Our spotlight on St. Augustine, Florida continues this week with golf and restaurant reviews by our members. Take a look at last week’s Vacation Exchange Network Blog for posts about sights to see and things to do in St. Augustine and vacation homes available for swap in St. Augustine.
Our members’ St. Augustine golf course picks:
St. Johns Golf & Country Club is located between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida and offers extraordinary golf. The 18-hole Clyde Johnston-designed course has the right challenges for novice and avid golfers alike. A great place to hone your skills, St. Johns is known for its consistent quality of service and conditions, being nationally ranked for customer satisfaction and loyalty by the National Golf Foundation, and host to the PGA TOUR Qualifying School in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Cimarrone Golf in Jacksonville should not be missed. Cimarrone’s manicured course conditions and challenging design provides a fun, player-friendly experience for golfers of all abilities.
King & Bear Golf Course in World Golf Village is named for its co-designers, World Golf Hall of Fame members Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Wide fairways, top-notch conditioning. Not to be missed!
These restaurants have gotten rave reviews by our members:
O.C. White’s Restaurant: If sightseeing downtown, O.C. Whites is a good choice for lunch or dinner. Offering fresh local seafood, it is located in a historic building. Music in the patio area in the evening creates a fun atmosphere to spend part of an evening.
Pusser’s Bar and Grill in Ponte Vedra Beach (a short drive north of St. Augustine) is a great spot. Try the fish and chips. You won’t be sorry.
Ocean 60 (in Atlantic Beach) is a trendy spot with great food. You’d think you were in SOHO in New York City. Be sure and make a reservation because it’s a very popular spot. Located in a very cute little area that’s perfect for taking a walk after dinner.
Benito’s: There were so many good restaurants in the area, but for wonderful Italian food, don’t miss Benito’s. Located in Vilano Beach (a section of St. Augustine), the food at this very unassuming spot is terrific. On top of wonderful food, the prices are very reasonable. Over a two week period, we ate here four times.
Columbia Restaurant: This Spanish restaurant on St. George Street serves wonderful food with atmosphere. Indoor patio is stunning. Don’t miss the Scallops Casimiro.
Aunt Kate’s is a casual spot with great food and reasonable prices. The fried shrimp is terrific.
Salt Water Cowboy’s is not fancy but has a pleasant atmosphere; good food with a southern flair and good value. For those with a daring streak, try the fried alligator. Of course, be sure and try the fried chicken.
The Vacation Exchange Network is always looking for restaurant, golf, attraction, and destination reviews. Please share yours in the comments section below, or if you are a member, please email us with your reviews.
The Vacation Exchange Network
Unmatched in the home exchange industry, The Vacation Exchange Network is the vacation home owner’s first stop in vacation planning. Swap a stay in your vacation home for a stay anywhere in the United States or around the world, without the necessity of having to find someone who wants to use your home. Please visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s main site for more information about how home swaps work or to become a member and start planning your next home exchange vacation!
Your Next Golf Vacation Could be a Home Exchange
Time for a spring golf tune-up?
The Myrtle Beach area boasts over 100 golf courses, including some of the most challenging and beautiful golf courses in the country. If your clubs are just aching to get out on the course, consider Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Award-winning courses abound, including those by world-famous architects Robert Trent Jones, Pete Dye, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Tom Fazio.
Average spring temperatures in Myrtle Beach range from the high sixties in March to the low eighties in May, making for perfect golf weather. Myrtle Beach is part of the Grand Strand, 60 miles of white sand beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. So, after those 18 (or 27?) holes, you can watch the sunset with soft sand between your toes.
Our members’ Myrtle Beach golf course picks:
Arrowhead Country Club of Myrtle Beach, by architects Tom Jackson and Ray Floyd, is an outstanding course, upscale and particularly visually appealing. This 27-hole course has three 9-hole tracts. Our members picked The Cypress as their favorite.
Glen Durnoch Golf Course, part of The Glens Golf Course, is located in Little River, South Carolina. This coastal course is located on the Intracoastal Waterway and has several natural elevation changes. Our members say the course has a fabulous layout and that the last three holes are particularly spectacular.
River Hills Golf and Country Club of Little River, South Carolina, by architect Tom Jackson has a southern feel with rolling hills and natural elevation changes. Our members were particularly impressed with the excellent condition of the course and made note of the outstanding greens.
These restaurants have gotten rave reviews by our members:
Parson’s Table, located in Little River, South Carolina, is fine dining in a one-of-a-kind setting. Upscale, with outstanding food and ambiance. The antique wooden floors and stained glass windows are a perfect accompaniment to a meal prepared by Ed Murray, Jr., recently selected as one the Best Chefs in America.
Umberto’s at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina offers outstanding traditional Italian food at a reasonable price. Their self-named house dish Chicken Umberto lives up to its name, and the owner has a sense of humor. Check out his Dining Tips!
Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is an entertaining dining experience. Their sizzling meats are delicious, and children six and under dine for free!
To spotlight just a few:
Located on Myrtlewood Golf Course, this condo (see photo below) in the Myrtlewood Villas sleeps 6. This beautifully furnished and centrally-located Myrtle Beach vacation home is close to the beach, shopping, water sports, and restaurants.
This Myrtle Beach, South Carolina vacation home is available for home swap at The Vacation Exchange Network now through the end of May.
Located in Surfside Beach, seven miles south of Myrtle Beach, this sunny 5-bedroom, 3-bath raised beach home is also within minutes of a variety of golf courses. The home’s gorgeous in-ground pool is perfect for a few laps or just relaxing at the end of the day.
This Surfside Beach, South Carolina beach home is available for swap during April with The Vacation Exchange Network
Located in Myrtle Beach, the home pictured below has both a lake view and an ocean view. The community is gated, and it has both a swimming pool and an outdoor waterpark.
This waterfront condo is available for home swap in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
The Vacation Exchange Network has scores of vacation homes in South Carolina, including many in and around Myrtle Beach. Take a look at our homes in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and Garden City Beach. You’re sure to find one that is right for your next home exchange. Be sure to let us know about your restaurant and golf course picks!
Images: Rasmus Thomsen / FreeDigitalPhotos.net; Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
