Sunset & Holden In Our State!

Local Holden Beach fisherman Tony DiFranco is front and center on the cover May issue of Our State Magazine. The May issue is traditionally their “Coastal Issue”. Editor Elizabeth Hudson and Art Director Deanne O’Connor note that “The May Coastal Issue provides great cover opportunities to showcase the beauty and richness of our North Carolina beaches.”

“We loved how one shot, above all others, stood out. Photographer Geoff Wood captured the image of fisherman Tony DiFranco just as the early morning light illuminated his kind face. As viewers, we are drawn in to the scene and story — here, we are more than mere spectators but participants in the scene. It’s easy to feel a connection to this fisherman, and we feel as if we are standing right there with him on the Holden Beach pier, listening to the click of his reel, smelling the salt in the air.”

A great cover photograph should capture the character and personality of a place, and the fisherman cover reveals the essence of a favorite visit to the North Carolina coast.

Other coastal stories in the issue reflect the wistful nostalgia of memory — including a look back at the little Sunset Beach Bridge (at nearby Sunset Beach NC) to the fond recollections of a NC family as they spend another summer in their beach cottage.

Our State Magazine wanted a cover that reminded all of us of our past and the traditions we carry through from season to season. We think they achieved that at Holden Beach!

A Golf Vacation Without Golf?

With spring now in full swing, many golfers are planning their golf vacations. In families with both spouses being avid golfers, a golf vacation is a perfect idea for a weekend or week-long getaway. The shared love of the game is both a means to discover the beauty of vacation spots and a planned activity while away.

But what about families where the spouse isn’t a golfer?

Other, non-golf activities are a great supplement to a vacation outside the usual shopping and sight-seeing. Certainly evening activities like dining and shows are popular choices for couples in the evening. But, activities specifically catered to non-golfers (while the golfer is out on the course) make the spouse feel more like a part of the vacation than as an after-thought.

Many resorts offer great prices on golf packages, but the top resorts offer a choice for their patrons of golf and non-golfing activities with their packages. These packages give a great value, and certainly help the success ratio of selling a golfing vacation to your non-golfer spouse!

Sea Trail Golf Resort is one such vacation spot that offers golf vacation packages starting at just $119 per night for a Champions mini-suite, with a choice of an included round of golf or a ½ hour massage per person. Package price does not include taxes, and a two-night minimum is required. Offer ends August 31, 2010. Call 888-321-9076 or visit http://www.seatrail.com/resort/specials2.cfm for details.