Master Suite with Jacuzzi Tub • Gourmet Kitchen • Pool and Spa • Screened Porch
20 Sandhill Crane
For more information and rates, click here.
• 2nd-Row, Ocean Views • 6 Bedroom • 6 & 2 Half Baths • Sleeps 16 • 3 K, 3 Q, 2 T, 1 Q SS • 5,000 Sq. Ft. • Gourmet Kitchen • Great Room • Elevator • Pool and Spa • Outdoor Shower Southern Destinations
BEACH PROPERTIES OF HILTON HEAD
45 Lands End
For more information and rates, click here.
• Beachfront, Cape Cod Duplex • 4 Bedroom • 4 Bath • Sleeps 8 • 2 Q, 4 T • Large Great Room with Wet Bar • Large Deck with BBQ • Pool On-site
2313 Windsor II
For more information and rates, click here. Coastal Destinations
• 3rd-Floor • Ocean View • 2 Bedroom • 2 Bath • Sleeps 6 • 1 K, 2 T, 1 Q Aero Bed • Each Bath with Jacuzzi Tub • Brilling Area On-site • Oceanfront Pool & Hot Tub On-site
6 Spotted Sandpiper
For more information and rates, click here.
• 4th-Row, 2-Minute Walk to Beach • 4 Bedroom • 5 1/2 Bath • Sleeps 8 • 1 K, 2 Q, 2 T • Spacious Floorplan • Outside BBQ with Sink & Fireplace • Pool and Spa
11 Armada
For more information and rates, click here.
• Oceanfront, Panoramic Views • 6 Bedroom • 6 1/2 Bath • Sleeps 12 • 3 K, 6 T • 2 Master Suites with Jacuzzi Tubs • Wet Bar • Large-screen TVs • Pool and Spa • Outdoor Deck Southern Destinations
Coastal Destinations
Hilton Head’s
Beaches
One of Hilton Head’s primary attractions for both visitors and residents is the island’s 12 miles of pristine beaches. Whether you’re enjoying a pleasant walk, basking in the surf, reading a good book, or in search of that perfect South Carolina tan, Hilton Head Island’s beaches offer a charm and grace you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Hilton Head’s beaches are broad and flat with long tidal pools, making for hours of recreational hunting for shells and dawdling fun for children. At low tide the hard-packed sand is perfect for bike riding, jogging, Frisbee or a game of bocce. The beaches here are much more than mere strips of sand at the ocean’s edge. They are places of great natural beauty, geologic diversity and deep primal appeal. A late evening stroll can be especially rewarding. On summer nights huge female loggerhead turtles lumber up the beaches like great dark boulders and bury their eggs in the low dunes. For late-night beach goers lucky enough to see one of these magnificent creatures it’s an experience never to be forgotten. For More Information, Click Here.
Southern Destinations
RESORTQUEST HILTON HEAD ISLAND
ResortQuest Hilton Head Island This is how vacationing was meant to be…. A ResortQuest vacation is the experience of having it all: the spacious comfort, come and go freedom and privacy of a luxurious home or villa, and a vacation spot certain to satisfy your individual taste for adventure, good times and relaxation. ResortQuest offers one- to seven-bedroom homes and villas in all the great locations that Hilton Head Island has to offer, plus exclusive benefits including: • Free Tennis • Discounted Golf • Free DVD Rentals • ResortQuest Recommends Program offering deals and discounts to nearly 160 shops, restaurants and activities • Book Now Pay Later, offering to reserve your vacation for just a $250 deposit Coastal Destinations
We have a lot more to tell you! Just visit: ResortQuestHiltonHead.com Or call us at: 866-867-1290 Southern Destinations
RESORTQUEST HILTON HEAD ISLAND
Villamare • Oceanfront • Oceanside Pool & Hot Tub • Exercise Facilities • Sauna • Full Kitchens and Washer/Dryer in unit Coastal Destinations
For more information and rates, click here.
2 Galleon
For more information and rates, click here.
• 3rd-Row, Walk to the Beach • 8 Bedroom • 7 Baths • Sleeps 24 • 6 Master Suites • 4 K, 2 Q, 2 D, 2 T, 2 SS • Platinum Rated • Free Tennis • Media Playroom • 2 Gas Fireplaces • Home Sound System • Pool & Spa
16 Piping Plover
For more information and rates, click here.
