http://www.ajc.com The latest headlines from AJC en-us Copyright 2008, Cox Newspapers Inc., AJC Tue, 2 Dec 2008 23:03:21 EST Newspapers COXnet RSS Generator v1.0 http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/08/17/52/image_1352178.jpg http://www.ajc.com 5 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/nc_stories/2008/10/26/Rose_Briar_NC_onetank.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/nc_stories/2008/10/26/Rose_Briar_NC_onetank.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:39:09 EDT Following the bends of I-40 through the Cherokee National Forest and then Pisgah National Forest on your way to North Carolina's Briar Rose Farm, worries of the plugged-in world begin to fall away. That's reason enough to visit the working farm, where guests bed down in rustic wood cabins, none of which have cellphone or Internet service. What they do have is peace, privacy and hot tubs on the decks in an environment populated by goats, chickens and cows. Bought 15 years ago by Chicago transplants Tom Hare and Judie Hansen, the farm is located 30 miles northwest of Asheville, N.C., near the town of Hot Springs. The area is home to a mix of mountain people, whose roots go back to the Scotch-Irish and English settlers who came here seeking a new life, and the recent wave of artists and early retirees seeking much the same. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/10/21/south_carolina_survey.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/10/21/south_carolina_survey.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:18:03 EDT NEW YORK — Charleston, S.C., took the No. 2 spot away from New York on the list of best U.S. cities to visit from Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Readers' Choice Awards. Tops on the best cities list was San Francisco, while the Big Apple ended up in third place. San Francisco has been the No. 1 city in the Readers' Choice Awards for 16 years straight. The Peninsula in Chicago was named top U.S. hotel, followed by Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, Amelia Island, Fla., and Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, Ore. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/25/hard_rock_park_bankrupt.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/25/hard_rock_park_bankrupt.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:17:33 EDT MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Hard Rock Park has closed for the year after losing a whole lotta money. The owner of the Myrtle Beach amusement park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday, ending an inaugural season that fell far below projections for the 55-acre, $400 million rock 'n' roll attraction. When it opened in April, park officials planned to stay open through what it called "rocktoberfest" and even have some programs during the Christmas season. The park, which included roller coasters based on Led Zeppelin's classic "Whole Lotta Love" and the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane," plans to reopen in 2009, park spokesman Jim Olecki. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/12/charleston_fall_events.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/12/charleston_fall_events.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:56:08 EDT CHARLESTON, S.C. — If you're visiting Charleston this fall, here are a few places in the area to consider visiting to celebrate the harvest season. The Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch in Mount Pleasant is open throughout October, offering hay rides, kettle corns, pumpkin-picking and Happy Jack, an animated talking pumpkin. Details at boonehallplantation.com/fall_festival.php. You'll find a corn maze, scarecrow contests, hay rides, apple slingshot contests, a farm petting zoo and more at West Farm, in Moncks Corner, www.westfarmcornmaze.com/ http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/24/Family_Golf_Resorts.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/24/Family_Golf_Resorts.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:19:11 EDT Scott Campbell's yearly golf trip started a decade ago as a getaway, a few rounds with an old buddy. Both of them had preteen sons, and Campbell left 10-year-old Joe back home in Lawrenceville with the rest of the family. But as his boy grew up and got interested in golf, Campbell realized how little time he had left with Joe. The same thing was dawning on his old golf buddy regarding his son. But would Joe get bored on the golf trip? Would having two boys along ruin the guy experience? Would it be an expensive bust? http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:55:37 EDT From great golf to great grub, Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand area continues to evolve — a grand destination for golfers and non-golfers alike. IF YOU GO http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Golf_Courses.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Golf_Courses.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:54:12 EDT Myrtle Beach, S.C. — This seasonal resort area has its roots in sandy stretches and sand traps. The beach, golf and weather have played a big part in the Grand Strand's success and growth into a year-round, multi-faceted destination with star-studded entertainment, shopping and creative cuisine. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/13/Avian_Center_South_Carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/13/Avian_Center_South_Carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:42:45 EDT AWENDAW, S.C. — With owls swooping through trees as a warm breeze washes in from the nearby Atlantic, a raptor center newly opened to the public here may transport some younger visitors straight to the pages of a Harry Potter book. For their parents, it's a chance to break the mold of the typical South Carolina tourist trip that revolves around golf courses and beaches. Here at The Center for Birds of Prey, you can see owls, hawks, kestrels and other raptors in flight demonstrations. And you can wander through the lavishly landscaped two-acre Owl Wood with its collection of owls from around the world — like the large white and brown striped Ural owl that skims inches above your head before alighting on a tree stump to the delight of visitors sitting nearby on wooden benches. