Hilton Head Vacation

May 21, 2009 · Filed Under beach vacation, resort destination · Comment 
Hilton Head Vacation

Hilton Head Vacation

Hilton Head Island, located in South Carolina offers a breathtaking tropical-like atmosphere that stretches across 12 miles of land overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, numerous activities and attractions are offered at this exciting destination.
Whether you wish to sink your toes deep into reassuring sand or would like to enjoy an variety of outdoor sporting events, Hilton Head makes a precious location for your next vacation. Under you will find five reasons to plan a trip to this inspiring area:

Championship Golf Courses

Hilton Head have some of the best golf courses under the sun. The competition level of play attracts many important participants in the several tournaments held in the area. For example, the Harbour Town Golf Links may claim the most expensive in green fees, but allows the regular player to share the same course with professionals. This is also where the Verizon Heritage tournament is held in April.

Beaches

Hilton Head offers 12 miles of beachfront land to explore, offering easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. This is one of the reasons why Hilton Head attracts so many to this exciting destination. To enjoy the representative beach season, each year visitors flock to the area between April 1st and September 30th. A few public accesses to the beach can be found off South Forest Beach Drive, off Coligny Circle, and at the end of Beach City Road.

Discover and Appreciate the Natural Beauty

The mixture of sun, surf, and turf makes extremely inviting natural view that creates grassy dunes, lush forests, and tidal marshes. There are plenty of opportunities to discover the beautiful surroundings created by natures best. Hilton Head is considered a barrier island, which is comprised of a headland, beach, surf zone, and sand spit. This is the perfect mixture to provide a much-needed breath of fresh air.

Enjoyable Sightseeing

When visiting Hilton Head, a trip to Harbour Town makes for a great sightseeing tour related with the lap of luxury. This is where multi-million dollar yachts and homes are situated about various marinas. Famous celebrities have also bought into the land in Hilton Head, including singer-songwriter, John Mellencamp and former NBA star, Michael Jordan.

Wildlife Explorations

Hilton Head also serves as a haven for wildlife, so if you enjoy the company of animals, there will be plenty of opportunities to visit with the wild locals. Some of the residents include alligators, large water birds, deer, bobcats, mink, wild boars, the loggerhead turtle, and the bottle-nosed dolphin. To enjoy a guided nature tour and cruise, contact the Coastal Discovery Museum for excursions that visit points of nature interest, such as the Sea Pines Forest Preserve, and the Audubon-Newhall Preserve.


A Tourist Guide To Nice, France

April 7, 2009 · Filed Under europe vacation, resort destination · Comment 
Nice France

Nice France

Nice is a beautiful city on the Mediterranean side of the south coast of France. It is a great settle point to exploring the French Riviera and Provence region. It boasts fascinating historic culture and is very popular with artists.

Travelling There

If you are after exploring the Côte d’Azure (French Riviera) then Nice International Airport is the most conveniently located and easiest option. Two TGV high speed trains reach Nice each day from Paris. That journey takes a total of six hours one way. There are large roads entering the city from all areas making car and bus a good travelling option as well.

Accommodation Options

There are accommodation options to suit all budgets and requirements. However, the famous Hotel Negresco is an impressive feature on the Promenade but is quite pricey and extravagant. Hotels are generally the most expensive option where as guest houses and pensions provide cheaper letting rates.  Accommodation options are more diverse towards the train station and away from the city.

A Brief History of Nice

Settlements in Nice date back to four hundred thousand years ago. By the 10th century, the city had established itself as a trading port. In the early 20th century, Nice became popular with artists and was a favourite location for Pablo Picasso. These days it is one of France’s best loved seaside towns and is visited by thousands of tourists every year.

Sights and Attractions

Walk along the Promenade Des Anglais to capture the feel and atmosphere of the Côte d’Azur. Nice is a typical traditional French city with narrow streets, shuttered houses and baroque churches so a wander around is always a pleasant experience. As mentioned earlier, the area is famous for being a popular destination for world renowned artists so it is worth checking the galleries and museums within Nice.

Dining Options

The French have a positive reputation for food and the wine meaning that in this popular area you will have endless choices. The most expensive restaurants are found along the seafront promenade. The many bars within the town allow provide some delicious and unique French specialties. Nice is renowned for its nightlife so you will never find yourself bored and out of opions in the evening.

Shopping

The centre of the city is the main area for shopping. There are running through the week that provides an alternative to the many high street shops.


Lanai Hawaii – The Island of Lanai

Golf Lanai

Golf Lanai

Lanai Hawaii is the smallest and perhaps most exclusive island in the chain of Hawaiian Islands.  The beaches are just as gorgeous as the other islands and the palm trees offer the perfect backdrop for a romantic island getaway. When visiting Lanai Hawaii you can get to the island either by plane or by a ferry.  You can fly into Lanai from either Maui or Honolulu.  There are no direct flights from the mainland so you should take some time to visit one of the other islands first. If you take a boat to Lanai Hawaii, it will be from Maui and you may just get lucky enough to see some migrating whales along the way, particularly in the winter months. If you do not have a lot of time to visit Lanai, you could take a day trip from Maui.

Lanai Hawaii is home to a famous dive site known as Cathedrals located near Pu’u Pele rock.  The tropical fish and coral are abundant here.  Hulop’e Beach is another popular destination on the island.  Here you can usually see spinner dolphin and a variety of reef fish making this a great place for snorkeling.  The beaches here are white sand and gorgeous.  They make for a great place to relax and unwind.  Shipwreck beach is a nice place to take a stroll. It’s relatively quiet; in fact you are likely to be alone on this stretch of beach.  You may find remnants of sunken ships in the form of driftwood washed up along the shore here.  As the name implies there are several shipwrecks located just off the shore.

The island of Lanai is also home to two championship golf courses. Manele, located at Manele Bay Hotel was actually designed by Jack Nicklaus and is set amongst a gorgeous tropical backdrop complete with palm trees and ocean cliffs. Greg Norman designed the second course which is the Experience at Koele.  It has been rated the number one golf resort in the world by Conde Nast.   The course lies beneath the mountains and offers spectacular views of the neighboring islands. Lanai Hawaii is also home to the Cavendish Golf course that is a local nine-hole course.  The course is open to the public and all are welcome. There are no greens fees here (impressive) however, donations are accepted.

Horseback riding is another popular activity on the island of Lanai.  The only place to ride is at Koele.  They offer a variety of different ride options including pony rides for the kids.  One favorite ride is a trail ride that will take you on trails along the coast.  This offers breathtaking views, and if you look closely, you may be able to se Moloka’i and Maui.  This ride also includes a picnic lunch, which can make for a romantic afternoon.

One hiking destination not to be missed while in Lanai is the Koloiki Ridge Trail.  The 5-mile hike begins at the Lodge at Koele and will take you up to the Munro Trail.  The hike will offer some breath taking views of the valleys, as well as Moloka’i and Maui. The island of Lanai will offer a great variety of activities, or none at all if you wish.  It’s the perfect island for pampering and relaxation.


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