Carolina Skies

So you are considering a move to Charleston? Excellent choice! The South Carolina real estate market has been steadily gaining in popularity for many years. This area has a lot to showcase to potential home buyers. Here is a short list of reasons why the purchase of a new home or condo in Charleston makes good sense.

- Beautiful Homes – There are some amazing homes in this area and more are being constructed every day. It does not matter if your tastes lean towards country cottages or stylish loft condos, there is a special piece of property for everyone in Charleston. There is also a great selection of historical and heritage homes, plantation style manors and homes that will simply take your breath away.

- Schools – This area is home to some excellent schools, both public and private. There is also a wealth of post-secondary options that cater to students of all kinds. Whether you are seeking a school for trades or academics there are a great selection of schools that can provide the quality education that is important to you and your family.

- Employment – There is a thriving employment atmosphere in Charleston. The strong, skilled, educated workforce here provides a great backbone for the industrial and business communities. With such a wide array of opportunities it will never be difficult to find quality employment.

- Scenery – This is simply a beautiful area in which to live. The natural scenery creates a beautiful backdrop for the homes and properties. There is also an abundance of parks and green spaces that only add to the already inspiring visual element of Charleston. The local islands that sit just off the coast are a beautiful element of the scenery here, adding to the scenic coastline, and beautiful beaches.

- Investment – Real estate values in South Carolina are on the rise. Homes and properties here have become an excellent real estate investment. Not only are home owners realizing an excellent increase in the values of their homes, but investors are receiving a great ROI on investment properties.

- Recreation – This area is home to some splendid recreational options. The natural landscape provides fun and interesting recreation choices for people of all ages year round. Also the strong community programs have developed a strong corps of team and individual sports choices.

- Shopping/Entertainment – This area is home to some excellent shopping and entertainment options. Whether you enjoy movies or live theatre, malls or quaint shops, Charleston can provide you with the choices that you desire.

- Diverse Population – This area boasts an economically and racially diverse population with an abundance of culture from around the globe. This has created a wonderfully synchronized community with a strong emphasis on family values and equality.

There are numerous other reasons to relocate to Charleston, too many to list on one page in fact. Its simply a great place to live, and a great place to invest in real estate.

Lee Keadle
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/reasons-to-move-to-charleston-124184.html

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 570 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, lies an island filled with pink sand beaches, pastel cottages and quintessential British traditions. With a landmass of only 21 square miles, it is one of the smallest territories in the world. Bermuda actually consists of around 140 islands, of which 8 of these are linked by bridges to form a continuous fishhook shaped area of land that runs 22 miles in length and only 2 miles across at its widest point. This is the Bermuda that most everyone knows because the other islands are uninhabited and some are only rocks.

Bermuda is a different island in many ways from those that you generally think about such as the Caribbean. It is very polite and slightly restrained in the sense that you won’t find laid-back locals wandering around barefoot and offering you piña coladas. It is somewhat formal in dress, as you’ll see the female residents in stockings and heels and the men in jackets, ties, Bermuda shorts, and knee socks despite the beautiful weather. Golf and tennis are popular pastimes and you will find that most visitors, as well as Bermudians, are over 40. It is a wonderful and charming island that offers many things to see and do with great places to go.

Bermuda weather is very temperate, not too hot and not too cold. It is a semi-tropical island that doesn’t have a rainy season and there is no one month that receives an excess of rain. Showers can be heavy at times but you’ll find that the skies clear quickly and that it doesn’t usually affect your outdoor plans. The temperature rarely rises above 85 F, (29.5 C) perfect for sun bathing, swimming and all water sports and there is always a cool breeze at night. May to October are the warmest months with an average high of 82 F and an average low of 74 F. The coldest part of the year runs from January to March with average highs of 69 F and lows 60 F.

The Department of Tourism promotes 2 seasons for Bermuda weather; summer’s “beach and sizzle” and winter’s “golf and spa.” In summer, the island is filled with activities; hotel barbecues and evening dances to set off your daytime sightseeing trips, and the public beaches never close. During the off-season which runs from Nov-Mar, you’ll find that the pace slows down significantly. Some of the sightseeing, dive, snorkeling, and water-skiing boats are dry-docked and only taxis operate tours of the island. There are also a few hotels and restaurants that will close, although having said that, most hotels in Bermuda do stay open and you’ll find the prices slashed up to 40%. This is a great time to travel with perfect weather for golf and tennis, you can still rent boats, tour the islands and the best part? You can travel Bermuda and take full advantage of the uncrowded beaches, shops, restaurants, and walking tours and totally enjoy the beautiful sunny days.

