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Sea Pines Resort – Hilton Head Island, SC

Sea Pines Resort – Hilton Head Island, SC

In 1956, just five short years after the introduction of electricity onto Hilton Head Island, Charles Fraser purchased land on the southwestern tip of the island in order to develop the community now known as Sea Pines Plantation. The first of Hilton Head’s plantation communities, Sea Pines covers over 5,000 acres of thriving natural environment reminiscent of Eden and offers over five miles of gorgeous public-accessible beaches.

Real Estate Information – Homes, Condos, Lots

In 1958, the first deed to a Sea Pines Plantation lot was signed and within four years, beachfront prices grew by close to 50%. Examining the current real estate market for new homesites, homes, villas, and condos, it’s easy to see why the prices have continued to grow so drastically. From small, picturesque cottages to sprawling mansions, the Sea Pines Plantation community contains everything you could want when looking to invest in a home. Numerous single- to five-bedroom homes are available, ranging from $450,000 to over $8,000,000.

Starting at only $300,000-a small fee considering the location-either renting or purchasing is within reason. Potential buyers may choose among one- to four-bedroom for-sale villas and condos with as many view choices as the full-size homes, and options for potential renters include the vacation rentals surrounding the Harbour Town Village. The prices crest around $2 million, making Sea Pines Plantation villas and condos very affordable vacation or year-round homes.

Oceanfront lots can cost over $6 million but a patio lot can cost as little as $295k. Homesites with golf or lagoon views often sell for over $1 milion. Currently, there are four beachfront lots with varying price tags, but the number of lots for sale is always subject to change.

Sea Pines installed Hilton Head Island’s first security gates in 1967, and to date remains secure with two 24-hour security entrance facilities on site. Security personnel also patrol the plantation’s streets, and they can (and do) issue tickets fining offenders for the infraction of plantation rules. Additional protection is provided by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department’s deputies.

Resort Features

Harbour Town Village and Marina

The Harbour Town village and marina was fashioned after small French and Italian harbors and developed for intimacy and ambience. This Mediterranean-influenced center offers independently-owned and operated clothing/jewelry boutiques, craft shops, dining, live music entertainment, and every water sport available. Harbour Town has a park and a tree house for children, as well as a nature center. The Gregg Russell Playground, named for the entertainer of Harbour Town for 25 years running, is located right next to Liberty Oak. Sea Pines’ quaint village center also offers a free trolley that runs daily, with varying hours of operation throughout the year between Harbour Town, South Beach Village, and Turtle Lane Beach Club.

Harbour Town Yacht Basin

Consider owning a ‘dockominium’ at the yacht club: it’s like a condo on the water, but your land is your boat slip. The many amenities available at the Yacht Basin include the unique shops, restaurants, and a grocery store all in the same complex. Concerts and other forms of entertainment are frequently held on the nearby golfing green where Harbour Town Golf Links sponsors tournaments including the Verizon Heritage every year.

South Beach Village
The second marina in the Sea Pines Resort is designed after New England fishing villages and is located at the southernmost tip of Hilton Head Island. Nature tours, dolphin tours, kayaking, and parasailing are only a handful of the activities available near the home of The Salty Dog Café. For accommodations, the colorful South Beach Inn is located nearby at the southern tip of the island and arranges both weekly and nightly rates.

Activities

54 Holes of Golf

Sea Pines contains the island’s first golf course, the Ocean Course designed by George Cobb, was built in 1959. Restructured by Mike McCumber in September, 1995, the highlight of the Ocean Course is its 15th hole with a sweeping view of the ocean.

George Cobb also designed the 1967 Sea Marsh Course. Remodeled by Clyde Johnson in 1990, the Sea Marsh course-like the Ocean Course-is known not only for its age and elegance but for becoming a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Watch out for the 13th hole; it extends for 163 yards.

Harbour Town Golf Links, developed in 1970 by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, is and has been home to the PGA’s Verizon Heritage Classic since 1969, when it was first won by Arnold Palmer. Among the many features of this famous course is its photogenic 18th hole, with Harbour Town’s Lighthouse in the background. Noted for excellence in design and playing potential, the par-71 Harbour Town Golf Links has been ranked highly among the country’s finest golf courses by multiple magazines since 1971.

Championship Tennis

The Sea Pines Racquet Club, directed by world-renowned coach and U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion Stan Smith, hosted the Family Circle Cup from 1973 to 2000, and frequently other tournaments, such as the Corel Champions Tour, the Dupont All-American, the World Invitational, and the Stan Smith Invitational, among others. The club boasts 23 clay courts and offers private and semi-private lessons.

