RESORTQUEST HILTON HEAD ISLAND PREPARES TO “UNCORK” THE HILTON HEAD FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Each February and March, Hilton Head Island is home to one of the eastern seaboard’s foremost culinary events, the Hilton Head Food & Wine Festival. ResortQuest Hilton Head Island offers nearly 500 vacation rentals, condos and private beach homes in the premier resort destination, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and just moments from the tasty treats of this gastronomic spectacle.

January 10, 2009 Hilton Head Island, SC – Hilton Head Island eagerly awaits the start of the 2009 Hilton Head Food & Wine Festival. This signature event features the exquisite culinary delights from the island’s nationally recognized chefs paired with over 1,500 wines from across the globe.

The festival officially begins on January 30, 2009 with the Wine 101 and Festival Orientation, and continues with the celebratory kick-off: “Uncork the Festival”.
“Uncork the Festival” begins on Wednesday, February 4 with a food and wine tasting at the Aqua Grille & Lounge, the official host restaurant of the event. Tasting begins at 5:30 pm and cost is $35 per person. The “Uncorked” event will also feature collections of local stories celebrating the heritage of Hilton Head Island, presented by the Hilton Head Area Hospitality Association, the official presenter of the 2009 festival. Story presentation will be accented with the uncorking of several special bottles of signature wines.

The International Food Judging & Competition begins February 5 and extends through February 8. The judging event is by invitation only, please visit the Hilton Head Area Hospitality Association for more information.

Open spectator events begin March 12 with the “Great Chefs of the South” seating and continue with a public wine and food tasting on March 14. For more event details, tickets and a full schedule of events, visit the Hilton Head Area Hospitality Association website at www.hiltonheadhospitality.org.

Guests searching for the perfect Hilton Head vacation rental to compliment their culinary escape to need look no further than ResortQuest Hilton Head Island. ResortQuest Hilton Head is an official sponsor of the 2009 Food & Wine Festival and is offering a full selection of discount Food & Wine Festival lodging packages and vacation rental accommodations throughout Hilton Head during the event. Guests can enjoy 3 nights lodging in a 2 bedroom condominium or villa, four adult tickets to the March 14 outdoor tasting and free daily tennis from as low as $160 a per person* (restrictions apply). To claim this offer, visit the ResortQuest Hilton Head Island lodging website or contact a reservations specialist at 800.475.9678 and mention promotion code DIS 8WP.

Hilton Head Island Food & Wine Festival

Alligator Stalking - Finding Hilton Head's Most Famous Residents

One of the most asked questions from Hilton Head Island tourist is; "where's the best place to see an alligator". Alligators and Dolphins are Hilton Heads most famous wildlife attractions, but for some reason, alligators seem to carry some aura of mystery or adventure about them, as well as awaken our sense of danger. Even mild adrenalin junkies realize a "death defying thrill" anytime they see a gator that is not separated from them by glass or fencing. There are several foot and bicycle bridges along Pope Avenue, which cross small lagoons and ponds, and its not unusual to see a dozen or more people crowded together peering over the rail of one of these bridges; mystified by the gator leisurely floating below. Often, people passing on the footpaths and sidewalks greet each other with, "there's a gator up by the second bridge", rather than, good morning or good afternoon.

Alligators are harder to find than Dolphins, but much easier to watch once you find them. Dolphins are usually seen in fleeting glimpses; a quick look at a fluke, or a dorsal fin, sometimes the whole animal (but just for a second) making a playful jump, or attempting to dislodge parasites. Gators, on the other hand, tend to stay in one place for long periods of time. Whether they're floating about or sunning themselves on the bank of a pond, they don't move much and they don't move fast; that is unless they spot prey or sense danger, be warned: Alligators can run faster than humans for a few feet!