If you’re looking to rent a car while you travel Bermuda, you are going to be out of luck, as there are no car rentals available there! You can get around with public buses, ferries, rent a moped or scooter, you can use taxis – or even hire a horse and carriage. The bus system is fantastic, running on schedule all day, although there is no late system. Exact change, tokens or tickets are required. Tokens can be purchased at some hotels and guest houses, sub-post offices, and at the Central Terminal in Hamilton on Church Street. You can also get multi-day Transportation Passes for three or seven days that allow for unlimited bus trips which will save you some money. Metered taxis can be found at the airport and most large hotels and they can also double as tour operators if you want to put together your own sightseeing tour of the island. Bermuda taxi operators are among the world’s finest and their knowledge and commentary can make for an unforgettable tour. You can rent them by the day, hour or mile. All taxis are metered and the tariff is fixed by law so rates are the same for all: $4 for the first mile, $1.40 for each additional mile and higher rates after 10 pm. Ferries are a scenic way to get around and can sometimes be much faster than the bus. They connect Hamilton with Paget, Warwick and the Somerset/Dockyard area. Moped rentals are available by the 1/2 day, day, week and long-term. The cost varies according to length of rental and type of cycle. Horse and Carriage tours are a nice way to see Bermuda. By day the drivers will point out the sights, and for the evenings it is very romantic.

The currency here is the Bermuda dollar and it has a 1-1 ratio to the US dollar. Both currencies are equally accepted at all establishments but the US dollar is the currency of choice because unlike the Bermuda dollar, it’s exchangeable everywhere in the world. Average room prices vary as such: Low – $100/120 Mid – $120/180 High – $200+, average meal prices are: Low – $5/10 Mid – $10/25 High – $25-30. All hotels in Bermuda are subject to a 7.25% hotel tax which is added to your bill at check-out and there is also a departure tax but this is included in the price of your air ticket. When it comes to tipping, most restaurants add a 15% service charge to your bill, so just check to see if it is there so that you don’t end up tipping twice and of course, if it’s not there, this is the average. Hotels also generally add a service charge and this is 10%. For taxis, a tip of around 10% is average.

Bermuda has more sights to see than you will be able to visit in a single vacation, here are a just a few of the highlights. Visit the awesome underground of Bermuda, with one of the highest concentrations of limestone caves in the world, it offers a dream world that has even been the inspiration for many creative achievements including Hensen Associates “Fraggle Rock” muppets. Make sure to take a visit to the Crystal Caves or Leamington Caves, both are along the Harrington Sound Road. The Royal Naval Dockyard which began in 1809, can be seen today restored as an entertainment and shopping complex, with restaurants, crafts market, arts centre, Bermuda Maritime Museum, historic Commissioner’s House, cinema, and the Clocktower shopping mall. The Botanical Gardens which feature over 1000 varieties of plant life spread out over 36 acres of landscape and are open all year from sunrise to sunset. Take time to visit the Bermuda Aquarium, Natural History Museum and Zoo where you can take self guided tours if you choose and learn about Bermuda’s beginnings, whaling industry, captivating undersea exploration, and fragile environment. The aquarium, museum and zoo are internationally recognized as a centre for the preservation and reintroduction of threatened species.

If diving and snorkeling are your thing, you will find some 350 shipwrecks that are scattered among the reef formations, making it an ever changing, living museum under the sea. Another great way to see this amazing world is through a Glass Bottom Boat Tour, offered during the days and nights. And let’s not forget the endless array of the beautiful Bermuda beaches. With their pink sand and limestone dunes, you will find that the beaches on the south-shore are more scenic than those on the north-shore. The most popular, also the most crowded by tourists and locals is Horseshoe Bay Beach. Your best bet is to pick up “Bermuda’s Guide to Beaches and Transportation,” a free publication available at most hotels and in all Visitors Service Bureaus. It combines map and bus/ferry schedules, showing you the locations of the beaches and how to reach them.

Whether you are looking to visit a bustling city like the capitol of Hamilton, which offers plenty of shopping and sightseeing during the day; dinner, drinks and dancing by night to a lazy day on the beach, to the World Heritage Site and historic Town of St. George; Bermuda will cater to all of your needs. It can be a relaxed vacation destination or an international business center. It is a mix of ancient and new worlds, friendly people and there are so many things for you to take part in and enjoy. Whatever your desire, Bermuda is sure to welcome you.”

Sarah White
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/travel-bermuda-your-complete-information-guide-to-this-quintessential-island-93099.html

If you are thinking about a taking a golf vacation there and you search for a perfect golf course invariable one place which would crop up everywhere you look is the Myrtle Beach. It is known as the Golf City of the world. If you need a golf vacation it has to be here.

The statistics show that it has around 120 golf courses spread around a radius of 60 miles. These sixty miles of earth is not only golf courses but also beaches. This place in South Carolina is called the Grand Strand. The number of visitors coming to this place is 14 million visitors each year, enjoying the warm sandy beaches and the best of the South Carolina weather.

