Fun Travels Across the United States

Emeline, developed and designed by Rockbridge and concepted in collaboration with Makeready, will further elevate Charleston’s culinary scene with the debut of its restaurant and bar program. Kara Czaplicki as General Manager of Restaurant and Bar Operations and Tim Morton as Executive Chef will lead the program that includes Emeline’s onsite eateries, Frannie & The Fox and Clerks Coffee Company, in addition to banquets and catering and in-room dining.

Frannie & The Fox will delight guests, visitors and locals with its wood-fired eatery serving regional ingredients with Italian sensibilities in an all-day dining experience in the heart of Emeline. The restaurant will offer effortless, sincere service and seasonal, locally sourced cuisine in an indoor and outdoor courtyard setting. Chef Morton is designing a menu that will be comprised of sharable and approachable dishes.

Clerks Coffee Company will be a vibrant dining and café experience that behaves as a natural extension of Emeline with convenient street-level access for passersby and those looking to work remote in a cozy atmosphere. Designed to be timeless with a hint of nostalgia, Clerks Coffee Company will serve Charleston-based Second State Coffee, offer breads and pastries made in-house daily and feature a soft serve gelato machine for worthwhile indulgences.

With over 13,000 square feet of new and flexible function space and 10 distinctive event spaces for a variety of group programs, gatherings with Emeline will be complete with a curated banquet and catering menu to reflect events from weddings to lunches on the run and retreats complete with interactive juice bars. Additionally, guests can enjoy the hospitable service and food from Frannie & The Fox in the comfort of their guest room. Emeline’s in-room dining menu has been thoughtfully curated to include breakfast in bed, a refreshing lunch or cozy dinner. Driving the restaurant and bar program at Emeline, Kara and Tim will use their many years of experience as the restaurants are introduced to Charleston.

Emeline is now welcoming reservations, bookable online at hotelemeline.com or by calling 843-414-1661.

About Emeline

Located in Charleston’s historic district, Emeline is a clever and thoughtfully designed retreat crafted with the curious traveler in mind charting their own course. The experienced team embodies the persona of a consummate host, always focused on the vibrant days of hospitality. Emeline’s accommodations provide a warm welcome after a busy day exploring all the notable points of interest that lie just outside its doors. This captivating refuge with 212 all king bed guest rooms, includes 128 luxury suites and 16 double king bed accommodations. Amenities include Frannie & The Fox, Clerks Coffee Company and Keep Shop. The property boasts over 13,000 sq. ft. of flexible event space and 10 total private occasion spaces, with the Hayne Street Gallery accommodating events up to 250 and for receptions up to 350 guests. Additionally, the courtyard and greenhouse, expansive outdoor spaces that are ideal settings for receptions or social gatherings. Visit www.hotelemeline.com to learn more.

Wild Dunes Resort Announces Array of New Teambuilding Activities
--- Perfect for Groups, Corporate Retreats and Family Reunions-

This year, groups searching for a chic beachfront getaway can look no further than Charleston's beloved Island Resort, Wild Dunes Resort, A Destination Hotel. Wild Dunes has launched a collection of new teambuilding activities catering to corporate retreats, family reunions, girlfriend getaways and every group in between. Artists, adventure lovers, foodies, health enthusiasts and golfers alike can enjoy quality time together steeped in Lowcountry charm and tradition with a collection of new and themed group activities and experiences.

Below is a sampling of new teambuilding offerings now available at Wild Dunes Resort:

The Adventurer:

Wild Dunes Resort is the perfect place for adventure-lovers to break out of the boardroom and enjoy some outdoor fun. Home to 1,600 acres of stunning landscape on the Atlantic Ocean, there is plenty of space for guests to enjoy Charleston’s perfect year-round weather and breathtaking surroundings. Colleagues can cruise along the Intracoastal waterway, spotting dolphins, osprey and other wildlife, with the resort’s Osprey Boat Charter. Skeet shooting is even available off the back of the boat. Three-hour charter / 8-49 participants

The Artist:

Charleston’s unique arts scene is one stepped in rich culture, history and tradition. Whether looking to observe or roll up those sleeves and learn firsthand, groups can get artsy with a number of unique workshops and tours available through Wild Dunes Resort. Popular amongst groups of all ages, the resort’s Indigo Dying Workshop gives guests the chance to learn about the history of indigo in Charleston and to try their hand at Shibori to make their own unique piece to take home. Participants can leave with either a set of napkins or scarf. One to two hours, 2-20 participants

The Foodie:

What better way for groups to build comradery and a sense of tribe than by breaking bread with one another. And where better to do it than in the culinary capitol that is Charleston. Guests can dine at one of Wild Dunes Resort’s six on site restaurants or head downtown to sample delicious Lowcountry cuisine. The resort also offers a variety of culinary experiences perfectly-designed for groups such as the Charleston Protocol Southern Experience. Groups can choose from options like a welcome reception, tea time or champagne brunch, all led by Lowcountry ladies who specialize in Charleston’s one-of-a-kind southern hospitality. One hour, 10-250 participants

The Altruist:

Groups looking to give back during their company outing or retreat will love Wild Dunes Resort’s vast array of opportunities to support the local community. Guests can choose from a variety of activities including building and restoring oyster beds, mentoring children in need and helping to fight homelessness through local partner One80 Place. In addition, groups can head to the beach and pick up trash while learning about the South Carolina’s Aquarium’s efforts related to ocean conservation during the popular SC Aquarium Beach Sweep. One and a half hours, 10-150 participants

The Health Enthusiast:

Those wishing to nurture and refresh both their body and mind during their stay can enjoy Wild Dunes Resort’s new healthy programming catering to fitness buffs, yogis or simply those looking to break away from their day-to-day office grind. A perfect escape from the norm is the resort’s Relaxation Station, where guests s can choose to partake in two of the following five stations to relax, pamper and restore: Chair Massage, Foot Reflexology, Oxygen Bar, Paraffin Hand Dip, and Eye and Lip Treatment. One hour, 10-30 participants

The Golfer:

Home to ideal weather year-round, Wild Dunes Resort’s 36 holes of championship golf on both the Links and Harbor courses offer challenging yet forgiving play for beginners and pros alike. Guests can enjoy golf on these two beautiful courses as well as a variety of golf-centric team events like a Golf Clinic, Putting Contest or nighttime Glow Golf. The resort’s courses make a great alternative to a conference room for meetings and team pow-wows, and the perfect place to get out and have some fun with colleagues, friends and family.

For more information on these activities at Wild Dunes Resort or to book a group getaway, please visit www.wilddunes.com or call 855.264.4232.

About Wild Dunes Resort, A Destination Hotel

Nestled on the northern tip of Isle of Palms, a lush barrier island off the coast of South Carolina, Wild Dunes Resort, is located 30 minutes from the charm and grace of historic downtown Charleston. The Resort occupies 1,600 acres of oceanfront paradise with a variety of accommodations ranging from the AAA Four-Diamond Rated Boardwalk Inn and the Village at Wild Dunes to private condos and luxury home vacation rentals. Offering a year-round menu of championship golf, nationally-ranked tennis, award-winning recreation, spa services and restaurant options, Wild Dunes Resort has been distinguished by many publications and associations as a top destination for families, golfers, tennis lovers, and meeting and event planners. Wild Dunes Resort will also be opening a new 153-room hotel, scheduled to be completed in January 2021. Visit Wild Dunes Resort online on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Wild Dunes Resort Announces New “Weekend in the Wild” Offerings

Wild Dunes Resort, A Destination Hotel, has announced its new “Weekend in the Wild” offerings, giving guests the chance to experience the best of Charleston’s beautiful scenery, wildlife, dining and more. Unbeatable rates starting at $99 per night. From a Birds of Prey Flight Demo to Barrier Island Eco Tours, there are endless opportunities with adventure and fun at Wild Dunes Resort. Book now and enjoy a fourth night free in a variety of vacation homes and condos, while guests looking to stay in the AAA Four Diamond rated Boardwalk Inn or Village will enjoy 20 percent off savings.

Barrier Island Eco-Tours

Available to book online

Charleston's stunning scenery and wildlife is best viewed from the water, and this Labor Day weekend guests can choose from a number of eco-adventures ranging from relaxing to adrenaline pumping. Catering to guests of all ages, popular activities include Dolphin Discovery Sunset Cruises, Blue Crabbing Excursions, Shark Fishing and Marine Biology Day Camp for the kids. Guests looking to experience authentic Charleston cuisine can even enjoy a Lowcountry Boil Beachside Cookout at Capers Island before the sun sets. For a full list of Wild Dunes Resort's Barrier Island Eco Tours, visit our website. Prices vary depending on activity.

Savor the Best Lowcountry Cuisine

Tucked inside the Boardwalk Inn lobby, Wild Dunes Resort's signature restaurant and bar, Coastal Provisions, is home to some of the Lowcountry's best craft cocktails and locally-authentic cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Executive Chef Read Wolfe creates crave-worthy dishes centered around local seafood, meat and seasonal vegetables. The "Weekend in the Wild" special is Country Fried Quail. To make reservations, visit our website or call 843.886.2200.

Visit Partners at the South Carolina Aquarium

Guests can learn about some of the resort's most fascinating ocean neighbors like sharks, sea turtles, fish, otters, alligators, crabs and more with a trip downtown to the South Carolina Aquarium. Sea turtle lovers can also book the resort's two-night SC Aquarium Family Sea Turtle Package, catering to families of four. Guests will be treated to a private behind the scenes tour with the aquarium staff, along with "Tipsy Turtle" drink vouchers for the parents and a special sea turtle welcome amenity for the kids. For more information or to book this package, visit our website or call 855.318.6099.

For more information on Wild Dunes Resort or to book a Labor Day weekend getaway, please visit www.wilddunes.com or call 866.349.4983.

