Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Jacksonville, Florida
A 200 acre undeveloped sea island boasting 13 miles of white sands fringed with 40 foot dunes, marshlands, and maritime forests, Amelia Island State Recreation Area Beach is the kind of place that makes you want to protect the planet. Loggerhead, Green, and Leatherback turtles settle down amidst the Amelia Island State Recreation dunes for nesting; Black Skimmers and Bald Eagles soar the Amelia Island State Recreation skies; dolphins and manatees are often spotted out at sea; and each winter the endangered Northern Right Whales travel all the way from Canada to give birth right near the Amelia Island coast. Visitors to Amelia Island State Recreation Area gallop down the sands on horseback, comb the coast for seashells and sharks teeth, surf the fishing piers and shorelines, and cruise Amelia Island's circumference in private boats and chartered tours. Not all untamed, Amelia Island's tip also offers high-end resorts for golfing, tennis, and pool lounging. Spend time on Amelia Island State Recreation Area beaches and you will instantly forget the noisy, trafficky commotion of city life. This rare wildlife escape, this Sea Island World, is just a twenty minute drive from Jacksonville, Florida.
Named for the daughter of King George II, Amelia Island State Recreation Area Beach is, indeed, fit for a king. Pirates, rogues, and illegal slave traders once roamed the Amelia Island seashores, counting their loot and making transactions. And because it is such a rare, Florida commodity, Amelia Island has borne more flags than any other Florida territory; French, Spanish, British, Mexican, Confederate, Green Cross of Florida, and U.S. flags have all been flown over the Amelia Island State Recreation Area sands. History hobbyists head to Amelia Island State Recreation beaches to learn about its colorful past.
History aside, Amelia Island State Recreation Area beaches are beloved vacation spots in the here and now. In addition to the unusual combination of a beautiful, untamed sea island beach vibe and a luxury resort atmosphere, Amelia Island State Recreation Area has a couple other advantages unique to the Florida beach scene. For starters, Amelia Island State Recreation beaches are absolutely hurricane-free so you can plan your vacation without watching the weather. Secondly, when the rest of the Sunshine State is suffering the sweltering summer heat, Amelia Island beaches are cool and breezy. There are many public beach access areas and beachfront parks with playgrounds, parking and walking access to the ocean, drive along South Fletcher (Highway A1A) and look for the blue and white signs to pick the spot that looks the prettiest. Fernandina Beach is a popular spot for picnicking and lounging; Main Beach on Atlantic Avenue is equipped with showers and restroom and is the largest public park on Amelia Island. The southern third of Amelia Island is posh and pretty (and mostly private resort sands), and Peter's Point Park is a public strip of sand offering similar amenities to Main Beach as well as a couple of shaded pavilions.
If you want see Amelia Island's beauty the way the European settlers once did, dash down the beaches atop a majestic horse. Horse riding tours will get you to those out-of-the-way stretches of sand where you can keep company with pelicans, egrets, and terns. To fish Amelia Island's waters you can drive your 4x4 vehicle right onto the sand at the southern end of the island and cast into the surf, or you can try your luck on the mile long George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier that will get you out into the middle of the Nassau Sound. Barracuda, Amberjacks, Tarpon, and Kingfish are regular catch in the Amelia Island waters. Amelia Island is also very boat-friendly—if you plan to arrive to Amelia Island's shores from the water, Amelia Island offers several accessible public boat ramps for docking. With an untouched beauty that makes even the most nature-phobic tourist swoon, Amelia Island State Recreation Area Beach is a Florida beach with year-round vacation appeal.