Media Room

 

Following are notable new developments in South Carolina’s tourism products including attractions, destinations and lodging properties. The list begins with a few honorable mentions, and then outlines some of the state’s most noteworthy awards and accolades received in 2011 and early 2012.

 

·         A new South Carolina-made cologne – Eau de Cheval-the Scent of a Horse – is now being sold as part of a fundraiser for the protection and restoration of a historic livery stable near Aiken. The cologne includes scents of sweet alfalfa, leather and musk, and will be sold in 2-oz. bottles online and at the Aiken County Historical Museum. Organizers hope to raise most of the $250,000 needed to protect Gaston Livery Stable, a circa 1893 all-brick barn that served the Winter Colony in Aiken. The barn has one of only four carriage lifts remaining in the United States. The group is also selling an air “De Freshener” of a yet undetermined scent. For more information, visit the website at www.eaudecheval.com or call 803-648-4123.

 

·         Windseeker is a new, 30-story-tall swing ride at Carowinds theme park, scheduled to open in the spring of 2012. The three minute ride begins when the carriage of 32 two-passenger swings slowly rotates while climbing to the top of a 301-foot-tower. The swings eventually reach up to 30 mph in speed while the arms of the ride extend in a 45 degree angle. It will give the rider a sense of weightlessness and flying. Not only will it provide big thrills, Windseeker also will give panoramic views of Carowinds and surrounding regions. www.windseeker.carowinds.com.

 

·         In addition to naming Charleston the best city in the United States, readers of Conde Nast magazine named The Willcox hotel in Aiken among the Top 50 Best Small Hotels. The Willcox was one of only three hotels in South Carolina to be recognized by Conde Nast readers, and the only one off the coast. The Willcox’s reputation for fine lodging and dining dates to the late 19^th-century when it was first built as an exclusive property for wealthy northerners who spent winters in the South. They came in such large numbers that the small community has been fondly considered the “Winter Colony.” Famous guests included Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Arden and Harold Vanderbilt. The Willcox continues its impeccable service today, offering horse and dog concierge services for its guests.

 

 

·         Bon Appetit magazine has named the new Husk restaurant in Charleston as the Best New Restaurant in America for 2011.

·         Open Table readers have named at least seven restaurants in South Carolina to its list of best in the country, including:

o   Aspen Grille – Myrtle Beach – Southern food with the chef’s personal twist, like fried green tomatoes with Bearnaise sauce. The restaurant excels in using local seasonal ingredients in its dishes. www.aspen-grille.com.

o   Charleston Grill – Charleston -- the signature restaurant in the Charleston Place hotel in downtown Charleston. Serves traditional dishes but offers them in four different categories – Lush, Pure, Southern and Cosmopolitan. The restaurant encourages its diners to be courageous and try dishes from each category! www.CharlestonGrill.com.

o   Devereaux’s – Greenville – whose contemporary American dishes have been described as masterpieces, is housed in an old cigar factory in downtown Greenville. The culinary team works in an open-air kitchen, allowing guests to get a front row seat of the team at work. www.DevereauxsDining.com.

o   FIG – Charleston -- considers itself a neighborhood eatery in downtown Charleston with a commitment to using local and sustainable food. Its chef, Mike Lata, was given a James Beard award in 2009 for Best Chef in the Southeast. www.EatAtFig.com.

o   Hall’s Chophouse – Charleston -- Family owned and operated, this American steakhouse serves prime steaks, Lowcountry and fresh seafood in a visually striking space in downtown Charleston. www.HallsChophouse.com.

o   Parson’s Table – Little River near Myrtle Beach – the restaurant uses material from a variety of churches in the coastal area of South Carolina, including stained glass windows from the Baptist Church of Mullins and a dining hall that was once the sanctuary for the Little River Methodist Church built in 1885. Aside from its historic preservation, the restaurant serves traditional beach and coastal fare, stepped up a few notches to make it one of the best fine-dining experiences in Myrtle Beach. www.ParsonsTable.com

o   Peninsula Grill – Planters Inn, Charleston – one of South Carolina’s most award-winning restaurants continues to impress its visitors with sophisticated cuisine served up in a handsomely appointed dining room. www.PeninsulaGrill.com.