About Wild Dunes Resort, A Destination Hotel

Nestled on the northern tip of Isle of Palms, a lush barrier island off the coast of South Carolina, Wild Dunes Resort, is located 30 minutes from the charm and grace of historic downtown Charleston. The Resort occupies 1,600 acres of oceanfront paradise with a variety of accommodations ranging from the AAA Four-Diamond Rated Boardwalk Inn and the Village at Wild Dunes to private condos and luxury home vacation rentals. Offering a year-round menu of championship golf, nationally-ranked tennis, award-winning recreation, spa services and restaurant options, Wild Dunes Resort has been distinguished by many publications and associations as a top destination for families, golfers, tennis lovers, and meeting and event planners. Visit Wild Dunes Resort online on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

What to See & Do

Gibbes Museum of Art Launches New Virtual Exhibition

The Gibbes Museum of Art has launched A Souvenir of Charleston, a new virtual exhibition now on view in the Gibbes’ mobile app. The collection features several works depicting Charleston, one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The Gibbes has launched the virtual exhibition as a way to continue their mission of enhancing lives through art during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Known for its historic architecture, idyllic landscapes and complicated history, Charleston attracts over seven million visitors annually. Artists throughout the years have found inspiration in the Holy City's steepled skyline, its beautiful gardens and sunny coastline. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel to explore the city's sights is limited, so the Gibbes has curated a collection of views of Charleston that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.

About the Gibbes Museum of Art

Home to the Carolina Art Association, established in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art is recognized among the oldest arts organizations in the United States. Housing one of the foremost collections of American Art from the 18th century to the present, the museum’s mission is to enhance lives through art by engaging people of every background and experience with art and artists of enduring quality and by providing opportunities to learn, to discover, to enjoy and to be inspired by the creative process. For more information, visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.

The Charleston Area Golf Experience

More than 200 years ago, Charleston was the site of America's first golf club. This heritage of golfing excellence is evident today. Guests have convenient access to more than 19 championship courses, created by legendary architects including Arnold Palmer, Rees Jones, Gary Player, Arthur Hills, Tom Fazio, Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The area also offers plenty of year-round activity off the course. They range from historic tours and attractions to inshore and offshore fishing and award-winning dining, as well as a year-round calendar of festivals and events.

For reservations or more information on these packages and others available in the area, please visit www.charlestongolfguide.com or call 800-774-4444.

The mission of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. For more information, visit www.explorecharleston.com explorecharleston.com

Charleston Heritage Federation Events

About Charleston Heritage Federation

Charleston Heritage Federation is the united voice of numerous historic landmarks, museums, plantations and houses in the Charleston area. A mission-driven organization focused on educating, preserving and telling the authentic story through experiences, Charleston Heritage Federation prides itself on capturing the essence of the city's rich history while fostering a deeper understanding of the Lowcountry. Members of Charleston Heritage Federation include Avery Research Center for African American History & Culture, Charleston Library Society, The Charleston Museum, Drayton Hall, Gibbes Museum of Art, Historic

About the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

The mission of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. For more information, visit www.explorecharleston.com.

Favored Lowcountry Links: Top Four Best-Value Courses In The Charleston Area

Home to optimal year-round weather, breathtaking scenery and more than 19 courses designed by world-class architects, the Charleston area remains a favored destination for golfers of all skill levels. While high season golf is often associated with high greens fees, many premier Charleston area courses offer exceptional play at special rates. Please see below for a list of the Charleston area’s top four best-value courses, favorites among locals and visitors alike for a fun fall day on the links.

1. Legend Oaks Golf Club

Located on the site of a former rice plantation, Legend Oaks Golf Club was designed by Scott W. Pool and is surrounded by the natural beauty of 300-year-old majestic live oak trees and a host of Lowcountry wildlife. (7,011 yards, par 72)
www.legendoaksgolf.com
843-832-0808
1068 Beach Hill Rd., Summerville, SC

Rates begin at $42/person- weekend, carted 18

2. Shadowmoss Plantation Golf Club

Carved from an original Charleston Plantation, Shadowmoss Plantation Golf Club was designed by Russell Breeden and offers gorgeous natural surroundings, generous fairways and immaculate Champion Bermuda greens. (6,701 yards, par 72)
www.shadowmossgolf.com
843-556-8251
20 Dunvegan Dr., Charleston, SC

Rates begin at $46/person, carted 18 holes

3. Pine Forest Country Club
Nestled among the Carolina Pines of historic Summerville and designed by Robert Spence and Ken Killian, Pine Forest Country Club’s 12th hole, fittingly named “Little Augusta,” features one of the narrowest greens in the world at only seven yards in the center and 12 yards wide. (6,905 yards, par 72)
www.pineforestcountryclub.com
843-851-1193
1000 Congressional Blvd., Summerville, SC

Rates begin at $38/person, carted 18 holes

4. The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation

Course architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan designed the 27-hole Golf Club at Wescott Plantation on one of the Lowcountry’s oldest plantations, featuring wide fairways and immensely undulating greens. (7,100 yards)
www.wescottgolf.com
843-871-2135
5000 Wescott Club Drive, Summerville, SC

Rates begin at $45/person- weekend, carted 18

For reservations or more information on the Charleston area’s golf courses, please visit www.charlestongolfguide.com or call 800-774-4444.

Charleston & Resort Islands Golf
More than 200 years ago, Charleston was the site of America’s first golf club. This heritage of golfing excellence is evident today. Guests have convenient access to more than 19 championship courses, created by legendary architects including Arnold Palmer, Rees Jones, Gary Player, Arthur Hills, Tom Fazio, Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The area also offers plenty of year-round activity off the course. They range from historic tours and attractions to inshore and offshore fishing and award-winning dining, as well as a year-round calendar of festivals and events. For reservations or more information on these packages and others available in the area, please visit www.charlestongolfguide.com or call 800-774-4444.

The mission of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. For more information, visit explorecharleston.com

The Mount Pleasant Visitor Center

is a 5600 sq. foot facility opened July, 4 2009. This Lowcountry inspired center houses the visitor center as well as a hall able to seat 150 people and boasts an impressive catering kitchen. With views to the river and the park, this a perfect space for receptions and meetings of all types. Contact John Willson 843-958-3621 for more information.

Founders Hall

on the grounds of Charles Towne Landing, provides space for large receptions and meetings and invites guests and attendees to relax on a large screen porch while soaking up the Lowcountry atmosphere. Website www.foundershallcharleston.com

The Charleston Museum--

Hands on History Workshops for ages five and up, Yoga, Clay Creations, Diamond Del’s Gem Mining Experience and Doll Daze.

Additionally, Kid Tours are available the first Wednesday of every month. Each program will consist of a discussion and a craft project or activity. The whole family can join in the fun with special Saturday programs dedicated to educating and exciting families about different aspects of history. Upcoming themes include: Pirates of Charleston, History Girl Party, A Country Fair at The Charleston Museum and Around the World. For more, visit www.charlestonmuseum.org or call 843.722.2996.

Dungannon Heritage Preserve

Dungannon Heritage Preserve hosts amazing flowers, a productive wood stork rookery, & other beautiful sights. Join CCPRC & SCDNR staff for a day dedicated to birds & blooms. Pre-registration required. A registered & paid chaperone is required for participants ages 15 & under.
Meets at: Caw Caw Interpretive Center Age: 12 & up

Old Slave Mart Museum Opens

The Old Slave Mart Museum (www.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/osm.htm) is open!Drawing upon the most contemporary scholarship, exemplary historical interpretation and rich collections which have been inaccessible for some time, the museum, located at 6 Chalmers Street, recounts the story of Charleston’s role as an urban slave-trading center during the domestic slave trade.

While many Americans are familiar with the trans-Atlantic slave trade between the 15th and early 19th centuries, many are not aware that the United States constitution, ratified in 1780, contained a provision that led to a ban on the importation of African slaves after 1808, 53 years before the Civil War. It was this vacuum in the increasing demand for labor that the domestic slave trade, in part, filled.

This interstate trade was a hugely profitable economy organized by local and regional slave traders and dealers within the United States who, between 1789 and 1861, forcibly relocated approximately 1 million American-born slaves from the upper South to the lower South. During that same period, over two million African-American slaves were sold in local, interstate and state-ordered sales combined. The Old Slave Mart Museum focuses on the history of this particular building and site and the slave sales that occurred there.

The Old Slave Mart was once part of a complex of buildings known as Ryan’s Mart that occupied the land between Chalmers and Queen Streets. The complex consisted of a yard enclosed by a brick wall and contained three additional buildings: a four-story brick building partially containing a “barracoon” or slave jail, a kitchen, and a “dead house” or morgue. The Slave Mart building is the only structure remaining from this complex.

Slave auctions at the Old Slave Mart ended in November 1863, and the property changed hands many times after the Civil War, and between 1938 and 1987 the building, which by then had come to be known locally as “The Old Slave Mart”, housed a museum featuring African American and –later, African - arts and crafts.

The Old Slave Mart Museum’s permanent exhibition is divided into two main areas. In the orientation area, visitors will be provided with an introduction to the domestic slave trade within the greater historical context of slavery in the United States as well an overview of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. An architectural side-bar tells the story of the building, using visual and archival documentation of the site’s changing footprint and function over time.

The orientation area also explains the systems as well as the mechanics of domestic slave trade operations and the major social, political, and economic impact that trade had on American antebellum society. Exhibit elements explain how the trade became a force for modernizing South Carolina; how it strengthened Charleston’s financial, social, and political networks within the state; and how it extended the city’s influence throughout the upper South, the lower South, and the emerging West.

In the main exhibit area visitors will also get a closer look at the daily process of slave sales at Ryan’s Mart from the perspectives of a number of its historically documented buyers, traders, and enslaved African Americans. This section explains this antebellum slave market’s role within Charleston’s larger, but concentrated, slave-trading district.

The Old Slave Mart Museum’s permanent exhibit also speaks to the stories, the contributions and the legacies of those who shaped the outcome of the domestic slave trade. Various narratives are presented in different media (personal letters, oral histories, documents, audio, video and artifacts) to provide visitors a sense of the “real people” who passed through Ryan’s Mart, where they lived and how visitors can find their various legacies today. A final element in this section directs visitors to other sites in the Lowcountry where they can follow up on these stories and see the contributions of individuals whose stories are found at the Old Slave Mart Museum.

