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For the most part, if you want to take a memorable vacation and get the most for your hard-earned cash, you have two options: You can sacrifice price in the name of convenience by seeking the services of a traditional travel agent, or you can spend countless hours staring at your computer screen all hours of the day and night, anxiously waiting for airlines and cruise companies to temporarily drop their prices.

If you choose to hire a travel agent, you run the risk of paying more than you really should for an exhilarating cruise in Hawaii or a relaxing week at a beautiful beach on the Carolina coast. However, if you decide to fly solo, you might not even notice as you sail right past some of the best deals available in the sometimes-confusing world of travel. Even experienced surfers must eventually face the responsibilities of their day job and occasionally seek the solace of sleep.

There is an alternative, however, that not only eliminates wasteful spending but also does away with the need to visit Web site after Web site, desperately searching for that perfect deal – the one that fits your schedule, fulfills your dreams and falls within the guidelines of your budget. The Vacation Station LLC, a mainstay in downtown Charleston since 1992, bridges the gap between financial considerations and customer service by customizing any type of vacation, anywhere in the world at the lowest price possible – then sweetening the pot by rebating 30 percent of the cost of the vacation back to you.

The Vacation Station – Planning Travel Is Easy

“We can design any type of vacation, and, regardless of how much time it takes, we’ll put together the vacation that’s right for you,” says Project Director Aimee King, who has been with The Vacation Station for the past three years. “In addition to our high level of customer service, the low prices and 30-percent rebate can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your lifetime.”

Cost, though certainly an important factor, is not the only reason to choose The Vacation Station. The company works only with three-, four- and five-star properties and offers a wide range of vacation options, from cruises to condos to luxury resorts to tours. Enter To Win Free Vacation

The Vacation Station does business with most of the world’s top cruise lines, offering vacation possibilities that will take you to places spanning virtually the entire globe: Alaska, New England, Italy, Africa, India, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the North Sea, Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, South America and even Antarctica, and every place in between.

If you’re pressed for time, cruises can be short, such as the one-day journey along the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada. If you have nothing else to do for a month or so, however, and you want to see places you might have never seen before and might never see again, you can book passage on the 34-day Grand Asia Voyage, which will take you from Seattle to Petropavlovsk, Sendai, Yokohama, Shimizu, Kobe, Xingang, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and other places on the other side of the world. The cost of these trips depends greatly on the client’s budget.

“We can get you on any cruise line, in any type of cabin and in any price range,” King says. “With most travel agents, you’ll have to pay for their markups and commissions. And if you try to do it yourself on the Internet, you might be rerouted to India or someplace like that. We provide top-of-the-line customer service, and it doesn’t cost you a penny.”

Planning An Inexpensive Vacation

Vacation condos – studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom units in most of the world’s top resort locations – are also available to Vacation Station members. Destinations range from Charleston and Myrtle Beach to both Florida coasts, the mountains of the Western United States, Central America, Hawaii and Europe, and their average cost is only around $599 per week, according to King.

“Hot Weeks” feature vacations at destinations throughout the United States and abroad. For those who love the beach, options include Brigantine, N.J.; Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii; Cancun, Mexico; Ventnor, New Jersey; Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Hilton Head Island, S.C.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C. The mountains also are popular, at Teton Creek Resort, Idaho; Heber City, Utah; and Granby, Colo; while other “hot” locations frequented by Vacation Station members include Las Vegas; Stowe, Vt.; Reno, Nev.; and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.

Tours are also popular among Vacation Station members. Possibilities include the Branson Music Holiday; Mackinac Island, featuring the Grand Hotel; Antarctica; Italian Lakes and Greek Islands, featuring a seven-night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise; the Canadian Rockies by rail; the Wonders of Iceland; and Europe’s Christmas markets, featuring Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland.

King points out that even when the national economy is sluggish, Caribbean cruises and vacations at beaches all along the East Coast remain popular among the company’s clients.

“A lot of people are planning family trips right now because the kids will be getting out of school soon,” she says.