• Oceanfront Home • 4 Bedroom • 4 Baths • Sleeps 8 • 2 K, 1 Q, 2 T • Gourmet Kitchen • 2 Living Areas • Private Oceanfront Pool • Large Yard • Brick Fireplace • Extensive Decking Southern Destinations
RESORTQUEST HILTON HEAD ISLAND
Turtle Lane Oceanfront Villas • Oceanfront • 2 Pools in Complex • Deluxe Accommodations in Sea Pines • Bike to South Beach • Free Daily Tennis and DVD Rentals Coastal Destinations
For more information and rates, click here.
12 Bald Eagle West
For more information and rates, click here.
• Short Walk to Beach • 5 Bedroom • 4 Baths • Sleeps 14 • South Beach View • Free Daily Tennis and DVD Rentals • Game Room • High Speed Internet
Windsor Place Villas • Oceanfront Complex • 1-4 Bedroom Villas • Large Pool, with Kids Pool • Hot Tub • Free Daily Tennis and DVD Rentals For more information and rates, click here. Southern Destinations
Coastal Destinations
Sports and Activities On Hilton Head Island, being active is almost as easy as relaxing. Bike trails, beaches, tennis courts, and some of the nation’s premier golf courses all conspire to keep you moving. The average year-round temperature of 65 degrees only adds to the temptation, and few can resist the lure of the outdoors. There are many ways to explore the natural beauty of the area. Hilton Head is one of only a few places where you can ride a bike on the smooth beach at low tide. Runners, walkers, and bike riders enjoy miles of scenic trails that wind around lagoons, rivers, and the lush foliage throughout the Lowcountry. There are also numerous horseback riding facilities on Hilton Head and in Bluffton. Surrounded by rivers, bays and the ocean, Hilton Head features a wide variety of water activities. Boating from kayaks to sailboats to cruises can satisfy most desires for nautical adventure. Hilton Head, Bluffton, and Beaufort offer numerous kayaking adventures and tours. The Lowcountry is a fisherman’s paradise whether you prefer deep sea fishing or surf fishing from the beach. And then, of course, there’s the golf. Golfers are drawn to the bounty of world-class courses found within the Lowcountry’s resorts and residential communities. From the moment the island’s first course (the Ocean Course at Sea Pines) opened in 1961, the island golf community has maintained a commitment to providing an unparalleled level of excellence that has earned the area the title as “The Golf Island,” a reputation that Hilton Head and the Lowcountry deliver one golfer at a time. For Things To Do, Click Here. Southern Destinations
HILTON HEAD RENTALS & GOLF
Hilton Head Rentals & Golf Vacation in Paradise! Twelve miles of beautiful beaches, hundreds of restaurants, world-famous golf courses, miles of bike trails, numerous tennis courts, great water activities from fishing and boating to parasailing, all add up to a vacation paradise. Add to this forty plus art galleries, theater, picturesque harbors, incredible shopping in unique boutiques and factory outlets, and this beautiful semitropical island offers a vacation experience like no other. To make your Hilton Head vacation truly memorable, Hilton Head Rentals and Golf offers an exclusive selection of luxury accommodations. You can choose from one to seven bedrooms on the ocean or near the ocean, with spectacular ocean front views or serene lagoon or golf course settings. These beautiful homes offer a dazzling variety of luxurious amenities including high ceilings, beautiful cove moldings, gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, expansive Coastal Destinations
Hilton Head Rentals and Golf offers a large number of vacation rental homes on Hilton Head including a number of spectacular oceanfront homes with a dazzling variety of luxurious amenities.
great rooms, fireplaces, multiple televisions and DVD players, high speed internet. They also include elevators, balconies, travertine floors, private baths, spa tubs, designer furnishings, pools and spas, even putting greens. For the golf enthusiast, Hilton Head Rentals and Golf ’s fulltime golf planner will develop customized golf packages tailored to your specific needs. Visit Hilton Head Rentals and Golf’s website and let the island’s experts help you find your perfect retreat in a vacation paradise.
RENTALS & GOLF For More Information: Hilton Head Rentals & Golf 578 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head, SC 29928 Online: www.hiltonheadvacation.com Toll Free: 800-445-8664 (800-HILTONHEAD)
Southern Destinations
HILTON HEAD RENTALS & GOLF
Roadrunner 5
For more information and rates, click here.