Forest Preserve

When Charles Fraser began developing Sea Pines in the early ’50s, he concentrated on keeping the island’s abundance of natural beauty as untouched as possible. To this day Sea Pines’ Forest Preserve covers approximately 605 acres, home to diverse flora and fauna including over 200 species of critters as well as lagoons and salt marshes. Here you will find a Wildflower Meadow, a thousand-foot-long boardwalk, the Low Ropes Team Building Course, and miles of bike trails and walking paths. Even fishing is allowed, albeit with the correct permit.

Are you a history fanatic? Sea Pines Plantation Forest Preserve has its share of historic landmarks. The 4,000-year-old Indian Shell Ring, for example, is believed to have been constructed around 1450 B. C. A circle of shells and bones piled several feet high, it is one of only twenty shell rings still in existence. Those responsible for its assembly are also believed to have invented pottery here, in North America.

The Stoney-Baynard ruins, once an 18th century plantation house, are now open for tours. The property is covered with oyster shells and its architecture includes porthole-shaped windows.

Horseback Riding

Lawton Stables is home to 50+ American Saddlebred horses, a breed generated by crossing Narragansett Pacer, Thoroughbred, and Morgan bloodlines to develop gorgeous, well-tempered animals now often used for show. Lawton Stables offers-at affordable rates-not only English riding lessons to residents and visitors, but also pony rides for children and guided tours through Sea Pines’ fantastic natural Forest Preserve.

This picturesque, sprawling community, bordering the Atlantic Ocean on the east and Calibogue Sound on the west, is ideal for vacationers and residents alike. Villas, Condos, Homes, and available Lots for building that dreamhouse abound in this massive complex just waiting for the perfect family to enjoy the many amenities offered.

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Head to New Hampshire, USA for Your Next Ski Holiday

If you’re looking for your next ski holiday destination, look no further than the USA. With world-class ski resorts and destinations such as Aspen in Colorado and Whistler in British Columbia, you’ll find a wide range of stunning backdrops amid which to enjoy an array of winter sports.

Head to the west coast, where you’ll find a number of the world’s most popular ski destinations. Lake Tahoe, for instance – situated in the north eastern region of California – is home to 9 spectacular ski resorts, and receives 400 inches of snow each year – making it a guaranteed hot spot for winter sports. Oregon, another west-coast gem for skiing, boasts the Timberline resort – a locale offering summertime skiing, thanks to 20 feet of snow that falls each year.

Of course, the Rocky Mountain regions are among the most popular to snowboard in, with Colorado alone offering mountain peaks and 15 different ski resorts. With hot spots like Vail, Aspen, Telluride, Jackson Hole, and Breckenridge, the Rocky Mountains are a must for anyone who loves skiing or snowboarding.

Moving towards the north-eastern region of the US, winter sports enthusiasts will find many fantastic destination options such as Maine, New York, and New Hampshire. New Hampshire is a particularly popular ski and snowboard destination, with skiing declared as the state’s official sport. New Hampshire was also the first state in the country to open a ski school.

If you’re new to skiing or snowboarding, head to New Hampshire’s Polecat trail – renowned as one of the best runs in the east for those who are novice to either sport. However, if you’re experienced and looking for an adrenaline rush going down the slopes, head to the Avalanche run at Cannon. Often a challenge for even the most experienced skiers, Avalanche is sure to give you the rush you’re looking for.

Taking a ski trip with the entire family? Sign your kids up for ski and snowboard camps al across New Hampshire’s ski resorts – for example, Waterville Valley. Open to kids of all ages and ski experience, ski camps also enable parents to spend a bit of quality time together while their kids have fun learning about winter sports with other children.

No matter what type of American skiing holidays you’re interested in, you’re sure to find just what you’re looking for in US destinations such as New Hampshire. With variations in stunning backdrops and a wide array of resorts, New Hampshire has all it takes to offer you and your family a perfect ski holiday experience.

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More Brits Head to the Slopes For 2008 Winter Skiing

The 2006/2007 ski season saw a nice rise in numbers of Brits taking a ski holiday. Last year’s 3% rise is expected to increase through the 2007/2008 ski season.

Just over 37% of UK skiers choose to ski in France while 19% choose Austria and 13% choose to ski in Italy. France seems to be the favorite ski destination for most Britons. Crystal Holidays already reports a 10% increase in bookings in its resorts.

The 2006/2007 ski season was more challenging than previous years due to poor snowfall at the start of the season. Lower-altitude ski resorts could face the same challenges this year, according to predictions, but early snowfalls in Austria and Andorra have been encouraging.

Inghams, another popular UK ski holiday company, also reports bookings ahead of last year at this time.

Litsa Constantinou, Chief Executive of Inghams, said: “We expect growth in many of the popular destinations and also that the trend for people taking multiple ski holidays will continue.”