This permanent exhibition was curated by Nichole Green, Director of the Old Slave Mart Museum, designed and fabricated by Rowland Design, Inc. of Louisville, KY and MurphyCatton, Inc. of Walton, KY, respectively. The project team also included museum consultant, Deborah L. Mack, Ph.D. and text writer, Toni Wynn. Curator, Elaine Nichols; archivist, Harlan Greene; and historians, Bernard E. Powers, Jr., Edmund L. Drago, Ph.D., Steven Deyle, Ph.D. served as advisors.

In its upstairs gallery, the Old Slave Mart Museum features a portion of Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery, an enlightening exhibition that offers an inspiring look at the cultural, political, economic and social practices enslaved Africans developed while enduring the dehumanizing conditions of slavery. Lest We Forget is an exhibition created by The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, in conjunction with the UNESCO Slave Route Project.

The exhibit features eighteen of the original thirty-one full-color panels that reflect the experience of slavery through topics including slave labor and slave systems in the Americas, the struggle against slavery and its abolition, and the triumph over slavery. Lest We Forget was curated by Howard Dodson, Director of the Schomburg Center.

Both exhibitions are highlighted with artifacts from the Old Slave Mart Museum’s Rebecca R. Hollingsworth collection as well pieces from the personal collections of local sweetgrass basket artist, Jeanette Gaillard-Lee and blacksmith, Phillip Simmons.

The Old Slave Mart Museum -www.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/osm.htm - is open from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., Monday through Saturday. The museum will be closed on Thanksgiving day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Sundays.

For More Information contact (843) 724-3746. NOTE: Registration is required for all programs and some special events. Please call (843) 795-4FUN or visit www.ccprc.com to register for programs and events.*

Daniel Island

has again been recognized as one of America’s 100 Best Master-Planned Communities by Where to Retire magazine. On Daniel Island, more than 400 acres are dedicated to a network of parks and open greenspace, and 12 miles of trails (with more to come) link parks and neighborhoods with downtown Daniel Island shops restaurants and conveniences. Additionally, Golfweek has named Daniel Island’s Ralston Creek “One of the Nation’s Best New Golf Courses” and dubs it a “Lowcountry version of St. Andrews.” www.danielisland.com.

Wentworth Mansion

Make it five in a row for the Wentworth Mansion. The luxurious historic Charleston hotel scored its fifth diamond from AAA’s prestigious Diamond Rating System for the fifth consecutive year. The only hotel in downtown Charleston to earn the honor, the 21-room Wentworth Mansion is in the company of 99 other properties who received the ranking, just 0.27 percent of the 60,000 Diamond Rated lodgings and restaurants throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Located in the heart of historic downtown Charleston, S.C., the Wentworth Mansion is a 21-room, AAA Five Diamond luxury hotel that offers guests a taste of Southern hospitality in an intimate setting. Elegant rooms and expansive suites feature gas-lit fireplaces with their original marble mantels, king-size sleigh beds with European linens, inlaid design floors, whirlpool tubs and double, glass-walled walk-in showers. Guests can relax at the Spa at the Wentworth Mansion enjoy a 360- degree view of the city from the hotel's rooftop cupola or dine on sophisticated Southern cuisine with a twist at Circa 1886, the AAA Four Diamond restaurant located on the hotel grounds. For more information, please visit www.wentworthmansion.com.

Naval Base Memorial

at Riverfront Park in North Charleston has been unveiled. The site on the Cooper River is adjacent to the northern boundary of the former Navy Shipyard offers stunning views. To the south, in the foreground, one can see the piers of the old shipyard and Naval Station. In the distance is the beautiful Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge connecting Charleston to Mount Pleasant. Looking to the north is the expanse of North Charleston’s new Riverfront park with pathways leading to the future site of the recovered and restored Confederate Submarine H.L. Hunley. Within Memorial Park are the pavilion rises from the earth in a graceful shape reminiscent of the bow of a ship. The Pavilion wall is segmented into 5 historical periods, i.e., Early Years, WWI, WWII, Korean/Vietnam/Cold War and Base Closure, each containing period photos. To learn more, please visit: www.northcharleston.org/memorialpark.aspx

Museum Mile --

already exists as almost precisely a mile-long stretch that features stops at the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, the Charleston Museum, the Gibbes Museum of Art, the South Carolina Historical Society, the Old Slave Mart Museum, the Washington Light Infantry and more. For updated information on this ongoing project, continue to check www.charlestoncvb.

Drayton Hall

recently acquired 43.8 acres of marshland that will be forever protected thanks to the Historic Ricefields Association (HRA). The marsh parcels are located on the west bank of the Ashley River and down-river from Drayton Hall. The Ashley River Region, named one of the “11 Most Endangered Places in America” by the National Trust, is made up of a diverse habitat. For more information, please visit www.draytonhall.org.

USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

The elite fighter jet Hornet is on the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. One of the most impressive and feared fighter jets in military history is now on display on the flight deck. Hornet becomes the second new museum aircraft to join the Patriots Point air wing in less than a year. The single seat Hornet last served as part of the Flying Gators, squadron VMFA-142 stationed at Naval Air Station Atlanta, where aircraft and crew served in the Marine Corp Reserve Hornet squadron. In 2005, the Flying Gators became the first fixed wing Marine Reserve unit activated to combat since the Korean War, flying missions in Iraq. In addition to the priceless collection of vintage aircraft in Yortown’s hangar bay, Hornet joins an impressive roster of modern jet aircraft on the carrier flight deck including the F-14 Tomcat, S-3 Viking, A-7 Corsair and A-6 Intruder. Learn more at www.patriotspoint.org.

Carolina FoodPros

Carolina FoodPros, led by local food expert, Amanda Dew Manning, and her culinary team will host special holiday culinary walking tours that are sure to please chocolate enthusiasts’ taste buds. Indulge yourself in chocolate lover’s dream as you go behind the scenes to meet pastry chefs, bakers and Chocolatiers. Discover why chocolate has played such a significant role throughout history. Taste some of the world’s best chocolate and comfort your soul with a sampling of decadent chocolate desserts at some of Charleston’s finest restaurants, bakeries and specialty shops. Register online at www.carolinafoodpros.com or call 1.800.979.3370.

Folly Beach Fishing Pier

Fishermen can cast their lines off the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier. After almost six months of extensive renovations, the fishing pier is open with new railings, windows, building exterior, gift shop facility, public restrooms, and Locklear’s Beach City Grill were renovated.

For more information please call the Park and Program Service Center of the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission at (843) 795-4FUN.

Charleston County Waterparks --open daily

Splash Zone at James Island County Park
Splash Island at Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park
Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark at North Charleston Wannamaker County Park
Visit splashparks.com or call 795-4FUN (4386) for waterpark hours and rates.

The Footlight Players

located on Queen Street in Downtown Charleston, have announced their new season. Productions include: Biloxi Blues, Puttin’ on the Ritz, Inspecting Carol, Match, Sordid Lives, La Cage Aux Folles, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Autobahn and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. For tickets and more information, visit www.footlightplayers.net or call 843.722.7521.

South Carolina Aquarium's Camp Carolina

is the South Carolina Aquarium’s new exhibit. Grab your gear and prepare for an outdoor adventure! Explore the wilderness of the mountains in a whole new way - Barn owls, skunks, freshwater fish, snakes and even a bald eagle will be on hand for this adventure in nature. For more visit www.scaquarium.org or call 843.577.3474.

Pegasus Charters

announced its newest charter boat - THRILLER Charleston is a 55 foot Coast Guard inspected 43 passenger vessel that will be offering harbor tours covering 25 miles of South Carolina coastline. THRILLER is operating daily out of Ripley Light Marina and is available for private charter. For more, contact Barbara Fox at bjfox@foxrose.com or call 843.276.4203.

Folbot Has Created a New Boat for Urban Dwellers --

The U.S. folding kayak manufacturer, Folbot, has created a new model that is perfectly suited for urban dwellers. The Citibot, the lightest weight boat in the 75-year old company’s line of quality kayaks, has been unveiled. The Citibot weighs 24 pounds and is designed to fit easily in the relatively confined spaces like apartments and condos, while still providing a quality kayak paddling experience. The Citibot can be assembled in 10 minutes once paddlers arrive at their favorite launch site. Folbot has built dependable kayaks in North Charleston, SC since 1953. To learn more, visit www.folbot.com or call 800.533.5099.

Where to Eat

Rita's Seaside Grille-- Next to Folly Beach -- With a New Breakfast Menu

Located steps away from the beach and the Folly Fishing Pier, Rita's Seaside Grille provides a memorable dining experience for visitors and locals alike. Known for its high standards in hospitality, casual American cuisine, house smoked BBQ and an unforgettable oceanside dining experience, Rita's is owned and operated by the Hall Family of Halls Chophouse downtown, offering the same exceptional hospitality and service.

Guests have their option of dining indoors in a comfortable, beach-themed environment, accented with hanging surfboards, nautical-themed decor and numberous TVs. If dining al fresco, they can enjoy a casual and inviting dog-friendly patio, complete with live music in the spring and summer, and outdoor TV to watch the big game while soaking up the sun.

Executive Chef Antonia Krenza serves up a winning selection of seaside eats, perfect for pre or post-beach time. The Grill is open for brunch, lunch and dinner, offering everything from bacon and eggs to its famous burger, award-winning Rita's Chili, signature nachos, delicious BBQ, sandwiches and fresh seafood. Diners also have a full bar, featuring Rita's famous drinks. The catering service offers full-service event planning and catering packages, creating custom menus for groups. Options include smokin' Barbeque, a Lowcountry Boil or traditional Oyster Roast, perfect for tailgate parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, anniversaries or birthdays. Pick-up or delivery service is available as well as full-service catering.

