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!

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.

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.

Come stay with Hilton Head Rentals & Golf during the Annual Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival. Events include the Hilton Head/Savannah Historics Track Day on October 30-31, the Sports Classic and Car Auction and the Car Club Jamboree on November 1, and the main event, the Concours d’Elegance on November 2nd.

The Hilton Head/Savannah Historics Track Day is being hosted this year at the newly reopened Hutchinson Island track. This two-day event offers everything for the avid show car fan including exhibition laps at high speeds, autocross and Gymkhana courses and rides in the latest and greatest sports car models.

The Hilton Head Sports & Classic Car Auction is presented by Worldwide Auctioneers. The sports and classic car auction will showcase many of the finest Pre-War American and European Classics, American and European Sports cars, Exotic cars and American muscle cars.

The Car Club Jamboree will feature a number of car clubs from throughout the United States. The car clubs will select their best to compete for awards such as Best of Show, Chairman’s Choice and the Top Twenty. Over 150 Muscle cars, hot rods and European show cars will occupy the field.

The final event on November 2nd, Concours d’Elegance competition day will feature more than 150 vintage cars competing for the coveted ‘Best-of-Show’ and ‘People’s Choice’ titles.

We offer a large selection of luxury vacation homes to suite your needs for this annual event on Hilton Head Island.

Join the Hilton Head Kiwanis Club for the 24th Annual Chili Cook-Off on October 11, 2008 from Noon to 4PM. This popular fall event has allowed local cooks to showcase their spicy concoctions. Visitors are invited to approximately 40 delicious recipes, while being entertained by local musicians, such as local artists Low Country Boil and Southwind. During the public cook-off, festival visitors may cast a vote for their favorite chili, and the Chili Appreciation Society International will hold a second competition that will be evaluated by official judges. Admission price includes chili, and drinks are an additional charge. Anti-acids are provided by Burkes Pharmacy. Advanced tickets are $10.00 and available through any Kiwanis member, Burke’s Pharmacy, The Coastal Discovery Museum, The Internet Cafe in Coligny Plaza or any location of NBSC or Wachovia bank. Tickets are also available at the door for $12.00.

During the hot summer nights at Shelter Cove Harbour, enjoy six nights of family-oriented activities and entertainment during the annual Harbour Fest on Hilton Head Island. This fantastic summertime celebration features great food, arts and crafts, live entertainment and fireworks at the Shelter Cove Harbour for its 21st season. The events at Shelter Cove Harbour are free and open to the public.

Singer/songwriter Shannon Tanner, one of the Low Country’s most popular performers, will perform nightly at Harbour Fest. His shows are a mixture of ‘60s standards and sing-a-longs, original ballads with many childrens’ favorites and opportunities for the kids to come up and share the stage.

Sit back and enjoy the views from Shelter Cove Harbour with yachts, fishing boats and magnificent sunsets among the vibrant shops and restaurants lining the walk ways. HarbourFest will continue on Tuesday nights through August 26th Activities run from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. nightly.

Shelter Cove Harbour is also a great stop for enjoying the many luxuries of Hilton Head Island and Palmetto Dunes Resort. When you dock at Shelter Cove you are afforded privileges and preferred rates at the 1,800-acre Palmetto Dunes resort community.

What a place to go if you’re looking for an amazing Hilton Head Island golf vacation. These prices look amazing and truly unbelievable. So, to be able to play as many rounds as I want and to be able to stay in a spacious vacation rental would make anyone shocked.

Hilton Head Island is one of the nation’s golf meccas. Golf Digest readers named Hilton Head Island No. 10 on its list of the world’s best golf resorts. There are all types of courses to choose from. Pick an oceanfront course, a challenging riverside course, a course that meanders through centuries old forests, a course beside vast tidal marshes or with Lowcountry flare, sparkling lakes and lagoons, or a course designed visited yearly by the PGA.

Hilton Head offers over 20 public or semi-private courses with access for visiting golfers. Many of these courses have been designed by some of golf’s legendary figures, such as George and Tom Fazio, Arthur Hills, Rees and Robert Trent Jones, Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Fuzzy Zoeller.

What’s truly amazing is that almost one million rounds of golf are played each year on Hilton Head Island by players of all ages and ability.