Hilton Head Living

WILL MILLENNIALS CONTINUE AMERICA'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE AUTOMOBILE?

As the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival looks down the road to future festivals, a fork in the road looms: Will automotive hobbyists and car collecting become a thing of the past, or can future generations be convinced to take it for a spin?

As ever-evolving technology makes cars seem less like works of art and more like robots and computers — and as self-driving cars and ride-sharing services impact rates of car ownership — industry insiders worry that future generations won’t share their appreciation for a well-designed chassis or the throaty purr of a carefully maintained engine.

NEW LEADERSHIP WILL STEER HHI CONCOURS

Photo: Carolyn Vanagel (left) is passing the baton to Lindsey Harrell, who will take over as president of the Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival. 

In just a short while, elegant cars, boats and motorcycles will make their way to the Lowcountry for the annual Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival. It’s a bittersweet moment for me, because this will be my last year as Concours president after 16 years behind the wheel. 

THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD’S FAVORITE PARTY RETURNS

If there’s one thing that could be said for Hilton Head Island, it’s that we make everything just a little bit more fun. Take that big cocktail party we throw every April — you know, the one with the golf tournament? For pro golfers, that’s the most fun they’ll have on the tour all year.

It’s very much the same in the automotive world. The Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival has quickly earned a reputation as the “fun” Concours event among automotive aficionados from coast to coast. Let Pebble Beach have its pomp and circumstance. Here on Hilton Head, Concours offers an enjoyable week of automotive excitement. 

 If you live in the Lowcountry year-round, chances are your friends who live elsewhere are jealous. This area’s beautiful beaches, worldclass resorts and wide selection of restaurants, shopping and activities make Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island and Bluffton top vacation destinations and a great place to call home. For those who decide to stay year-round, the Lowcountry’s many planned communities offer beautiful homes and unparalleled amenities.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF HILTON HEAD AUDUBON 

Birding is one of America’s favorite leisure pastimes. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, more than 45 million Americans watch birds, whether in our backyards or in a local park or far-flung destination.

The good news is that on Hilton Head Island, you don’t have to go far to enjoy great-looking birds. You just need to step outside. More than 220 bird species have been observed on Hilton Head, and fall migration is a great time to see them.

NEW SUPERINTENDENT SEES POTENTIAL FOR EXCELLENCE

Months before he was named superintendent of the Beaufort County School District — even before he applied for the job — Frank Rodriguez spent four days scoping out the Lowcountry.

He traveled throughout the county, frequenting all the places where ordinary folks might be found. Grocery stores, post offices, public spaces. He told people he was thinking about moving here, that he has two kids — boys ages 10 and 14 — and asked what they thought of the public schools.

DAUFUSKIE ISLAND COUNCIL IS A VOICE FOR RESIDENTS

The Daufuskie Island Council doesn’t have official political power in Beaufort County, but the island’s residents look to it to solve many of their problems.

Daufuskie is accessible only by boat, so when a barge that provided crucial services to the island’s estimated 400 residents was temporarily suspended last year, they turned to council members for help. Likewise, questions about the island’s ferry service, police protection and trash disposal all come before the council, as do issues involving historic preservation, economic development, roads and the environment.

BLUFFTON COUNCILMAN REFLECTS ON PRESERVING BLUFFTON STATE OF MIND

Dan Wood might be one of the newest members of Bluffton Town Council, but he’s not new to community involvement.

Wood, who was elected to Town Council in 2015, has been living in the Lowcountry since 1979 and has served on boards and committees for a variety of organizations: the Bluffton Historical Preservation Society, the Town Planning Commission, the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee, the Affordable Housing Committee. He’s also a member of The Church of the Cross and the founder of the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival.

The towns of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton and the City of Hardeeville are separate municipalities. Due to annexations that have occurred over the years on the mainland, some areas in unincorporated Beaufort County are completely surrounded by Bluffton corporate limits. To find out if an address is within town limits, go to the Citizen Access Portal at www.Townofbluffton.sc.gov.