·         Greenville, an Upcountry city growing in popularity for fine dining, shopping and cultural attractions, has been named one of “America’s Top 10 Downtowns” by Forbes Magazine. Its recent downtown redevelopment has transformed Greenville from a “backwater to a really functional and beautiful place,” the magazine writes.

·         Boating Magazine named Lake Murray, a 48,000-acre reservoir near the capital city of South Carolina, one of the top 10 places to live and boat. The lake provides a place to “bust loose” and serves as a “water playground for the Midlands” of South Carolina, the magazine writes.

·         This Old House magazine names the North Charleston neighborhood of Park Circle as one of 2012’s Best Old House Neighborhoods.

 

 

·         The Society Houseis Charleston’s newest luxury lodging experience. Originally built in 1801, it combines the charm of Historic Charleston with comfort that discerning travelers have come to expect. Located at 292 King Street, the Society House offers the privacy and space of a downtown apartment with the indulgence of a luxury hotel. The nine suites boast full kitchens with stainless steel appliances and beautiful granite countertops, spacious living rooms, contemporary furnishings, state-of-the-art flat panel satellite televisions, complimentary high-speed wireless internet and spa quality bath amenities.

 

·         The beloved Elliott House Innis scheduled to reopen this Fall after a two year renovation. Returning guests will find 25 cozy rooms with remodeled bathrooms, flat screen televisions and new furnishings that maintain the Inn’s historic Southern charm. Structural renovations include reinforcement of interior and exterior walls, an enlarged building housing laundry facilities and new stairs and walkways. The Inn will continue to provide guests’ favorite amenities including an afternoon Manager’s Reception, a large heated courtyard hot tub and continental breakfast delivered on silver trays. Previous Inn guests will find a revitalized Queen Street featuring the new Husk and Petticoats restaurants joining Charleston classics Poogan’s Porch and 82 Queen.

 

·         Kiawah Island Golf Resort near Charleston is developing new state-of-the-art pool facilities in Night Heron Park and near the West Beach Tennis Center.  These projects include a large children’s pool at Night Heron, complete with a curving waterslide; a renovated and re-purposed pool at Night Heron into an adult-friendly setting, with time set aside for adult relaxation, lap swimming and water aerobics; and a third pool in West Beach featuring both an adult section and a large play area with water toys and slides.

 

·         Kiawah has also embraced its Southern roots in the development of two new restaurants at the resort. Cherrywood BBQ and Ale House at Osprey Point features genuine house smoked Southern BBQ, slow-cooked using local hardwoods. It offers traditional BBQ fare like hearty ribs, brisket and pulled pork platters, gourmet burgers, unique salads, house smoked salmon and fire-grilled shrimp that can be complemented by house-made sides and chef signature sauces.  Meals are paired with local handcrafted beers.   At the West Beach Straw Market is Southern Kitchen, where diners can find Lowcountry favorites like country-fried steak and pork chops, collard greens, mac and cheese, and fried green tomatoes.

 

·         The Inn at Harbor Town on Hilton Head Island has just completed a major renovation with new features including sound- and light-proofing of guest rooms; new fabrics, furnishings and updates to guest bathrooms; a sleek, state-of-the-art media center, iPod and laptop docks and a glass door mini bar in guest rooms; enhanced lobby with bright, airy coastal design; newly installed tropical landscaping and lighting.

 

·         The Westin Resort & Spa on Hilton Head Island recently renewed its WestinWORKOUT fitness center to include more highly defined activity zones for cardio training, strength training and stretching. The Westin also will be restoring guestroom corridor carpeting by the first quarter of 2012.

 

·         The Holiday Inn Express in Bluffton is currently undergoing renovation that will update its guest rooms, lobby, breakfast area and meeting space. New furnishings, carpet and fresh paint will be included in the project; each guest room will get new 32” HDTV flat screen televisions, updated fixture and new bedding; and the fitness center will have new state-of-the-art equipment.

 

·         The Grand Shores Oceanfront Resort in Myrtle Beach will receive a renovation and update of hotel rooms and all common areas. Renovations include updated oceanfront pool decks, resurfacing of the Lazy River, a new ceiling for the indoor pool, a new covered walkway at the main entrance, renovated elevator interiors and new furniture in the lobby. Guestrooms are being updated with new closet organizers, paint, new bathroom vanities and lighting.

