Two stars for the extremely limited access Amelia Island Lighthouse. The property is only open for…read moreTHREE hours, one day a week. That's just crazy! I understand that it's federal property but would it be that hard to leave the property open so that we can at least get close enough to look up at the lighthouse? It is in the back of a residential neighborhood and up a short roadway where there's a secured fence and I did not try to walk around it though it really wouldn't be that hard. [Review 19329 overall - 1674 in Florida - 299 of 2023.]

I'm a big lover of lighthouses. When I was visiting Fernandina Beach recently, I discovered that…read morenearby Amelia Island had a lighthouse in the middle of the island. It's the oldest lighthouse in Florida and was built in the mid 1800's before Florida became a state. The Coast Guard transferred ownership of the lighthouse to the City of Fernandina Beach 20 years ago. You can visit the lighthouse, but only on Saturdays because it is located in a residential area. I made a brief stop at the lighthouse when I was driving around the island. The parking lot is pretty small and was almost full when I arrived. There was a guide on hand that shared with me a little bit about its history.

It was a great day on the water with the Amelia River Cruises & Charters company at the helm…read more It was my first time visiting Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach and wanted to get an overlay of the area and the river cruise seemed like the perfect thing to get an overview of the area. And I wasn't wrong! The tour lasted about 90 minutes (and it leaves promptly FYI) and takes you along the shoreline of Amelia Island - past the shrimping boats and past a Civil War era fort - before heading towards Cumberland Island National Seashore. This is where the true fun of the tour was for me. I had no idea really the history of the island and found it fascinating how the Carnegies and Rockefellers and more of the country's elite used this random Georgia seashore as their private escape. The history of both Cumberland and Amelia Islands is incredibly fascinating and the guides for both the Florida and Georgia sides respectively were well informed and personable. Plus - you'll very likely see a ton of great wildlife throughout including dolphins and wild horses and pigs. It's a great way to spend an afternoon in the area and a fabulous introduction to Cumberland Island National Seashore/Park.

Really nice boat Super friendly tour guides…read moreStunning g views of fort an horses on Cumberland Island Wonderful sunset.! Good pricing!

Such a wonderful idea to visit. Just driving through was…read morevisually pleasing. Main street crawl was such a wonderful experience stopping at all the small shops and having an ice cream cone at the fudge shop! We did not do the fort so have to come back;)

What a beautiful island! I was visiting family in Fernandina Beach when I discovered this gem…read more Amelia Island is located in northeastern Florida and is 13 miles long and 2 miles wide. It has beautiful beaches and lots of great restaurants. Both Rayonier Advanced Materials and WestRock have large factories on the island and employ tons of people. Amelia Island is named for Princess Amelia, daughter of George II of Great Britain. I spent a whole day exploring the island. There are cool little shops up and down the historic district. I visited a local coffee shop and a couple breweries. The Salty Pelican is a great place to grab a bite and a fun place to mix and mingle (the people are very friendly). The Palace Saloon is Florida's oldest bar. There is a full-service marina on the west side of the island and beaches on the east side. If you are into lighthouses like me, they have one near Central Park. Amelia Island is a great place to eat, shop, and relax while taking in its natural beauty.

Great beaches, restaurants, marshes, fishing etc.read more

Beautiful bridge connecting Yulee to Amelia Island at Fernandina Beach. From this bridge you can…read moreview the gorgeous marshes, coves, and resort roof tops. Whether it's an early morning sunrise, midday afternoon, or evening sunset the view is stunning. At night often the airport will be lit up for incoming flights which is also very pretty. If it's a foggy evening it's just as amazing. You just can't lose for an amazing view. If you are especially lucky you will see kyackers or canoes throughthe cove. The only complaint would be that the experience crossing over is too short!

It's hard to miss this magnificent building that dominates the center of downtown Fernandina Beach…read more Three stories tall and looking regal, it is currently the post office though the courthouse functions have moved elsewhere. The marker reads, "Dedicated in 1912, this Italian Renaissance Revival building was designed under the direction of Treasury Department architect James Knox Taylor. The interior was custom built to accommodate the building's three original functions as a United States customs house, courthouse, and post office. The building features a symmetrical facade, uniformly-arched windows and doors with terracotta accents, second floor windows with gabled pediments, decorative balustrades, and small square windows on the top floor. Brick walls faced with stucco rise from a granite base three stories to a tiled, hipped roof with widely extending eaves supported by decorative brackets. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida met here until the creation of the Middle District in 1962. The building was then used by the Middle District until divisional judicial functions were consolidated in Jacksonville. The building is a notable feature of the city's urban landscape, and is the second tallest structure, exceeded only by the Nassau County Courthouse's clock tower. In 1973, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Fernandina Beach Historic District." The marker was erected in 2017 by the Princess Amelia Chapter, National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, and the Florida Department of State. It is marker number F-931. I did not go inside today - post offices tend to frown on exercising the Second Amendment. [Review 19324 overall - 1670 in Florida - 294 of 2023.]

Small but worth it…read more Learned all the footnotes about St Mary's. Whole trail is visible to its self. Would take less than 10 minutes to walk non stop. 20 when reading all the signs. Word of caution. Gravel is not friendly to disabilities or flip flops. No bathrooms here. 5 minute walk down the road to another park and bathrooms.

I discovered this while walking toward the pier. It's right next to the cemetery. To be honest-the…read morecemetery was the best part of this little side trip. The history walk was very small and it's rained the past few days so it was kinda swampy and wet. There were a few places I didn't want to go because of that. The cemetery, however, was really cool. Lots of old graves some with overgrown vegetation and tombstones from the lat 1800's.

Amazingly preserved historical home. There is a marker outside with the information on classical…read morerevival style residence. Built by Dr John lessens Circa. One of floridas heritage sites

This marker stands in front of one of the oldest homes in Fernandina Beach. It's hard to miss as…read moreit's right in downtown among the restaurants and tourist destinations. Definitely worth your time to stop by and check it out. The marker reads, "This Classical Revival style residence, built by Dr. John F. Lesesne circa 1860, is one of the oldest homes in Fernandina Beach. Lesesene left Fernandina during the Civil War and did not return. In 1868 the house became the property of the family of Judge John Friend, who had been appointed district tax commissioner after the war by President Andrew Johnson. Friend was a lawyer and served as a county commissioner and judge. At the time of his death in 1878 he was state senator-elect from Nassau County. The descendants of the Friend family still occupy the home. This double galleried home, constructed of hand-hewn lumber fastened with wooden pegs, is one of the major points of interest in the Fernandina Beach Historic District which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973." The marker was erected in 1997. There is street parking nearby and a free city lot nearby. If it's high season, it might be a problem finding parking. [Review 19327 overall - 1672 in Florida - 297 of 2023.]

A nice trail in the greenway; most of it follows the creek do you can see gators, lots of birds and…read moreinsects-mosquitoes this day...lol! People enjoy walking it and biking the path.

The Fernandina Shrimp Festival is the first weekend in May. Regrettably it is feared it's going to…read morerain! Friday night it did not rain so people could see some of the vendors who were open, hear music and watch the drone show! It did rain but it lessened in the afternoon so we walked down. Loved seeing the art!

From the owner: For 10 years we have promoted music on Amelia Island. We now promote music for 29 venues. In…read more2022, we started carrying other events. From a list of "general things to do", to our large music, trivia, bingo, yoga, and our many local festivals, if you are looking for it, we most likely have it. If not, ask, we love to help!