Families and friends can wake up with a number of mouthwatering items such as Crab Cake Benedict, Chef’s Quiche of the Day and Fried Chicken and Pancakes. Kids will love the Mini Rita’s Breakfast or Captain Crunch French Toast, tailored especially for lil’ ones looking to fuel up before a day spent at the ocean. Adults can indulge in various thirst-quenching cocktails sure to relax and rejuvenate including $3 Mimosas and unique Bloody Marys available in flavors such as Prickly Pickle and Pecan Bourbon served with a Maple-Bacon Rim.

About Rita’s Seaside Grille

Located steps away from the beach and the Folly Fishing Pier, Rita’s Seaside Grille provides a memorable dining experience for visitors and locals alike. Known for its high standards in hospitality, casual American cuisine, house smoked BBQ and an unforgettable oceanside dining experience, Rita’s is owned and operated by the Hall Family of Halls Chophouse downtown, offering the same exceptional hospitality and service.

Location: On Folly Beach at 2 Center Street. Pay parking is available.

Hours: Lunch daily from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Dinner everyday from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Reservations: Available by phone at 843-588-2525. Walk-ins are welcome. Private events can be reserved for indoor or outdoor on the patio. All credit cards are accepted.

For more information go to web site www.ritasseasidegrill.com

Restoration on King’s Culinary Experience package--

brings the restaurant to your room with a sophisticated level of epicurean room service. Sixteen suites featuring exposed brick walls and original wood flooring blend classic character with contemporary style, while chef-grade kitchens allow for a unique in-room dining experience—a five-course dinner prepared in-suite by one of Charleston’s noted chefs. A cooking lesson at Charleston Cooks Center and a gourmet breakfast round out this special package. Positioned on the corner of one of Charleston's most famous streets, this beautifully restored boutique property combines the exemplary service and comfort of a hotel with the luxurious amenities of a fully furnished apartment.

Circa 1886

features sustainable seafood, organic beef, Tupelo honey and antelope loin are just a few of the ingredients listed on the new streamlined seasonal menu at Circa 1886. Chef Marc Collins is offering an eclectic mix of cuisine inspired by turn of the century Charleston fare. Whet your appetite at www.circa1886.com.

Hall’s Chophouse

is a new upscale family-run restaurant on Upper King Street. The menu is mouthwatering and atmosphere is inviting. Currently serving dinner and will begin a lunch and brunch service soon. Visit the website to learn more. www.hallschophouse.com

Fish Restaurant

has launched its printemps dinner menu. Executive Chef Nico Romo’s inspiration for the menu comes from Provence, a region of his native France. Chef Nico also continues to find delicious inspiration from an array of local growers. Arugula and radishes from Rita’s Roots on Wadmalaw Island, goat cheese from Split Creek Farm in Anderson and Bibb lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers from Moncks Corner. Highlights from the new menu include petite plates: spring rolls with dried fruit, goat cheese and honey, ginger glaze, lamb meatballs with Swiss cheese and mint and much more. To learn more, visit www.fishrestaurant.net or call 843.722.FISH.

Girls Gone Gourmet,--

offered by the Fulton Lane Inn, is a great way to walk, talk and taste your way through Charleston. Wake up to breakfast in bed. Stroll across the peninsula with a culinary walking tour that makes stops at local eateries, markets, bakeries and restaurants. Learn to prepare beloved local recipes with a contemporary twist during a two-hour cooking class with Chef Marc Collins of Circa 1886. Indulge in an old-fashioned gab session over cocktails at Bin 152, the hot neighborhood wine bar.

The Dining Room at Woodlands

For the twelfth consecutive year, AAA has bestowed upon The Dining Room at Woodlands the prestigious Five Diamond Award, the only South Carolina restaurant to receive that designation from the nation’s largest travel organization. In addition, Woodlands for the eleventh consecutive year received a Five Diamond rating for its luxurious accommodations. Woodlands Resort & Inn is an immaculately restored 1906 classic revival mansion set amidst 42 acres of parkland grounds. The resort is just minutes from Charleston in the charming village of Summerville. www.woodlandsinn.com

Andrew Pinckney Inn’s Charleston Culinary Adventure--

gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the Lowcountry’s rich food heritage. The leisurely-paced two-hour Savor the Flavors walking tour visits culinary landmarks, where guests sample fare synonymous with the area, including benne wafers and grits. Drinking tea is a tradition-steeped ritual for Charlestonians, and a tour of the Charleston Tea Plantation, the nation’s only commercial tea farm, offers an organic look at the commodity that in part sparked the American Revolution. This package also includes dinner at one of Maverick Southern Kitchens’ three area restaurants, breakfast served on the inn’s rooftop terrace overlooking the historic City Market, freshly baked cookies at tea time and a gift basket with Charleston Tea and cheese straws. andrewpinckneyinn.com.

Reasons to road trip, outdoor adventures, romantic retreats, epicurean experiences and family fun are some of the package themes offered throughout the Charleston area. Pair your passion with a travel package and save money on your next trip to the destination. From time-sensitive deals to unique opportunities, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s website is an up-to-date clearinghouse of travel package deals. Visit ExploreCharleston.com

EDISTO BEACH

What to See & Do

Edisto Beach is South Carolina's best-kept secret

Edisto is the ultimate vacation destination. Come rent a beach cottage, throw a cast net for shrimp, dip your toes in the surf, or build a sandcastle. Experience the perfect combination of oceanfront beaches, saltwater marshes and Lowcountry oaks draped in Spanish moss. A year-round temperate climate provides for excellent outdoor recreational opportunities. Our coastal waters are filled with fish, shrimp, crabs and oysters. Take a leisurely bike ride, hike a nature trail, or kayak in a tidal creek. Beach walks and golf are yet another popular pastime for that perfect day on Edisto.

Enjoy local seafood in the restaurants and look for unique items in gift shops. Historic sites are prevalent on the Island and the picturesque roads beg for a drive. Here, there's a rich cultural heritage in which you can share. Boat and land tours are available. The lifestyle is casual and slow pace and are a welcome break from the rush of everyday life.

For your most memorable vacation, or your premier choice for destination weddings, come to where the rivers meet the ocean, let your cares drift away, and let these great lifetime experiences become your memories of a lifetime.

Stop by the Chamber office, 42 Station Court, for information about this area. You may also call 888-333-2781 or 843-869-3867.

Latest Events

Edisto Beach State Park Monthly Programs
There are daily activities and programs going on at our beautiful State Park. Check out the latest calendar at: https://southcarolinaparks.com/edisto-beach/programs-and-events

GREENVILLE

Halls Chophouse

Charleston's premier steakhouse, Halls Chophouse, has opened its second location in the existing High Cotton Greenville space on Main Street on the bank of the Reedy River. Halls Chophouse Greenville will be led by Owner Bill Hall, a veteran in the hospitality and dining industry, along with his family, wife Jeanne and sons Billy and Tommy. Joining Halls Chophouse in January as General Manager is Matthew Blakeley, who brings 15 years of steakhouse experience to the team. Additionally, Pam Falvey has also been named the assistant general manager, having worked previously at Del Frisco‚s steakhouse in Dallas and Nantucket Seafood in Greenville.

Since the 2009 opening of Halls Chophouse in Charleston, the Hall Family has been steadfast in their commitment to operate their flagship steakhouse with dedicated precision and a finely-tuned penchant for impeccable hospitality. Halls Chophouse has received national acclaim and numerous awards, including recently being named the #5 Best Restaurant in the U.S. by TripAdvisor‚s 2015 Traveler's Choice Awards and #4 Best Restaurant in the U.S. 2016 by OpenTable. The Hall Family plans to apply the same principles of unsurpassed service and exquisitely-prepared cuisine refined over seven years to the forthcoming Halls Chophouse Greenville.

Offering wet and dry-aged USDA Prime and Choice Beef as well as locally-sourced fish, poultry, vegetarian and gluten-free options, the Halls Chophouse Greenville menu will feature expertly-crafted dishes that highlight the essence of culinary creativity and distinguished flavor. Like its renowned flagship restaurant, Halls Chophouse Greenville will be a destination for relaxing and enjoying an exceptional meal along with live entertainment offered nightly. The Hall Family will have a regular presence in the Greenville location, offering the same personalized experience and attentive hospitality to ensure guest‚s expectations are met with every visit.

Located at 550 S. Main Street in downtown Greenville, Halls Chophouse will be open for dinner seven nights a week, serving until 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on the weekends. The bar will be open until 2am daily.

For more information, please visit www.hallschophouse.com.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Where to Stay

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island Offering the Appealing “Free ‘4 20 Package”: A Perfect Choice for a Winter or Spring Getaway

Planning a winter or spring getaway? Look no further than Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, which is the perfect destination for couples and families, as it offers a diverse array of recreational options in a breathtaking setting. Recently voted the “No. 1 island in the continental U.S.” for the fourth year in a row in Travel + Leisure magazine’s prestigious “World’s Best Awards 2019,” the destination also was voted the “No. 1 Island in the U.S.” in Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s acclaimed “2019 Readers’ Choice Awards,” and the “#1 Beach Town in the South” by the readers of Southern Living magazine.

A great way to experience the destination is by taking advantage of the appealing “Free ‘4 20 Package” that is being offered by the AAA Four Diamond-rated Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island. Situated along the coast of the picturesque island, this lush beachfront resort provides gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean, access to miles of pristine white-sand beach, a wealth of on-site amenities of great appeal to families and couples, and an ideal location close to the array of recreational options on the scenic island.

In addition to accommodations in a spacious guestroom with luxurious bedding and a private balcony, the “Free ‘4 20 Package” provides the Best Available Rate (for a minimum of 2 nights), and you are able to pick your preference of 1 of 4 Free options. Choices include: free valet parking each day; waived $22 resort fee, each day; buffet breakfast-for-two one morning in the resort’s Heywards Restaurant; or one 20-minute Tension Relieving Massage in the resort’s full-service Arum Spa. With a two-night minimum stay required, the package starts at just $159 per night (plus taxes and service charge) in February 2020; or from $199 per night (plus taxes and service charge) in March 2020. Note that the pricing is based on the dates of the stay and room type selected.

