This magazine is designed to not only give you ideas of how to spend your time, but to give you an appreciation for our land and our people.
There are over 38,000 of us who live on Hilton Head year-around and there are plenty of reasons for that, as we hope you will soon find out.

Here are some more numbers for you:

• The Island is 42 square miles. It is 12 miles long and five miles wide.
• We are about 35 minutes north of Savannah, Georgia; about 40 minutes south of Beaufort, South Carolina; and about two hours south of Charleston, South Carolina.
• The Island is comprised of about 28,000 acres of dry land and about 2,000 acres of wetlands.
• We have 12 miles of wide white sand beaches, about 50 miles of bike trails, 27 golf courses on-island (another 22 near-by), and more than 300 tennis courts.
• We gratefully receive around 2.5 million visitors a year.

For Your Information
The numeric order of our “101 Things To Do” is not a ranking. We have organized our articles in sections to help you locate activities of interest to you.
Additionally, you will find that specific activities or points of interest are mentioned in more than one article as indicated by our listing of related editorial numbers at the end of many articles. This is not a mistake. We have attempted to weave you a story. You may find your love of shopping leading to a new appreciation for the Gullah culture.

You will also see at the end of many articles a sentence referring to our Ad Directory. This directory, located in the back of the magazine, is a classified listing of all our advertisers. We hope this will aid you in finding a company that has that special “thing to do” for the day.
(And when you call or visit our advertisers, please don’t forget to mention that you read about them or saw their ad in “101”!)
And our maps – lots of maps! Hilton Head, Bluffton, Beaufort, Savannah. We have them all.

One last thing: If you find any inaccuracies or have any suggestions, please feel free to contact our editor (843-682-3205) so we can make corrections in our next edition.

So, sit back and read. Then get up and enjoy!

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The county has six distinct regions that house its 471,000 people. They include northern Sonoma, the Sonoma coast, the Russian River region, central Sonoma, southern Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley region. Northern Sonoma includes the towns of Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg and Windsor plus the fine wine producing regions of Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley.

The Russian River region includes the towns of Guerneville, Monte Rio, Duncans Mills, Sebastopol, Occidental, Graton and Freestone. The region has excellent wineries and is known for its recreational pleasures in and along the Russian River. The Sonoma coast is dotted with small hamlets such as Bodega Bay, Jenner and The Sea Ranch. There are miles of coastal access in Sonoma Coast State Beach, which is a collection of beaches. Fort Ross State Park is a former outpost for Russian fur traders.

Central Sonoma is where the county seat, Santa Rosa, is located. Santa Rosa is a beautiful, exciting mid-sized city that has kept the best features of its past and combined them with modern amenities. It is home to the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens and the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Visitors will find exceptional restaurants, entertainment and fine lodging in Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa also has a modern shopping mall with all the brand name stores. The city is home to about one-third of the county’s population.

A California Welcome Center is housed at the Santa Rosa Convention and Visitor Bureau office at 9 Fourth Street in the city’s Historic Railroad Square. Southern Sonoma County includes the towns of Petaluma, Cotati and Valley Ford. Petaluma has a turn-of-the-century downtown area with iron-front buildings that line the Petaluma River waterfront.
The name “Sonoma” translates from Coast Miwok Indian into Valley of the Moon.
The Sonoma Valley Region contains dozens of wineries in the towns of Kenwood, Glen Ellen and Sonoma. It’s also home to Jack London State Historic Park. The region’s highlights include the Sonoma Mission, General Vallejo’s home and the historic Sonoma Plaza.
For more information about specific areas in Sonoma County, including upcoming events, see the listing of visitor centers and chambers of commerce under the county map on page 6.

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Del Norte County in California is located 366 miles north of San Francisco via Hwy 101 and 383 miles south of Portland via Interstate 5 and Hwy 199. One of the many attractions of this county are coastal redwood parks. Towering redwood forests can be seen in Redwood National Park, Jedediah Smith State Park and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park.

Crescent City (population 7,542) is the county seat and Del Norte’s largest city. The Redwood National and State Parks Visitor Center is located at 1111 Second St. Attractions include Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City Harbor, scenic drives, public fishing piers, a history museum and the Elk Valley Casino. The town also has a wide variety of stores, restaurants, RV parks and lodging facilities. Nearby, the majestic Smith River flows to the ocean and offers a number of recreational activities, including rafting, tubing, kayaking, fishing and more.

A short distance north of Crescent City is the quaint agricultural community of Smith River, where the river of that name enters the Pacific. Located on coastal terraces 13 miles south of the Oregon border, the flat, fertile land attracted settlers and farmers as early as 1852. Each year several hundred acres of lily bulbs are planted in Smith River and along with Brookings to the north, they account for 95 percent of the Easter lilies sold in the nation during the holiday.