• Oceanfront • 7 Bedrooms, 7.5 Baths • Sleeps 21 • K,K,K,K,Q,QQ,TT,SC,SS,SS • Heatable Pool & Spa • Gourmet Kitchen • 3 Hole Putt Putt
Sandpiper 20
For more information and rates, click here. Coastal Destinations
• 1 Block From Ocean • 7 Bedrooms, 6.5 Baths • Sleeps 16 • K,Q,Q,Q,D,D,TT,SS • Heatable Pool • Media Room & Pool Table • Separate Wing
Singleton 9
For more information and rates, click here.
Oceanfront, 3 Story Home 7 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths K,K,Q,Q,QQ,TT,SS,3SC Sleeps 19 Elevator Spectacular Great Room Gourmet Kitchen
Urchin Manor 5
For more information and rates, click here.
• Ocean View • 6 Bedrooms, 6 Full & 2 Half Baths • K,K,K,QQ,QQ,TTT,TR,SS • Sleeps 21 • Heatable Pool & Spa • Gourmet Kitchen • Bonus Room with Kitchenette Southern Destinations
HILTON HEAD RENTALS & GOLF
Hilton Head Rentals & Golf Escape to Enchanting Daufuskie Island! This is your escape from civilization to paradise. A vacation like no other awaits you on Daufuskie Island. This enchanting five mile Island, located one nautical mile from Hilton Head Island, can only be reached by ferry and is where the golf cart is the primary mode of transportation. Miles of pristine and secluded sandy beaches, ancient forests, hidden lagoons and abundant wildlife are awaiting your discovery. Whether you desire a vacation experience that includes riding a horse through the surf, golf, tennis, fishing, kayaking, historical tours, a relaxing day at the spa or lounging at the pool and more, Daufuskie Island will rejuvenate your body and soul. A wide selection of Daufuskie Island vacation rental properties is offered by Hilton Head Rentals & Golf. All of the options ranging from one bedroom cottages up to an eight bedroom ocean front home can be viewed online at www.daufuskievacation.com. Here you will find multiple photos of Coastal Destinations
all properties along with a write up describing the property, the amenities, pricing and availability. Hilton Head Rentals & Golf vacation specialists will assist you in making the right choice for your vacation goals. Call 800-445-8664 for more information. So whether you are planning a family vacation, a romantic getaway, a reunion, golf outing or even a wedding requiring a wedding gazebo in an oceanfront home that sleeps up to 32, we have the vacation rental property that’s just right for you.
RENTALS & GOLF For More Information: Daufuskie Rentals & Golf 578 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head, SC 29928 Online: www.daufuskievacation.com Toll Free: 800-445-8664
Southern Destinations
Plenty of Things To Do
Arts, Entertainment, and Shopping In addition to sports and outdoor activities, there is a wide array of cultural activities including theater, museums, galleries, festivals, concerts and live entertainment virtually everyday and night of the week. Hilton Head entertainment consists of a world-class Arts Center that welcomes Broadway-caliber performances to the stage; two local Hilton Head art leagues boast more than 200 talented members; and our superb Hilton Head Orchestra continually features some of the most talented musicians in the world. During summer months, Shelter Cove Harbour on Hilton Head entertains with weekly fireworks displays. There are also many day trips that are worth your while. The beautiful cities of Charleston and Savannah with their spectacular homes and rich history are just a short drive from the Hilton Head area. For shoppers, the Lowcountry is heaven. Hilton Head is home to the area’s enclosed mall and the Tanger Outlets Center in Bluffton features more than 100 brand-name factory outlet stores. Scattered throughout Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort, are more than 50 smaller shopping centers with hundreds of wonderful stores and shops offering a bewildering variety of items. For More Information, Click Here. Coastal Destinations
You can literally “shop till you drop� as you explore the hundreds of interesting shops and galleries in Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort.