Amenities at the 11-acre resort include a zero-entry lagoon swimming pool, heated shade pool and hot tub, the full-service spa, 24-hour fitness center, Pearls Market gift shop, concierge services and five on-site restaurants and bars. Dining options at the resort include the signature Heyward’s Restaurant, serving delicious Lowcountry-inspired cuisine for lunch and dinner; and the casual indoor/outdoor Seacrest Terrace and Patio, overlooking the pool and grounds.

Recreational options on the eco-friendly island include bicycle rentals with 50 miles of paths for bicycling and hiking along the shore; world-class golf on 24 golf courses; tennis on 20 courts at the adjacent Van Der Meer Tennis Academy; kayaking and paddle boarding on some of the best beaches in the country; inshore, offshore and deep-sea charter fishing; waterskiing and wakeboarding; boat rentals; and dolphin tours.

In addition, the resort provides complimentary shuttle service around Shipyard Plantation, and a complimentary trolley to the popular Coligny Plaza shopping district, which features more than 60 specialty shops and restaurants within walking distance of the beach.

“The ‘Free ‘4 20 Package’ is a great offer that enables you to choose the perk that will work best for you and enjoy the amenities at the resort and many recreational options on the island. So, whether you want to stroll on the soft white-sand beach, read by one of the resort’s pools, enjoy a relaxing service at the spa, or enjoy the many recreational options on the island, Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island is a terrific choice for a getaway, as there is something to please virtually everyone,” said Jay Wiendl, general manager of the resort.

For more information, or reservations, visit Sonesta.com/HiltonHeadIsland , specifically bit.ly/hiltonheadoffers. Or, call the resort at 843.842.2400 or Sonesta reservations toll-free at 1.800.SONESTA (766-3782).

About Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island is a AAA approved Four Diamond resort offering 340 guestrooms and suites many of which overlook lushly landscaped semitropical gardens, with spectacular beach and lagoon-style swimming pool. Its first-class amenities include several dining options, a day spa and fitness center. Complimentary transportation is provided to and from the world-class golf and tennis offerings available within Hilton Head’s Shipyard complex. The resort is situated 45 miles from Savannah, GA, and seven miles from Hilton Head Island airport, in an area surrounded by outdoor recreation, shopping and fine dining.

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island’s “Family Fun Package” Could Be Just What You Are Seeking

If you and the kids have not made plans yet, you should consider taking advantage of Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island’s “Family Fun Package.” Nestled along the coast of South Carolina’s picturesque Hilton Head Island, this lush AAA Four Diamond-rated beachfront resort provides gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean, access to miles of pristine white-sand beach, a wealth of on-site amenities of great appeal to families, and an ideal location close to the array of recreational options on the scenic island.

In addition to accommodations in a spacious guestroom with luxurious bedding and a private balcony, the “Family Fun Package” includes a $50 food & beverage credit and a $50 leisure activities credit to use during your visit. The leisure activities credit may be used for bike rentals or other on-property leisure activities. With a two-night minimum stay required, the package starts at just $229 per night (plus taxes and service charge) in March 2020; or from $289 per night (plus taxes and service charges) in April 2020. Note that the pricing is based on the dates of the stay and room type selected.

Amenities at the 11-acre resort include a zero-entry lagoon swimming pool, heated shade pool and hot tub, full-service Arum Spa, 24-hour fitness center, Pearls Market gift shop, concierge services and five on-site restaurants and bars. Dining options at the resort include the signature Heyward’s Restaurant, serving delicious Lowcountry-inspired cuisine for lunch and dinner; and the casual indoor/outdoor Seacrest Terrace and Patio, overlooking the pool and grounds.

At Arum Spa you can enjoy a variety of specialized massages, indulgent body treatments, luxurious facials, and signature nail services in a relaxing ambiance that engages the senses. Available treatments include the Arum Signature Massage, Hydrating Indulgence Wrap, Arum Sensory Journey, Revitalize Hot Stone Massage, Tropical Escape Sugar Rub and the Regenerator Facial.

Add in the diverse array of recreational choices available on Hilton Head Island, and it is easy to see why the destination was recently voted the “No. 1 island in the continental U.S.” for the fourth year in a row in Travel + Leisure magazine’s prestigious “World’s Best Awards 2019”; the “No. 1 Island in the U.S.” in Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s acclaimed “2019 Readers’ Choice Awards”; and the “#1 Beach Town in the South” by the readers of Southern Living magazine.

Options on the eco-friendly island include bicycle rentals with 50 miles of paths for bicycling and hiking along the shore; world-class golf on 24 golf courses; tennis on 20 courts at the adjacent Van Der Meer Tennis Academy; kayaking and paddle boarding on some of the best beaches in the country; inshore, offshore and deep-sea charter fishing; waterskiing and wakeboarding; boat rentals; and dolphin tours.

In addition, the resort provides complimentary shuttle service around Shipyard Plantation, and a complimentary trolley to the popular Coligny Plaza shopping district, which features more than 60 specialty shops and restaurants within walking distance of the beach.

For more information, or reservations, visit bit.ly/hiltonheadoffers. Or, call the resort at 843.842.2400 or Sonesta reservations toll-free at 1.800.SONESTA (766-3782).

About Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island is a AAA approved Four Diamond resort offering 340 guestrooms and suites many of which overlook lushly landscaped semitropical gardens, with spectacular beach and lagoon-style swimming pool. Its first-class amenities include several dining options, a day spa and fitness center. Complimentary transportation is provided to and from the world-class golf and tennis offerings available within Hilton Head’s Shipyard complex. The resort is situated 45 miles from Savannah, GA, and seven miles from Hilton Head Island airport, in an area surrounded by outdoor recreation, shopping and fine dining.

KIAWAH ISLAND

WILD DUNES RESORT

Wild Dunes Resort has announced that its newest hotel , curr ently under construction and set to open in Spring 2021, will be named Sweetgrass Inn. Rooted in cult u re and intrinsically tied to Wild Dunes Resort's island setting, the Sweetgrass Inn is inspired by the native sweetgrass that peppers the Lowcountry’s barrier islands.

“We were inspired by the sweetgrass that anchors the dunes of the Lowcountry’s barrier islands, including the Isle of Palms,” says Frank Fredericks, managing director at Wild Dunes Resort. “Sweetgrass provides stability, preserves history and fosters life. The Sweetgrass Inn will continue to bind the new and old, representing growth and beckoning guests to step into natural simplicity.”

The hotel’s named spaces are also inspired by Lowcountry fauna and history. The lobby bar, Oystercatcher, is named for the native bird found across Lowcountry Islands. The 8,000 square-foot grand ballroom and terrace space, Osprey Ballroom & Terrace is named for one of the Lowcountry’s most recognizable birds, and the Avocet Boardroom is named for the birds that form habitats in the Lowcountry’s shallow wetlands. The 6,000 square-foot Indigo Room & Rooftop, which offers outstanding ocean views, is named for the crop grown in early South Carolina to produce blue dye for use in the textile industry.

“Sweetgrass Inn will double Wild Dunes Resort’s meeting and event space, making the resort the premier destination for groups in the Lowcountry,” says Fredericks. “Plus, with the addition of a new spa, pool deck, fitness center and more state-of-the-art amenities, there will be even more for the whole family to enjoy at Wild Dunes Resort.”

With 153 spacious guestrooms, Sweetgrass Inn will feature state-of-the-art amenities that will deliver an exceptional stay. An expanded outdoor pool deck with a freestanding bar and restaurant, The Jetty, will allow for fun and relaxation in the heart of the Resort. Located adjacent to the existing Palm Cove pool, this area will be the perfect spot for families to gather for swimming, eating and fun. The Sweetgrass Spa & Wellness will offer a 10,000 square-foot destination spa with 14 treatment rooms and relaxing lounge space. The Resort’s current fitness center in the Village will be replaced with a new 2,750 square-foot state-of-the art fitness center.

Sweetgrass Inn will also include a brand new, designated Resort entrance and welcome center, allowing for a more customized and guest-friendly arrival experience. Currently, the entire Wild Dunes Resort community shares one arrival entrance and gate.

To learn more about Sweetgrass Inn, visit www.destinationhotels.com.

ABOUT SWEETGRASS INN

Sweetgrass Inn, Wild Dunes Resort’s new 153-room hotel in the South Carolina Lowcountry, is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2021. Currently under construction, Sweetgrass Inn will encompass four acres and will feature state-of-the-art amenities including 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, an 8,000 square-foot grand ballroom with pre-function and terrace event space, a 3,000 square-foot rooftop ballroom with a 6,000 square-foot terrace featuring stunning ocean views, a lobby lounge, expanded pools with jacuzzies, a kids splash pad, poolside restaurant and bar, a 10,000 square-foot luxurious spa and salon with 14-treatment rooms, a top-notch 2,750 square-foot fitness center, retail space and more.

What to See & Do

Plan your summer visit for sand, sun and surf

This time of year, families, friends and couples are making plans to visit the unique, picturesque islands & beaches of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Whether you’re looking for peace and relaxation or exhilarating fun on the water, the Lowcountry coast offers countless ways for you and your family to enjoy time together.

In Beaufort County, beachgoers have their choice of three pristine beaches: Fripp Island, Harbor Island and Hunting Island, all known for their mouthwatering seafood restaurants, quaint shops and some of the most breathtaking shores on the Atlantic coast.

Fripp Island features 3 miles of beautiful beaches amidst 3,000 acres of natural wonderland, and has two top-ranked golf courses that avid golfers return to play each year.

Harbor Island is a private, 1400-acre barrier island abounding with wildlife and 3 miles of pure, untamed sandy beaches waiting to be explored.

Hunting Island is another popular spot for those wanting to get back to nature. The expansive island is home to Hunting Island State Park, which boasts 5,000 acres and 3 miles of natural beach that Loggerhead turtles return to year after year to nest. If you’re up for a climb, the Hunting Island Lighthouse is the place to go for stunning views of the Atlantic seacoast.

