Record Cold Winter Predictions Send Northerners To The South

PRLog (Press Release) – Dec 26, 2007 – In addition to warmer weather, there are great values to be found in seaside communities this time of year — especially for Canadians who are enjoying the fact that their dollar is worth more in the U.S. today than it has been for decades.

The coastal Carolinas are warmed by the Gulf Stream in winter and enjoy mild temperatures. The Carolinas have become increasingly popular winter destinations.

For those whose passion is fishing, there is no better destination than the Cape Fear coast around Wilmington, North Carolina. Two small, friendly beach towns — Carolina Beach and Kure Beach — offer very reasonably priced accommodations and charming character.

Carolina Beach is an ideal area for surf fishing, bottom fishing, shell fishing and deep sea fishing, thanks to its location at the convergence of the Cape Fear River, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. The Carolina Beach Fishing Pier is a great place to drop a line; it’s open to the public and has a tackle shop, grill and arcade.

At nearby Kure Beach, the fishing is just as good. In fact, the Kure Beach pier enjoys an international reputation among fishermen as one of the best places to pier fish for king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, flounder and blues.

Accommodations are so convenient that you can enjoy the pleasures of both towns when you visit. Choose from quaint family-owned beachfront motels, wonderful bed & breakfast establishments, or a towering oceanfront hotel.

When you’re not fishing, there’s plenty to do. Check out the restaurants that serve seafood fresh from the boat or sample the gourmet treats at one of several specialty shops. There are also several impressive historic sites to visit, as well as the North Carolina Aquarium.

You can learn more about these two towns at CarolinaBeachGetaway.com and KureBeachstories.com.

The Grand Strand area around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina straddles the North Carolina/South Carolina border. It offers a cornucopia of sun and fun and is an especially great destination for either a family vacation or a golf getaway.

There’s no better family fun headquarters for a winter vacation than the Sands Resorts where you’ll find enough on-site amenities to ensure that you never have to head back out on the road until you head home. Sands Resorts has over 1,650 guest rooms at its six-oceanfront properties, all of which are located close to one another at the northern end of Myrtle Beach. In summer, Sands is bustling with its on-site water park and numerous outdoor pools, but in winter you can still enjoy the indoor pools and whirlpools, the Atlantis Spa, oceanfront restaurants and lounges, Sands Health Club, massage therapy, Concierge services, and Sands Kids Club activity program. There’s even an on-staff PGA Professional to help you tune up your game.

But, if you have a desire to enjoy any of the many other things that Myrtle Beach has to offer, Sands Resorts can help. After making a room reservation, you just go online to playinthesands.com choose the shows and entertainment venues you would like to see, and Sands takes care of the rest. Your tickets are waiting for you when you arrive at Sands. Sands Resorts also arranges some of the best entertainment opportunities into Entertainment packages that include accommodations, shows, and breakfast at one price.

To learn more about the Sands Resorts, go online at www.sandsresorts.com or call Sands Resorts at (800) 260-8676.

If your real reason for going south in the winter is to gain more time on the links, then there’s no better place to take up temporary residence than the Grand Strand.
The epicenter of golf in the town that modestly calls itself the “World Capital of Golf” is Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore, a virtual playground for those who love golf.  Visit one of their two locations and you’ll find a learning center second to none. Huge indoor practice areas include putting greens, real sand bunkers and chipping greens. Hitting bays are set up with launch monitors and swing analyzers.

These stores are bursting at the seams with the latest in equipment at amazing prices. Superstore claims to provide the recreational golfer with the same level of service that the Tour pros receive from those famous pampering “Tour Vans” that follow pros from tournament to tournament. One thing’s for sure — Martin’s is a great place to tune up your game or stock up on equipment.  

There are about 100 courses and resorts along the Grand Strand, but few have as much to offer as Sea Trail Golf Resort, The Glens Golf Group and Pawleys Plantation. Each provides a distinctively different golf experience.

Sea Trail is in Sunset Beach, N.C. on the northern end of the Strand, just above the South Carolina border. An expansive, 2000-acre resort, it has three championship courses that are kept in top condition during the fall and winter and two full-service clubhouses with golf shops.

Known for its easygoing southern style, as well as great golf, Sea Trail’s impressive golf amenities include practice greens, a lighted driving range, a Custom Clubs Store and a PGA-sanctioned Golf Learning Center. The resort’s Village Activity Center offers indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools, and a licensed massage therapist.

Accommodations are in beautiful, Carolina-style villas that feature panoramic views of the golf courses and lakes. You can choose from a cozy one-bedroom or move all the way up to a spacious four-bedroom villa.

To learn more about Sea Trail, go online to www.seatrail.com or call 888-675-9237.

Travel a few miles south to find Heather Glen, the flagship course and accommodations headquarters for the Grand Strand’s premier collection of golf courses, The Glens Golf Group. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Glens Golf Group is a name that is synonymous with great golf. The Group offers four award-winning championship golf courses, luxurious golf villa accommodations, and a golf academy headed by one of America’s top-ranked PGA instructors.

Accommodations are in villas and townhomes in a Scottish-themed setting called the Village at the Glens and they overlook the spectacular Heather Glen Golf Links. If you choose a stay-and-play package, you’ll get discounts on play at all Glens courses, free range balls, complimentary breakfast and discounted replays. Best of all, you’ll have a unique and memorable golf experience when you tee it up at Heather Glen, Glen Dornoch, Possum Trot and Shaftesbury Glen.  

Check out the golf vacations at www.glensgolfvacations.com or tour the courses and the Glens Golf Academy at www.glensgolfgroup.com.

On the southern tip of the Grand Strand, you’ll find Pawleys Plantation in the historic resort town of Pawleys Island, S.C. When you enter the resort, you’ll be charmed by a landscape of 200-year-old, moss-draped live oaks, egret and heron rookeries, and a stately antebellum-style clubhouse. At just 582 acres, Pawleys Plantation is surrounded by spectacular natural wetlands, salt marshes and a 600-acre nature preserve.

The centerpiece of the resort is a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course that features several holes that stretch out into the marsh and back. Other golf amenities include practice greens, a driving range, and a full-service pro shop. The Phil Ritson-Mel Sole golf School (one of the Top 25 in the U.S.) is headquartered there, making the resort the perfect spot for both learning and relaxation.

Accommodations are provided in casually elegant villas built in the Lowcountry style. Spacious and beautifully appointed, the villas line the park-like setting of the Nicklaus golf course, providing beautiful views of the course, lakes and the salt marsh.  On-site amenities include golf, tennis, swimming, and a fitness room, and the resort is perfect for strolling hand-in-hand or riding a bicycle built for two.

Go online to pawleysplantation.com to learn more about Pawleys Plantation or call 800-367-9959.