March 2013 Events in Charleston Lowcountry

As we are in the final stretch of winter, there will be plenty of fun things heating up in the Charleston area this March. Hats off to the spring breakers choosing Charleston and the surrounding barrier islands as their 2013 destination. There are plenty of fun things to do whether enjoying some fun Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations or gearing up for the Easter weekend at the end of March, the low country has it all.  For those hardcore St. Patrick’s Day enthusiasts, Charleston is the home of several Irish bars that will be celebrating the luck of the Irish. These establishments include Tommy Condon’s, and OBrion’s Irish Pub and Grill. The Mad River Bar and Grille on 32B North Market Street will be running St. Patrick’s Day festivities and specials all day starting with breakfast.

March 10^th – March 14^th

14th Annual Kiawah Island Golf Resort National Pro-Am

Where: Kiawah Golf Courses of Turtle Point, Cougar, Osprey and the Ocean Course

Time: Monday, March 10^th through Thursday, March 14^th.

Things to Do: PGA Pro-Amateur golf competition at four Kiawah Island Golf Courses. Entries/Reservations due by February 1.

Contact: For more information, contact Kiawah Golf Resort

March 17^th

16th Annual Charleston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Where: Parade commences at Radcliffe Street, proceeds down King St. then ends on Broad/Legare

Time: Sunday, March 17^th, 9 a.m.

Things to Do: Following the St. Patrick’s Day Mass at 8 am, the parade officially kicks off and proceeds through Charleston streets of Radcliffe, part of King Street, then finishes at Broad and Legare.

March 21^st

66^th Annual Festival of House and Gardens - Charleston

Where: Historic Districts of Charleston

Time: March 10^st through April 20^th

Things to Do: Tour and explore the architectural and landscape beauty of some of Charleston’s oldest and finest homes. Tours run daily through April 20^th and each daily tour will visit between seven to ten homes.

Contact: Reservations/Information call (843) 723-1623 or visit www.historiccharleston.org

March 22^nd

The Port Authority Band

Where: The Village Green at Freshfields (Kiawah)

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Things to do: Come out to Freshfield’s for an evening of some of the most popular live sounds of Shag, Funk, Rock and Roll, Motown and hits from the 60’s and 70’s. No admission, but food and drink available for purchase.

March 29^th

The Local Motion Party Band

Where: The Village Green at Freshfields (Kiawah)

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Things to do: Come out to Freshfield’s for an evening of some of the most popular live sounds of Beach, Motown, R&B, and dance music. No admission, but food and drink available for purchase.

March 30^th

The 2013 Family Circle Tennis Cup

Where: Family Circle Tennis Cup Center, Daniel Island – Charleston, SC

Time:  March 30^th – April 7^th

Things to do – Come out to Daniel Island to see the world’s finest women tennis players compete for the Family Circle Cup.

Contact: (800) 677-2293

March 30^th – March 31^st

Easter Fun on Kiawah

Where: Night Heron Park - Kiawah

Time:  March 30^th – March 31^st

Things to do – Kiawah Island will have several Easter events available at Night Heron Park for owners, guests and vacationers to the Island. The fun begins Saturday afternoon with kids’ events including inflatables, face painting, crafts and a visit by the Easter bunny. The evening events will include live entertainment, train rides, and inflatables. Food and drink will be available for purchase. Come back Easter morning at 10 am for the Easter egg hunt.

As we are in the final stretch of winter, there will be plenty of fun things heating up in the Charleston area this March. Hats off to the spring breakers choosing Charleston and the surrounding barrier islands as their 2013 destination. There are plenty of fun things to do whether enjoying some fun Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations or gearing up for the Easter weekend at the end of March, the low country has it all.  For those hardcore St. Patrick’s Day enthusiasts, Charleston is the home of several Irish bars that will be celebrating the luck of the Irish. These establishments include Tommy Condon’s, and OBrion’s Irish Pub and Grill. The Mad River Bar and Grille on 32B North Market Street will be running St. Patrick’s Day festivities and specials all day starting with breakfast.