King explains that The Vacation Station is able to offer deep discounts on quality vacations at locations throughout the world because the company uses the same concept utilized by buying clubs such as Sam’s. Since it provides services to thousands of members and many of them vacation often, The Vacation Station is able to purchase large blocks of space at most of the world’s top resort destinations. The company prides itself on its success in negotiating the best possible price for its clients.

“We have created our resort search system to allow you to choose the areas you would like to visit, as well as the number of bedrooms and the time of year, be it prime or low-demand season,” she says. “You simply submit this information on your vacation voucher, and we will find you the nearest match for your request from our inventory of top destinations.”

In other words, The Vacation Station will make it easy for you to plan memorable vacation and save you money, as well.

The Vacation Station logo >> "..A GREAT DEAL.."

Drayton Hall has survived two wars, an array of hurricanes and a major earthquake and today serves as a reminder of the splendor of the Old South.

"Following the Civil War, with the plantation system gone … Charles Henry Drayton remained in South Carolina and built a railroad, 15 houses and two stores at Drayton Hall…"

The only plantation on the Ashley River to remain intact from Colonial times until the 21st century, construction on the main house got underway in 1738. From that time until 1974, when the property was sold to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the lives of seven generations of Draytons mirrored the history of South Carolina.

At various times, they grew rice, cotton and indigo and mined phosphate. They took sides in the Revolutionary War, especially William Henry Drayton, who served as president of the South Carolina provincial congress, served as South Carolina’s first chief justice and was appointed to the 2nd Continental Congress.

His allegiance to what would become the United States of America probably cost him dearly. The British occupied Drayton Hall in 1780, remaining on the plantation until 1782, when Colonial troops led by Gen. Anthony Wayne arrived. The house survived the war, but its fields and ornamental gardens had to be rebuilt.

Following the Civil War, with the plantation system gone, at least three Drayton families headed west, bound for Texas and Mexico. Charles Henry Drayton remained in South Carolina and built a railroad, 15 houses and two stores at Drayton Hall to support his phosphate mining operation.

Charles Henry Drayton III and Francis Drayton sold the house and 125 acres to the National Trust For Historic Preservation and the rest of the land to the state of South Carolina in 1974.

Today, visitors can see the main house and grounds of Drayton Hall, located nine miles northwest of downtown Charleston on scenic Ashley River Road, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with slightly shorter winter hours. Tours begin on the hour and at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.draytonhall.org or call (843) 769-2600.

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Magnolia Gardens is a love story. It is a romantic garden, an effort to re-create Eden. The Rev. John Grimke Drayton, whose Philadelphia-born wife hated the South, spent a lifetime trying "to create an earthly paradise in which my dear Julia may forever forget Philadelphia and her desire to return there."

Through his devotion to Julia, the Rev. Drayton succeeded in designing a world class garden. Now, more than a century after his death, a new generation is charged with restoring the gardens back to the way they were in the mid-19th century. Tom Johnson, director of gardens, delights in his new mission.

Magnolia Gardens has joined with 10 other public gardens to form the Great Gardens of America Alliance, which is dedicated to locating and bring back the camellias and azaleas of the past.

"We work together to propagate old azaleas and camellias. We’re saving the DNA," Johnson said.

Though Johnson looks far into the future, today’s Magnolia Gardens should top the list of must-see places in the Lowcountry. From the moment you turn off historic Highway 61 to enter the moss-draped avenue of oaks, you are transported to another era.

"Magnolia Plantation is the complete plantation experience," said Judy Hammill, who is in charge of tourism and public relations.

"There is something for everyone," Hammill continued.

Indeed there is. Just rambling through the almost 500 acres – there are hiking and biking trails – you’ll come across remnants of plantation life such a street of slave cabins or the pre-Revolutionary rice barge. Several specialized gardens, including the Herb Garden and the Barbados Tropical Garden, are nestled on the grounds. And children will naturally gravitate toward the petting zoo and the maze.

But it would be a shame to leave without experiencing at least one of the guided tours. The house is staffed by knowledgeable volunteers who bring the history of the plantation alive. Other tours include the nature train and nature boat. On the way out, the Audubon Swamp Garden, stop to visit a true Southern blackwater cypress and tupelo swamp.

Despite the Rev. Drayton’s efforts, Julia never fell in love with the South.

