Travelers Advantage....

GOLF & THE GREAT OUTDOORS:
GETTING OUTSIDE IN FLORIDA,MEXICO, AND HAWAII

From Florida to Mexico to Hawaii, it’s easy to love your mother--Mother Nature, that is! All three successful tourism destinations have a wide range of outdoors activities to pursue, whether you choose to hike down a fairway or down a hiking trail.

FLORIDA

The Sunshine State is blessed with plenty of the sunny stuff, plus lots of reason to head outdoors. For instance, the golf is great, thanks to more golf courses than any other state in the U.S.

According to the new edition of Play FLA Golf (www.playfla.com), the Sunshine State has more than 1,370 courses (and counting). But, it’s not just the quantity of golf in Florida--it’s also the quality. With a wide range of resorts and stand-alone layouts, there’s an option to fit every budget and style of play (on and off the links). Off the links, the world-class resorts offer non-golfers everything from spas to surfing lessons.

The possibilities are seemingly endless throughout the state. The Jacksonville and St. Augustine area is called “Florida's First Coast of Golf” for good reason, thanks to more than a dozen great courses and resorts, the World Golf Hall of Fame, and more. Down in Palm Beach County, there are more golf courses than any other county in the nation, while over in Naples, they boast more holes per capita than any other community in the world.

But, Mother Nature isn’t limited to tees and greens in Florida. The outdoors options are almost as endless as the fairways, thanks to great beaches (and other bodies of water), watersports, kayaking, canoeing, scuba diving, Everglades adventures, and much more. That’s why the outlook is always sunny for outdoors fun in Florida.

MEXICO

Our neighbor south of the border is another great place for golf and much more in the great outdoors. Long known as a super ‘soft’ adventure destination, Mexico is also growing in popularity for great golf travel.

Golf has a long history in Mexico, with the first course actually built back in the 19th century. Today, there are more than 75 courses in the country, with traditional tourism destinations like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, the Baja Peninsula, and elsewhere all providing lots of world-class options.

Legendary designers have headed south to build courses, including the likes of Nicklaus, Trevino, and Weiskopf. They’ve all taken advantage of Mexico’s unique landscape, natural features, and weather to craft golf courses that visitors won’t soon forget. Lee Trevino’s El Cid layout in Mazatlan is a perfect example of golf in Mexico, blending great golf and a world-class resort with Mexican flair.

Off the links, Mexican tourism officials haven’t forgotten other travelers who love Mother Nature. The country offers a host of choices in addition to golf, including an array of watersports, world-class diving, hiking, biking, exploring Mayan ruins, and interesting train rides in places like Copper Canyon are all great outdoors options. Of course, sitting on a beautiful beach with a cold ‘cerveza’ is also a natural choice in Mexico!

HAWAII

The ‘Aloha State’ says hello to all visitors interested in the great outdoors. Whether it’s hiking a coastal trail or hitting a golf ball, Hawaii has it all for tropical travelers.

‘Soft’ adventure is the name of the game in Hawaii. All six islands--Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and the Big Island--feature abundant outdoors activities. From a simple walk on a beautiful sandy beach to a hike atop a volcano, there’s something for everyone.

Some adventurous highlights in Hawaii have to include: swimming in Oahu’s famed Waikiki waters; walking along a Na Pali Coast trail on Kauai; observing the lava flowing from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island; riding down Maui’s Haleakala on a bike; taking a hike or mule ride down the world’s steepest cliff to Molokai’s Kalaupapa; and exploring the pineapple growing heritage of Lanai, where golf is now big business.

But Lanai isn’t the only island with great golf. Hawaii now features more than 80 championship layouts, with designers like Nicklaus, Norman, Palmer, Crenshaw, and many others making their marks. With backgrounds that include volcanoes, beaches, and tropical forests, visiting golfers can’t help but love Hawaii’s great outdoors as well.

Whether you choose Florida, Mexico, or Hawaii, it’s obviously easy to be nice to Mother Nature. Just don’t forget your golf shoes or hiking boots!