Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Shaggin’ on the Cooper is back for 2010 – Mount Pleasant, SC

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The new Mount Pleasant Pier in is open and Shaggin’ on the Cooper is back in 2010. Take your sweetheart by the arm and head to the pier for a romantic evening under the stars, where you can dance the night away.

Beverages will be available for purchase on-site. Gates Open
at 7pm. Live music begins at 8pm. On Saturday, March 13, 2010, the band 17 South is performing. 17 South’s music range from Motown, Beach cover tunes, and R&B.

Only 800 tickets will be sold, no advance purchase. But tickets ($10 per person) will be available for purchase at the Pier shop beginning at 4pm on the day of each event.

For more information, visit www.ccprc.com


Shaggin' on the cooper

Gate River Run in Jacksonville 2010

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The Gate River Run in Jacksonville, Florida, is the largest 15K in the U.S. and this year it will once again served as the official USA 15K Championship.
The 33rd Annual Gate River Run on March 13, 2010, is set to be the biggest and best event ever.

In 2009, more than 18,000 runners and walkers participated in one of the three featured events. The 15K is of course the main event with over 14,000 participants. Other events include the Florida Times-Union 5K for Charity and the adidas Junior River Run. These events had over 2,000 participants in 2009.

The course starts at the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, runs through downtown Jacksonville. The runners will cross the St. Johns River over the Main Street Bridge, then run through historic San Marco, down Atlantic Blvd to the St. Nicolas area. The runners will then cross the river again, for the second time. This time across the Hart Bridge, and then continue on Duval Street back at the stadium.
Click here for the course map

To make this into a great spectator event, there are live bands along the route performing at ten different locations. Thousands of spectators line the course every year. The Gate River Run is more than a race – it’s an annual celebration in Jacksonville.

More information www.gate-riverrun.com

Top 10 Destinations in the US for International Tourism

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Maybe 2010 is the year it all changes. Online travel searches for the U.S. has increased with 130%, according to www. Skyskanner.com. Travelers from the UK lead the pack, followed by Germany and Italy. China has shown a great increase this year, surpassing Russia.

Here is the top 10 favorite destinations for international travleers:

1. New York
2. Orlando
3. Los Angeles
4. Las Vegas
5. Miami
6. San Francisco
7. Chicago
8. Boston
9. Washington DC
10. Atlanta

However, cities that are not usually regarded as destinations for foreign tourists have also shown growth – places like Phoenix and Portland are attracting more international travelers this year, a trend that is expected to increase in the coming months. This is good news for us on the coast. It makes us believe that our unique and beautiful cities such as  Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, St Augustine and Myrtle Beach soon will show up in the statistics too.

While Skyscanner’s data shows New York to be the favorite destination for foreign tourists, it is particularly preferred by the British – fully 25% of queries from the UK focused on the Big Apple. However, it only accounted for 5% amongst the Chinese. And Honolulu, which doesn’t make the list of Top10, is the second most popular city for Japanese tourists. Hawaii also attracts many Russian visitors, who interestingly also do many searches for destinations in Alaska.

Which nationality prefers visiting the coast of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida one wonders? According to www.Skyscanner.com,  2010 appears to be a bright year for international tourism, and for the US tourist industry as a whole.

St Augustine Lions Seafood Festival 2010

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Spring is the time for festivals on the coast. The air is cool and fresh, and it’s a great time to be outdoors. In St Augustine it’s time for the annual St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival.  Here you can of course get  great seafood  nearly any way you want it, but you can also enjoy  live  music from bluegrass, to folk and country music.

There will also be more than 100 arts and crafts exhibitors at the event.  This is a fun event for the whole family.  You can even win groceries, gifts and prizes. The festival is held at Francis Field at 25 W. Castillo Drive next to the Visitors Center. Festival hours are 3-9 p.m. on Friday, March 12th, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is only $2 for adults. Net proceeds go to Lions Club charities.

Visit www.lionsfestival.com for more information.

Flip the Bird? Only in Georgia…

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When I was reading my twitter stream today, @dizzygirl pointed out a story about the state bird that I found interesting.

The state bird in Georgia is the brown thrasher. But now, there is a movement trying to change the state bird from the Brown Thrasher to the chicken.

Their argument – the chicken makes more of an economic impact.
Here are a few of the interesting facts from the website:

  • Georgia broiler production accounts for 16% of the nation’s total.
  • By the beginning of World War II, chickens had replaced cotton as Georgia’s leading agricultural moneymaker.
  • More than 47,000 Georgians are employed by the poultry industry directly.

    • Take a look at the video below – and make sure to post your comments below – I’m interested to hear what you think!

    It makes you wonder about the other state birds. Do they contribute to the economy? And what about the plants? What do they do?

    For more information, visit www.flipthebirds.com