Come out to Shelter Cove Community Park on Hilton Head Island, Saturday June 2, 2007, and spend a day in the Bayou. The Costal Cajun Festival will feature authentic Cajun food including alligator, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and a Cajun favorite, crawfish.

The festival will feature live entertainment including Cajun and Zydeco music from the likes of Sauce boss, Chris Jones, Zydeco Zoo and a Crawfish Eating Contest. Arts and crafts will be on hand as well.

The Costal Cajun Festival begins at 11 AM and continues until 5 PM. Entrance fees are $5 dollars for adults but children under 12 get in for free. Shelter Cove is across from Palmetto Dunes located at mid island on Highway 278.

Shelter Cove Marina located on Hilton Head Island across from Palmetto Dunes will be offering its annual Harbourfest celebration beginning the first week of June. After a long day at the beach or hitting the sticks on the golf links, guests of the island will be able to relax at the picturesque Shelter Cove Marina.

Guests will be able to enjoy a great meal from the plethora of restaurants available in the marina. On top of the great food, visitors will be able to take pleasure in the delightful sounds of local singing legend Shannon Tanner while watching arguably the best sunset experience on the island.

Boat tours leave from the nearby docks where guests can enjoy the sunset and entertainment from the water. Tickets can be purchased dockside, as there are a wide variety of tours to choose from including dolphin watching, shark fishing, and sunset cruises.

Perhaps the greatest aspect of the Harbourfest experience is the weekly firework show. The firework celebration is offered every Tuesday night. Luckily for visitors if the fireworks are rained out Shelter Cove offers them the following night.

Harbourfest begins at 6 pm and ends at 9:45 pm every Tuesday night. Come experience and enjoy one of Hilton Head’s summertime treasures.

Every visitor to Hilton Head Island should take time to stop by the Coastal Discovery Museum. I know what you’re thinking…Why would I want to visit a museum when I’m here for the sun, sand and surf?! This is no ordinary museum. With indoor and outdoor exhibits and activity centers, there is truly something to interest every member of your family.

In addition to the exhibits, the museum offers 11 different tours and cruises around the island. This is a fantastic way to become familiar with the island’s unique history and ecology.

The Coastal Discovery Museum is located at 100 William Hilton Parkway.

For more information, call (843) 689-6767 or check it out online at coastaldiscovery.org.

Island Girl

The Golf Goddess and I had another great day of golf on Daufuskie Island. This time we got to play Bloody Point Golf course. I had heard a lot about this course, some good and some bad. The layout reminded me a lot of an old fashioned course, with no concrete or other man made cart paths. Traversing this course was easy if you just followed the trails left by all the previous golf carts.

 There are some very interesting holes here with plenty of sand and water to keep you on your toes and thinking about the smart shot rather than the heroic one. Although not as scenic and well groomed as Melrose, Bloody Point still has a lot to offer. The course is challenging  but not overly difficult and is fun to play.

In comparison to the rustic nature of the golf course, the huge clubhouse is the polar opposite. Outside, there is a large porch on the back with tables and chairs. Inside, you immediately notice the lush dark woods on the walls and the beautiful carpeting. A well stocked Pro Shop with friendly staff and a nice lounge make for a relaxing 19th hole atmosphere.

This course, in my opinion, should be a must play in your golf package. Call Mark at 1-888-445-8664 to arrange packages or check our golf website for more information.

Hilton Head Golf~Bloody Point

While Hilton Head Island is most often associated with golf, tennis and beach activities, many visitors have discovered a unique way to enjoy the natural beauty of the Lowcountry: horseback riding! I’m not a big horse person, but I have had several guests over the years who wanted to ride horses during their vacation here.

For the faint of heart (like me), Lawton Stables in Sea Pines is the perfect solution. You won’t have to do a thing but keep yourself in the saddle and hold on to the reins. These gentle, hospitable horses will take you on a leisurely tour along nature trails within the scenic Sea Pines Forest Preserve—perfect for a family outing or a romantic adventure.

In addition to the guided tours, Lawton Stables offers riding lessons and one hour rides for ages eight and up and pony rides for seven and under. Lawton Stables is located on Greenwood Drive at Sea Pines. (843) 671-2586. Advance reservations are required.

More serious equestrians might want to check out off-island amenities: Moss Creek Equestrian Center, 1523 Fording Island Rd., (843) 837-6117, Star Ridge Stables in Hardeeville, (843) 784.7845, Sea Horse Farms, 34 Mitchelville Rd, Hilton Head, (843) 681-7746; and the Rose Dhu Creek Equestrian Center in Bluffton, (843) 815-7878, and the Daufuskie Island Equestrian Center on Daufuskie Island, SC. In addition to leisure rides, these facilities offer boarding, training, horse shows, clinics, kids camps and more.
Island Girl

Another beautiful day on Hilton Head Island.  We arrived at Golden Bear for our 10:00 tee time and had no delays.  Again we found the staff very courteous and helpful.  I must say that I either had an excellent game or this course was one of the shortest I have played.

Rarely do I par more then the par 3’s, but yesterday I parred a couple of par 4’s and a couple of par 5’s, so it leads me to believe that the yardage was shorter than most. The greens were in great shape yet very difficult to read.  If I thought the ball would go straight, it broke, and if I thought it broke, it would be straight!!

I also noticed that a lot of the white tee’s were right next to the forward tee’s, so not much of an advantage for anyone playing the whites, I may have even beaten the Par King if he was able to play yesterday. 

So the long and short of it is, I enjoyed the course and found it short for the long hitter from the forward tee’s, but I was happy with making par on a few of the holes.
 
Call Mark at 1-888-445-8664 to include this course in a Golf Package.
 
Golf Goddess

The Lowery Group Restaurants offers superb Hilton Head Island Dining Specials and Live Entertainment for the month of April.

Ocean Grille - fresh seafood & prime steaks with a killer view. Map and Directions

• Buy one entree and receive the second entree half off. Every Monday.
  

Boathouse II - Live Entertainment Schedule 6-10 p.m.

• Mondays - Eric Culberson Blues Band
• Sundays & Tuesdays - Reid Richmond
• Wednesdays & Fridays - Martin Lesch
• Thursdays & Saturdays - Jim Harper

Antonio’s - Live Entertainment from the Sounds of the Baby Grand 6-10 p.m.

• Mondays & Tuesdays - Bob Alberti
• Sundays, Wednesdays & Thursdays - Dr. Ken Gleitsman

Old Fort Pub - Drink Specials every Monday night (all night). Map and Directions

Well Drinks - $3.50
Domestic Beers - $2.00
House Wine - $3.00
Specialty Martinis & Cocktails - $5.00

Specials only offered in the Pub Room.

Hilton Head Island has a great skateboard park for the kids. Located in the Sea Pines Plantation it is very safe with lots of fun ramps. Drop them off while you hit the links or spend the afternoon shopping.

Here is a video I took during my trip in November 2006.