The only problem with the gators preference to not move a lot is that it works both ways. It seems alligators spend a great deal of their time lying, out of sight, at the bottoms of ponds and lagoons. Don't think that you can just hang around and watch until they come up for air; gators can hold their breath longer than you could possibly imagine! They are creatures of habit though, and if you see one in a certain place, at a certain pond, you will probably spot him again at the same location; except during the summer mating season, when you might see one anywhere: including the highway!

If you'd rather go gator stalking the "easy way", an "Alligator Safari" operates a quiet (and canopied) electric boat in Sea Pines Resort; where you can sit and ride in comfort while the guide (who knows where to look) points out these prehistoric left-overs as you sip on a cold drink. If you're more ambitious, you might spot a gator in any pond you pass; Shipyard Plantation and Sea Pines Plantation have the largest populations of alligators on the island. Also, there is one pond in particular; just off the corner of Avocet Drive and Lagoon Road (behind Coligny at the entrance to Spinnaker Resort), which seems to always be teaming with gators. Good luck and be careful!

Article courtesy of HiltonHeadHotline.com

FREE Tennis in Hilton Head

RESORTQUEST HILTON HEAD ISLAND HITS A GRAND SLAM FOR GUESTS WITH FREE TENNIS AT THREE OF TENNIS MAGAZINE’S TOP 50 US CLUBS

ResortQuest Hilton Head Island offers nearly 500 vacation rentals, condos and private beach homes on the premier resort destination, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Hilton Head Island is a tennis enthusiast’s dream with over 300 courts on three Grand Slam surfaces. Guests who book vacation rentals with ResortQuest Hilton Head have automatic, complimentary access to three of Tennis Magazine’s Top 50 US Clubs List, as well as numerous additional courts.

January 9, 2009 Hilton Head Island, SC – Hilton Head Island has established a reputation as a number one choice for elite travelers, with immediate access to the nation’s best golf, tennis, cultural festivals, watersports and white sand shoreline. With over 300 courts, the tennis fanaticism in this picturesque island stands above almost all else. Hilton Head is the distinguished home to three of Tennis Magazine’s Top 50 US Clubs: Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, Sea Pines Racquet Club and Van Der Meer Tennis Center.

Guests searching for the perfect tennis vacation need look no further than ResortQuest Hilton Head Island. ResortQuest offers an amazing selection of lodging accommodations and vacation rentals in Hilton Head, many with private and complimentary access to these storied tennis clubs. In addition, ResortQuest guests can enjoy immediate tennis access at any number of other local courts, including the Chaplin Tennis Courts, Cordillo Courts, Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort, Port Royal Racquet Club, the South Beach Racquet Club and the Sun City Tennis Center.

Throughout the year ResortQuest Hilton Head offers discount tennis and lodging packages, giving marked discounts on premier vacation homes through the island, paired with included access to courts. Visit the ResortQuest Hilton Head website for the best deals and discounts on tennis and lodging or contact a vacation specialist at 800.875.8726 for details.

About ResortQuest:
ResortQuest, one of the nation’s leading vacation rentals and hospitality and resort real estate companies, provides a one-stop resource for vacation bookings in North America’s premier resort destinations. ResortQuest is the largest marketer and management company of vacation condominiums and home rentals in the United States, based on a portfolio of over 10,000 vacation rental properties. With the inclusion of Partner Affiliates in North and South America, the Carribean and Europe, ResortQuest now offers over 50,000 vacation rentals choices in over 100 destinations world-wide. With over a billion dollars in sales, ResortQuest Real Estate is one of the nation’s leading real estate companies focusing exclusively on resort properties, offering superior brokerage services in the country’s premier beach, ski and golf destinations.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Hilton Head Island Beachcomber Blog. We've started this blog to be a resource for both guests and locals of Hilton Head Island to find resources on everything our beautiful home has to offer. Keep an eye here for event updates, new and exciting activities (plus the old favorites) and insider insight on dining, nightlife and, of course, the best beaches!

Come back soon!

Hilton Head, South Carolina