Head For The Coast For Free Holiday Fun

It's been a tough year for the economy and more than a few of us just can't wait for 2009 to get on out of here!

On the other hand, the holidays are right around the corner. They should be a time of joy. Time for getting together with family. A time to take advantage of free entertainment.

Yep, that's right. Free entertainment. In coastal communities in the Carolinas, there's more than enough going on for free or at very low cost to fill up a holiday trip. Best of all, the hotel rates are low this time of year. So get the family in the car and make a weekend of checking out the holiday fun.

Myrtle Beach, S.C.'s “Center of Fun," Broadway at the Beach, kick starts the holiday season with a Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 7th from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. It's in a new spot this year – the south side of Broadway at the Beach near the IMAX 3D Theatre. Entertainment is by the Irish Tenors, a group that performs at the nearby Palace Theatre where you'd pay upwards of $30 a person to hear them. There will also be performances by the Socastee Singers, Carolina Freestyle Cloggers and a Gospel Choir.

Up the coast at Carolina Beach, N.C., there's lots going on over several days.

Sunday, November 22 stroll down Carolina Beach's main street and enjoy the decorations, open houses and special sales at charming shops during the 4th Annual Holiday Walk.

Friday, November 27, catch the 1st Christmas By The Sea and the The “Lighting of the Boardwalk” at 8 p.m. Throughout the month of December this boardwalk will be all dressed up for the holidays and free stuff will include story-telling by a fire pit, ornament making for the kids, and live entertainment.

That same night (Friday, November 27) you might actually want to start getting in the holiday spirit at the Carolina Beach State Park where the Light Up The Lake ceremony takes place at 7 p.m. It kicks off a month-long Island of Lights Festival which features lighted displays along a one-mile path around Carolina Beach Lake. Entertainment that night is by the Carolina Beach Elementary School Chorus, plus there will be luminaries, caroling, a live nativity and Santa. And it's all free!

Mark your calendar for the weekend of December 4 because that's one of the best times to head to Carolina Beach. Friday, December 4 is the date for the spectacular Island of Lights Christmas Parade. For nearly two hours, this electric parade rolls by, featuring floats, bands, clowns, horses, Santa Claus, and much more. The fun starts at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, December 5, the Island of Lights Holiday Flotilla begins at 6 p.m. How cool is a parade of fishing boats and pleasure crafts, electrically decorated with thousands of lights, cruising from Snows Cut to Carolina Beach Boat Basin and back?

Can't make that weekend, then shoot for the next.

Saturday, December 12 is the date for the Island of Lights Tour of Homes. Check out holiday decorations and enjoy Southern hospitality while on a self-guided tour. On Saturday and Sunday, December 13, you can even take the kids over to the Aquarium where everyone gets treated like a kid as adults and children alike can get in for the child's rate of just $6. There will be photos with Santa, crafts, a puppet show, and a big-screen showing of “Mickey's Magical Christmas.” Even “Scuba Santa” will be in the big tank!.

As we finally get to the end of this year and begin looking forward to the next one, there's no better place to celebrate than Carolina Beach.

Thursday, December 31, ring out the old year at the Island of Lights New Year's Eve Countdown beginning at 9 p.m., on the Boardwalk. This is a true family-friendly event with dancing in the street and tunes spun by a DJ. At midnight, a giant lighted beach ball will be lowered, followed by a dazzling display of fireworks.

So head for the coast and get in the holiday spirit. You don't have to spend a bundle to have a great time.

Pawleys Plantation Chef Shares Tasty Pumpkin & Lobster Recipe That's Perfect For Fall & Thanksgiving

The Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has a lot of things going for it. Warm weather. Great golf courses. Miles of beautiful beach.

But we really haven't gotten much well-deserved praise for a new generation of gourmet chefs who have settled along the Grand Strand. They have the chops to work anywhere — in any fine dining restaurant in the world. But, like the rest of us who love living along the Grand Strand, they choose to put down roots here.

So, where's the love? Do you think fine dining here consists of seafood buffets, pancake houses and places where grits is considered a vegetable? Do our low prices for gourmet meals make you suspicious? Don't think they can be good because we don't charge outrageous prices? Well, we don't have to charge New York prices because — duh — we ain't in New York.

So here's a little unabashed bragging — the Grand Strand is home to some of the best chefs in the western world. Bar none. And you get to sample their fare at reasonable prices and in some of the most charming establishments this side of the Mississippi.

One of the finest chefs is Ernest Bledsoe, executive chef at Pawleys Plantation, a beautiful little golf resort about 30 miles south of Myrtle Beach.

If you stay at Pawleys Plantation, you can eat your way through Ernest's tasty creations. Here's a really good deal: a three-night Turkey Day package that's easy on the wallet and includes golf, accommodations and a gourmet Thanksgiving day feast for just $272 per person.