Seven Fun Things to do on the Beach when the Water is Too Cold

February and especially March start to get much warmer in the low country with temperatures teasing from sixties to occasional eighty degrees Fahrenheit. The weather is optimal for biking, golfing, tennis and whatever else a coastal Carolina visitor fancies. The beach can also be a fun retreat, but the colder Atlantic can put a damper on things if you plan on going swimming. The water temperature usually hovers in the fifties in February and March. That is a bit cold for a Spring break plunge. I have been down to Kiawah Island for Spring break numerous times and have seen the brave and willing go for a dip (head to toe) into the water.

No thanks, I make it as far as walking maybe knee deep into t he water then turn back. The cold ocean temps should not deter anyone from visiting the beach. The miles and miles of sand allow the perfect environment for warming up from a cold winter. I put together a list of five fun things to do on the beach when the water is too cold:

1.       Sun Bathe – Yes. This is obvious! Bring a towel or your favorite chair and a good book. The water may be cold but the sand is usually warm and feels good on the feet. Even consider a nap to the sleepy sound of the waves. Just don’t forget to bring the sun block. You do not want to wake up red like a lobster. Quiet time on the beach allows for an opportunity to clear the mind and worries.

2.       Search for Treasures in the Sand – Bring an old bucket and walk along the surf and set out to find that one in a million sand dollar or conch shell. I am not sure why but the shell selection seems better during the spring months as opposed to my visits in the warmer months. Another popular way to search for treasurers is to roam the beach with a metal detector.

3.       Sand Art – Test your abilities to make your very best sand castle or sculpture. The beach is your canvas ready for the perfect masterpiece. Just bring some assistants along to help tote the water and tools.

4.       Volleyball – Bring a net, a ball, and some friends for a fun afternoon of seaside volleyball. Volleyball is always much more enjoyable in the sand. Just don’t forget the cold drinks and a snack.

5.       Bicycling – Depending upon which beach you are at, consider bicycling along the waterfront. Kiawah beaches are ideal for bicycling as the sand is densely packed. Just be cognizant of the wind conditions. What may appear to be an easy glide or coast in one direction (courtesy of the wind) could turn out to be a very tiring pedal on the way back.

6.       Fishing the Atlantic from the Beach – Consider shore fishing. I have never fished the surf, but will occassionally spot a shore fisherman during the morning bike rides. The Atlantic is teeming with a variety of fish just waiting to be caught. No boat needed.

7.       Running and Walking the Beach – Running in sand is a great workout. Taking a jog or long walk along the seashore is a great way to get the mind off the exercise and keep your vision on the sand and surf ahead of you. I usually combine a run/walk over a few miles which allows for great opportunities to look at some really nice homes and golf courses along the oceanfront.

HGTV Kiawah Dream Home Sweepstakes ends February 15.

Only one more day to enter the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes. I believe I have only missed about seven days of entering since the contest began in December. Given the large number of people entering this contest, I don’t believe those seven days will really disrupt my chances as they remain slim to none. However, I will be sure to finish strong and enter today and tomorrow. Good luck everyone.

2013 HGTV Dreamhome Sweepstakes: Blessing or a Tax Burden?

Okay. If you haven’t heard so far this winter, HGTV is running their annual dream home giveaway. This year the special home is in Kiawah. I have been entering to win this home ever since the Sweepstakes was launched back on December 28^th. I enter twice a day (once on HGTV and secondly on Frontdoor.com). I have viewed this home numerous times observing the different panoramic photos and wishing daily I will be the lucky winner. A 3,000 square foot coastal retreat seems like the great getaway from the rat race. As much as I covet winning this contest, the numbers guy in me encouraged a further drill down of the prize (benefits and costs). This analysis revealed painful expenses that hide within this too good to be true prize.