But you will fall in love with Magnolia Gardens.

by Barbara Patrick

CLICK HERE to… Check out Bulldog Tours on www.CharlestonVacationGuide.com | Charleston Orthodontists

Nestled on the northern tip of Isle of Palms, Wild Dunes has become South Carolina’s premier oceanfront resort. But it wasn’t long ago that the 1600 acre tract of land enjoyed today by residents and guests alike was home to Indians who roamed the island to hunt and fish, and pirates who, legend has it, buried vast treasures here under ancient oak trees.

“Just 10 minutes from Mount Pleasant, 20 minutes from downtown Charleston and 30 minutes from the Charleston International Airport, access to Wild Dunes is quick and easy.”

Wild Dunes has quite a colorful history. The famed 18th hole of the Wild Dunes Links golf course played a big role in the Revolutionary War when Lord Cornwallis’ command of 2000 landed there with the plan to cross Breach Inlet to Sullivan’s Island to attack Fort Moultrie from the rear. The English were met and held at bay by a force composed of 600 North and South Carolina regulars; a company of militia; and a company of Catawba Indians. Not a single soldier crossed over to Sullivan’s Island that day. It was America’s first major victory in the South.

A century later, when war divided North and South, efforts to pierce the northern blockade of southern ports resulted in the ramming of the Confederate submarine Hunley by a Federal warship in the the waters off the Isle of Palms. The northern ship, the USS Housatonic, sank immediately while the Hunley went down later due to severe damage caused by explosions resulting from the collision. The event was the world’s first successful submarine battle. The remains of the Hunley remain at rest off of the coast. The anchor belonging to the Housatonic is exhibited at the entrance of Wild Dunes’ Reception Center.

The development of Wild Dunes began in 1972 when Finch properties purchased the site from J.C. Long. It was completely undeveloped and remained in its original, natural state. Except for a few campers, explorers, and beach combers, the land was unused, having never been cleared or farmed.

Finch Properties sold the land to the Sea Pines Company of Hilton Head Island, a developer of planned communities. They were responsible for the planning, zoning, and development of the site, and named it the Isle of Palms Beach and Racquet Club.

Sea Pines sold the resort in November 1975, when Wilbur Smith and Associates became a 50 percent investor with Finch Properties in the project. They opened their first offices in the Isle of Palms Motel which stood across from the present site of Red and White grocery store.

As the resort prospered and grew, the decision to introduce golf into the master plan was given the go-ahead and thus, the Wild Dunes Links Course was created. Designed by Tom Fazio, one of the world’s premier golf course architects who takes pride in protecting environmental landmarks, the Wild Dunes Links Course opened in 1980 and became a world-ranked course by Golf Magazine within 18 months. The prestigious and highly successful Links Course almost immediately became a cornerstone for the resort and residential community.

By 1981, the Wild Dunes Links Course had received such high acclaim and publicity that Finch Properties combined the name of the course with the name of the resort, thus becoming Wild Dunes Resort.

The year 1983 marked the purchase of the resort and its world-class amenities by Wild Dunes Associates. Wild Dunes reached a pinnacle in 1988 when Golf Magazine awarded Wild Dunes “The Gold Medal” which placed “Charleston’s island resort” among the top-12 golf resorts in America. Additionally, the United States Tennis Association selected Wild Dunes as the site of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships which received exposure on national television.

On September 21, 1989, the island was visited by a force of nature named Hugo, one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to strike the United States. The eye passed directly over Isle of Palms and Wild Dunes. Just as the South has enjoyed a long history of coming back stronger than ever after disasters such as wars, earthquakes and major fires, Wild Dunes quickly recovered from Hurricane Hugo.

In February, 1990, Destination Wild Dunes was formed as an affiliate of Destination Hotels and Resorts, Inc., the property management division of Lowe Enterprises, Inc., to purchase the on-site rental management and conference business at Wild Dunes.

In 1993, Destination Wild Dunes purchased the Links Course and its Clubhouse, consolidating the resort under one ownership. The opening of the Isle of Palms Connector in August 1993 added to the property established at Wild Dunes. The Grand Pavilion complex, in the midst of construction at the time of Hugo, is long complete with its Victorian-style boardwalk surrounded by the rainbow row-inspired Boardwalk Homes. Designed so that each four-bedroom home may be divided into three self-contained “hotel-style” rooms with a one-bedroom suite, these unique homes were the beginning of the “final phase” of development for Wild Dunes Resort.