Whenever you're bunking in Myrtle Beach, Ernest makes the ride south to Pawleys well worth it, especially on Thursday and Friday nights when he serves up two gourmet dinners for just $30. That's $15 each.

But, at that low price, you're probably wanting to ask: is Ernest's food really big-city good? Honestly, no. It's better than that. It's New York, out on the town, mouth-watering great.

Recently, Ernest has been in the mood to create something that's even more special than his usual menu items. He got into the spirit of Fall and started thinking about just what he could do with some little personal pumpkins.

So, in celebration of all the pumpkins staged on suburban front porches everywhere, here's a peek at what he came up with. Now, we're not giving away any trade secrets; he recently shared this with the local newspaper, The Sun News.

Yes, you can try this at home. You could even start a new tradition and make this treat for Thanksgiving eve. Your family will thank you for it.

And, they're sure to be very impressed.

Maine Lobster & Vanilla Risotto Stuffed Baby Pumpkins

6 Jack be little pumpkins
1.Cut the pumpkin tops off (make the opening wide to leave plenty of room for the stuffing).
2.Scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and set aside.
3.Place 1 heaping tablespoon of compound butter (recipe below) inside the pumpkins spreading to cover the bottom and sides
4.Bake the pumpkins in a pre-heated 350-degree oven, for about 20 – 25 minutes (until slightly al dente.

Compound Butter

1/2-pound of butter at room temperature
1/4-cup honey
1/4-cup light brown sugar
1/2-tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2-tablespoon ground nutmeg
1/2-tablespoon ground ginger
1/2-teaspoon salt

Risotto

1 cup Arborio (risotto) rice
2 cups of lobster stock
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 leaves of fresh sage
1/2 pound Maine lobster
salt and pepper to taste

In a hot sauté pan start with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and chopped shallots, sauté until translucent, add the rice and one cup of the lobster stock and vanilla bean. Simmer on medium to medium high heat until the risotto starts to absorb the stock, then add more stock and repeat this process until the risotto is tender but not mushy. Add lobster, spices and sage (and vanilla extract if using that) and cook for about 2 minutes more stirring constantly, salt and pepper to taste.

Yum!

Next trip to the Grand Strand, be sure to try Pawleys Plantation and say hi to Ernest. It'll be the high point of your vacation— guaranteed!

Happy Trails, Golfers! Golf World Says Brunswick Isles Golf Trail Has More Outstanding Courses Than Any Other Golf Trail

For a lot of golfers, playing a golf “trail” is an essential part of the bucket list.

It's really only been a few years since enterprising golf course owners started stringing properties together and dubbing them “trails.” But they've caught on fast.

Alabama's trail is probably the most famous. But you can get a little saddle-sore driving hundreds of miles between the courses linked solely on the basis of a common architect.

In the last few years, as more and more trails have sprung up, it's gotten pretty hard to figure out which trail will give you the best ride for your hard-earned cash.

Until now.

Because Golf World has figured it out for you.

46,000 avid Golf World readers recently ranked the best courses in the nation on a 100 point scale. Now these folks are true, certified golf nuts. They love the game and they know a good course when they see it. When all the votes were tallied, the 2010 Golf World Readers Choice Awards ranked 14 Brunswick Isles Golf Trail courses among the best golf experiences in the nation.

This is on a golf trail that takes about an hour to drive from end to end. Not days. Not weeks. An hour.

But that's not why Golf World readers loved these courses. They voted on course quality, conditioning, practice facilities and overall value.

And of the 85 North Carolina and South Carolina golf course facilities that those readers named to their prestigious Golf World "State By State Recognition" list, 14 of them are on the Brunswick Isles Golf Trail.

The line up is impressive:

Rivers Edge, Thistle, Bald Head Island Club, Oyster Bay Golf Links, Tidewater, Glen Dornoch, Heather Glen, Sea Trail Golf Links (3 courses) and Ocean Ridge Plantation (4 courses). You can check the Awards out for yourself in the September 28 edition of the magazine.

So, pardner, the next time you get a hankering to ride a golf trail, choose the Brunswick Isles Golf Trail. Right now, they have some smokin' hot deals that will make the ride even better. Packages that include free lunches, a souvenir towel, free range balls and free replays with lodging in some pretty nice villas start at under $200. And when you book two nights, you get a third free.

Now that's a really sweet ride.

Can't Afford At Trip Across The Pond? Check Out This Wee Bit Of Scotland In Myrtle Beach

Dreaming about teeing it up at The Royal & Ancient in St. Andrews, but coming up a little short on cash? So what if this isn't the year you can cross the big pond? It might surprise you to know that you can get a wee taste of Scotland in the most unlikely place — Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Legends Golf & Resort. Legendary. Memorable. And a whole lot of fun. Kind of a fantasy camp of Scottish golf.