High-altitude, snow-sure resorts with Neilson Ski are also selling very well this 2007/2008 ski season. Andy Harmer, head of product and planning at Neilson, said: “Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish resorts are proving attractive, as are the Canadian resorts, which enjoyed fantastic snow last winter.”

Crystal Holidays is the UK’s leading holiday spot for year round travel, especially during ski season. Crystal features a network of 140 resorts in 14 countries worldwide. Gareth Crump, product and marketing director for Crystal Holidays, said: “France benefits from the popularity of the chalet and club hotel product and its high-altitude resorts. Austria lost out (last ski season) because its low-lying resorts suffered from poor snowfall.”

Aside from great ski destinations, Crystal Holidays offers great family holiday getaways. Crystal has stylish hotels and chalets in some of the UK’s most popular resort locations. Many of these locations offer a wide range of holiday escapes in Europe and North America; some of Crystal’s holiday packages include; lakeside locations, mountain villages, beach resorts, walking breaks, city stays, touring and much more. You can truly enjoy your holiday at your own pace with activities like hiking, biking, climbing, rafting and paragliding.

The Principality of Andorra, more commonly known as Andorra, is a highly sought-after ski destination. Nestled in the eastern Pyrenees mountains bordering Spain and France, Andorra usually provides perfect ski conditions throughout the ski season. Crystal Holidays has three resorts in Andorra; Arinsal, Pas de la Casa, and Soldeu.

Andorra’s economy relies primarily on the estimated nine-million tourists who visit each year. Due to the tourist population and immigration, there are many languages spoken in Andorra. The historic and official language of the area is Catalan. Many nationalities have immigrated to Andorra, so you’ll also hear Spanish, French and Portuguese, as well as English.

Andorra is rich in culture and home to folk dances like the contrapas and marratxa. Andorran folk music shares similarities with all of its neighbouring provinces and countries but is essentially Catalan in character.

Skiing has become a very popular seasonal getaway during the last decade; more and more people each year book ski holidays as weekend getaways and week-long holidays. Where ever you plan your 2007/2008 ski holiday, keep these great destinations in mind.

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Why Head Overseas? Check Out Alaska and Canada for Adventure Travel!

With thousands of adventures worldwide, for Americans, Alaska and Canada adventure travel beats just about anything else because of the convenience and awe-inspiring views.

For Americans, there are several advantages to traveling in Alaska and Canada. For one, since Alaska is a US state, you do not need a passport when traveling there by plane or cruise. And, until at least January 8, 2007, Americans do not need a passport when heading to Alaska and Canada for adventure travel activities.
And they speak English… sort of!

One thing that I really like about Alaska and Canada adventure travel is that even in Canada, there is not a huge difference from the United States. Canadian banking systems, hospitals and hospitality are all on par with the United States.

There is one major difference though. I hate to say it, but Canadians are, simply put, nicer and more helpful than my fellow Americans.

The thing is, though, that the same can be said for Alaskans. It must be something about the clean air and water above the 49th parallel that causes this friendliness because Alaskans are also incredibly hospitable.
So, what are some of the best Alaska and Canada adventure travel destinations?

Of course, this is not an extensive list for Alaska and Canada adventure travel but a great place to start. To get more details about each of the locations / topics below, please visit our website Odyssey Adventure Travel at:
http://www.odyssey-adventure-travel.com/alaska-canada-adventure-travel.html

Hiking / Trekking in Alaska

Anchorage, Barlett Cove, Chena River State Recreation Area, Chugach National Forest, Copper River Delta, Cordova, Dalton Highway, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Girdwood, Gustavus, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Kachemak Bay State Park, Katmai National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Kennecott / McCarthy Area, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Seward, Sitka, Skagway, Unalaska Area, Valdez, Wrangell

Hiking / Trekking in Canada

Glacier National Park, Yoho National Park, Kottenay National Park, Banff National Park, Waterton National Park

Mountain Biking Tours / Cycling in Alaska

Anchorage, Chugach National Forest, Copper River Highway, Denali Highway, Fairbanks, Gustavus, Haines, Homer, Jakolof Bay, Juneau, Kennecott / McCarthy Area, Ketchikan, Kluane to Chilkat, International Bike Relay, Nome, Skagway, Valdez

Mountain Biking Tours / Cycling in Canada
Banff — Start at Banff then over Vermillion and Sinclair Passes, head south through Kootenay National Park, north through the Columbia River Valley to Golden in Yoho National Park, then on to Lake Louise and back to Banff.
Icefields — Start at Icefields to Jasper to Banff past Sunwapta Falls, Columbia Icefields and Lake Louise
Nova Scotia — Start at Nova Scotia through Halifax, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg and Windsor

