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?

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.

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.