Southern Destinations
VACATION TIME OF HILTON HEAD
Vacation Time of Hilton Head We offer the exhilaration of an oceanfront vacation at the heart of this world famous resort getaway destination. Here you can enjoy all the best there is to offer from scores of eclectic restaurants and night spots to specialty and outlet shopping. For Everyone. Whether you are a honeymooning couple, a young family, a large extended family or a group of friends simply getting together to share old times – there is nothing like days and evenings spent along the oceanfront to relax and get reunited. Activities Galore. It’s all here. We offer discounts at 21 outstanding golf courses. Complimentary tennis on site or lessons may be arranged nearby. Local Marinas offer inshore and offshore fishing excursions. Windsurfing, sailing and jet skis also available. The top-rated Players Club provides a complimentary fitness center – just minutes from your door. Discounted bicycle rentals are available for your enjoyment. Coastal Destinations
Adventure Inn Resort & Rentals Contact us for more information . Online: www.vthhi.com Toll Free: 800-845-9500 3 Lemoyne Avenue and South Forest Beach Drive
Southern Destinations
VACATION TIME OF HILTON HEAD
Seaside Villas Oceanfront or Oceanside, 1 and 2-bedroom villas with kitchen may be rented by day or by week. Best condominium value along the beach.
For more information and rates, click here.
Ocean Dunes A 4-story complex over-looking the ocean with 1 and 2-bedroom villas, each with a private balcony. Large oceanfront courtyard and pool offers grand views of the beach. For more information and rates, click here. Coastal Destinations
Ocean Club Located beachfront, these accommodations are 2 and 3-bedroom flat or townhouse style, each directly oceanfront or overlooking an attractive courtyard/pool area. For more information and rates, click here.
Beach Villas These popular oceanfront accommodations are spacious 2, 3 and 4-bedroom, tri-level, oceanfront and oceanview villas – all comfortably furnished with a family room. For more information and rates, click here. Southern Destinations
Lowcountry
Dining
With more than 250 restaurants, the Hilton Head/Bluffton area offers bountiful choices in dining. In addition to traditional Lowcountry dishes such as shrimp and grits, Lowcountry boils, crawfish, and she-crab soup, area restaurants offer a little taste of everything under the sun – a veritable United Nation of international cuisine that includes French, German, Italian, Caribbean, Japanese, Greek, Chinese, Thai and Mexican, along with All-American fare like pit-cooked barbecue, prime steaks and home-style Southern specialties. And, of course, what Island vacation would be complete without sampling the famous local seafood: succulent shrimp, sweet blue crab and briny oysters. Choose your ambience as well – from elegant candlelit dinners to casual outdoor oyster roasts to child-friendly establishments. For More Information, Click Here.
Coastal Destinations
The Lowcountry is a gourmet’s delight offering everything from finger-licking barbeque to the most elegant and sophisticated dining in the South.
Southern Destinations
SEACOAST / HILTON HEAD VACATIONS DIRECT
SeaCoast / Hilton Head Vacations Direct Your Dream Vacation Begins Here! With 12 miles of spectacular beaches, 26 public play golf courses, 360 tennis courts, and 250 restaurants, Hilton Head Island offers more places to eat, to shop and to play than any other vacation destination. And now your dream vacation is more affordable than ever. SeaCoast Homes & Villas and Hilton Head Vacations Direct have combined forces to provide you with a great selection of premier vacation rental properties located on beautiful Hilton Head Island, many at discounted rental-by-owner prices. Whether you are looking for beach front access, golf packages or a romantic island getaway, we can help you with everything you need for the perfect Hilton Head vacation, ranging from luxurious private homes to villas in the Island’s finest resort properties. Planning your next island vacation begins now. Coastal Destinations
For more information: SeaCoast /Hilton Head Vacations Direct www.seacoasthomesandvillas.com www.hiltonheadvacationsdirect.com 14 Greenwood Drive Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 843-686-3322 Southern Destinations
Golf in the Lowcountry