The idea behind this entire resort is to look and feel like the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, Scotland. And here's the kicker: it kinda does.

While the soil beneath the greens might not actually be Scottish, the views above them are so amazing that your senses can easily be tricked into thinking you've been transported to the British Isles. Driving into the complex, you burst out of some thick woods only to find a fortress-like clubhouse looming ahead of you. Stark and gray, it rises up out of a landscape of rolling heathlands and gorse-like grasses.

Off in the distance, there's a little Scottish village where you can bunk, so you can walk (or stumble) home from the Ailsa Pub.

Ah, the Ailsa Pub. First night in, hit the pub and soak up the atmosphere. After all, you wouldn't want to miss a place so authentic that Golf Digest named it one of the “50 Best 19th Holes.” IN. THE. WORLD.

What's not to love: a bar, fireplace, darts, more than a dozen flatscreen HD TVs, interactive trivia and video games, and a well-stocked cigar humidor. They'll even serve you dinner.

But don't stay out too late because you'll want to get up early. Why? You don't want to miss breakfast here. Up in the 40,000 square foot clubhouse, you can graze the massive buffet or custom-order from the waffle and omelet stations. No wonder this place is one of Golf Digest's “Top 150 Good Service Facilities.” Everybody who works here is just itching to help you have fun.

Belly full, it's time to hit the links. Or maybe warm up first on the range. Wow. That's what you'll say when you see this 30-acre gem. No flatland range here. This one mirrors the courses you'll actually play that day. (And for the real fanatics among us, it's lighted, so you can even get in a little post-round practice at night.) No wonder the Golf Range Association of America says it's one of the Top 100 Practice Facilities in the country.

On to the courses. Start with Heathland. Not that this Scottish doppleganger is any pushover.

The par 71 Heathland is the original, the first by now-famous architect Tom Doak. Even this early effort drew raves as one of Golf Magazine's “Top 10 New Resort Courses in the World” when it opened. Few trees. Panoramic views across multiple holes. Constant wind affecting play. Strategically-placed bunkers, gorse-like grasses and lush, deep rough are just out there waiting to swallow up your ball.

Warmed up, it's time to take on P. B. Dye's Moorland course. This is true “target” golf, a par 72 inspired by Pete Dye's legendary PGA West Stadium Course — a course that even the Pros can't tame. Golf Digest said Moorland was one of the “Top 5 New Courses In America” when it opened. You'll say it's scary looking when you look out over its huge hills, steep elevation changes, big, big sandy waste areas and huge lakes. This is also where you'll learn the true meaning of cavernous bunkers.

Okay, you can ease on back a bit at Parkland, a classic inland course molded in the image of British courses that run through both forests and fields. Think Augusta National or Riviera. Tree-lined fairways, deep-faced bunkers and massive, multi-level greens. A par 72, it caught the attention of Zagat's and got named one of “America's Top Courses.”

For less than $500, you can sample the delights of this cool resort for 3 days. And, trust me, that won't even get you a plane ticket to Scotland.

Kicked To The Curb By Bad News, S.C. Rises Up With A Holiday Harvest Festival Celebrating The Best Of The State

It's been a tough year for South Carolina. Now the state is brushing the dirt off itself and stepping up to brag about some of the many things that rightfully make its citizens proud. After a year of taking its lumps (Can you say “Argentina? How about “you lie?”), South Carolina is bent on shining the spotlight on the good stuff it has going for it, rather than the shenanigans of some of its more prominent citizens.

And that means something very fun is in the works for locals and visitors in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on October 24 when the Holiday Harvest kicks off. Stretching out over 15 days through November 7, 2009, Holiday Harvest aims to let the state kick up its heels in celebration of its rich agricultural industry, lip-smacking foods, surprisingly good wines and 5-star culinary expertise.

And where better to hold this than the state's epicenter of fun, Broadway at the Beach (BATB) in Myrtle Beach? BATB has even partnered with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the South Carolina Cooperative Extension at Clemson University to pull it off.

Plan to go and here's what you'll find: A “fair” atmosphere with contests and other fun activities for everyone from children through adults. A massive Pumpkin Pyramid of more than 3,000 pumpkins. A Hay Maze that will get pretty haunted as Halloween nears. A pretty cool collection of antique tractors from fields all over the state. Hay rides and sleigh rides. Pumpkin decorating. Face painting. A pumpkin pie eating contest. Live entertainment. A Farmers Market and booths brimming with fall and winter veggies. Wine tastings of South Carolina wines. A beer garden. A “Carolina Cook-Off” judged by a panel of regional celebrities. And, at the tail end of the festival, everything will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland with sleigh rides, a Christmas tree lighting and decorations galore.

Way to go South Carolina for taking the bull by the horns and showing the world what you're really made of!

Check it out at HolidayHarvest.com.

