Travel advice: looking for great golf & nightlife in one destination

As I’m sure is the case with most of my colleagues, I often receive emails and IMs from friends asking for golf trip advice.

I may as well share my answers with everyone since what I’d tell my aunt is the same I’d tell you.

So now a buddy of mine is asking about golf trip advice for next June. Here’s what he is looking for:

“Some friends and I are looking to go on a golf trip in June. Things to weigh: quality of golf and nightlife. Would be nice if it were cheap, but I’d rather it be awesome than cheap.”

I asked him a few follow-up questions ("How come I’m not invited?” wasn’t one of them). But we concluded there’s no need sweating it out in the desert and they’ve been to Las Vegas before, so the desert southwest was thrown out. They’re also not crazy gamblers and don’t feel like staying at casinos, so we ixnay’d Biloxi, even though the golf there is as bang-for-buck as you can find, with the exception to possibly northern Michigan - which doesn’t really have hoppin’ nightlife.

We’re also going to stick with the continental 48 States, too.

I suggested two destinations above the others.

San Diego. I’ve never been, I admit, but I’ve heard enough buzz from both friends who have lived or visited there, along with our own West Coast guru Chris Baldwin, who’s taken numerous trips and raves about something new every time, to be convinced. It has a temperate June climate (as we all saw at the U.S. Open) and tons of great nightlife.

Secondly, I suggested Charleston, South Carolina. I visited Charleston & Kiawah Island last year and had a blast, staying downtown at the Renaissance Hotel on Wentworth St., right in the heart of everything. Even after a night out you can stumble your way home and find the place without a map. Charleston isn’t as big as San Diego but that’s what’s great about it. It’s historic center feels like the 1800s still with cobblestone roads and lowcountry oaks lining its streets. Knockout restaurants are everywhere and the bars are great with plenty of co-ed eye candy. Nobody has a bad night out in Charleston.

And if you must, you can head up to Pawleys Island, which is a little over an hour’s drive north. That’s where you can find Caledonia, True Blue, Heritage Club and Pawleys Plantation - but you’ll probably find enough goodies around Charleston and Kiawah you won’t need to make the trek. But it’s nice to know it’s there.

If you want to stay in the Myrtle Beach area, I would suggest around Surfside or Murrells Inlet. The golf is the best down here and there are some funky little bars along the beach - and Marshwalk in Murrells Inlet is always a good time - though a little more relaxed than Charleston’s downtown scene.

If you have questions about your upcoming golf trip, shoot em my way.