Great winter golf destinations must meet certain criteria, in order to make the Top Ten bucket of list winter golf destinations. They need to be tropical, must have golf courses worthy of being called destination golf courses and they need to have accommodations that allow you to relax and unwind in an atmosphere of luxury and comfort; affording you the opportunity to escape the winter weather and rejuvenate yourself both mentally and physically. That is why the following have been chosen to complete this Top Ten Winter Golf Destination Bucket List:
Maui, Hawaii, USA- Maui has long been the destination for professional golf tours, due to its climate, world class golf courses, warm trade winds and five star resorts. Whale watching during the winter months is one of the many unique things you will find on this Pacific Island jewel. Wailea Golf resort is a 54 hole golf club with a storied PGA past. The setting is amazing.
St. Thomas, US. Virgin Islands- Home to five star resorts such as The Ritz-Carlton Resort, Wyndham Resorts at Sugar Bay, Beach. Mahogany Run being the recommended golf course on this Caribbean Winter Golf Destination getaway.
Costa Rica- Located on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica; Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort is blended into the lush setting created by the rain forest and the ocean. Complete with an 18-hole championship golf course, casino, spa, tennis courts and a 250-slip marina. The combination of world class golf & deep sea fishing combined to create one of the most exotic winter golfing destinations you will ever find.
Cap Cana, Dominican Republic- Cap Cana is located along the east coast of the Dominican Republic, on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola; which rests between Cuba and Puerto Rico. Cap Cana’s tropical surroundings include beaches, crystal blue waters and lush green valleys. Possessing one of the Caribbean’s most advanced marinas and a Jack Nicklaus designed championship golf course, which hosted the Champions Tour, Cap Cana Championship, in April 2008. This was a no brainer for placement in the top ten of the bucket list.
Cabo San Lucas, Mex. – Once a sleepy little fishing village frequented by a list of who’s who in the world of the rich and famous, Cabo San Lucas has become a world class golf destination. Courses designed by Nicklaus, Norman, Trent Jones, Dye and Fazio. With the turquoise blue Sea of Cortez visible from almost anywhere you venture and the warm Baja sun greeting you each and every morning, it would be impossible to omit this from any winter golf destinations list, let alone a top ten list
Miami Beach, Florida, USA- The first location on the main land of the USA to make this list, Miami offers what few other locations on the mainland can; an international flavor. The Cuban influence in music, food and culture is as warm and inviting as the South Florida sun. From the experience of South beach to the Doral Resort & Spa, Miami offers everything required to be considered for placement on this list.
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA- Receiving another placement on the top ten winter golf destinations is once again Hawaii, specifically Honolulu; perhaps one of the most famous of all warm weather destinations. Honolulu means “sheltered bay” or “place of shelter”. The scenic beauty of Honolulu, with Diamond Head in the distance and the Pacific Ocean lapping at its shores, makes it one of the most sort after warm weather golfing destinations. A trip to the sacred ground of Pearl Harbor is a must, it is one of the more sobering sights you will ever see. Playing the Turtle Bay Palmer Golf Course would be the course of choice here.
San Juan, Puerto Rico- Located in the Northern portion of the Caribbean Sea, west of the US Virgin Islands and approximately a 1,000 miles southeast of Miami. Puerto Rico enjoys sunshine for the better part of the year. Daylight typically can be expected from 6:30 AM to 6 PM allowing for ample playing time, especially if you have 36 holes on your mind. With a host of golf courses to choose from, The Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa Wyndham Grand Resort is one of the recommended courses to play while visiting the San Juan area.
Palm Springs, California, USA- With a collage of color, fragrance and scenic beauty it is easy to understand what drew the likes of Sinatra, Hope and Crosby to the California desert all those years ago. Simply put, Palm Springs is one of the greatest winter golf destinations in the world. PGA West is located in La Quinta, a short distance from Palm Springs, if you love golf than you absolutely have to go here at least once in your lifetime. No top ten list is complete without this gem in the California desert.
Orlando, Florida, USA- Orlando guarantees you warm weather, easy flight connections and endless opportunities for golf. The other choices on this list may have more flavor and adventure to them, but Orlando guarantees you world class golf. Of the many choices to mention, The Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Club and Lodge is the one chosen to represent Orlando. The reason being, it is recognized as one of the most impressive layouts in the world. Much like its owner, Bay Hill is charming, inviting and about being the best of the best.
There is good reason that Destin Florida rates high as among the top ten destinations for individuals vacationing on a budget. There are so many amazing activities in Destin that cost little to no money.
Destin is situated along the western part of the Florida panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico and its location makes it easily accessible by most major airline carriers. That plus the temperate climate make Destin an ideal place for year round vacationing.
Destin is relatively new as far as vacation destinations go, establishing itself as such during the 1970′s and 80′s, so it is still affordable when compared to other resort areas. Most of the attractions that draw people to this gulf coast area, such as white sandy beaches and emerald green surf, are still free and easily accessible to just about anybody.
Thrill seekers would want to visit Big Kahuna’s in the city’s center, a water and adventure park with something fun for every age group. The park includes seventeen water park rides, three adventure park rides and a magnificently landscaped fifty-four-hole tropical themed miniature golf course. Afterwards you might want to enjoy a movie at the 14 screen Rave Motion Pictures multiplex.
Shoppers won’t want to miss a day at Destin commons, an open air shopping mall just east of the city, or the Silver Sands Outlet Mall which bills itself as “the nations largest designer outlet center”.
Art lovers should be sure to explore the Destin Harborwalk, a showcase for local artists and also a wonderful place to get a quick bite to eat in any number of reasonably priced restaurants.
If anyone in your group is up for a little learning, then a stop by the Air Force Armament Museum, the Emerald Coast Science Center or the Indian Temple Mound & Museum would be just the ticket.
