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Our vacation home is in Sea Pines Plantation Resort on Hilton Head Island. Sea Pines is a popular resort area on Hilton Head and can get pretty "touristy" at the height of the season. Our home is just slightly away from all the hustle and bustle -- in a quieter residential area, but close enough to all the activities to make it enjoyable.
Our house is 15 years old, and is quality built. We had it professionally re-decorated with all-new furniture and fresh new paint, inside and out. This year we improved the kitchen, adding granite countertops and new refrigerator, sink and cook-top. In our experience renting properties, we have been disappointed by the wear-and-tear and lack of cleanliness in some rental units. We take pride in the fact that our house has top-of-the-line furnishings, high quality linens and is kept clean and fresh for our guests.
We enjoy sitting on the wide deck overlooking the wooded back yard and lagoon, sipping a before-dinner drink while gazing at the sunset and watching the wildlife. Seeing the variety of birds in the area is a joy; and we like to keep count each day of the deer we see. Some days are a "4-deer day!".
In the evenings after dinner, the family room is a great place to relax, read a book, or watch one of the great variety of videos we have in our library. We have many DVDs and videotapes for your enjoyment. Or you can enjoy a quiet evening listening to CDs on the stereo. We also have high speed wireless internet in the house so you can catch up with your email or surf the net with your own computer.
The master bedroom offers a king-size bed, a full walk-in closet, and a TV with a DVD player. This room offers a wonderful private view of the back yard, deck, and lagoon. The master bath has a separate shower and whirlpool bath to soothe your sore muscles from your day of golf and tennis. The front bedroom has a queen-size bed and the middle bedroom has two twin beds.
You'll be within walking or biking distance of shopping and dining at Harbor Town or Sea Pines Center, favorites among residents and tourists. Also a short walk or bike ride away is the Sea Pines Racquet Club, home of former Wimbleton Tennis champion Stan Smith. The tennis facility offers several clinics each week to improve your game. Our favorite is a clinic held each day -- Monday through Friday, called "The Stroke of The Day." Just two houses away from our home lives the head pro of the Stan Smith Tennis Academy, who just might be willing to give you a few pointers on your game!
We also love to walk over to the Lawton Stables -- just around the corner from our house, to visit with the horses and perhaps enjoy a horseback ride in the nearby Sea Pines forest preserve. The stables offer several group horseback tours each day, and private lessons as well.
The beautiful beach and the Sea Pines Beach Club (free access) is also a short bicycle ride away. You can walk along miles and miles of white sand, and enjoy searching for seashells, starfish, and sand-dollars while watching the dolphins swimming up close to the beach. During the summer months, the water is warm and inviting. If you happen to take a nap on the beach, don't be surprised to awaken to catch a glimpse of a "ghost-crab" watching you from his nearby burrow in the sand.
Nearby are three championship quality golf courses -- the Harbor Town Links (home of the Heritage Golf Classic each year), the Sea Marsh Course, and the Ocean Course. These golf courses offer lessons; and that have driving ranges for practice. Group golf clinics are offered each day at a reasonable cost. Outside of the Sea Pines plantation there are many additional excellent golf courses.
The resort also has many organized activities for teens and children, as well as eco-tours for adults. There is a rich history on Hilton Head Island; and the resort offers a variety of ways to explore its heritage and ecology.
Harbor Town and South Beach marina offer many fishing, boating, and kayaking opportunities. There are Zodiak boat trips to get up close to the dolphins. There are para-sailing trips, wave-runner rentals, kayak lessons, and excursions with a guide. Additionally, there are evening dinner cruises to enjoy the sunset on the ocean while enjoying a fine meal and entertainment.
An enjoyable day trip from our home might include historic Savannah Georgia, Beaufort South Carolina, or Charleston South Carolina. All of these towns have many historic homes and places to see, and a large variety of dining and shopping opportunities. If history interests you, these towns are a 'must see' on your vacation.
There are many fine restaurants, theaters, clubs, and other evening activities in the area. Our favorites are "May 5th" a wonderful Mexican restaurant, "Old Fort Pub", "The Jazz Corner", "Charlie's Crab" and "Boathouse II". The area is well-known for its excellent food -- especially its fresh seafood. "The Jazz Corner" offers live jazz every evening, as well as excellent food. Live music and dancing are offered with your meal at "King-Fishers". Entertainment is also offered each evening outdoors at Harbor Town and at nearby South Beach marina. Your younger children will enjoy singing along with Mark Russell each evening at Harbor town from June through August.
Our home has two bicycles available for our guests' use, as well as three sets of golf clubs and two tennis racquets -- so leave yours home! There are miles and miles of bicycle/hiking/running/leisure trails through the richly wooded areas in the resort, past golf courses and lagoons with much wildlife to see. You might even catch a glimpse of an alligator sunning himself near a pond. Don't feed the Alligators!
We know that you'll enjoy the Hilton Head area as much as we do. And we're anxious for you and your family to be our guests at our 'home away from home' in a little bit of "paradise!" |