AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (November 16, 2010) – Amelia Island, located along Northeast Florida’s pristine coastline, is offering visitors several new activities and trip-planning tools for their next visit to the popular destination. Among the new offerings are a nature-specific web site, a mobile web site, a new bed and breakfast, new menu items from several award-winning restaurants, and a skydiving experience. Amelia and many of her visitor-friendly partners have also recently received accolades from national and regional media, including a Top 5 ranking in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau unveiled a new nature Web site – www.amelianature.com – designed to help visitors to learn more about the island’s many natural features. Find everything you need for island birding, kayaking, hiking, biking, camping, and plenty of photos, videos and other information on native wildlife, trails and flora and fauna. Nature lovers can also follow @AmeliaNature on twitter for updates about Amelia’s natural side.
The Amelia Island CVB is once again extending its popular “Pack Your Bags for Amelia Island” program, offering air travelers up to an $80 room credit for checked baggage fees on stays of three or more nights. Available through the end of December 2010, the program is valid at nine of the island’s award-winning participating hotels and inns. Visitors traveling by air can find a list of hotels and more information on the “Pack Your Bags” program at www.ameliaisland.com/freebags.
Guests can text 77950 and put “ameliaisland” in the message line on their mobile phone to get a link to the new Amelia Island mobile web site. They will have access to information about Amelia Island direct from their mobile devices. The mobile site offers information about accommodations, dining, shopping, events, and, of course, great offers and discounts.
Luxury hotel brand Omni Hotels & Resorts recently purchased the upscale Amelia Island Plantation, and has plans to expand the resort with approximately 125 additional guest rooms and suites, and new 16,000-square-foot ballroom to accommodate additional meetings and events. To get additional information or book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.
The 1905 Hoyt House Bed and Breakfast Inn on Amelia Island has reopened with new owners, and several luxurious upgrades. The Hoyt House features fresh, French press coffee each morning, along with a three-course breakfast from a choice menu. In addition, the Hoyt House has added their private, 39-foot yacht “Nice Aft” as a unique accommodation option. Guests can stay in the floating bed and breakfast, which has two staterooms and two bathrooms. The yacht is also available for private sunset and day cruises. For more information or to book your stay, visit www.hoythouse.com.
Amelia Island’s newest attraction, Skydive Amelia Island, is offering visitors an incredible new view of Amelia Island and her beaches during a one-hour tandem skydive experience. Skydive Amelia Island is located at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, and uses only highly experienced United States Parachute Association (USPA) qualified instructors with thousands of tandem jumps between the team. For more information or to book your jump, visit www.skydiveameliaisland.com or call (904) 718-4648.
In September, the Amelia Island Museum of History opened a new exhibit – Theodore Morris’ Florida’s Lost Tribes collection. The sizeable collection of paintings will be on display through December 28. Among the paintings, Morris incorporates the Timucuan Indians, who inhabited Amelia Island long before the Spanish arrived. For more information on the exhibit, visit www.ameliamuseum.org.
Amelia River Cruises is starting a new Discovery Tour series which features four quarterly trips to unique destinations throughout northeast Florida and southeast Georgia, with all-inclusive packages and a personally hosted/narrated sail with owner Kevin McCarthy. Future trips will include Kingsley Plantation/Ft. Caroline, St. Augustine, and more. To book a trip, call (904) 261-9972 or email denamelia@yahoo.com.
The Residence Inn – Amelia Island is offering a contest for guests who visit between October 1, 2010 and January 31, 2011. Anyone who stays at the hotel is automatically registered for a chance to win a complimentary one week vacation to Amelia Island. The lucky winner will be chosen in February 2011. Visit www.residenceinnameliaisland.com for more information.
New Dining Delights on Amelia
• Café 4750 Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island announced a new fall menu for both lunch and dinner. Each item brings a new flavorful twist to Italian favorites. The Café prepares all pasta in-house and sells the pasta in The Pantry. For information, call (904) 277-1100.
• Fernandina’s Fantastic Fudge has scooped up a new ice cream flavor – Super Fudgetastic – a delicious vanilla ice cream, mixed with the Shoppe’s homemade fudge, peanut brittle and a caramel swirl. Visit www.fantasticfudge.com for more information.
• The Hoyt House Chef Deborah Gold has created a new menu item called the Amelia Island Puff. A puff pastry basket filled with Cheesy Grits, Poached Egg covered with sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms, Roasted Red Peppers, Vidalia Onions, Fresh Tarragon & White Wine Béchamel Sauce, Topped with Fried Green Tomato, with a choice of Hickory Smoked Bacon or Vermont Chicken Apple Sausage. Visit www.hoythouse.com for more information.
• The Surf Restaurant & Bar is introducing a new selection of deli sandwiches, including Cubans, Reubens, Clubs, Meatball Subs, Chicken Salad, and more. Visit www.thesurfonline.com for more details.
• The Omni Amelia Island Plantation is now offering prime beef steaks in the Ocean Grill restaurant. In keeping with Omni’s belief of bringing “local color” to each of their properties, the resort will soon offer seafood and produce from local farmers and purveyors. Visit www.omniameliaislandplantation.com for more information.
Awards & Recognitions
• Amelia Island, Florida has been named the #5 North American island in the 2010 Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
• The Omni Amelia Island Plantation has been ranked among the world’s best hotels on this year’s Expedia Insiders’ Select™ list by Expedia® travelers. The resort has also been recognized by Fodor’s Travel as a 2010 Fodor’s Choice selection.
• The Addison On Amelia on Amelia Island's Fernandina Beach was the only Florida bed and breakfast chosen as one of the Best of the South in the 2010-2011 Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards.
• The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island was recently named one of the World’s Best Hotels in Travel + Leisure magazine. The resort also recently ranked #24 among Top U.S. Mainland Resorts in the 2010 Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
• The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Amelia Island was recently named one of the Top 25 Spas in U.S. by the readers of Travel and Leisure magazine.
• Southern Living Magazine October 2010 issue named Elizabeth Pointe Lodge as their favorite Amelia Island Destination. Elizabeth Pointe Lodge also has received the 2010 Fernandina Beach News-Leader best Bed and Breakfast award, as well as the 2010 Folio Weekly Best of Jacksonville award.
• Elizabeth Pointe Lodge has become a Diamond Collection property from BedandBreakfasts.com. Each Diamond Collection property participates in a comprehensive annual inspection and maintains top reviews.
• Espana Restaurant received the Fernandina Beach News-Leader’s Best of the Best All Around Restaurant award.
• Jacksonville magazine inducted Amelia Island’s own Beech Street Grill into their Dining Hall of Fame.
• T-Ray’s Burger Station was recently named one of the Top 51 Burger Joints in USA Today.
-Amelia Island Convention & Visitors’ Bureau-
About Amelia Island
Northeast Florida’s coastal treasure, Amelia Island is a barrier island rich in colorful history and breath-taking natural beauty. Consistently ranked in the top 10 North American Islands by the readers on Conde Nast Traveler, Amelia Island offers long, beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, and pristine waters. Upscale resorts with world-class spas, championship golf and exclusive dining blend effortlessly with a captivating collection of bed and breakfast inns and historic districts. The island is home to Fernandina Beach, once a vibrant Victorian seaport village, and now a charming downtown district of eclectic shops, attractions and eateries. Forget the everyday getaway; Come make memories on Amelia Island. For visitor information and online planning, visit www.ameliaisland.com.