What does the lucky winner get? Grand prize is of course the Indigo Park dream home on Kiawah Island ($1.700,000.00 approximate value). Adding to this prize is $500,000 cash and a GMC Arcadia valued at $53,565. The total prize package is valued at $2,253,565. Then there is the cash option in lieu of accepting the home. The Cash option substitutes $1,000,000 for home, additional cash prize of $500,000 and the GMC Arcadia valued at $53,565. The total prize package valued at $1,553,565. The substitute cash option is a difference of $700,000.

But, there is more to it than that. The federal government is going to get their fair cut. Sweepstakes always appear sexy and enticing, but the winners will surely get gouged by federal taxes. This lucrative prize is considered taxable income. For simplicity, let’s say the feds will tax about one third. We will ignore the additional possibility that you have to pay state income tax (depending upon your native state).  Let’s revise the prize picture.

You just won the HGTV dream home in Kiawah, $500,000 cash and a vehicle. You can expect to pay in taxes about $743,676 (one third of $2.2 million). That is an extremely heavy tax burden requiring liquid cash immediately. You already have $500,000 covered per the cash prize, but now you need an additional $243,676 to pay that immediate tax burden. I guess one option is to sell your other home and move to Kiawah full time or take equity out (cash out refinance) on the new Kiawah home to pay the initial taxes. Now you have a mortgage payment again. Then there are the excessive real estate taxes and payments for assessments and services (Kiawah fees).  Seems like a lot of stress to endure that gets lost in the beauty of that large expansive deck, pool, game room, and beautiful marsh view from the back..

So suppose you opt for the cash option. Your total winnings are $1.5M (car included) but you will get hit with tax of about $512,676 which leaves you almost a million.

As dreamy as this Indigo Park home is, I think I will take the $1.5 million cash option. Even with the tax hit, I would still have  close to a million bucks to spruce up my current home, purchase a Kiawah villa (for about a quarter of the dream home price) and enjoy driving down to the low country three or four times a year in my new SUV. So I will keep entering every day!

Direct Flights to Charleston South Carolina

Getting to Charleston can be a breeze especially if you are able to fly nonstop into Charleston International Airport. Most flights from U.S cities require one (or sometimes two) stops before arriving into Charleston, but you can still find some great direct flights from many major city airports. I put together a list of air carriers by major cities in the U.S. that fly direct into Charleston just about every day.

New York – Delta flies non-stop from LaGuardia. United flies non-stop from Newark to Charleston International Airport. Jet Blue will also be flying direct between JFK and Charleston effective February 28^th.

Chicago – Typically United offers daily non-stop flights from Chicago to Charleston International at O’Hare. If you decide to fly out of Midway, consider the friendly Southwest airlines for non-stop flights.

Boston -  Currently there are not any air carriers that fly non- stop between Charleston and Boston. Airlines that fly between cities include Delta, US Airways, American, and United.  Jet Blue will be flying effective February 28^th and offer direct flights.

Houston – United flies directly to Charleston.

Atlanta – Delta flies direct to Charleston and serves as main connecting point from other destinations.

Charlotte – US Airways and United Airlines both fly direct to Charleston. This city is also a common connection point before proceeding on to Charleston.

Miami – American Airlines offers direct flight service to Charleston from Miami.

Dallas - Flies direct via American Airlines.

Washington DC – US Airways and United fly direct between Charleston and nation’s capital.

December 2012 Events in Charleston Low country

'Tis the season to be in the low country. Many fun things are going to be happening in downtown Charleston as well as neighboring James Island and Kiawah Island. One of the highlights of the season is the annual Holiday Festival of Lights that runs from early November through end of the year in James Island County Park. Local fitness enthusiasts will also be participating in the 35^th annual Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon (and half marathon). This event brings numerous participants to the island and volunteers are always needed. With numerous Christmas celebrations happening, don’t forget to make your New Year’s Eve plans.  

November 9^th – December 31^st

Holiday Festival of Lights 2012

Where: James Island County Park

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Sun – Thurs) & 5:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (Fri – Sat)

Things to do: Three mile stretch of twinkling holiday lights that can be observed by car or train ride (Admission charged for either). Concessions, gift shop, and other entertainment on site.