Fall, Family Fun And Fossil Hunting: Myrtle Beach Campground & The Smithsonian Serve Up Unique Family Outings

It's called the “secret season” in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It's Fall, a time when the sun is warm, the air temperature hovers around 80, and the 70s temperatures of the ocean water are still inviting. It's also a time when prices drop and all the fun of summer can be had for so much less.

But aren't the big amusement parks and the roadside water parks closed down, you ask? What will I do with the kids? Some stuff is closed, but if you know where to look, you'll find that the family fun that's around in the Fall is just as engaging and way more affordable. So, put the family in the car and head for Myrtle Beach – you won't be disappointed.

In the heart of the 60-mile long Grand Strand is the oceanfront Ocean Lakes Family Campground. This place is a major hotspot during Fall — family central and full of free activities that both you and the kids will love. And, if you think a campground is not your cup of tea, think again. Because this place covers all the bases.

If your family is filled with rugged outdoor types, grab a campsite and pitch a tent near the ocean or pop up the top of your camper. Got an RV? Pull it in. You say your family wouldn't dream of a vacation without all the creature comforts and a tad of luxury? Rent a house right within the campground.

What to do once you're there? Time to plan — because you'll want to mark your calendar for the 5th Annual Ocean Lakes All Star Golf Car Show, Halloween Weekends and the South Carolina Fossil Fair.

The Golf Car Show takes place October 24th and is open to anybody staying at the campground. This is a day filled with free activities, fun and food. Got a golf car? Dress it up and enter it in a contest for prizes – and anyone who participates in the show gets discounts on parts and accessories from Ocean Lakes Golf Cars. Now that's value added.

The 26th Annual South Carolina Fossil Fair is set for October 31st from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. This free event is open to the public. So, even if you're just in town for the day, come on by. This is a big deal. How big? SMITHSONIAN BIG.

The South Carolina Fossil Association and experts from the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of Natural History will be there. Bring your fossils and they'll tell you exactly what they are. Or check out all the fossil collections on display. What kid won't love looking at shark teeth, whale bones, and other cool fossil stuff?

Then it's time to tap into your inner Indiana Jones. Team the family up with Smithsonian experts to explore for shark teeth or put together a dinosaur skeleton. There's even a mock dig site where the guys from Smithsonian will show you the right way to recover fossils.

Into Halloween? There's no better place to head than Ocean Lakes. This place is so into Halloween that it celebrates it twice! Halloween Weekend number one is Oct. 23 - 25, 2009 and it's a chance for golf car owners to enter the “cars in costume parade”, followed by an evening Halloween party.

Halloween Weekend number two is Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, and Ocean Lakes pulls out all the stops with a magic show, great pumpkin search, pumpkin carving contest, Trick o’ Treating, a mystery dinner and costume contests for you and the family pet.

All these free activities, plus off-season rates. This place has worked hard to earn titles like National RV Park of the Year by delivering value. It's affordable, fun and all about family. And, once you're inside, you'll be amazed by how much there is to do for free.

To make reservations call 1-800-722-1451 for campsites, and for rental sites call 1-800-845-2229. You can even stay connected to the fun by following them on Facebook or Twitter.

A Club Where Pros Hold Free Weekly Instructional Clinics To Help You Improve Your Game? Free Greens Fees? Sign Me Up!

Everybody talks about it. It's growing the game of golf and it's one of the hottest topics in the game. Now Legends in Myrtle Beach, S.C. is stepping up to the plate and trying to make a difference.

Listen up golfers: if you live near Myrtle Beach, own a timeshare, second home or just visit there regularly, you really need to check this out.

Legends' new Players Club is designed to help all levels of golfers -- from those just taking up the game to low handicappers. But what really makes this different from other improvement programs is that this one is incredibly affordable. Can you say 29 bucks a month?

What's in it for you? Free afternoon greens fees, free USGA Handicap service, free weekly instructional clinics and free unlimited range balls at four Legends courses including Heathland, Moorland and Parkland at Legends Golf & Resort in Myrtle Beach, and Legends' Oyster Bay Golf Links in Sunset Beach, N.C.

Sign up for six-months and it's just $29 per month. Just want to test drive it over 3 months? That's $35 per month.

And, here's an economical way to get the whole family hooked on golf. Add one additional family member for just $19 per month or two additional family members for $10 per month each.

As if this isn't a good enough deal, the first family member to sign up gets a dozen Titleist Pro V1s free.

This is like a health club for golf (and, yeah, like a health club, some restrictions apply).

You get in the groove of working regularly on your game and soon — boom! You're shaving strokes off your handicap. All for the price of a six pack a week.

When the snowbirds who descend on Myrtle Beach get wind of this, the club's bound to fill up. Get more information by calling 800-990-8991 go online to www.legendsgolf.com .