Daufuskie Island—the state’s southernmost barrier island—is accessible by water only. The 30-minute ferry or boat ride over is worth it, though, to enjoy the 3.5 miles of beautiful beachfront and take in the island’s rich history.

Edisto Island offers beachgoers a serene experience, with 4.5 miles of family-oriented, gently developed beaches; a charming town filled with palm-lined streets and one-of-a-kind shops; and an array of slower-paced activities that bring back fond memories of days gone by.

Hilton Head Island—perhaps the most well-known of the Lowcountry beaches—is a bustling spot with more than a dozen public beaches for visitors to enjoy. Alder Lane Beach is a great choice for a beautiful bike ride along the coast. Dreissen Beach features a beachside playground and boardwalk. Folly Field Beach, one of the northernmost beaches on the island, is a surfers paradise. For a more private experience, Fish Haul Creek Park Beach, located on Port Royal Sound, is just the ticket.

For more information visit the web site to stay up to date with the latest information on Covid-19 and its effects on travel to the Lowcountry.

Kick the summer fun up a notch with some of the many interactive learning experiences available in the Lowcountry.

The Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island is home to some of the island’s oldest buildings and holds 68 acres that are ripe for exploring. On the vast property, visitors can enjoy the museum’s array of exhibits, talks, tours and more, including off-site activities that will introduce you to different ecosystems, historic sites and cultural experiences.

Daufuskie Island is steeped in a rich history, and the Billie Burn Museum is the perfect place to travel back in time and learn all about it. Stop by and pick up some helpful maps and a little background about the island and its trails and tour offerings before setting out to explore.

Located in the heart of downtown Ridgeland in a historic Sinclair Service Station, the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage features a variety of educational programs and changing exhibits that inspire love for and encourage the preservation of the area’s history, culture and spirit. The center will reopen on June 9.

Another educational gem is the Colleton Museum located in the Historic District of downtown Walterboro. The museum features a large collection highlighting the area’s history, art and culture, from prehistoric times to early-20th century, as well as rotating art collections that change each month.

In Okatie, be sure to stop by the Port Royal Sound Foundation's Maritime Center for discoveries with their 3,000-gallon aquarium. experiences such as story time, feedings and talks from local experts, and connections with stories of the surrounding land and water. Reopening June 2.

If you’ve got your heart set on visiting Edisto Island, make plans to visit the island’s well-known Edisto Island Serpentarium, a reptile sanctuary housing nearly 20 adult alligators, a variety of turtle species and a vast array of both non-venomous and venomous snakes. Here students and visitors can learn more about the beauty and benefits of our cool, scaly neighbors and interact with some of the critters in person.

Sharing the beach—tips for being turtle-friendly

Every summer, thousands of families and individuals visit the Lowcountry coastline. During these peak vacation months, however, thousands of loggerhead sea turtles are also coming to shore to lay their eggs. Artificial lights near the beach can disorient the turtles during nesting, as well as the hatchlings once they’re born, causing them to head toward the artificial light source instead of the ocean. To help ensure the turtles are able to navigate our shores and their hatchlings can safely make their way back to the water, we must all do our part to share the beach. That means: -

- Not using lights on the beach at night, or using turtle-friendly lights instead
--Turning off outside patio lights and blocking indoor lights from shining onto the beach at night
--Leaving sea turtle nests and tracks undisturbed
--Removing all trash and belongings from the beach at the end of the day

Spring is here—and with it, one of the most magical times to visit South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

The season’s warm breezes beckon the Carolina Wren’s rich musical song and saturate the coastal air with sweet notes of newly budding Dogwood flowers and Yellow Jessamine. Lowcountry critters begin to stir from their winter cover and settle into their warm-weather abodes. And our area’s state parks and wildlife refuges—full of wildlife and untamed beauty that will leave you breathless—are ripe for exploring.

As you map out your spring getaway, keep the natural wonderlands of the Lowcountry top of mind:

The beautiful (and free!) four-mile driving tour through the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in Jasper and Beaufort counties, offers stunning views of old rice fields and timeless landscapes that are home to a wide array of wildlife, including alligators, birds, deer and ducks.

The Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge in Colleton County holds 12,000 acres of rich bottomland hardwoods and marshes that are home to a variety of waterfowl, fish, shellfish and more. Located right off I-95 in Colleton County is the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary, a striking 600-acre sanctuary located in the heart of historic Walterboro, SC, featuring a network of boardwalks, trails and waterways perfect for hiking, biking and canoeing while taking in the sanctuary’s diverse wildlife population, from turkey, deer and racoons to beavers, otters, foxes and alligators—and even minks and wildcats.

Just outside of Hampton you’ll find Lake Warren State Park, which features 400 acres of floodplain forest, lush wetlands and stunning woodlands teeming with area wildlife—alligators, deer, armadillos, snakes and turtles, among others—and offers the full gamut of outdoor activities: hiking one of the three nature trails, boating the 200-acre lake or fishing the two-acre pond on site.

For more signature water activities, additional Lowcountry hotspots worth checking out include:
Hunting Island State Park, which boasts five miles of campable pristine beaches and 5,000 acres of beach, marsh and maritime forest abounding with wildlife. Colleton State Park, a “paddler’s paradise” featuring 23 miles of blackwater river with easy access to Givhans Ferry State Park and the ever-flowing, black-water Edisto River. Edisto State Park, one of just four oceanfront state parks, with more than 1,200 acres and 1.5 miles of beach waiting to be explored. While you’re there, be sure to check out the Environmental Learning Center for interactive exhibits, sea life and more

Discover the best of the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina with our 2020 guidebook—visit our web site today to get your free copy.

As you make plans to visit South Carolina’s Lowcountry, add these one-of-a-kind eateries to your itinerary:

Breakwater Restaurant & Bar (Beaufort, SC)—Their modern take on Southern cuisine has put them at the top of the Lowcountry restaurant scene, earning them OpenTable’s Diners’ Choice Awards from 2012 to 2018. Diners’ favorites include the beef tenderloin stroganoff, braised beef short rib and grilled duroc pork chop.
Corner Perk (Port Royal)—More than just a coffeehouse, Corner Perk serves up an array of scrumptious brunch items, like their popular chicken pesto paninis and cranberry pecan chicken salad. This coffee & brunch bistro was voted “Best Coffee Shop” in the Lowcountry for six years running, “Best of Bluffton” (Bluffton Today), Monthly Readers’ Choice Awards and The Island Packet’s Readers Choice Awards, and was featured in Jesse Blanco’s Eat It & Like It.
Dukes Barbeque (Walterboro)—Home to an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring mouthwatering Southern BBQ and down-home cooking delights you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
Eats & Sweets Bakery & Cafe (Ridgeland)—A go-to hotspot for all things sweet and savory, from sugary favorites like their honey butter croissants and gourmet chocolates to tasty lunch specials like their popular French dip sandwich.
Fletcher’s Cafe & Catering (Yemassee)—A hidden gem known for their Squash Puppies (Photo above) and finger-licking good Southern dishes.
Gwen & Franny’s Fried Chicken (Hardeeville)—Lowcountry Southern fried chicken at its best: “I'm from NYC and I wish to god I lived across the street from this spot.” —Yelp reviewer
Lucy Bell's Cafe (Daufuskie Landing)—Go for their popular fried green tomatoes and deviled crab. You won't be disappointed.
Old Oyster Factory (Hilton Head Island)—One of the island’s finest waterfront dining spots, voted one of OpenTable’s "Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants" and "Top 50 Kid Friendly Restaurants in America," by OpenTable, and known for their raw oysters, pecan-crusted grouper and lemon beurre blanc.
Skull Creek Boathouse (Hilton Head Island)—Voted “Best All-Around Restaurant,” “Best Buffet,” and “Best Happy Hour” in 2017 Island Packet Reader’s Choice Awards. Known for their shrimp scampi linguini, grilled filet mignon and pimento cheese grits.
The Old Post Office Restaurant (Edisto)—An island favorite famous for their delicious grits and full-bodied wine list, and voted by LocalEats® as a Local Favorite.

South Carolina’s Lowcountry is steeped in rich history, and the Penn Center—tucked in the heart of the Sea Islands—is the premiere site to learn all about it. Formerly known as the Penn School, the Penn Center was established in 1862 as the first school for former slaves. Today it’s one of the most prominent African-American historical and cultural institutions in the country, with a 50-acre National Historic Landmark District offering:
   History, art and culture presentations
   Interactive exhibits and activities
   Museum tours and guided tours of the historic grounds

Order a free visitor guide from Lowcountry & Resort Islands Tourism Commission | PO BOX 615, YEMASSEE, SC 29945

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust (DHPT),

the privately funded nonprofit responsible for the operation, administration and interpretation of Drayton Hall, a National Trust historic site, recently opened its new orientation hall, education center and corresponding facilities for visitation on May 1, 2018. The project was undertaken to enrich the visitor experience and enable the organization, for the first time, to display its collection of historic artifacts.

A new welcome area now greets visitors with an interactive orientation hall to mark the start of their unforgettable journey. A visitor center shares the site’s rich and complex history while Drayton Hall’s priceless collection of objects and artifacts—many of them not found anywhere else—are now publicly displayed and interpreted on site.

Key features of the project include:

The Sally Reahard Visitor Center, with its welcome area, museum shop and orientation hall, includes gallery space where Drayton Hall’s internationally significant furniture, artwork, manuscripts and archaeological finds are on exhibit for the first time, illuminating daily life at the estate;

The Interpretive Gardens include historically accurate botanical plantings evoking the Drayton family’s scientific pursuits and international connections during the 18th and 19th centuries;

Expanded parking, convenient restroom facilities, improved wayfinding, accessibility and more.

