By Susan Johnston
Southern charm abounds in Charleston, South Carolina, where travelers enjoy beautifully preserved mansions, lively nightlife and good ol’ fashioned hospitality. Charleston also hosts the annual Spoleto Festival USA May 27 through June 12, when the city comes alive with performances by world-class dance troupes, musicians and theater companies.
Consider three Charleston hotels that call to mind the Old South, giving guests a glimpse of life in a bygone era. (more…)
Contributor Samantha Chapnick touched base recently with Matt Owen, public relations director for Kiawah Island Golf Resort and two other Southern resorts. When he’s not working,
he’s running marathons, spending time with his wife (Kelly) and their
two white boxers, golfing, or keeping up with European soccer.
If you were a player of Tiger Woods’ caliber, what might be your favorite course (other than your own)?
Well, aside from there not being any players of Tiger Woods’ caliber, I’d have to say it has always been my ambition to play either Augusta National or St. Andrews in Scotland.
For a golfer at your level (10-12 handicap), what are your two favorite places to play and stay and why?
Of course, aside from our spectacular courses at Kiawah, my two favorite places to stay and play are the Hawaiian islands and Las Vegas. The Big Island‘s scenery is just unbelievable, and on Oahu, Ko’olau Golf Club has some of the most spectacular holes you’ll ever see. Now, why Las Vegas? Because there’s no other place I’d rather hang out with buddies. I’ve played lots of golf out there and it’s a blast. The course, however, is irrelevant. It’s Vegas, baby.
Do you have a favorite moment in golf?
Actually, I birdied four holes in a row on The Ocean Course once, and then hit the pin on my tee shot on the famous 17th. Not only did I miss a hole in one, I rimmed my birdie putt and my streak ended.
Can you give us one or two tips to help players on one of your courses?
If you take on The Ocean Course, the best piece of advice I can give anyone is to listen to the caddies. They really know what they’re talking about. Wind does strange things to a golf ball, as well as a golf swing.
Have you ever played "Teeth of the Dog?"
I have not, but Pete Dye’s reputation precedes him. I’m sure it’s a beast to play.
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By Thurston Hatcher
Before the serious summer humidity starts bearing down on Charleston, and locals flee to the beach and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Spoleto Festival lands in the South Carolina Lowcountry like a second holiday season.
For residents, the electricity’s palpable as the international artists and arts enthusiasts descend on the city’s historic district for two weeks in May and June.
For visitors, Spoleto offers an enticing mix of everything from classic opera and chamber music to cutting-edge drama, dance, jazz and performance art, with this elegant city as its otherworldly backdrop. And nearly all the 120+ performances are within walking distance from the major Charleston hotels and restaurants.
The lineup for Spoleto 2008 — May 23 to June 8 — includes operas "Amistad" and "La Cenerentola" (by Rossini), the Boston Ballet, Laurie Anderson, London-based cabaret company 1927′s "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," and "Monkey: Journey to the West" by Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet — described as a cross between "The Lion King," Cirque du Soleil and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
If you’re aiming for a premium seat at the opera, prepare to pay upwards of $100 or more. But there are plenty of more affordable options across the Spoleto lineup.
Plus, the city of Charleston holds its own Piccolo Spoleto Festival, which simultaneously offers up a complementary a mix of local, regional and touring performances at even more affordable prices.
Even if you’re not that into the arts, it’s worth planning a Charleston vacation just to catch the Spoleto Finale, where you can relax on the lawn, sip a little wine, listen to the Spoleto Orchestra and catch some fireworks at Middleton Place, an awesome 18th-century plantation on the Ashley River.
For a few unforgettable hours, anyway, you can live like Charleston royalty.
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Thurston Hatcher is an Orbitz editor who lives in Chicago but spent 10 years in the Lowcountry — about six decades shy of qualifying as a true Charlestonian.
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