The Hilton Head/Bluffton area offers some of the world’s most beautiful and challenging golf courses – including the famed Harbour Town Links, home of the Verizon Heritage Tournament – fashioned by some of the game’s most well-known architects such as Arnold Palmer, Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones, Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus. From design to conditioning to service, the Lowcountry’s golf community has always strived for perfection. The area offers 26 public-play courses and 21 private courses to suit virtually every taste and ability level. There are traditional parkland courses with tree-lined fairways and challenging water hazards; breathtaking coastal layouts with marsh and wetlands creeping close on numerous holes; and even links-style courses reminiscent of an earlier age. Not surprising, millions of visitors are drawn to the bounty of world-class courses found within the Lowcountry’s resorts and residential communities. Add to that the charms of the region itself - warm ocean breezes, golden tidal marshes, abundant coastal wildlife, stately clusters of Spanish moss-adorned live oaks and you have a golf experience like no other. For More Information, Click Here. Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
Two Lowcountry
Classi
Crescent Pointe Golf Club The only public golf course in the Hilton Head area with Arnie’s name on it, Crescent Pointe Golf Club is one of the one of the most enjoyable golf courses in the Lowcountry. This Arnold Palmer designed Signature course is situated on a spectacular property that celebrates the beauty of the Lowcountry. It will take your breath away with spectacular marsh views, magnificent century-old oaks, pines and magnolias, and dramatic white-sand “beach bunkers” that cascade down to the water’s edge of the many ponds that add to the beauty and challenge of the course. A unique feature of this world-class course is elevated greens and tees not usually found on the other Lowcountry courses. Crescent Pointe Golf Club is a shot maker’s delight where each hole is unique, memorable and challenging. For Information & Tee Times: 843-706-2600 • 888-292-7778 www.crescentpointegolf.com Coastal Destinations
ics from Arnie and Davis
Eagle’s Pointe Golf Club PGA Champion Davis Love III has an affinity for the Hilton Head area. He has won the VerizonHeritage golf tournament five times and he has designed Eagle’s Pointe Golf Club, one of the area’s finest public golf courses. A true and fair test of golf for players of all ability levels, Eagle’s Pointe features wide, well-defined fairways, dramatic bunkering and magnificent undulating greens – all surrounded by the area’s native grasses and towering pines. The hallmarks of Eagle’s Pointe are its classical, risk-reward design, natural beauty, strategy, variety and superb conditioning. Winding through stands of moss-draped live oaks and pines and fresh-water wetlands and lagoons, Eagle’s Pointe’s spacious corridors allow the golfer to keep driver in hand, while its dramatic bunkering and contoured putting surfaces combine to create one of the most enjoyable golf venues in the South Carolina Lowcountry. For Information & Tee Times: 843-757-5900 • 888-325-1833 www.eaglespointegolf.com Southern Destinations
Melrose
Golf Club
Enjoy an awe-inspiring golf experience. How often can you combine a round of golf with a relaxing and enjoyable boat ride? Located on Daufuskie Island and accessible only by boat, this Jack Nicklaus Signature Course is one of the most acclaimed courses in the Lowcountry. Rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest magazine, this masterfully designed jewel offers challenging play and stunning views. Named after the Melrose mansion that once occupied the property during South Carolina's antebellum era, this links-style design features smaller target greens, a mixture of short and long par 4's (many with risk and reward options), a diversity of par 3's (two with forced carries over water) and spectacular par 5's. Melrose offers challenging play with incomparable ocean views as well as lush subtropical forests and picturesque lagoons. Melrose is most recognized for its three finishing holes which run along the Atlantic Ocean. Most notable is the signature par 4 18th hole which flanks the Atlantic. It features a split fairway dissected by an islet of trees and a bevy of Scottish dunes and bunkers in the middle of the fairway. The 18th green sits on a small peninsula that seems to jut right out into the ocean. Melrose is as challenging as it is picturesque and provides an awe-inspiring golf experience sure to be reminisced upon for years to come. For More Information, Click Here. Coastal Destinations
Melrose is renowned for its three finishing holes which run along the Atlantic Ocean.
Southern Destinations
Coastal Destinations
Great Places to
Live
In addition to being a great vacation destination, the Lowcountry has become a primary destination for people looking for the perfect place to retire or to invest in a 2nd/vacation home. With its natural beauty, mild year-round climate, and its close proximity to world-class golf, restaurants, shopping and cultural activites, the Lowcountry provides a relaxed laidback lifestyle that is hard to find anywhere else. It also offers a wide variety or real estate options to fit virtually every taste and budget.