 

·         Springmaid Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach is working to become a wedding destination. The resort has hired a weddings specialist experienced in product sales, development and management. The specialist will provide expertise to sales and customer service teams about the distinctive needs of wedding planners, couples and their parties. The resort has also created wedding packages that address some of these needs.

 

·         Springmaid has also become dog-friendly. The resort now offers affordable rates for guests who travel with pets, and have designated dog friendly-specific rooms. A fenced doggie run was also created with ample room to play, and has benches and waste containers for owners.

 

·         The Lake Murray Marina and Yacht Club in Irmo will become a 216-unit luxury residential community. Residents will enjoy a heated swimming pool, a fitness center, a grilling deck with seating and a stone fire pit, Wi-Fi connections throughout, a theatre and entertainment room and other resort-style amenities.  Residents and guests will also have access to the marina center that includes a launch ramp, 269 boat slips, the Lake Murray Boat Club, a car and boat wash facility, full service shop store and fueling dock and a new restaurant.

 

·         The Courtyard by Marriott in Rock Hill has opened a new bistro-style restaurant, serving breakfast choices in the morning and a variety of dinner and cocktail options in the evening. The restaurant will also offer specialty Starbucks® drinks.

 

 

 

·         South Carolina’s vacation guide is now on iTunes! The guide is a must-have item for anyone planning a trip to the Palmetto State. Full of details ranging from major attractions and best places to find barbecue to golf highlights and tips, the vacation guide is now downloadable for iPhones, iPod Touch and iPads.

 

·         The collard green is now the official state vegetable of South Carolina, after a 9-year-old Lexington County girl suggested it to her state senator. The collard is a dark-green leafy vegetable with a tough texture suitable for slow cooking. In South Carolina, collards are most often cooked with ham hock or other smoked pork. The collard green is one of several agricultural exports of South Carolina.

 

·         A new Heritage Quilt Trail is taking shape in the South Carolina Upcountry, featuring painted wood panels of existing quilt patterns mounted on public and private buildings. The trail begins at the South Carolina welcome center at exit #1 on Interstate 85 (Fair Play) and travels north through the high hills of Oconee, Anderson and Pickens counties. A map of the sites can be found on the quilt trail’s website at www.UpstateHeritageQuiltTrail.org.

 

·         The official website of the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor has been developed. The site provides historic details about this unique culture found only in the Lowcountry and sea islands of the Southern United States, and outlines the attractions in South Carolina that travelers can visit to experience some of the culture. See more at www.GullahGeecheeCorridor.org.

 

·         A new welcome center and museum opened on the Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway (SC 11) in the restored 1870s John H. Goodwin Store. It is located just west of the National Byway’s junction with US 25 N. The building housed one of the area’s earliest post offices, Orleans (formerly Pickett’s Valley and Lima, after 1852), and was a general store for the community. The welcome center and museum is manned Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Blythe-Goodwin-Hagood House behind the welcome center was originally built in the late 1700s. Both the house and store building are listed on the National Register for Historic Places. The house is currently being restored.

 

 

 

·         The otter habitat at Charles Towne Landing, one of the more popular features at the historic site’s Animal Forest, has reopened with a new design that, for the first time, provides views of the animals’ movements underwater. The new habitat is larger and it features two viewing areas of 6-foot-high, 24-foot wide aquarium-type acrylic glass.

 

·         New website for people who travel with their pets, www.CharlestonDoggyTown.com, helps travelers find dog-friendly restaurants, hotels, parks and businesses. It also helps the traveler plan canine activities utilizing the site’s interactive Calendar of Events. The website is an innovative and fun resource that provides specific dog-friendly information on a spectrum of subjects as well as great feature articles.

 

 

·         Zip line Hilton Head opens at Broad Creek Marina in April. The new attraction consists of seven zip lines in a 2.5 hour tour over vistas in Hilton Head’s Broad Creek, some from as high as 75 feet. Near the end of the tour is a dual cable racing zip line! The zip line tour is the first of several outdoor attractions opening up this spring and summer at Broad Creek Marina, including a new ropes course, a bungee trampoline and rock climbing wall. www.BroadCreekMarinaHH.com.

