Meeting at the End of the Rainbow on Hilton Head Island

Harbour Town at Twilight

An estimated 28,000 celebrants met “at the end of the rainbow” on St. Patrick’s Day for Hilton Head’s 30^th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The south end of the island was smothered in shamrocks along the parade route, which began at the beach and continued along Pope Avenue, ending at the Sea Pines Circle.  There was green beer, green jackets and hats, over 100 colorful floats, vintage cars, the Parris Island Marine Corps Band, the sleek, handsome Budweiser Clydesdale horses and a smiling Grand Marshall, Brian Carmines, owner of the iconic seafood restaurant, Hudson’s.

Living on Hilton Head this time of year is like living in a garden.  It is a perfect backdrop for numerous spring festivities: the Wine and Food Festival, WINGFEST and the annual Hilton Head International Piano Competition, which brings people and contestants from all over the world.  The event is put on by The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.  It alternates between the Young Artists Competition for ages 13 through 17 one year and the Adult Competition for ages 18 through 30 the next year.

Harbour Town, bordered by Calibogue Sound, will be the setting for the 45^th annual RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on April 15-21.  The field of 144 players will be competing for the top prize of $1,044,000 from a purse of $5.8 million.

There will be bagpipes, kilts and the boom of cannon fire at the traditional Heritage opening ceremonies.  Last year’s winner, Carl Pettersson, will drive the first golf ball near the 18^th green, flanked by participants wearing period costumes.   Heritage Classic Foundation members will be wearing their “plaid,” the tartan jackets a symbol of the sport’s Scottish heritage.  The pageantry speaks to the excitement, color and spirit of the tournament which draws top players each year.  It is one of four invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour and prides itself on smaller, stronger fields.  It brings over $83 million a year to the state of South Carolina.  The Heritage Foundation has raised more than $23 million for charity since 1987. 

Heritage fans converge on Hilton Head by car, boat and plane.  Private planes and corporate jets stream in by the hundreds, lining the airport’s parking apron within a wing tip of wild yellow jessamine that blooms in the woodlands near the runways.  Long, sleek yachts nose into the Harbour Town Yacht Basin; larger yachts anchor out in Calibogue Sound.  Many will be decorated with colorful flower arrangements.  Guests will sip libations and enjoy southern hospitality at its finest.

The Harbour Town Clubhouse is expected to be torn down after the 2014 RBC Heritage and a new clubhouse is expected to be built before the 2015 RBC Heritage, if plans are approved.  That, plus the $15 million Sea Pines Resort is spending on another new clubhouse which will replace the former Plantation Club.  Plans are also being finalized for a new Sea Pines Beach Club, complete with a restaurant and event room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  The resort has already spent close to $30 million dollars in the last five years upgrading amenities.  The recently renovated Inn at Harbour Town, a boutique hotel, received the 2012 Forbes Four-Star Award.  Steve Birdwell, president of Sea Pines Resort, was quoted recently by local media as saying, “We are a maturing community that needs improvement. . .other resorts have invested in their properties, and we need to be prepared for the future as well.  We are excited about enhancing the resort experience for our guests and providing amenities they are looking for.”  You can believe these improvements will impact on our property values!

Currently we are seeing some of the best real estate values we’ve seen in years.  There are numerous houses and villas that are simply great buys!  One is a 5 bedroom, 5 bath townhouse on the 18^th fairway in Harbour Town with gorgeous views of Calibogue Sound and spectacular sunsets (asking a low $1,195,000).  Interest rates are still low and good inventory is available.  The NAR (National Association of Realtors) recently reported the fastest sales pace since November of 2009.

The South Carolina Lowcountry is one of the nation’s five best markets to buy a home, says a CNN money report, based on data gathered by Realtor.com. “This large metro area in southern South Carolina includes old towns like Beaufort, as well as more modern developments like the resort communities on Hilton Head Island,” the post says.  The history and charm without the hassles of larger cities is a big factor.

Beaufort is only an hour’s drive from Hilton Head, as is Savannah, Georgia.  Charleston, S.C. is about a two-hour drive. 

In addition to millions of dollars being poured into Hilton Head facilities, Google has announced it is investing another $600 million in addition to the $600 million it invested a few years ago in the company’s campus at Moncks Corner, bringing their investment in South Carolina to $1.2 billion.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com