Myrtle Beach is fun for the family or for the golfing enthusiast who wants to take on the challenging courses of the region. There are activities abounding for groups of all ages and that makes this South Carolina region very much the hub of activity all through the year.

The outdoor activities include variety of things that a family can do like going out to the NASCAR speed park or the Hard Rock Park. The other attractions include Myrtle Beach Pavilion Nostalgia Park and Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Golfing is what defines the Myrtle Beach and it has scenic golf courses that can lure you for years together. For women and even for kids there are special golfing lessons and teeing times where you can tee without the constant eye of the other golf players milling around.

The famous architects of golf courses all over the world like Dan Maples and Willard Byrd have designed a few courses dotting the Myrtle Beach landscape. Now if you are planning a golfing vacation in Myrtle Beach then you need take into consideration some of the golf courses which are in the North Carolina area. This area is not as publicized as the South Carolina area of the Myrtle Beach. This North Myrtle Beach vacation area is a must for people especially if you want to get some acclimatization to the area before you proceed to more famous cousin which is the Myrtle Beach area in South Carolina.

Reserve your vacation package and enjoy that special golf course and better still enjoy the beaches also all along the Myrtle Beach. Since it is a family package you will enjoy more as well get to play your favorite game which is golf.

Amit Kheterpal
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/tips-for-getting-discount-golf-vacations-on-myrtle-beach-532339.html

possibly for skiing / romantic getaway

I agree Asheville is beautiful. And if you can afford to, isn’t the Biltmore the place to stay as far as romantic?

~~ Personally, I wouldn’t worry too much about scenery on the trip north.
You are going to one of the prettiest places in the US.
The Great Smoky Mountains are just perfect!
(But do stay off the interstates, if you want leisurely and pretty.)

~~ Might I suggest you purchase a book-size Rand McNally atlas they have scenic routes marked on them.

~~ Make your way up through Georgia; staying away from I75 (skirting Atlanta) and into western NC.
You’ll find the far north of Atlanta very forested and quite lovely.

~~ Though quite a nice drive, I wouldn’t use H17 at all.
Unless you particularly wanted to, there is no need to go into SC.

~~ Safe trip.

1 – Fayetteville is less than two hours from pretty much any beach in North Carolina and only a few more hours to the beautiful and scenic mountains of the Western part of the state. Fayetteville, North Carolina is in an almost perfect location in the state.

2 – Fayetteville is located in a very temperate part of the country, has easy access to travel hubs and has some of the best golf on the East coast minutes away. Talk about a near perfect retirement environment.

3 – Fayetteville, NC is about as patriotic as a town can get. What does that mean? It means that living there I know my friends and neighbirs uphold the same moral standards and etics upon which this country was originally based and that we will all work together to uphold them.

4 – Incredible parks, wonderful green spaces, beautiful trees and flowers… need I say more. This is a beautifula area situated in the sandhills of North Carolina. Our country affors us many choices on beautiful places to live. We feel extremely lucky and priveledged that we live in an area that would place well on anyones list.

5 – Hey, this is a friendly, down-to-earth, sweet Sounthern part of the country. The folks here are nice. Whether it is the Southern way in general or maybe just this special town here in Fayetteville North Carolina, we really don’t know. What we do know if we love it.

6 – Fayetteville North Carolina is a great place to raise a family. There are tons of activities for kids and families living in Fayetteville. The museums, parks, the beach (a short hop away), and a myriad of sports opportunities make this a wonderful and fun place to be or have kids.

7 – The traffic volume is surprisingly good compared to most similarly-sized cities. The “FAST” mass-transit system paired with a well designed infrastructure and a laid back way of living makes for a city that rarely finds itself feeling congested

8 – Fayetteville likes to have fun and celebrate the joys in life. There is almost always a festival or event of some sort going on in Fayetteville North Carolina. Whether it is holiday celebrations, the annual Dickens event or the Fourth of July on Fort Bragg. One celebration in particular that cannot be missed is “Glory Days”. This is Fayetteville’s own special 4th of July event.

The bottom line is Fayetteville, NC is a wonderful town and frankly it would be difficult to list all of the great reasons that people choose to live there.What I’ve given you above is a brief listing of just eight of those many reasons.

Why just eight? Well, when I ponder and travel around Fayetteville, NC I often jot down little aspects of the town that grab me. What is amazing is that once I return to my home office (where I do most of my actual writing) I often find I have a list unlike any of the others I’ve written up before. This list of eight is just one of those great little lists and just happens to be the one I chose to share with you here today.

Sam Huntington
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/8-more-reasons-to-live-in-fayetteville-north-carolina-680744.html