Skiing / Snowboarding in Alaska
Alyeska Ski Resort
907-754-2111

Toll Free: 1-800-880-3880

Girdwood, Alaska

Sking / Snowboarding in Canada
Banff Ski Resort
Alberta, Canada

Toll free within North America:

1-87-SKI-BANFF

Outside North America:

1-403-277-7669

Reservations & Ski Packages:

1-877-542-2633
Jasper Marmot Basin
Alberta, Canada

Email: info@skijaspercanada.com

Tel: 780-852-5247

Toll Free: 1-800-473-8135
Whistler Ski Areas
Alberta, Canada

Whistler: 604.932.3434

Toll-Free within North America:

1.800.766.0449

Toll-Free within the UK:

0800-587-1743

E-mail: Guest Relations
Mont Tremblant Ski Resort
Quebec, Canada

1-888-738-1777

(Overseas: 1-514-876-7273)

White Water Rafting in Alaska

Anchorage, Copper River Delta, Denali National Park, Kenai River, Kennecott / McCarthy Area, Kongakut River, Stikine River, Talkeetna River, Tatshenshini River, Valdez

White Water Rafting in Canada

Jacques-Cartier River, Quebec, Kicking Horse River, Rouge River, Chilco / Chilcotin River

Of course, there are hundreds of great places in Alaska and Canada for adventure travel. And I am always adding to this list so be sure to check back often.

Of course, there are hundreds of great places in Alaska and Canada for adventure travel. And I am always adding to this list so be sure to check back often.

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Moose Head Lake Inn-a Perfect Location for Vacation Rental

The Moose head Lake Inns offer luxury vacation rentals and accommodation with sophistication. Its rooms are grandly decorated and give the natural view resembling the North Woods of Maine.

Accommodation

Its luxurious Carriage House Suites offer peace, seclusion and solitude to the guests.
Its suites have gas-log fireplaces that provide comfort to the guests in winters. The suites feature queen size beds attached with the ceiling by antique Boom Chains. So, one can remember his childhood while sleeping by the gentle sways from the chains. The bed can be made stationary according to the guest requirements. Its bathrooms are slugged with Jacuzzi-style baths, walk-in shower, mirrored corners and the scene is Romanized by flicker chandeliers and candles. Some suites have a large private balcony that provides fine view of Moose head Lake.

Amenities

The inn offer all amenities to the guests like restful sitting areas with sofa and chairs, freshly pressed linens, premiere European king coil mattresses and electric blankets
The inn also provides different entertainment facilities like CD player, Cable TV and VCR. The guests are also provides different bath amenities, private baths and fluffy towels. In the room the guests are also privileged with coffee maker, hair dryer, steam iron, and air conditioner. The inns also pamper their guests with their concierge services like 24-hour complimentary guest pantry, video library, lounge, media center, guest computer, billiards table and English darts.

Breakfast and dinner

The Lodge serves its every guest with fine bed and breakfast services. Its a multi-course Breakfast that include self-serve starters like Fresh Fruit, juices, milk, coffee, tea, cereals, yogurt, assorted muffins and grain breads. The breakfast main courses for guests include lobster quiche, eggs benedict, white cheddar cheese and egg, German apple pancakes and raspberries, reggiano cheese and red onion frittatas, Belgian waffles with fresh strawberries and blueberry syrup. One can enjoy the dinner while viewing the beautiful Moose head Lake. The feast on the dinner includes seafood, clams, blueberries, potatoes and beef.  The guests can dine in the dining room, patio or pub. There are special dinner services for special occasions like New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day and other major holidays.  

Pub and massage facility

The Pub in the inns not only relaxes the mind but also provide full entertainment to the guests. The various activities include playing board games, pool and watching a movie. The guests are served up by favorite cocktail while enjoying views of Moose head Lake and the surrounding mountains. The pub offers martinis, lemon loons and some signature drinks also.

One can also spend leisure time for deep relaxation and renewal of mind and body by spa and massage. The Therapeutic massage smoothen tired muscles and provide relief from stress. The Deep Tissue massages Alleviate tension from the deep muscles and connective tissue. In the Hot Stone Massage the heated stones are placed on the body so as to relax the tightness in muscles. The Massage appointments can also be managed in the privacy of guest room or suite by making a request at the inn desk.

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Major storm expected to slam southern Utah, then head north

Major storm expected to slam southern Utah, then head north
The big snowstorm Utah skiers have been craving moved into southern Utah Monday afternoon and was expected to make its way north, leaving up to three feet of snow in mountains in both ends of the state by mid-day Tuesday.

Read more on The Salt Lake Tribune