The latest chapter to this fascinating history of Wild Dunes is the Boardwalk Inn. Opened in January, 1998, and designed with a four-star, four diamond ranking in mind, The Boardwalk Inn adds to the already outstanding amenities and facilities of Wild Dunes Resort.

Just 10 minutes from Mount Pleasant, 20 minutes from downtown Charleston and 30 minutes from the Charleston International Airport, access to Wild Dunes is quick and easy as yet another chapter unfolds its rich and colorful history.

Originally known as O’Sullivan’s Island after Capt. Florence O’Sullivan, as Irishman who was stationed there as a lighthouse keeper, the island paradise is drenched in history. The first patriot victory of the Revolutionary War was hatched there on June 28, 1776, at what is now Fort Moultrie. British naval forces led by Sir Peter Parker bombarded the fort, made of palmetto logs and sandbags, for 10 hours. The spongy logs absorbed the British cannonballs, allowing the militia to inflict much damage on the invading fleet and driving it from Charleston Harbor. Meanwhile, the Americans repulsed the efforts of a British force under Sir Henry Clinton to cross from Long Island (now the Isle of Palms) to Sullivan’s Island and attack the fort from the rear.

“ Edgar Allan Poe was stationed at Fort Moultrie during a stint in the Army in 1827 and 1828, using the island as a setting for his story, ‘The Gold Bug.’ ”
Fort Moultrie saw action in the Civil War and again during World War II, when its garrison was charged with watching for enemy submarines. The bunkers and battlements remain, facing the sea, and the fort draws many visitors each year. American author Edgar Allan Poe was stationed at Fort Moultrie during a stint in the Army in 1827 and 1828, using the island as a setting for his story, “The Gold Bug.” The library, housed in a renovated bunker, is fittingly named for Poe.

The island is home to an unusual lighthouse, a triangular tower of steel and concrete sheathed in aluminum that was built in 1962, replacing the original structure built in 1848 and rebuilt in 1872. The modern, air-conditioned lighthouse is the only one in the United States with an elevator. Originally equipped with a 28-million candlepower light, it was downgraded to a little more than 1 million candlepower, but it can still be seen 28 miles out to sea.

Today, Sullivan’s Island epitomizes the unhurried, casual lifestyle of a beach community. Residents get around on foot, on bikes or in golf carts. When they need to leave the island, they travel across an old-fashioned drawbridge. There are no hotels of any sort and rental properties are frowned upon in this family-oriented, close-knit community.

Located north of Charleston Harbor, the upscale barrier island exudes a feeling of community that most resort islands simply cannot offer. IOP is known for its cool breezes, mild winters and pleasant summers, the perfect setting for people in search of a year-round, warm-weather home.

Throughout the storied history of the area, the island’s beautiful beaches have served as a peaceful getaway for Charlestonians and other residents of the Carolinas. However, few people lived there full-time until the late 1800s. Even after the automobile became the main mode of transportation for Americans, travel to the island was difficult until the Isle of Palms Connector opened in 1993. Today, the trip along the two-mile-long road that links the island community to bustling Mount Pleasant is no problem.

“ … the upscale barrier island exudes a feeling of community that most resort islands simply cannot offer. ”

The Isle of Palms Parks and Recreation Department offers numerous activities for residents and tourists, from aerobics and yoga to recreational team sports, and there’s a full-service marina for boaters. On the north end of the island, the spectacular Wild Dunes Resort is home to two world-class championship golf courses. Both The Links and The Harbor Course were designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio.

The Island is within minutes of the Charleston area’s many historical attractions, including the downtown district; Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began; and Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, the scene of one of the first battles of the American Revolution and where author Edgar Allan Poe served during his stint in the Army.

Isle of Palms residents are a short drive from the most complete shopping center in the area. Towne Centre, in Mount Pleasant, was designed to look like a small Southern village and features national department stores and shops as well as locally owned businesses. Also nearby is Shem Creek, home to one of the area’s last fishing boat fleets, unusual art galleries and several outstanding restaurants.