Contact: (843) 795 – 7275

November 30^th & December 1st

Charleston Symphony Orchestra – Rejoice! A Spiritual and Gospel Holiday Celebration

Where: Sottile Theatre – Downtown Charleston (44 George Street)

Time: 7:30 p.m. (Friday and Saturday)

Things to Do: Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Choir and Ensemble usher in the holidays by telling the Christmas story spiritual music. General Admission applies.

Contact: www.charlestonsymphony.org

December 1st

Reindeer Run

Where: 161 East Bay Street

Time: 9 am

Things to Do: 5K Holiday Run/Walk to benefit MUSC Children’s Hospital. Race is open to Adults and Children. Registration fees apply.

Contact: racedirector@reindeerrun.org

December 1st

Charleston Parade of Boats

Where: Charleston Harbor

Time: Approximately 7:30 p.m.

Things to do: Illuminated and festive boats will set out from Mount Pleasant and work their way along Cooper River before ending the sail parade route at the Ashley River.

Contact: (843) 724 – 7305 for more information.

December 8^th

Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon

Where: Kiawah Island

Time: 8 a.m.

Things to do: Island race includes full and half marathon race. Advanced registration required.

Contact: (843) 768-2780 or visit kiawah_marathon@kiawahresort.com

December 15^th

The Nutcracker

Where: North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Time: Showtimes are 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Things to do: Classical Christmas ballet show comes to Charleston.  

Contact: (843) 723 – 7334

December 31st

Winter Carnival – Holiday Festival of Lights

Where: James Island County Park

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Things to do: The long running holiday festival of lights finally concludes with a fun winter celebration on New Year’s Eve. Festival includes rides, inflatables, and fireworks later in the evening for the pre-New Year countdown (approximately 9 p.m.)  

Contact: www.holidayfestivaloflights.com

December 31st

Kiawah Island Golf Resort – New Year’s Family Celebration

Where: Night Heron Park

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Things to do: Come out and celebrate New Year’s Eve with family and friends for a night of food, live entertainment and numerous games and activities for the younger crowd. Activities include train rides, inflatables, and much more. The event will be capped off with fireworks display at the end of the evening.

Save Money on 2013 Charleston Tee Times

I am pleased to announce that the 2013 Charleston Tee Times Golf Passbook is now on sale. I posted this announcement last year with respect to the 2012 golf season. For those unfamiliar with this passbook, it is a really great deal for Charleston golfers as well as those that visit the low country. What is this deal? Simple, it is a golf passbook or coupon book that gets you a one-time play at nineteen different courses in the Charleston area. (The area consisting of select courses within Charleston, Summerville, Mount Pleasant, Kiawah, and Seabrook). The passbook runs $169 (not including shipping and handling). The only additional fee you will need to pay is for cart fees which run anywhere from $20 - $50 depending upon where you play. The ocean course on Kiawah will charge a $100 additional fee for caddy services (gratuity not included). All in all, the golf passbook is a great way to save money and even more valuable to those travelers staying on Kiawah or Seabrook and want to play the immediate resort courses in the area without paying a fortune. That’s right, you can play all five Kiawah courses and two Seabrook Courses using the vouchers in this book. The only negative attribute to this golf passbook is that the golf tee times passbook vouchers are not transferrable to another individual, so if you do not use up all your vouchers, you cannot “lend” the unused one to a friend that may plan on going to Charleston area. Each passbook is designated with your name; and the clubhouse attendant will make sure you present identification when presenting voucher to cover green fees. Also, when playing the Kiawah resort courses, the passbook vouchers are only valid when playing after 11:00 am, so early morning play is ruled out.


I would recommend this purchase for those that live in the immediate area and even those that plan on getting in at least three tee times during their time in the Charleston area. (I figured it takes at least three plays to get your money’s worth with this passbook. This 2013 Charleston Tee Times golf book is also a great gift for the upcoming holidays.