Just north of the Oregon/California border is Brookings (population circa 6,000), the southernmost town in Oregon’s Curry County. It offers a wide variety of large and small retail amenities and is near spectacular coastal parks, such as Harris Beach and Samuel H. Boardman State Parks.

Farther north, Gold Beach (population circa 2,000) and the tiny village of Wedderburn flank the mouth of the Rogue River, where fishing is a major activity year-round. The Rogue also is well-known for its jet boat trips. High-powered, low-draft vessels take passengers and mail 30-plus miles upriver to Agness or to Paradise Lodge which is 50-plus miles upriver in the federally-designated “Wild and Scenic” section of the Rogue. Gold Beach is the county seat and hosts the Curry County Fair in the summer and the Seafood & Wine Festival in May.

Hwy 199 travels east out of Crescent City and into Josephine County. The picturesque
Highway is known as the Smith River Scenic Byway along the portions that parallel the wild and scenic waterway of that name. After crossing into Josephine County, the road leads to Cave Junction, a quaint village named for the nearby Oregon Caves National Monument. Several family-run wineries offer tastings along or near Hwy 46, which leads to the national monument and its historic chateau.

Farther east, Hwy 199 intersects with Interstate 5 at the Josephine County seat of Grants
Pass (population 25,700) that is also situated on the Rogue River. Local outfitters offer jet boat trips down the river, as well as raft and kayak excursions. Josephine County sits amidst the foothills of the Cascade, Siskiyou and Coast mountain ranges, where hiking, fishing, picnicking and other outdoor activities are prevalent. The Grants Pass Visitors Center provides historic walking tour brochures.
Medford, the county seat of Jackson County is located 30 miles southeast of Grants Pass, and with a population close to 64,000, it is one of the largest cities in Southern Oregon. At the north end of Medford, Hwy 62 intersects with Interstate 5 and leads northeast to Crater Lake National Park, and has a vast array of dining, lodging and shopping opportunities.

A visitor center is located at the Harry and David Country Village, which can be reached by traveling west on Barnett Road from exit 27 on Interstate 5. Other attractions include the Southern Oregon History Center and the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theatre, both in the downtown district.

Ten miles south of Medford is Ashland, known far and wide as the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The town has maintained many of its historic homes and commercial buildings. Next to the town plaza is beautiful Lithia Park, which has 100 beautiful acres of gardens, duck ponds, grass and trails, to enjoy by all who visit. South of town is the Mt. Ashland ski area, which offers day and night, skiing and snowboarding. Its 23 runs are served by four chairlifts.

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The county is situated on the Northern California coast, 90 miles south of the Oregon border, and its largest towns are adjacent to Hwy 101. Eureka, the county seat, is approximately 283 miles north of San Francisco and 335 miles south of Portland, Oregon. In southern Humboldt, Hwy 101 is lined by some of the first redwoods spotted by northbound travelers. Richardson Grove State Park is a magnificent 2,000 acres of redwoods, located nine miles south of the town of Garberville. The state acquired the area in the early 1920s, making it one of the oldest state parks in California. A jaunt down smaller side roads that exit Hwy 101 will lead travelers to the King Range National Conservation Area and Humboldt County’s Lost Coast. This adventure leads to hamlets such as Hidden Valley and Whitethorn, and ultimately ends at the town of Shelter Cove. Further north on Hwy 101 after leaving the towns of Garberville and Redway is the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile stretch of two-lane road, dotted with small unique towns, that winds through stands of huge redwoods along the Eel River.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park is located along the Avenue and covers more than 52,000 acres. After leaving the Avenue of the Giants, the traveler will once again be on Hwy 101 and will pass the village of Scotia, owned by the Humboldt Redwood Company, and Rio Dell, a town of around 3,200 people. Further north is the sunny inland town of Fortuna, known as the jewel of the Eel River Valley. Friendly Fortuna has developed tremendous accommodations for tourists in recent years, including several hotels along the Eel River, and an attractive community center. East of Fortuna, along State Hwy 36, is Grizzly Creek State Park, a favorite for hiking, camping and summer sun. The Victorian village of Ferndale is just northwest of Fortuna and 16 miles south of Eureka. The entire town has been named a State Historical Landmark because of its strong preservation policies of commercial buildings and residences.