 

·         Gullah Museum of Hilton Head – The museum and its collection of buildings located on Gumtree Road restore, preserve and interpret the Gullah culture that existed on the island before the bridge was built to the mainland in 1956. Much of the museum is still under restoration and development. The Gullah culture is unique to the Lowcountry South, considered a blend of African and English cultures that developed during America’s period of slavery. www.GullahMuseumHHI.org.

 

·         Robert Irvine, chef of Food Network’s “Restaurant: Impossible” and “Dinner: Impossible,”   opens up a new restaurant on Hilton Head – called nosh, located in the Tanger Outlet 2 shopping mall. He takes on Southern Cuisine by using regional ingredients and classic preparation. www.RobertIrvinesnosh.com.

 

·         Station 300 will be the latest addition to Buckwalter Place in the heart of Bluffton. This high-tech entertainment center will be a dazzling 33,000 square feet of bowling lanes, a restaurant and lounge, and the latest arcade games. www.Station300Bluffton.com.

 

·         New Pat Boone Family Theater at Myrtle Beach -- The Pat Boone Family Theater is slated for a grand opening in August 2011. Approximately $1 million in renovations will turn the former NASCAR Café restaurant into a 600-seat theater where only 50 feet will separate the back row of the audience from the stage. Pat Boone, who rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s and continues to record, will help book acts and also perform several times a year. A Boone Museum will feature some of his memorabilia. The theater will have a resident illusionist and mentalist, Morgan Strebler who will perform three shows six days a week in peak season with interactive and mind bending illusions. The theater will also host gospel concerts, Christmas shows and other family friendly events. The venue will also feature a late-night lounge, set to open in early fall. More info. Contact. Other New Developments in Myrtle Beach! Photography

 

·         First Electrical Charging Stations on the Carolina Coast -- Ocean Lakes Family Campgroundnow has the first set of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the Coastal Carolinas. Ocean Lakes built two stations as part of its award-winning iCare Program aimed at reducing the environmental impact of its campground and guests. The Level 2 EV Charging Stations are open to the general public, as well as Ocean Lakes guests.Contact. Photography. Additionally, Plug In Carolina has installed electric vehicle charging stations at Ocean Lakes and other locations around the Grand Strand, with a larger goal of installing 80 active stations in South Carolina.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         New exhibit – Lunch Counter at Mann-Simons Cottage -- Historic Columbia Foundation is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit at the Mann-Simons site. The exhibit tells the story of the lunch counter, in operation on the site from 1891 to 1909, from an archaeological perspective. More than 3,700 artifacts were recovered during an archaeological dig at the site. Thanks to the discovery of a large, well preserved trash pit during excavations in 2006, the day-to-day operations of the lunch counter can be told in remarkable detail and offers visitors a glimpse at what fast food looked like 100 years ago, as well as why Jim Crow segregation took the form it did in the American South. The exhibit is composed of five display cases, offering a representative sample of the artifacts recovered in terms of architecture, food and beverage, tableware and food preparation, infrastructure, and household trash. More info. Contact. Photography.

 

 

·         Vanity QR Codes -- The Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Office (CCLMC) released 2 new mobile websites featuring vanity Quick Response, or “QR,” codes for visitors to gather information about the region.The code links directly to the mobile version of LakeMurrayCountry.com and links to the HarbisonShopping.com mobile site. HarbisonShopping.com was established due to volume of traffic on interstate I-26 and visitors passing through the region. It provides visitors information on where to stay, dine and shop in the Harbison area. CCLMC plans to soon release a similar campaign for the Columbia Northeast shopping area.

 

·         Giordana Velodrome -- The Giordana Velodrome is scheduled to open Spring 2012. The 250m world-class Giordana Velodrome, endorsed by USA Cycling, will host national and UCI caliber events while introducing the local community to the Olympic sport of track cycling through a variety of rider development and outreach programs. The Giordana Velodrome is part of the Rock Hill Outdoor Center at Riverwalk.

 

 

 

·         The US Army Corps of Engineers will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the development of Lake Hartwell this year with a variety of events and commemorations. Most events will be posted on its web page as they become available at www.sas.usace.army.mil/50.

 

 

 

·         The Beaufort History Museum will be open to the public in the new City Hall on Boundary St. (Uptown Beaufort) in the spring of 2012. The first exhibition will include items from the original collection, describing Beaufort from early Native American presence to more recent military uniforms and will encompass the highlights of our history. www.BeaufortHistoryMuseum.com.