ABOUT DRAYTON HALL PRESERVATION TRUST
The Drayton Hall Preservation Trust is a privately funded nonprofit organization responsible for the operation and administration of Drayton Hall, a National Trust historic site. Drayton Hall’s main house is an icon of colonial American architecture and identity. The oldest unrestored plantation house in America still open to the public, it is the nation’s earliest example of fully executed Palladian architecture. Its African American cemetery is one of the oldest in the nation, documented and still in use. Surrounded by live oaks and bordered by the historic Ashley River, Drayton Hall offers daily guided house tours and programs, customized private tours, and educational programs that bring to life the history of the site and the stories of its people for visitors of all ages. Drayton Hall is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Years Eve and Day. <http://www.draytonhall.org>www.draytonhall.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places. www.savingplaces.org.

LOWCOUNTRY

Great things are happening in the Lowcountry

Local Events
All events are subject to change, please check their Websites for more details.

Ridgeland
June 10th - 13th

Festivals & Events

Walterboro

Colleton State Park’s Paddle with a Ranger Program!

June 15, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
July 2, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
July 15, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
August 6, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
August 17, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
September 3, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
October 1, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
November 5, 2021, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM

For more information all 843-538-8206.

Beaufort

June 11th - 12th

Edisto
Watersports & Tackle’s Shark Tournament
June 12th
Annual shark tournament weigh in from 3:30-6:30pm.

For more information call: 843-869-0663

Watersports and Tackle King Mackerel Tournament
June 19th
Bring your friends and family to weigh in from 3:00-5:00pm. For more information call Watersports at: 843-869-0663.

Beaufort Water Festival Golf Tournament
June 12th & 13th
WHERE: Ocean Point Course and Ocean Creek Course, Fripp Island, SC 29920
WHEN: Saturday, June 12th and Sunday 13th‹

TIME: 8:00 AM check-in; 9:00 AM shotgun start‹

Beaufort
June 17th, July 15th

LIVE After 5 every third Thursday of the month is Downtown Beaufort’s newest recurring monthly party with live music, local artists, late night shopping and drink & food specials. The Third Thursday of each month, 5-8pm, rain or shine
Location: Downtown Beaufort, SC @ 5pm Free entertainment sponsored by Activate Beaufort – Featured Entertainment by: Wayne Grabenbauer and Southbound 17
The perfect day does exist when visiting Downtown Beaufort, South Carolina!”

Hilton Head Island

Edisto Beach
June 19th
Turtlefest 2021 at Edisto Beach State Park
For more information call 843-869-4430.

Walterboro
June 19th
Join us for a day of fun at the <"https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x6Z-qa9uNumkDp57pdioWIbBlooI1_gICvWGuXaB9HyIXyTD0xmq5fDJCX8wWR7chnONgjZTGsbSs5WhmotiUKaXm4HJN9Vv6qVAflXh00UOp_7wz8s2Q84NAdzpdL_9YNW8KdgVUIiZQO2y8OIvxYq1yFcci2nHwyjdIFdAB9KYxXDJ0v5SdA==&c=XHhdOh_PkWdpWVyyrj9TTKC5fKF6rpaMNGa>Palmetto Brick Expo. Come see amazing works of LEGO art from some of the best builders in the Carolinas and beyond. There will be cool stuff to buy and build zones to play in. There will also be some great raffles. Admission to enter is free, but we do ask for donations which will go directly to Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society.

Beaufort
June 26th
Beaufort Water Festival
Corn Hole Tournament

EVENT DETAILS:
Cost: $60 per team Competitive | $30 per team Recreational
Same Day Registration starts at 4:00 pm | Play Starts at 5:00 pm

Ridgeland
June 11th
Book Club with the Morris Center: The Water is Wide
In partnership with the Pat Conroy Literary Center, this edition of the Morris Center’s Book Club will look at the 1972 memoir of Conroy’s experiences of teaching on Daufuskie Island. Participants will discuss the lasting impact of the novel and how its legacy connects to the Seasons of Daufuskie exhibition.
This program will occur onsite at the Morris Center. To ensure the safety of all our visitors and staff, please preregister for this limited capacity event. The event will also be available virtually through Facebook Live.
REGISTER

Beaufort
June 13th
Bring a comfy chair or blankets, snacks or supper, and your beverage of choice as we gather on the USCB Center for the Arts lawn to enjoy some fabulous local talent. Cost is $10/person (12 & up).

Hilton Head Island
June 23rd - August 22nd
Writer Catherine Johnson’s sunny, funny tale unfolds on a Greek Island paradise. On the verge of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover her father’s identity brings three very different men from her mother’s past back to the island they had last visited twenty years ago.The storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship... and everyone's having the time of their lives

Lowcountry & Resort Islands Tourism Commission | PO BOX 615, YEMASSEE, SC 29945

South of Charleston. North of Savannah. Just near Heaven.
Take Aim or Cast a Line

That first hint of fall in the air, the first sign of the leaves turning and you know it is hunting season in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Our area private plantations and lodges in Hampton and Jasper counties are ready to welcome your hunting party for a custom experience while wildlife management areas offer great options on regulated public lands.
Cooler water temperatures make fall one of the best times of the year to fish in the Lowcountry. Cast from a pier, bring your own boat or enjoy professional guidance from a seasoned charter captain. Opportunities are abundant for inshore, offshore and lakes. In saltwater, look to reel in mullet, redfish and tarpon. Venture to our lakes for bream, bass and crappie.

Local wildlife management areas

BLUFFTON • BEAUFORT CO.
Victoria Bluff Wildlife Management Area, 803-625-3569

EDISTO ISLAND • COLLETON CO.
Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area, 843-844-8497

GREEN POND • COLLETON CO.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, 843-844-8957

Donnelly Wildlife Management Area, 843-844-8957

HAMPTON • HAMPTON CO.
Webb Wildlife Management Area, 803-625-3569

GRAYS • JASPER CO.
Cypress Creek Wildlife Management Area, 843-726-6775

TILLMAN • JASPER CO.
Tillman Sand Ridge Wildlife Management Area, 843-546-8119

TURTLE ISLAND • JASPER CO.
Turtle Island Wildlife Management Area, 803-625-3569

Local fishing resources
Lakes: Lake George Warren State Park & Webb Wildlife Center
Charters in Beaufort and Colleton counties
Boat Ramps
Fishing Piers
Let Us Be Your Guide

Look to local experts to help you make the most of the South Carolina Lowcountry experience. Guided tours provide fascinating stories and insider details that you just can’t get from a brochure. Climb aboard a carriage tour or lace up for a walking tour along quaint streets. Grab your camera for a photo safari or focus on the local ecosystems with a kayak tour.

From ghost tales in Beaufort and Port Royal to a river excursion in Bluffton, from a golf cart option on Daufuskie Island to trawling for shrimp off Edisto Island the adventures seem endless. Retrace Civil War steps in Estill and discover more sights to see in Hampton County. Hilton Head Island offers tours by land, sea or air, while Walterboro, Ridgeland and Hardeeville deliver fun by bike or city hike.

For more ideas on fun ways to enjoy the South Carolina Lowcountry, check out our Blog.

Those who visit our welcome center in Yemassee are sometimes greeted by more than our friendly (living) staff. Some report feeling a ghostly presence in the house that was burned in 1865 and rebuilt in 1868. A few have even claimed to see a small girl on the stairs. Stop by and see for yourself.

Celebrations & Free Visitors Guide

Are you ready to fall in love with South Carolina’s Lowcountry? Request a copy of our its visitors guide. Contact Lowcountry & Resort Islands Tourism Commission | PO BOX 615, YEMASSEE, SC 29945

Festivals Galore in Low Country

In the Lowcountry check out the three annual shrimp festivals in Yemassee, Edisto and Beaufort... as well as the Hardeeville's Catfish Festival... In downtown Yemassee there will be a Parade, Battle of the Shrimp, Mud Run, Talent Show, Street Dances featuring live music from The Tams, Arts & Crafts, Beauty Pageant and more.

What's Happening?

Ongoing

Edisto Beach~ Arts & Crafts Market
Wednesdays, 9 am-5 pm

Port Royal~ Lowcountry Master Gardeners
Lunch & Learn Series
Saturdays, noon

Hilton Head Island~ Free Family Golf Night every Mondays, 4-8 pm

For more information contact the Lowcountry & Resort Islands Tourism Commission | PO BOX 615 | YEMASSEE | SC | 29945

MURRELLS INLET

Brookgreen Gardens Opens Bruce Munro at Brookgreen: Southern Light

Brookgreen Gardens, South Carolina’s premier botanical garden, is excited to announce the opening of Bruce Munro at Brookgreen: Southern Light, an immersive light art installation throughout Brookgreen’s outdoor garden spaces. The installation is now on display, with enhanced COVID-19 safety procedures, Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Bruce Munro at Brookgreen: Southern Light consists of seven works of art in light and mixed media, each designed specifically for the natural garden spaces where they are installed. Brookgreen’s exhibit is the only opportunity to see Munro’s work in the eastern United States in 2020. The following illuminated installations consist of tens of thousands of components and are placed throughout the sculpture gardens and arboretum:

1. Field of Light - 11,700 stems of light in softly moving colors covering the Arboretum.
2. Fireflies - 600 sprigs, flourishing in Oak Allée.
3. Time and Again - 37 stainless steel “lilies” in Pegasus Field.
4. Okonjima Choral Society - 2,000 ‘frogs’ singing in unison behind the garden wall at the Brenda S. Rosen Carolina Terrace.
5. Hive – installation composed of 1,448 bee-inspired hexagonal elements in the Bell Tower.
6. Reflections – 4 mesmerizing sound and light digital projections in the arcade between the Welcome Center and Keepsakes.
7. Water-Towers - 10 towers illuminated by fiber optics and choreographed sound in the grassy area adjacent to The Visionaries sculpture.

Due to COVID-19, Brookgreen Gardens has enacted safety protocols to ensure the safety of all visitors. All guests are asked to wear face masks during their visit. To enter the exhibit, guests should line up in the indicated area near the Welcome Center. Brookgreen will be staggering entry to the exhibit and asking everyone to keep 6 feet away from those not in their party. Several areas in the exhibit will have one-way only traffic. Guests should stay on walkways and follow the indicated directions. To walk through the exhibit a second time, return to the entry line to begin again.

