With the holidays complete and much of the country engulfed in winter weather galore, many people are starting to plan their spring or summer South Carolina beach vacation. This is a good thing :)! When you book early, you get the worm!

We’ve got 5 reasons why you should book your beach vacation early to make sure you get the most out of your Hilton Head trip:

1)      Savings! The first ( and best!) reason to book early is because you will save money. Who could argue with that?! Right now, Palmetto Dunes is offering 20% off Hilton Head vacation homes or villas plus FREE bikes for stays through 3/15/13. If you’re coming in summer, get 10% off all Hilton Head vacation rentals for stays 3/15-9/1/13, as well as free tennis! When you book your Hilton Head golf tee time in advance, you can save up to HALF off our regular resort rate. Those savings won’t last forever!

2)      Take your pick – When you plan ahead of time, you get YOUR pick of Hilton Head vacation homes and Hilton Head golf tee times, as well as for activities such as dolphin cruises, charters, golf and tennis lessons and more.

3)      Confirm your reservations – During our peak periods like spring break and the summer months, we often sell out of Hilton Head bike rentals and our most popular tee times and cruise times. By booking now, you can ensure you’ve got all the activities confirmed that your family would like to do ideally at the times you want to do them.

4)      Time to plan – Want to take a day trip to Daufuskie Island or down to Savannah, planning to meet your friends from across the country for dinner, not sure whether to drive or fly? Planning now lets you take your time working out all the fine details, lets you research the most cost-saving options and ensures you’ve thoroughly looked into all the options and picked the right ones for your group.

5)      Time to dream! – Of course, a big benefit of booking early is plenty of time to dream about your Hilton Head vacation. Snow piling outside the window? No worries! You’ll be in Hilton Head this spring or summer and it will all melt away. If winter’s really got you down, take a look at our webcams to give you a little pep in your step. Your vacation will be here before you know it!

Can we help you plan your spring or summer Hilton Head vacation? Call us today at 866-744-7558 and we’ll make sure you start the planning process early, get the best Hilton Head vacation villa for your needs, reserve plenty of bikes and get in all the activities your family wants to do at the time you want to do them. See you soon!

So, you decided over the holidays to get your extended family together again in 2013 for a warm weather vacation? Why not come to Hilton Head and Palmetto Dunes and keep everyone busy with our multitude of activities from golf and tennis to biking and kayaking?! Not to mention three miles of peaceful, private beachfront! We’ve got the perfect spot for you to stay with us: 193 Mooring Buoy.

Go ahead, close your eyes, now picture a gorgeous southern home with a grand staircase leading up to the door, a bright blue pool in back overlooking our 11-mile inland lagoon, a lovely deck with pool view, a cook’s kitchen and five beautifully decorated bedrooms. Can you see it?!  Enjoy all of that plus the perks of staying with us on your next Hilton Head vacation! Plus, for a limited time you can rent this home at a discounted rate for spring or summer season! This lovely home gives you plenty of space to spread out and enjoy your family without being on top of one another. The living room, dining room and kitchen all offer views of the pool and lagoon, so it’s unlikely you’ll be inside very much with the outdoors beckoning.

If someone in your family loves to cook, they’ll enjoy the expansive kitchen with custom cabinets, granite counters and stainless appliances. The dining room seats six with room for four more in the breakfast nook.

There are two master suites, perfect for the parents and grandparents, or two sets of parents traveling together. Both offer king beds, sitting areas and flat screen TVs. One even offers a shower with six showerheads for scrubbing the sand off all the kids at once!

There are three other bedrooms, two of which have twin beds and one with a queen bed. Another bonus den has a queen sleeper sofa and private bath.

Sound good? You also get two hours of FREE tennis daily when you book this Hilton Head vacation home and the best rates on all Palmetto Dunes activities like Hilton Head bike rentals, golf and kayaking in the lagoon right behind your home!

Book 193 Mooring Buoy today by calling 866-744-7558 , get your family vacation planned in advance and save some $$!

Here in Hilton Head where most days the skies are blue and the weather is mild, there is plenty to do to keep active during the winter months. Here are our top 10 winter activities on Hilton Head Island:

1)     Polish your golf game – Our Hilton Head golf academy offers a variety of classes for golfers all winter long. Learn to play more carefree like Bubba Watson, improve your mental golf game or enjoy daily 50-minute clinics on different skills. See our winter golf academy schedule. Or just head out for a round with  some pals. Winter is a great time to play golf in Hilton Head, as the crowds of summer are long gone, making for better pace of play, and temperatures are mild.