Fishing enthusiasts should make the most of off season low rates and be in Destin for the annual Destin Fishing Rodeo, held each October since 1948. Then make sure you stick around for the Destin Seafood Festival, certainly among the best places in the country to get outstanding fresh local seafood at great prices. If that’s not enough for you, tourists can certainly still charter a fishing boat and experience for themselves why Destin is called the luckiest fishing village on the coast, where the fish practically jump right onto your line.
Obtaining great accommodations in Destin Florida don’t have to be difficult either simply because you are travelling on a budget. Why not decide to really save some money and skip the traditional hotel room stay and opt instead for a more economical and spacious Destin Vacation Rentals instead?
Keep in mind that the best budget travel bargains are found by shopping around, making your reservations early and by being versatile in your vacation plans. Planning a Destin Vacation during off peak travel season may end up saving you a great deal eventually.
If the idea of running along the beach barefoot with your wedding gown streaming behind you sounds more tempting than walking down the aisle of a church or registry for your big day, you’re not alone. More and more couples are opting to seek out exciting destinations for their ceremonies rather than have their weddings closer to home.
Australia is one of the most spectacular and diverse countries in the world to hold a destination wedding. You could choose to tie the knot on top of a hill in the Snowy Mountains. You might decide to say your vows on a sailboat while drifting around the Whitsunday Islands. Perhaps your dream wedding is out in the Red Desert on top of Kings Canyon or in a remote part of the Daintree Rainforest. There are countless breathtaking destinations in our vast country to fulfill the dreams of even the most adventurous bride and groom. Wherever you choose to have your dream wedding, there is always one major challenge to consider – your guests.
Few people would disagree that a wedding should be a special day for the bride and groom. Most will agree that the wedding should be held whenever and wherever the bride and groom choose. Many will even agree that it should be all about them – that they should do what they want to do, not what everyone else wants them to do. And some will even argue that if the bride and groom want to exchange vows while skydiving over Tasmania that should be their choice…well, at least, in theory. The difficulty for many, comes down to the cost – not the cost for the bride and groom throwing the celebration, but for the guests being invited to a destination wedding where the costs of airfares, hotels and meals will quickly add up. It can be expensive enough going to a wedding as a guest where you bring a gift and are expected to dress up.
The wedding party with bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, page boys and ushers may also find themselves lashing out for expensive outfits including shoes and accessories as requested by the couple. Add the cost of travelling to another destination and paying for transportation, hotels, meals and drinks with the couple, and many guests may feel tense about the couple’s choice to wed far away. Before long, that tenseness changes to frustration and irritation that the couple was so “selfish” to choose a wedding that was expensive for everyone else. So the questions many brides and grooms often ask – who is expected to pay for the bridal party’s travel costs? Is it unreasonable to hold a destination wedding if friends and family can’t afford the trip? What is the etiquette for a destination wedding?
Costs and who pays:
Airfares: The bride and groom are only responsible for their own flights. They should choose their destination with the understanding that many friends and family (including their chosen bridesmaids and groomsmen) may not be able to afford the trip, and so may not come at all. If the couple can find cheaper flights, or group booking discounts, they should relay this information to their bridal party and guests, but understand that it may still be too much. If there is a special friend or family member that they truly want to be there, but who considers it to be too costly – the bride and groom can offer to pay that person’s flights (assuming they can afford it themselves).
Accommodation: Once again, the bride and groom are not obliged to pay for the accommodation of others. Ideally, they will provide a variety of options to their guests and bridal party so that they can find something within their price range that they would enjoy. An excellent place to find a link with a huge variety of choices is www.takeabreak.com.au. By simply selecting the desired destination, your guests can choose from bed and breakfasts, cabins, beachside apartments, boutique hotels, motels and hotels, and even backpacker or camping accommodation! Even better, if your guests have pets or kids, they can do a special search for a place catering to their specific needs. You may even find an accommodation option that could be economically rented out for your whole party. Equally, when you’re planning your honeymoon, you’ll find a search function at takeabreak.com.au to help you select the most romantic options.
Gifts: It can be a hassle for guests to transport their presents to a far-off destination, and even more of a problem for the bride and groom to transport them all back home. You might want to consider a bridal registry that delivers the gifts to your home after the event (and you can request a later delivery date if you’ll be away for a lengthy honeymoon). Alternatively, you may decide that given the cost to the guests of coming to the destination wedding, you’d prefer to write “no gifts please” in your invitations. This may make it easier for some guests to attend your happy event.
Clothing: Traditionally, the bridal party pays for their own outfits. For groomsmen, this may be as simple as renting a tux or suit from a place at the wedding destination (or better – if it’s part of a chain, choosing the desired outfit from an outlet at home and picking it up at the destination). For bridesmaids, the bride should try to select outfits that take consideration of the extra costs associated with their destination wedding.
Special outings: Destination weddings often comprise side-trips including rehearsal dinners at wineries, or pre-wedding festivities at a nearby attraction. If it is an official part of your wedding (for example, the rehearsal dinner) then the couple should be responsible for all associated costs. Additionally, the couple may offer up a list of suggested outings that all or some of the guests and bridal party can attend at their own expense.
“Am I selfish to want a destination wedding?” This question is frequently asked. A bride and groom should have their wedding wherever, whenever and however they please. It is their special day and if they want to say their vows at Uluru or sit in a mineshaft in Coober Pedy, that is their choice to make. Equally, it is the choice of any of their friends and family to say, “No, thank you” to the idea of lashing out for an expensive trip. If this is the case – the bride and groom may choose to wed privately at their chosen destination, and then arrange a gathering when they return home in order to celebrate with those friends and family who couldn’t share their happy day.