Tickets already purchased can be used at any date during the exhibition. For more information about this event, visit http://bit.ly/2udwoIl. For images of the installations, visit https://bit.ly/2SZoLP5.

About Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is located on U.S. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and is open to the public daily. Founded in 1931 by Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer Huntington, Brookgreen is home to the largest and most significant collection of American Figurative Sculpture in the county, and is a leader in sculpture conservation, environmental conservation, and the protection of the plants, animals, and history of the South Carolina Lowcountry. For more information, call 843-235-6000.

About Bruce Munro

British artist Bruce Munro (b. 1959) is best known for large immersive light-based installations inspired primarily by his interest in shared human experience and connection. He completed a B.A. in Fine Arts at Bristol Polytechnic in 1982. Shortly thereafter he moved to Sydney where he took up employment in design and lighting, inspired by Australia’s natural light and landscape. Returning to England in 1992, he settled in Wiltshire, where he raised 4 children with his wife. Following his father’s death in 1999, Munro felt compelled to resume artmaking on a personal level. His work has been shown at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Waddesdon Manor, the Rothschild Collection, Buckinghamshire; and the Guggenheim Museum, New York. It is held in museum collections internationally including the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. www.brucemunro.co.uk

MYRTLE BEACH

What to See & Do

Myrtle Beach is within a half-day’s drive of population centers like Washington D.C., Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta. Moreover, Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) is conveniently located to all Seaside properties. Serviced by Delta, Continental, Spirit Airlines and US Airways, it features daily, nonstop flights to over 25 destinations including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Newark and Chicago.

All lodging options provide easy access to dining, shopping, beaches and other area attractions on the world-famous Grand Strand.

For additional information and reservations: Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts, 888.571.4104

About Mystical Golf

The Witch sits on 500 acres of tranquil cypress groves and wetlands teeming with flora and fauna. Tactical play is rewarded on the par-71, 6,702-yard layout. With 4,000 feet of bridges wending through swamps (front nine) and rolling hills (back nine), golfers may spy cranes, bald eagles, alligators and black bears.

Man-O-War is revered for its back-to-back island greens and water features touching every hole. With a commanding 141 slope rating, the par-72, 6,967-yard layout is offset by straight-forward shots and excellent, bent-grass greens.

Reminiscent of classic, wind-swept links courses in Scotland and Ireland, The Wizard presents deep bunkers, mound-framed fairways and dramatic elevation changes. Trademark stone bridges and an Old-World, castle-style clubhouse add character to the par-72, 6,721-yard shot-maker’s course.

The Witch, Man-O-War and The Wizard are in the heart of Myrtle Beach and within 15 minutes of Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), beaches, accommodations, restaurants and other attractions. A short distance from I-95 and other major thoroughfares, Mystical Golf courses are easily accessible. More than two dozen cities – including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Washington – offer direct flights.

Mystical Golf – offering "Myrtle Beach’s finest 54 holes of golf” – announces this year, 2016, marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of its acclaimed Man-O-War and Wizard courses.

Since joining Mystical Golf’s first course – The Witch, which debuted in 1989 – Man-O-War and The Wizard have formed a trifecta continually lauded by customers and major golf media. Designed by Dan Maples, the trio have been consistently recognized among Myrtle Beach’s “five best courses” and “best values.”

The Witch and Man-O-War courses were recently ranked in the “Top 15 Courses in South Carolina” in Golf Channel’s Golf Advisor rater reviews for 2015. Man-O-War’s 15th hole ranks among GOLF Magazine’s “Five Most Memorable Island Greens” alongside No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass, the “Alcatraz” hole at PGA West’s Stadium Course and Coeur d’Alene Resort’s movable, floating putting surface. The Wizard has earned an exceptional 4-1/2 stars from Golf Digest.

Perfect to enjoy playing at Mystical Golf during the summer until Sept.7, the three-day Gold Package starts at $99 (per person, per day, taxes included). Features include three rounds with cart on each of the much-admired Mystical Golf layouts (plus one complimentary round), three nights’ lodging in well-appointed three-bedroom villa (four beds), free iHOP breakfast daily (available 24 hours per day), and a gratis steak dinner at Logan’s Roadhouse (includes non-alcoholic beverages, taxes).

Additional package extras include two free beers and lunch at the course each day, complimentary daily range balls, instant replay round for cart fee only, and $15 gift card toward a golf shirt. Extra night stays are available at a moderate cost per person.

Offered during the same time span, the Silver Package starts at $89 (per person, per day, taxes included) and features all the highlights of the Gold Package except the complimentary round, daily breakfast and steak dinner. Both stay-and-plays offer one complimentary golfer for booked groups of 20 or more players.

Mystical Golf’s three layouts are highlighted by wonderfully fun elements including the only back-to-back island greens in the game (Man-O-War), a front nine of dramatic holes weaving through secluded swampland teeming with wildlife (The Witch), and a splendid layout reminiscent of Scotland and Ireland’s classic courses complete with authentic sod-faced bunkering and castle-style clubhouse (The Wizard).

For Mystical Golf information: www.mysticalgolf.com, 843.282.2977.

Ripley's Aquarium

I didn't want to visit Ripley's Aquarium, but my partner talked me into it -- and I'm glad he did. While there, I learned a lot of fun facts about the inhabitants - such as -- Lionfish have poisonous, needle-like spines and can be dangerous to humans; Porkfish are good cleaners and can be seen eating tiny parasites off other fish; Moray eels are nocturnal and usually only come out at night - maybe because they have extremely poor vision and rely on their sense of smell for feeding - and many more facts.

The Aquarium, built in 1997, has one of the largest (86,000 square feet) acquariums I've ever seen where visitors are completely submerged in the aquatic environment . It was truly fascintating to be here surrounded by so many species of fish - which, of course, were enclosed in water while we stayed nice and dry! There are dozens of interesting exhibits to explore, each with large viewing windows, in addition to a multi-experience, interactive Sea-For-Yourself Discovery Center, where all ages can learn about sea life through a variety of exhibits. The Classroom, complete with laboratory equipment, was interesting to see, and special events are offered year round. Try the themed multi-level restaurant looking onto the fascinating Dangerous Reef exhibit. Before leaving, visit the gift shop for a wide range of entertaining and educational merchandise reflecting the natural beauty of the seas and its many creatures.

Location: 1110 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577; 643-916-0888

Where to Stay

About Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts

Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts is a collection of six oceanfront and ocean view condo-hotels in North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Avista Resort, Prince Resort, Horizon at 77th, Grande Shores, Seaside and the Towers at North Myrtle Beach all provide the comforts of full-service resort hotels with the space and luxury of condominiums.

Each property features modern décor that reflects a coastal lifestyle and breathtaking views of the pristine northern region of the world-famous Grand Strand. Elegant yet affordable, units are spacious one to three bedrooms with fully-equipped kitchens, washer / dryer, and private balconies. Most hotels have fitness centers, an array of indoor and outdoor pools, on-site dining and access to world-class beaches.

For more information go to web site myrtlebeachseasideresorts.com

PORT ROYAL

more soon

ST. HELENA ISLAND

more soon

Fun Travels Across the United States

SOUTH CAROLINA

NEWS (Note: Cities & Towns Follow After the News)

BEAUFORT

more soon

CHARLESTON

Where to Stay

Food and Beverage Veterans to Lead Restaurant Program at Emeline

About Emeline

Wild Dunes Resort Announces Array of New Teambuilding Activities --- Perfect for Groups, Corporate Retreats and Family Reunions-

Wild Dunes Resort Announces New “Weekend in the Wild” Offerings

What to See & Do

Gibbes Museum of Art Launches New Virtual Exhibition

The Charleston Area Golf Experience

Charleston Heritage Federation Events

About Charleston Heritage Federation

About the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Favored Lowcountry Links: Top Four Best-Value Courses In The Charleston Area

The Mount Pleasant Visitor Center

Founders Hall

The Charleston Museum--

Dungannon Heritage Preserve

Old Slave Mart Museum Opens

Daniel Island

Wentworth Mansion

Naval Base Memorial

Museum Mile --

Drayton Hall

USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

Carolina FoodPros

Folly Beach Fishing Pier

Charleston County Waterparks --open daily

The Footlight Players

South Carolina Aquarium's Camp Carolina

Pegasus Charters

Folbot Has Created a New Boat for Urban Dwellers --

Where to Eat

Rita's Seaside Grille-- Next to Folly Beach -- With a New Breakfast Menu

Restoration on King’s Culinary Experience package--

Circa 1886

Hall’s Chophouse

Fish Restaurant

Girls Gone Gourmet,--

The Dining Room at Woodlands

Andrew Pinckney Inn’s Charleston Culinary Adventure--

EDISTO BEACH

What to See & Do

Edisto Beach is South Carolina's best-kept secret

GREENVILLE

Halls Chophouse

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Where to Stay

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island Offering the Appealing “Free ‘4 20 Package”: A Perfect Choice for a Winter or Spring Getaway

About Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island’s “Family Fun Package” Could Be Just What You Are Seeking

KIAWAH ISLAND

WILD DUNES RESORT

What to See & Do

Plan your summer visit for sand, sun and surf

Spring is here—and with it, one of the most magical times to visit South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust (DHPT),

LOWCOUNTRY

Great things are happening in the Lowcountry

South of Charleston. North of Savannah. Just near Heaven. Take Aim or Cast a Line

Festivals Galore in Low Country

For more information contact the Lowcountry & Resort Islands Tourism Commission | PO BOX 615 | YEMASSEE | SC | 29945

MURRELLS INLET

Brookgreen Gardens Opens Bruce Munro at Brookgreen: Southern Light

MYRTLE BEACH

What to See & Do

About Mystical Golf

Ripley's Aquarium

Where to Stay

About Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts

PORT ROYAL

more soon

ST. HELENA ISLAND

more soon

Wild Dunes Resort Announces Array of New Teambuilding Activities
--- Perfect for Groups, Corporate Retreats and Family Reunions-

South of Charleston. North of Savannah. Just near Heaven.
Take Aim or Cast a Line