Eureka contains more fine examples of Victorian architecture, particularly in the Old Town section along the city’s waterfront. Old Town is home to the extravagantly ornate Carson Mansion, one of the most photographed buildings in California. Eureka’s population of nearly 28,000 makes it the largest coastal city between San Francisco and the Oregon border. Eureka has a multitude of excellent restaurants, cafes, specialty shops and lodging facilities. The city is also known for its large and active arts community. In fact, Humboldt County has the distinction of having more artists per capita than any other of the state’s 58 counties. Eureka is a busy seaport with a large fishing fleet. A variety of activities can be found in and around the waters of Humboldt Bay, including kayaking, fishing and even spotting a harbor seal or two. There are harbor tours aboard the M.V. Madaket, and the Woodley Island Marina is a great spot to enjoy a panoramic view of the waterfront.

Seven miles north of Eureka is Arcata, home to Humboldt State University. Arcata is also known for its unique marsh and wildlife area that serves as a natural sewage treatment filtration system. East of Arcata, along Hwy 299 and Hwy 96 are sunny Willow Creek and Hoopa, known for recreation along the Trinity and Klamath Rivers and their tributaries. Back along Hwy 101 the town of McKinleyville serves as the home of the Arcata-Eureka Airport, the county’s only commercial airport. In northern Humboldt County are the coastal jewels of Trinidad, which overlooks a beautiful sheltered harbor, and Orick, the gateway to Redwood National Park.

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Most of Mendocino County’s towns are situated along the main highways. Hopland, Ukiah (the county seat and largest city), Willits, Laytonville and Leggett all straddle Hwy 101. Gualala, Anchor Bay, Point Arena, Manchester, Elk, Albion, Little River, Mendocino, Fort Bragg and Westport are all small, former logging communities that line Hwy 1.
The coast is a popular weekend getaway for residents of the San Francisco Bay Area and has scores of great restaurants and dozens of bed and breakfast inns, vacation homes and motels. The entire town of Mendocino is a State Preservation District due to its lovingly cared-for buildings, most of which date from the late 1800s.

Mendocino County has several state parks and recreation areas, including Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, which encompasses some of the most pristine coastline in the country.

Mendocino is rapidly gaining on Napa and Sonoma counties with its growing number of fine wine offerings. Mendocino has more than 60 wineries that welcome visitors to their tasting rooms. Most of the wineries are located in Hopland, Ukiah, Redwood Valley, and along Hwy 128 in Yorkville and the Anderson Valley.

Weather in Mendocino County is generally mild. Fog and sea breezes usually keep the coastal areas cool, while inland temperatures can reach the 90s during the summer months.

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For additional details about Mendocino County, call (866) 466-3636.

www.co.mendocino.ca.us

Out of all the gorgeous cities California has to offer, San Diego is truly one of the finest of them all. The perfect weather and calm climate makes it feel like summer vacation all year long. With beach towns spilling down the coast from the big city, it’s no wonder San Diego has been able to retain a bit of that small town feel and is known as ‘America’s Finest City.’

Constantly ranked as one of the nation’s top vacation destinations, San Diego is the ninth largest city in the U.S. and is famed for the best climate in the country. Rimmed with seventy miles of beaches, it’s no wonder some of our beaches have been named among the top romantic and beautiful beaches in the world.

In San Diego’s East County, the terrain varies from gentle foothills to mile-high mountains and the historic mining town, Julian, down to the 600,000-acre Anza Borrego Desert State Park, offering nature-conscious visitors endless opportunities to hike, camp, fish, observe wildlife and much more. In San Diego’s North County, the agricultural community produces quantities of flowers and magnificent produce. Wine growers are also making a mark by growing and harvesting quality grapes that become excellent wines, which are served at some of the most elegant restaurants and resorts in the region. The coastline not only supports year-round outdoor recreation, such as surfing, boating, sailing and swimming, but also important scientific research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. To the south, it’s a whole different country, Mexico, featuring its own cultural offerings in various towns along the border and coastline, including Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada.

Just like the cheerful sunshine, the activities are endless. From the surf to the turf, enjoy countless water activities, museums, shopping centers and entertainment venues.

San Diego’s arts and culture and culinary arts are booming. The hottest, new culinary arts talents prepare award-winning meals throughout the regions 6,400 eating establishments. Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the U.S., is home to 15 museums, numerous art galleries, beautiful gardens, the Tony Award-winning The Globe Theatres and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

San Diego County also features 92 golf courses and a variety of exciting participatory and spectator sports, beachfront resorts and luxury spas, gaming, a dynamic downtown district, annual special events and unique holiday offerings, multicultural festivals and celebrations, colorful neighborhoods and communities, a rich military history and much more.

Touring San Diego by land, air and sea is a must! San Diego provides many unique opportunities to soar over, cruise by and tour through the beautiful skyline.

You could live here for a lifetime and still never experience all that San Diego has to offer.

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