2)     Ride a bike! – With some 50 miles of paved bike paths on Hilton Head Island, there’s no excuse not to get out and enjoy the beauty of our island. Hilton Head Outfitters offers Hilton Head bike rentals for every member of your family, including cruisers, kiddie carts, tag-a-longs and child seats.

3)     Get in a cardio workout by playing tennis – Tennis gets the blood pumping for sure and the milder weather makes for more comfortable outdoor play. Try a Hilton Head tennis lesson from our Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center or take it up a notch with our Cardio Tennis class offered during the winter months on holidays.

4)     Shop! – There are plenty of unique boutiques and stores on Hilton Head to make sure you head home with a one-of-a-kind souvenir of your Hilton Head vacation. Try Shelter Cove Harbour waterfront shops or shop our Hilton Head golf pro shops and tennis pro shop for some great finds.

5)     Kayak or canoe the lagoon – Plan to rent a kayak or canoe from Hilton Head Outfitters and head out mid afternoon, when the weather should be at its warmest. Enjoy a peaceful tour of our 11-mile inland lagoon system, take in the wildlife and see Palmetto Dunes in an entirely new way.

6)     Take a walk on the beach and look for shells – With fewer people visiting Hilton Head in the winter, you’ll enjoy a quiet stroll and have a better chance of finding some great shells. Keep your eye out for dolphins in the surf and see what kind of treasures have washed ashore. Here are more tips on beachcombing in Hilton Head.

7)     Catch a redfish! – Fall and winter are some of the best times to catch a “big red” and our team of fishermen can help you do it. Whether you take an offshore or inshore Hilton Head fishing charter, learn to fish from the pros and see if you can earn bragging rights to a trophy red.

8)     Eat oysters – Here in the south, we say that months ending in “r” are the best ones to eat oysters, so before December winds down, take this last opportunity! There’s a fine art to eating an oyster (or you can just slurp it down, of course J) whether you enjoy it with a touch of lemon, hot sauce or just plain!

9)     Go birdwatching – The birds are out in winter, and in fact, during Hilton Head’s last Christmas bird count they totaled up more species than ever before! Grab some binoculars and head out on a kayak in the lagoon or a Hilton Head boat tour to Daufuskie Island or Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge for some great birdwatching. More Hilton Head birdwatching tips in the Hilton Head Outfitters blog.

10)  Do nothing! After you’ve done our top 9, why not relax, unwind and do nothing :)? Kick back in your Hilton Head vacation rental from Palmetto Dunes and enjoy an ocean or palm tree view. Grab a good book, a cup of coffee and rest. Ahhh….

Palmetto Dunes offers plenty of packages to help you work in all of these things from our Monthly Stay & Sports Membership to our Spa Packages to Hilton Head tennis packages and Hilton Head golf packages. If we can answer any questions or book you a stay or tee time, please give us a call at 866-744-7558. 

Coming to visit us in Hilton Head for your summer vacation or a weekend getaway? Make sure you have your camera packed not only to snap pictures for future memories, but to snag yourself a Palmetto Dunes gift card.

Every week through the rest of the summer we’re going to reward our loyal guests with Palmetto Dunes gift cards when you share your vacation picture with us on our various social outlets, like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Here’s all you have to do:

• Take a picture before Tuesday at 8 p.m. the week of your vacation at a recognizable spot within Palmetto Dunes or Shelter Cove Harbour
• Tweet your pic to @PalmettoDunesSC, post it on our Facebook page or upload to Pinterest and “tag” Palmetto Dunes using the @ symbol.
• We’ll pick our favorite picture of the week (so be creative!) by Wednesday morning, notify the winner via social media and have your $25 gift card ready for pick up by Wednesday at noon at the Palmetto Dunes Welcome Center.