Southern Destinations
USSERY REAL ESTATE GROUP Contact us for more information . Online: www.UsseryGroup.com Toll Free: 866-746-3797 Local: 843-757-7712 PO Box 2143 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925
One of the Lowcountry’s Most Spectacular Home-sites Just moments from Hilton Head Island, Colleton River Plantation is a 1500 acre private residential golf club community with seven miles of scenic shoreline, private deep water docks, and breathtaking views over the Colleton River and Port Royal Sound. With two Top 100 courses, Colleton River is widely considered one of the finest private clubs in the Southeast. Arguably the most dynamic Homesite in the Lowcountry, this Colleton River icon is the only deep water property in the Lowcountry that also enjoys direct golf views. Along with its immediate deep water access, J 46 presides over the most photographed hole in Colleton River, the par three 17th of the acclaimed Nicklaus course. Call today for a custom site analysis including prevailing breezes, viewing corridors, orientation, building envelope, and dock design.
Spring Island
A Peaceful Refuge in South Carolina’s Lowcountry
SPRING ISLAND For more information . Online: www.springisland-sc.com Toll Free: 866-740-0400 Spring Island 42 Mobley Oaks Lane Okatie, South Carolina 29909
A Peaceful Refuge in South Carolina’s Lowcountry Located midway between historic Beaufort and Hilton Head Island on South Carolina’s lush Lowcountry coastline, Spring Island is the last of the great, private sea-islands on the Atlantic coast. Bounded by the Colleton and Chechessee Rivers, Spring Island covers 3,000 acres of primordial maritime forest teeming with wildlife. The island’s thirteen miles of shoreline is bordered by pristine marshland and tidal creeks, and its high bluffs, which reach up to 30 feet above sea level, capture nurturing breezes and provide stunning views of the surrounding marshes, tidal creeks, and rivers. Spring Island’s habitation predates recorded history, and its stunning natural beauty has remained virtually unchanged to this day. It is, without exaggeration, one of the rarest and most beautiful places left in America today and this magnificent setting has been transformed into an extraordinary master-planned community that preserves a rare slice of American wilderness for the exclusive enjoyment of fewer than 400 families. In addition to its incomparable natural beauty, Spring Island offers an incredible diversity of activities for its residents to enjoy. The centerpiece of this remarkable development is Old Tabby Links, a private Arnold Palmer-designed golf course that is widely viewed as one of the finest residential courses in the country. The community also maintains an impeccable 30-acre equestrian facility with 35 miles of riding trails, private tennis and fitness facilities, community boat docks; 33 freshwater and saltwater fishing lakes and a 1,200-acre nature preserve and wildlife education center. Fisherman and boaters find at their doorstep nearly 30 fresh and salt water ponds, 3,500 acres of marsh and tidal creeks, and two of America’s cleanest and most beautiful rivers with easy access to the nearby Atlantic Ocean. Connected to the mainland by a causeway and bridge, Spring Island is about 20 minutes from Hilton Head Island and the historic town of Beaufort. Savannah and its airport are an easy 40 minute drive from the Island and Charleston lies 75 miles to the north. Homesites range in size from cottage lots to estate lots of two acres overlooking marsh and rivers, to expansive 10acre homesites secluded among giant live oaks and towering loblolly pines. Designed to blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings, Spring Island homes have set an architectural standard for Lowcountry islands, creating a supreme sense of tranquility in the heart of South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
Beaufort
Beautiful, historic Beaufort offers scenic beauty and a slow pace of life wrapped around history and culture which enchants both visitors and residents alike. When you stroll the streets of Beaufort, you are literally taking a walk through history. It is one of the few towns with its entire downtown designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a historic district. Beaufort entered its golden era in the early 1800’s, when the successful cotton, rice, and indigo crops created wealthy plantation owners who built their large second homes overlooking the river. Fortunately, Beaufort escaped destruction during the Civil War, and today reminders of the area’s colorful history abound in architecture preserved with loving care and folkways honored across generations. Hollywood has also discovered Beaufort and the Treasured Coast, and more than a dozen major motion pictures have been filmed in the area. A guided tour, either walking or by horse-drawn carriage is a great way to enjoy this charming town. Spring and fall events offer special opportunities for visitors to tour several private homes and gardens. In Beaufort, you’ll find special cuisine, culture, history and heritage to suit any interest. Visual and performing arts are appreciated in Beaufort where a gallery or antique shop is easy to find, and cultural events are often staged along the waterfront where they combine fine food with arts and music to treat all of the senses. Every season brings a festival or special event and locals take to the streets regularly to welcome visitors. For More Information, Click Here.