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/20/south_carolina_tourism.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/20/south_carolina_tourism.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:01:40 EDT CHARLESTON, S.C. — If you're heading for a South Carolina getaway, there's a new way to get information while you're on the way. The state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has launched two new Web sites for people with smart phones and handheld devices. The sites provide information about events, lodging, shopping, dining and state parks but without all the maps, photos and graphics of the department's main Web sites. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/08/BMW_Museum_SCarolina_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/08/BMW_Museum_SCarolina_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 8 Aug 2008 17:52:26 EDT It's easy to see why BMW's visitors center could be a car-lover's BFF. The sleek building, named the Zentrum, beckons travelers on I-85 just north of Greenville, S.C., and the best part is, you can visit the museum for free. Even springing for the one-hour tour of the plant, which is the only BMW manufacturing facility in the United States and is undergoing a $750 million expansion, is just $5 (or $3.50 for students and BMW Car Club of America members). But be prepared: No matter how much money you're trying not to spend these days, spending some time at the BMW attraction is going to fuel the desire to drive to a dealership and plunk down some serious cash on one of the automobiles. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/10/Family_Attractions_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/10/Family_Attractions_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:49:26 EDT Another school season is upon us, and you're probably anxiously guarding your calendar's white space in the hopes that some "free time" will remain sandwiched between school events, sports, recitals, plays, parties and college football. All those different schedules can pull us so far apart that we tend to run in place next to each other, enjoying riveting conversations such as, "When are you going to get out of the bathroom?" Or "What's for dinner?" As the mother of my own loosely organized posse, I feel compelled to get creative when it comes to adventurous family time. Here's a recent year's worth of excursions to inspire other over-scheduled families to set aside time to do something together. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/06/17/ripley_mirror_maze.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/06/17/ripley_mirror_maze.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Mon, 4 Aug 2008 13:31:48 EDT MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Ripley's has opened an unusual attraction in Myrtle Beach called the Marvelous Mirror Maze. The walk-through attraction features hundreds of floor-to-ceiling mirrors, nearly 2,000 square feet in all of mirrored paths, corners, dead ends, hallways and circles. "Our Marvelous Mirror Maze is not your granddaddy's house of mirrors. This is a totally new concept in amusement design and it will provide a different experience every time you enter," Peter MacIntyre, general manager of Ripley's Attractions in Myrtle Beach, said in a statement. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/07/23/weeki_wachi_mermaids.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/07/23/weeki_wachi_mermaids.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:52:45 EDT MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The mermaid swimmers who perform at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida are coming to Myrtle Beach. It will be the first time in the 61 years of the Florida attraction that the mermaids have performed away from their home. The mermaids will perform their underwater choreography Aug. 1-3 at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach. The swimmers will perform in Ray Bay — an 85,000-gallon saltwater tank. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/06/11/beauforts_travel_atlanta.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/06/11/beauforts_travel_atlanta.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:12:46 EDT The coastline of the Carolinas has long been known for charming waterfront towns where visitors feel immediately welcome. Thus, North Carolina's Beaufort (pronounced "Bo-fort") and South Carolina's Beaufort (pronounced "Bew-fort") provide a hospitable slice of small town life. The generally accepted and abbreviated explanation for the different pronunciations is that both Beauforts were named for Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort. The towns were founded in the early 1700s, with the residents of Beaufort, N.C, using the more contemporary French pronunciation (as in "beaujolais") and those of Beaufort, S.C., adopting the more medieval French pronunciation (like "beautiful"). http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/fl_stories/2008/05/16/trgasrebates_0517.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/fl_stories/2008/05/16/trgasrebates_0517.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Mon, 9 Jun 2008 17:27:12 EDT Fretful that rising gasoline prices might put the brakes on the traditional family summer road trip, a growing number of hotels and resorts are offering gas rebates as an incentive to go ahead and book a reservation. The deals vary — some spots deduct the rebate from your bill at checkout; others simply leave a gas card for you at the front desk when you check in. Some deals require a minimum stay. Be sure to ask questions about the terms and conditions. Gas rebate promotions pop up whenever the price of gasoline breaks through a benchmark such as $2 a gallon or $3 a gallon, said Robert Mandelbaum of the Atlanta office of PKF Consulting, which does research and consulting for the travel industry.