Located across the Cooper River from historic Charleston, Mount Pleasant has played an important role in South Carolina and U.S. history for more than three centuries. The many Colonial and antebellum homes in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village draw tourists in large numbers, inviting them to wander the narrow, oak-lined streets and take a peek back into the town’s proud past. The most well-known of the homes and buildings in this historic district is Alhambra Hall, a former ferry station that overlooks Charleston Harbor.

Originally the home of the Sewee Indians, Mount Pleasant’s first white settlers, led by Capt. Florentia O’Sullivan, arrived from England in 1680. The town’s name was forever etched in history on Sept. 24, 1860, when a public meeting held there produced South Carolina’s first resolution of secession. Shortly thereafter, representatives of seven Southern states met in Charleston to form the Confederate States of America.

” The state-of-the-art Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge linked Mount Pleasant with Charleston in 2005. … “

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Shem Creek - photograph

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Mount Pleasant remained a small town until well into the 20th century, populated in part by Charlestonians wealthy enough to afford summer homes across the Cooper River.

As proud as Mount Pleasant is of its past, it’s the city’s ability to look to the future that speaks loudest. The state-of-the-art Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge linked Mount Pleasant with Charleston in 2005, replacing the Grace Memorial Bridge, built in 1929, and the Pearman Bridge, which opened for business in 1966.

While Mount Pleasant has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade, it also has preserved its heritage and small-town sense of community. Many people choose to live in Mount Pleasant because of the town’s proximity to the area’s beaches and excellent golf courses, its mild climate and nearby state-of-the-art medical facilities. Mount Pleasant also is home to some of the finest shopping in the region. Towne Centre, on busy Highway 17, offers a wide selection of goods from national and local merchants.

Picturesque Shem Creek, which bisects the city, hosts several popular restaurants and one of the last fleets of local fishing boats in the area. Residents take advantage of the fresh off-the-boat seafood sold on the docks.

Daniel Island, SC house

Daniel Island’s developers incorporated many historic design features of the neighborhoods of downtown Charleston. The homes are set close to the quiet, meandering streets to enhance the neighborly feel and feature large covered porches, ideal for chatting with neighbors. Wide sidewalks crisscross the island, making walking to stores, schools and parks a practical proposition. Everything residents need, from dry cleaners to dentists, is available on the island.

It wasn’t always so. Named in honor of Robert Daniel, an early governor of South Carolina, the island was at one time made up of several large plantations. Harry Frank Guggenheim bought the island to use for cattle farming and as a family hunting and fishing retreat in 1947. When he died in 1971, the land was passed on to the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

“… the island was at onetime made up of several large plantations.”
Though Daniel Island is a collection of carefully planned communities, considerable work has gone into maintaining the rural feel of the island. Large thickets of live oaks, draped with Spanish moss, and towering palmetto trees remain untouched, giving the newly developed island a well-established look and feel.

Daniel Island features several spacious parks with playgrounds and open grassy spaces and is home to a golf course designed by Tom Fazio that is rapidly earning a reputation as one of the best courses in the area. Each April, the world’s best female tennis players compete in the Family Circle Cup at Daniel Island’s Family Circle Tennis Center. The stadium also hosts Davis Cup matches and is a popular venue for outdoor concerts. Blackbaud Stadium, one of the country’s premier soccer-specific stadiums and the home ground for the Charleston Battery, is also on Daniel Island.

Just minutes from Mount Pleasant, downtown Charleston, area beaches and the Wando River, Daniel Island’s prime location offers residents almost unlimited recreational and cultural opportunities.
]]> http://iloveiop.com/isle-of-palms-sc/201009879/south-carolin-daniel-island/feed/ 0 http://iloveiop.com/isle-of-palms-sc/201009981/lowcountry-sc-realtors/ http://iloveiop.com/isle-of-palms-sc/201009981/lowcountry-sc-realtors/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:58:41 +0000 Admin http://iloveiop.com/isle-of-palms-sc/?p=8264c81232e772b04c816e10adb5b4c816ea9057db Beachside Vacations

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