Background Photograph by Geoff Hobbs
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
With more than 90 historic structures and the entire downtown listed on the National Resister, Beaufort’s graceful past can still be seen today with its beautiful antebellum homes and mansions. Beaufort’s waterfront park located downtown is a great place to eat, to browse the many shops and galleries, or just relax and watch the boats.
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
Charleston
Located midway along South Carolina’s coast, Charleston is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in America, and has stood throughout history as the cultural capital of the South. For more than 340 years Charleston has had a very rich history. In 1663, King Charles II granted the Lord Proprietors title to the Carolinas as repayment for their support against Oliver Cromwell. In 1670, the Charles Town settlement was established across the Ashley River from the city’s present location. By 1690, when Charles Town moved across the river to its present site, it had become the capital of the Carolinas and was the 5th largest city in North America with a population of 1,200. By the 1700’s planters had established plantations in the Lowcountry and began to build spectacular homes in the city. In 1783, the city was officially incorporated and renamed Charleston. Charleston has played a major role in our country’s history. The first major naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought at Fort Moultrie and the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in 1861. In addition to wars, Charleston has survived numerous challenges. In 1780 the city was occupied by the British, and in 1886 it was hit by a devastating earthquake estimated at 7.5 on the Richter scale. (The earthquake bolts that were used to restore the buildings are visible today.) In 1989, Hurricane Hugo, one of the largest hurricanes of the century, struck Charleston head on, but the city has made a remarkable recovery and today is more beautiful than ever. This rich history is on display in this beautifully preserved city. Charleston’s Historic Downtown District is considered a living museum with a wonderful variety of things to see and do. You can tour historic landmarks, including 18th century homes, the Battery, museums, churches and the city market. Continued on next page
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
Coastal Destinations
While preserving its architectural heritage, Charleston is a modern, vibrant, cosmopolitan city with a wide variety of vacation options. You can stay at quaint hotels and inns downtown, or on the barrier islands of Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Folly Beach and Kiawah Island with their spectacular beaches and worldrenowned golf courses. Charleston is a gourmet’s delight with world-class restaurants for every taste. You can literally “shop till you drop” in the numerous stores and boutiques. Between shopping, eating and sightseeing, you can visit the state-of-the-art aquarium or some of the historic plantations and towns just outside the city. All in all, Charleston is a place you will want to visit often. For More Information, Click Here.
Southern Destinations
Relax in the shade of century-old live oaks in the city’s squares while admiring the antebellum mansions that surround them.
Coastal Destinations
Savannah
She is elegant and refined yet secretive and seductive. She is Savannah, Georgia’s First City. Eccentric and romantic, Savannah is the sultry Southern Belle of the Georgia Coast. One of the South’s most intriguing and mysterious cities, Savannah will captivate you with her natural beauty, eccentric charm and traditional Southern hospitality. On February 12, 1733 General James Edward Oglethorpe and the 120 passengers of the good ship “Anne” landed on a high bluff along the Savannah River near the location where City Hall now stands. Oglethorpe named the thirteenth and final American colony Georgia, after England’s King George II, and Savannah became its first city. For more than two and a half centuries Savannah has survived wars, epidemics, fires and hurricanes, always bouncing back to glorious life afterwards. During the American Revolution, the British occupied the city, but after the war the city prospered as cotton and rice plantations thrived and wealthy planters built lavish homes and churches throughout the city. With the onslaught of the Civil War, the city’s economy was devastated. In 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman began his march to the sea, but upon entering the city Sherman was so taken by its beauty that the city was spared. Savannah is credited as being America’s first planned city. Oglethorpe laid the city out in a series of grids that allowed for wide open streets intertwined with shady public squares and parks that served as town meeting places and centers of business. Savannah had 24 original squares with 21 still in existence. Graced by century-old live oaks draped with Spanish moss, and surrounded by splendid antebellum mansions, refined churches and assorted shops and galleries, the squares are a beautiful haven for relaxing and strolling. The city will captivate you with its beauty and charm, but along with its history and rich tradition, Savannah is a modern, exciting city that offers visitors an abundance of things to see and do. Stay at one of Savannah’s many charming bed & breakfast inns or elegant hotels. Explore the city in a horse-drawn carriage. Enjoy gourmet dining in the city’s many fine restaurants, and shop in quaint stores and boutiques. Charming...intriguing...romantic...captivating; a vacation in Savannah is one you will long remember. For More Information, Click Here.