Tips for Purchasing a Beach Cart

A beach cart or beach stroller is definitely one of the most useful items to have for those that live near or frequently visit sand and surf. For those that make the back and forth trek from the car or condo to the beach carrying chairs, umbrellas, beach toys, and water gear, you know this is quite exhausting; especially on a hot and humid day. Every time I have visited the Kiawah area, I have had the luck of renting a villa that included a beach cart to tote the family water and sand gear. I would have probably made fewer trips to the beach without this useful cart. . Beach carts simplify the transport process by carrying all these items down to the sand in one simple trip whether traversing sand, gravel, dirt or low standing water.

Shopping for a beach cart can be overwhelming if you are not sure exactly what you are looking for. There are numerous makes and models of beach carts with prices ranging from around $40 upwards to $600 for a giant loader. Before heading off to the store or shopping online, first assess what your beach carts needs are, and then go from there. Are your needs just a simple chair or two and a few towels? Are are you looking to transport lots of sand and surf toys along with a giant cooler for the day? Also consider the cart sizes and how well you can manage storing it. Keep the following criteria in mind when shopping for a beach cart: Size, tires, weight, storage capacity, durability, and of course, price. The two main types of beach carts are the utility carts and the folding cart.

Beach Utility Cart 

Let’s discuss the beach utility cart first. This cart is heavy duty in design and typically has large pneumatic tires, though there are other options for those that fear tire puncture when rolling over sharp objects at the beach. Most of these carts contain large buckets to hold an enormous amount of gear with generally a weight capacity between 100 and 400 pounds (some even heavier).This cart not only comfortably carries umbrellas, chairs, and toys, but usually has enough room to also tote the large cooler and ice. These carts are highly recommended for the frequent beach visitor or for one that lives within a short distance of the water and has room in the garage or crawl space to store this larger cart. This cart also doubles as a garden or yard cart due to its enormous capacity and large tires. Makes and models of Beach Utility carts include the Beach Buggy Cart and Gorilla carts series.  When shopping for these carts. You may need to search these by title of “garden carts” or “fishing carts”. These carts generally start at about $150 and go up. Some commonly sold beach utility carts include the Beach Buggy Cart and the Gorilla cart models.

Folding Beach Cart

If your preference is portable, and a less bulky beach tote, I would recommend a folding beach cart. The design of these carts is usually a lightweight aluminum frame that collapses or folds thin for easy storage in trunk or crawlspace. Some models will even fold into a table! Depending upon make and model, these carts typically have pneumatic tires, though some may be plastic. Tire features also include being removable for easier storage. Generally these carts are recommended for most beach travelers. Do not be fooled that these carts are weak due to being smaller size than utility carts. Folding carts can be very durable with the right frame and tires, though the mesh containment may wear quickly after numerous trips to the beach with sharp objects. These smaller sized carts still have the potential to lug three to four chairs, an umbrella and a few toys and towels. The containment of cargo is usually a strap and mesh bag. Frequent beach visitors may realize wear and tear with these carts and consider stronger baggage capacity or opt for the beach utility cart. Typical folding beach carts include the Rio Beach Wonder Wheeler cart series. Like all other products read the product reviews on Amazon and other sites to get comfortable before purchasing your desired make and model.

November 2012 Events in Charleston Lowcountry



Photo credited to kwalk628 @ Flickr



With tourist season slowing down after October; Kiawah and Charleston will still have plenty of entertainment to offer for the month of November. As Halloween festivities come to a close, the low country gets prepared for Thanksgiving and the Christmas season. There are plenty of fun autumn events whether attending the fall festival on John’s Island, viewing the 2 million Holiday Lights at James Island County Park, or running the pre-meal turkey trot if you are staying on Kiawah.

Travel to Kiawah, Seabrook, and Charleston in November is also usually favorable on the travel budget as this time of year typically has lower prices on hotel, villa, and condo rentals.  

November 3rd

Harvest Festival

Where: Mullet Hall Equestrian Center – John’s Island County Park

Time: 11 am – 5 pm

Things to Do: Autumn themed crafts, games, concessions, rides, and entertainment.

