Happy holidays! There’s nothing like celebrating the holiday season than with an incredible display of lights and what a light display it is on Dove Street in Hilton Head Island.  Bring the family or your special someone and check out the more than 50 homes that are decked out to the max with incredible Christmas lights. The annual event runs from December 1 – January 1 and you can take in the sights on a trolley, in your car or on foot. In addition to the one of a kind lights display, there is live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night starting at 7:00pm. For one of the best things to do in Hilton Head be sure to venture down to North Forest Beach and enjoy the sights!

The first thought that comes to everyone’s mind when they think of Hilton Head is the miles of beaches. Picture yourself lying on the beach, sand covering every inch of you, in your hair and in your toes. Now picture yourself the same way thousands of miles from your home, in a foreign country with not so welcoming sand in your eyes and toes. You haven’t seen your family or friends in several months. This is what the men and woman of the United States Military are faced with every day.

Thankfully, due to the generosity of many property owners on Hilton Head and Operation R & R, returning local veterans have the chance, to rest on more familiar sand. This time with their family & friends present!

Recently, a returning veteran and his family spent a week on Hilton Head. Before their departure they asked us, what they could do to let the property owner know just how much their generosity was appreciated. We suggested that a note to the owner was enough, and that we would be more than happy to pass it along. Imagine our surprise when the soldier dropped off a helmet with a special note:

“Operation R & R Thank you soooo much for a wonderful family trip on the best island (HHI). I have 27 months in Iraq under my belt and going back for another 12 months. Every weekend with my family is special to me. Thank you for this special moment.
GOD BLESS YOU!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

We were sure to get that in the mail to the owner as soon as possible. After a few days we contacted the property owners who stated they were “overwhelmed” with the gift and stated they thought it was “really great” that Hilton Head Rentals & Golf would participate in such a great program!

In these troubling times it is nice to see that the members of our Armed Forces appreciate what we do for them, as much we appreciate what the members of our Armed Forces do for us.

Hilton Head Island offers 12 miles of beautiful beaches, a warm, temperate climate most of the year, and some spectacular golf courses…all great reasons to visit. There’s even a classic red and white striped lighthouse for those infected with terminal nostalgia. But if shell hunting, golfing and tennis don’t float your boat, there’s always the new, state-of-the-art concert venue known as the Shoreline Ballroom to check out. Sitting 300 feet from the ocean, the Shoreline Ballroom located inside the newly renovated Ocean Center is 11,000 square feet of art deco opulence complete with professional lighting and a killer sound system. Table seating and dance floors lend a more personal approach than a traditional concert atmosphere.

Plan a getaway around Sunday, October 25th, and you can catch Social Distortion in concert at the Shoreline Ballroom. Social Distortion has been around since the late ’70s, laying down an earthy, energetic style with roots deeply embedded in punk. They have a mixed-genre style venturing out in all directions, from classic cowpunk to blues, rockabilly and the occasional straight-up country tune. Mike Ness leads the band with an adrenaline fueled, in-your-face guitar performance and throaty vocals. Ness relates a checkered personal history of drug abuse, death, loss and pathos through lyrics that touch on universal truths anyone can relate to. Rolling Stone likens the band’s vocal style to The Clash, circa 1977.

Social Distortion’s appeal is multi-generational, like many bands still performing after 24 years. Fans from the ’70s are still loyal, if a bit more gray, and the band has found a new audience in today’s kids. One reason fans cite for the continued popularity of the band as it evolves is consistency. They have a distinctive, if multi-hued style, and they stick to the program to deliver the sound fans have come to expect. Social Distortion can usually be found in California coast venues, and their concerts invariably sell out. So if you want to attend, get your tickets early before the 1600 seat venue sells out.

Popular Sacramento band Middle Class Rut, a band well known for its loud, raucous style and angst-filled lyrics, will be replacing Tat, the band originally scheduled to open for Social Distortion on this tour. No word on the reason for the switch, but it looks like Tat has jumped on the Warped Tour bus, so maybe that’s the answer. Middle Class Rut is relatively new on the scene, but gaining ground fast. Also performing will be L.A. band The Strangers. Tickets to the show are $27 advance and $20 at the door – if you can get them.