Southern Destinations
Coastal Destinations
The Mercer House was made famous by the best-selling book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Savannah’s River Street offers shopping and dining in one-time cotton warehouses.
Southern Destinations
Portfolio
Photographer Geoff Hobbs Capturing the Light! Hilton Head Island resident Geoff Hobbs has been a photographer for more than thirty years, starting in high school, then as a photojournalist in the U. S. Army, and for various newspapers and wire services. Since moving to the Lowcountry ten years ago, Geoff started Hilton Head Images, a commercial photography firm that specializes in architectural photography, portraits and advertising. Geoff’s passion – in addition to motorcycles – is photographing the scenery of the Lowcountry. He lives just a short walk from the beach, and the ocean, the tidal marshes, and the sky provide an endless variety of colors, textures and patterns that Geoff captures in the spectacular images that we are pleased to share on the following pages. For More Information About Geoff Hobbs’ Photographs, Click Here.
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
“I think of light, that magical light that artists and photographers crave. The kind of light that influences color and form. The subtle pastel yellow and pink that softly glows in a swirling wave at high tide in the morning. The intensity of color in a rainbow framed against a dark sky just after a storm. The glowing pearls of dew drops on a spider web. I walk the same stretch of beach every morning with my dog and each morning I am amazed and astounded how this stretch of beach is refreshed and changed by light.� Geoffrey Hobbs
Coastal Destinations
Southern Destinations
QUICK LINKS: Great Things to See and Do in the Lowcountry
Places to Stay Hilton Head Rentals & Golf www.hiltonheadvacation.com Beach Properties www.beach-property.com ResortQuest www.resortquesthiltonhead.com Vacation Time of Hilton Head www.vthhi.com
Charleston www.charlestoncvb.com Plantation Tours The “old South” can still be experienced at several historic plantations located near Charleston. Drayton Hall www.draytonhall.org Drayton Hall, c.1738, is America’s oldest preserved plantation house open to the public. Boone Hall Plantation www.boonehallplantation.com Boone Hall reflects Southern heritage spanning 300 years on one magnificent “still working” plantation. Middleton Place www.middletonplace.org Carefully preserved 18th century plantation with 65 acres of landscaped gardens. Magnolia Plantation and It’s Gardens www.magnoliaplantation.com This 17th century estate, acquired in 1676 by the Drayton family, features America’s oldest gardens which bloom year-round. South Carolina Aquarium www.scaquarium.org Journey through South Carolina, from the mountains to the sea at the South Carolina Aquarium. The Charleston Museum www.charlestonmuseum.org America’s first museum showcases cultural and natural history of South Carolina’s coastal region. Spoleto Festival www.spoletousa.org For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with over 120 performances by renowned artists in music, dance, theater and the visual arts.
Savannah www.savcvb.com Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah www.savannahvisit.com/events Savannah has been celebrating St Patrick’s Day since 1813, and each year, more than 300,000 people visit Savannah for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade which takes place in the Savannah Historic District. Telfair Museum of Art www.telfair.org One of Savannah’s most-visited attractions the Telfair Museum of Art is a state-of-the-art museum facility which houses 20th- and 21st-century art. Mercer Williams House www.mercerhouse.com Be sure to visit the Mercer Williams House made famous by the best selling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Hilton Head Island www.hiltonheadisland.org Verizon Heritage Golf Tournament www.verizonheritage.com For the past 40 years, Hilton Head Island has hosted one of the most popular golf tournaments on the PGA tour. Concourse d’Elegance Classic Auto Festival www.hhiconcours.com Wine & Food Festival and Seafood Jazz & Brew Festival www.hiltonheadhospitalityassociation.com Each March and September, thousands of people visit Hilton Head to sample great wines and beer, eat delicious food and enjoy great music.
Beaufort www.beaufortsc.org Beaufort Water Festival www.bftwaterfestival.com/cwo/Home For 10 days each July the Beaufort Water Festival attracts thousands of people for parades, boat races, air shows, entertainment and concerts, and great food. Gullah Festival www.gullahfestival.org Celebrated during Memorial Day weekend each year, the Gullah Festival brings large crowds to enjoy cultural entertainment.
southern
DESTINATIONS Photograph by Geoff Hobbs
Coastal Destinations
great places to
Live & Play