Contact: (843) 795 – 4FUN

November 9^th – December 31^st

Holiday Festival of Lights 2012

Where: James Island County Park

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Sun – Thurs) and 5:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (Fri – Sat)

Things to do: Three mile stretch of twinkling holiday lights that can be observed by car or train ride (Admission charged for either). Concessions, gift shop, and other entertainment on site.

Contact: (843) 795 – 7275

November 10^th & 11^th

Re-enactment of Battle of Seccessionville

Where: Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant

Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Things to do: Observe re-enactment of the outnumbered 25th unit of South Carolina as these men repelled advance of union army on Seccessionville stronghold.

Contact: (843) 884-4371

Plantation Days – Middleton Place Plantation

Where: Middleton Plantation, 4300 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414

Time:  See website below for hours.

Things to do - Observe plantation harvesting, Gullah craft and culture from a time long ago.

Contact: Visit www.middletonplace.org

November 15^th – 17th

3^rd Annual Earl Klugh Weekend of Jazz

Where: Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Time: Thursday (Mingo Point), Friday and Saturday (Grand Lawn).

Things to do: Three evenings of jazz including legendary and Grammy winning Earl Klugh with other highlighted appearances by Eric Marienthal, Kirk & Kevin Whalum, vocalist Peabo Bryson, and Chris Botti. Advanced purchase required through resort for tickets and weekend packages.

Contact: (800) 654 – 2924

November 22^nd (Thanksgiving)

Turkey Trot

Where: Sanctuary Beach front – Kiawah Island

Time: Races begin 8:30 a.m.

Things to do: Bring the family down to beach and burn some calories on the sand before indulging in the big Thanksgiving feast. Registration is complimentary.

Ideal Family Photo locations on Kiawah Island

Kiawah has numerous picturesque settings to snap some really great photos of the family. A family gathering in the low country is not complete without capturing the moment with several memorable photos. The ideal island photo spots include the ocean/beach area, the river marsh, golf courses and the hotel/resort grounds. If there are no constraints with money or time, consider hiring an island photographer to capture the moment. Most of the Charleston area photographers are accustomed to meeting you at Kiawah or Seabrook to take some awesome family photos. We have outsourced our picture taking twice in the eleven years I have traveled to Kiawah. All the other times, we snap the pictures ourselves. We typically set up a tripod or enlist the help of in-laws or strangers to take the family photos. I put together a list of my favorite places to shoot family photos.


Beach – A sunset setting on the beach is one of the best places to get a picture of the family. We hail from the Midwest and the warm Atlantic is one of our main draws to coming back to this beautiful prestine beach every year. Beach front is accessible through numerous paths throughout the island. We usually come out along the beachfront in front of the Sanctuary hotel. If you choose to do photos on the beach, try and arrange to get there an hour or two before sunset. This extra time will allow numerous shots.

Marsh – Another great location for taking family photos is along the Kiawah river marsh. This large open setting is one of the crown jewels when approaching the island. One can travel all along the eastern seaboard of the United States and see beautiful coastal views of the ocean, however the sunset views over the inter-coastal marshes are the real treat for some amazing panoramic pictures. A dusk picture session by the Kiawah River bridge or Mingo Point will make for some awesome sunset photos. If your stay on Kiawah includes a family canoe or kayak trip along the river, make sure to bring the camera (as long as it is strapped around your neck so it doesn’t fall in the water). The water voyage may even include a dolphin sighting or two.

Golf Courses – Take the family out for round of golf at any one of the great resort courses and bring along a camera when you go. These courses are some of the finest around and also provide great colorful backgrounds for some good portraits. The Ocean course is one of the best courses for family pictures.

Resorts – Take a walk over the Sanctuary for some great photo shoots. The gardens, lawn and walkways provide some excellent backdrops for family portraits. Beautiful landscaping includes numerous palmettos, ancient oaks, Spanish moss, and lovely flower gardens along the walkway to the hotel.