Where to take your pic? Here’s a few of our favorite ideas to get you inspired:

• The statue of Neptune at Shelter Cove
• The Palmetto Dunes entrance sign
• The Palmetto Dunes Welcome Center
• Any of our golf courses
• The Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center
• Buying a T-shirt or Palmetto Dunes Tervis Tumbler at Hilton Head Outfitters
• The General Store
• The new Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers & Pizza at the Jones course
• Picking out sunglasses at the Ship’s Store
• HarbourFest at Shelter Cove (why not snap a photo with the kids and Shannon Tanner or Cappy the Clown?)
• Eating an Italian Ice at Frosty’s in Shelter Cove
• Dunes House
• Hopping a ride on the Dunes Buggy!
• Sipping a margarita at San Miguel’s in Shelter Cove

Now, how can you use your gift card? Lots of ways! The gift card is accepted at any Palmetto Dunes-owned point of purchase locations. Note, it is not redeemable at the General Store. Here’s just a few of the ways you can splurge:

• Tennis court time at the Tennis Center
• Round of golf or golf club rentals at our golf courses
• Breakfast, lunch or dinner at Big Jim’s at the Jones course
• Apparel at any of our pro shops
• Kayak, canoe or bike rentals at Hilton Head Outfitters
• Goods at the Ship’s Store in Shelter Cove
• Charters from Outside Hilton Head at Shelter Cove
• Lunch or dinner at the Dunes House

How would you use your gift certificate? Let us know and start thinking now of the perfect Palmetto Dunes shot! 

Most people will start 2012 with a list of resolutions like:

1. Eat healthier
2. Work out 5 days a week
3. Be more organized
4. Stop procrastinating

We’d like to offer you a resolution list that’s not only more fun to achieve but also gives you tasks you can complete with your friends or family.

1. Try kayak fishing - The calm waters of our lagoon system make the perfect atmosphere for beginners to learn how to keep balance in their kayaks and reel in one of hundreds of huge red fish swimming beneath.
2. Become a pirate for the day - Grab your eye patch and hit the high seas on a sailboat out of Shelter Cove Harbour. Our Pirate Adventure cruise is only $30 a person and gives you the opportunity to help hoist a sail or take the wheel! 
3. Explore a little history- The historic Leamington Lighthouse sits on the Arthur Hills course and was built in 1879. This little piece of history is said to be haunted, and we dare you visit around Halloween for a fright!
4. Take a 2-wheeled day trip- Hilton Head Island is perfectly built for bikes. There are more than 50 miles of bike paths throughout the Island, and Palmetto Dunes has a little more than 5 miles of paths within the resort. Spend the day seeing all our island has to offer while also working on that boring “lose weight” resolution that’s on everyone’s list each year! Head over to Hilton Head Outfitters to rent the perfect bike for you and the whole family.

We hope these resolutions spice up your usual list and that on the very top of your 2012 list it says: Plan a Palmetto Dunes vacation! Happy New Year and we hope to see you all in 2012! 

It’s that time of year again … time to deck the halls and trim the tree!  Most of the decorating decisions come down to white or colored lights, which ornaments will be on the front of the tree and what bows to put on your wreath. Why not try something a little different this year with a beach-themed holiday? Here are a few ideas to make your winter décor feel a little more tropical.

1. Shell Wreath - Instead of the traditional holly wreath with a red bow, you can decorate your door with a wreath made of shells. Whether you use Styrofoam and attach shells collected from your last vacation or simply add shells to a more traditional wreath, it will look give everyone who comes through your door a little taste of the coast.
2. A Boat Themed Mantel- Coastal Living magazine has a great example of how you can combine garland, stockings and a small boat to give your mantel that warm, and nautical, holiday feeling.
3. The Beach-Themed Tree-  To give your tree a little taste of the beach, try only white lights and lots of white, clear, silver and blue balls. Fill in the spaces with beach-related ornaments, such as boats, crabs, beach chairs and flip flops, to really give your tree that vacation vibe.

This holiday, instead of just wishing you were out of the snow and in the sand, bring the beach to your home with your decorations. We’d love to see how your family decorated this holiday season so please feel free to share your pictures with us on Facebook! Happy Holidays. 

Many couples dream of a beach wedding with the tide rolling behind them and their toes in the sand. The team at Palmetto Dunes helps that dream come true for many a bride and groom every year. Here’s what many of them had to say about their amazing ceremonies:

Did you know you can ride your bike almost anywhere in Hilton Head? The island has more than 50 miles of paved paths and, of course, plentiful beaches for exploring on two wheels.

On Saturday, May 21, 450 athletes will test their strength, endurance and mental toughness by participating in the Hilton Head Triathlon presented by CalU. Beginning at 7 a.m., you’ll see these men and women complete a 500-meter swim, 20-km bike ride and finish up with a 5k run.