 

·         150th anniversary of the creation of Penn School (Penn Center) -- This event begins in 2012, but continues through 2014 and includes several events such as cultural presentations, a book publication, ribbon-cutting of a new library, health center and heritage trail, as well as an unveiling of a new Robert Smalls Resource Center. First established as Penn School, the compound of dormitories and meeting halls on St. Helena Island off the coast of Beaufort was one of America’s first schools for freed slaves. As the campus converted to community buildings and other use, Penn School later became a site for strategic planning for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, Penn Center is a community center that offers educational history and cultural programs in its museum and other facilities on campus. The annual Penn Center Heritage Days, held annually the second weekend in November, celebrates the unique and influential history of the center and of the Gullah people of the sea islands. More info. Contact.

 

·         The new Cypress Wetlands Park in the town of Port Royal will be complete in the spring of 2012, and it will include a trail system, boardwalk and amphitheater. It focuses on restoring the habitat for natural wildlife in the wetlands, which will allow visitors to see various bird species from several look-out points while reading the informative and educational signage. 843-986-2211.

 

·         Lowcountry Produce opens storefront in downtown Beaufort in the Old City Hall Building on Carteret Street.  Having many accolades, including their Sweet Potato Butter being featured in last December's issue of O Magazine, Lowcountry Produce is a purveyor of regional Southern delicacies. All of their products are handmade and hand packed using only all-natural ingredients. Renovations were done to preserve the building, and now Lowcountry Produce will feature all their products, as well as a deli area to serve lunch. www.lowcountryproduce.com

 

·         Historic Cheraw has developed a new cell phone tour that brings to life some of the small town’s most impressive architecture and history. Haunted houses, racing preachers and Dizzy Gillespie’s musical roots are all part of the 25 homes, churches and business, some pre-dating to 1860, on the tour. The tour covers Cheraw’s 10-block historic district and is a self-guided tour. Tour maps are available at town hall, the chamber of commerce and other public facilities. For more information, contact David Sides at dsides@cheraw.com or 843-537-8425.

 

·         Francis Marion Performing Arts Center -- The Performing Arts Center, completed in 2011, provides unparalleled performance venues for the region featuring national, regional, and local performing artists. Additionally, the Performing Arts Center provides instructional facilities, practice rooms and faculty offices for the Music Industry Program offered by the FMU Department of Fine Arts.  843-661-4444.

 

·         Oconee County in South Carolina and Rabun County in Georgia will engage in dueling banjo contests and other events to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the movie Deliverance. The special events are expected to take place in June during the annual Chattooga River Festival. They will also collaborate with Warner Brothers Productions, producers of the film, to release a special edition of the movie in Blu-ray format, and to invite actors to the festival as celebrity guests. www.SCMountainLakes.com. 1-877-685-2537.

 

·         Saluda River Rafting Adventures is a new outfitter in Oconee County that offers river tubing, horse back riding lessons, trail rides (seasonally) and river site tent camping. www.SaludaRiverRafting.com.

 

·         The renovated 1850’s General Store, Hunter's Store in Pendleton, re-opens its doors to the public.  It now serves as headquarters for the local tourism organization. 125 Queen Street, Pendleton, SC 29670. 864-646-3782.

 

·         Spartanburg’s new Music Trail honors native sons and daughters who have made a national or international impact in the world of music. The first phase is open, and covers five downtown blocks in this Upcountry city. Artists recognized include Arthur Prysock (soul/R&B), Ira Tucker of the Dixie Hummingbirds (gospel); Clara Smith (jazz); Singin’ Billy Walker (shape-note signing), Marshall Tucker Band (rock), Pink Anderson (blues), Hank Garland (country, rock), Johnny Blowers (jazz), Champ Hood (Americana), Walter Hyatt (Americana), Don Reno (bluegrass), and the Blue Ridge Quartet (gospel). A cell phone audio tour takes visitors through the trail. Info@SpartanburgMusicTrail.com, 864-577-9349.

 

·         The historic Earle House in Walhalla is now home to the Walhalla Chamber of Commerce and the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau. www.SCMountainLakes.com. 1-877-685-2537.