If you need a place to stay, the Shoreline Ballroom sits on a 53-acre oceanfront property shared by the very affordable Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort. Hilton Head Rentals & Golf boasts quite a few rentals in the area. Consider a rental in the Folly Field neighborhood that can accommodate groups from 2 to 12! Our Rentals at the Beach and Tennis Resort afford all of the amenities you’ve come to expect from a Hilton Head SC Vacation.

So… what are you doing on October 25?

As if there isn’t enough to do in Hilton Head, a new butterfly enclosure opened up at The Coastal Discovery Museum a few months ago. Now, with all the Hilton Head Island activities, there’s almost no chance a person can get bored.

There are hundreds of native butterflies fluttering all around inside the enclosure. There is so much to learn and most of it is done with a hands-on approach. Learn about the different stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and see caterpillars up close or learn ways to improve the butterfly population, which is extremely important to the environment.

The enclosure features native butterfly species in a 1,200 square foot outdoor enclosure that also contains host and nectar plants which support butterflies throughout their life cycle. Visitors can search for tiny eggs amongst the host plants, since caterpillars consume as much as 30 times their own body weight in food.

The Karen Wertheimer Butterfly Enclosure is open daily to the public and offers tours of the new exhibit. Guided tours through the enclosure, are offered at 10 a.m. on Mondays and 3 p.m. on Wednesdays through September. The costs is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 4 to 12, reservations are recommended, but not required.

Sea Oak opens on Daufuskie Island

Wow, talk about seclusion. A new retreat has been opened on Daufuskie Island that requires you to take a ferry to the island, since no cars are allowed here. This one-of-a-kind home offers the style and charm an English manor and was originally built as a clubhouse in the early 1990s. The place offers a grand room with amazing views of the ocean, coffered ceilings, two brick fireplaces, leather furniture, three dining tables which will seat 15, and a wet bar. This would be the ideal spot for a large family reunion, wedding, golf group, or corporate retreat.

There are eight spacious bedrooms, with four on each floor, and all are approximately the same size. They are all furnished with two queen beds, armoires, TVs and private baths.

But the most outstanding feature of the manor is the spectacular stretch of beach. As far as you can see in either direction the beach gently slopes down to the Atlantic Ocean. Sit and enjoy the pods of dolphins swimming by and the pelicans diving in pursuit of a nice meal.

This sounds like an amazing place to get away from reality for a bit and relax with not a care in the world.

If you didn’t get your fill of fireworks on July 4th, head on down to Shelter Cove every Tuesday throughout the summer until Aug 18 for HarbourFest’s weekly show. No matter where you view the show, you’ll be treated to something spectacular. But if you’re looking for something special, take advantage of the “Fireworks Paddle”, a guided kayak tour offered by Outside Hilton Head. The fireworks show starts Tuesday’s at sunset.

HarbourFest has become Shelter Cove Harbour’s signature summer event. This summerlong event features live entertainment seven nights a week, plus amazing food, arts and crafts, and a lots of activity. Not only is there alot to do and see, but all of the events are free and open to the public.

One of our favorite Hilton Head activities is fishing. We recently had the privilige of attending an excursion on the Captain Hook Party Fishing Boat, and we are very excited to say that the Captain Hook crew did not let us down!
Offering both deep sea and night shark fishing trips, the Captain Hook is a 70 foot fishing boat, outfitted with everything one could need for a day (or night) of deep sea fishing. There is a full galley, plenty of seating both in the sun and in the shade, and (clean!!) restrooms.
Food and drink may be purchased on board, or you can bring your own along with you. If you’re planning on fishing while visiting Hilton Head, the Captain Hook crew is waiting for you! Trips depart from Shelter Cove Habour.

The entertaining Boo Weekley, two time defending champion, will be one of the players to watch at this year’s Verizon Heritage. In the history of this tournament, Weekley is one of only three players to successfully defend their titles at this tournament. This year’s tournament is April 13 through April 19, 2009.

For those interested in attending this event and watching some exciting golf should make plans now for a Hilton Head golf vacation. There are some awesome Hilton Head rentals available right on the beach. Imagine the savings and value if you rented a home with up to seven bedrooms where you can relax on a deck overlooking the ocean and some of the best beaches on the Atlantic. Since this is one of the top 10 golf destinations in the world, don’t let the pros at the Verizon Heritage have all the fun. Take your whacks on some of the best courses in the United States with some amazing Hilton Head golf packages.

Don’t wait much longer, since this tournament is only a few weeks away.