Over the years, Kayak Amelia has shown countless visitors the wild side of Amelia Island, both on the water and, since last April, with Segway tours. Whether traveling to Fort George beneath sprawling oaks and giant magnolias, or to Kingsley Plantation, famous for its sea island cotton, the balance of fun and history make the tours some of the most popular on the island.
This winter, they got a very unusual request from a couple, Joseph and Carol, came out for a Segway tour. They had so much fun, they set to work with guide Donna Ferreira Runyeon and
Kayak Amelia founder Jody Hetchka to plan the excursion - with a unique request. As Donna remembers, “Every year at Christmas when the family gets together, Joseph and Carol plan something adventurous without telling the other two generations - their children and their mothers. Then he mentioned that their mothers, Wanda and Eleanor, are 103 and 93!"
When they arrived, after much planning and preparation, both mothers happily signed the waivers without even reading what they were about to do. They were surprised to learn that they had signed on to ride the Segways, but they were open to giving it a try. Their guides Donna and Nick (somewhat nervously) gave them both instruction and walked along with them as they tested out their new wheels. It didn’t take long for them to master the basics and soon Wanda was cruising along, nearly 100 yards, all without her walker. Donna shouted after her, “maybe we’ll trade in your walker for a Segway!” Wanda replied, “That sounds fun!”
While the women didn’t participate in the full tour on the Segways, they did enjoy their time testing out the wheels and learning a few tricks from the guides. After that, the guide drove them to Kingsley Plantation and gave them a tour via golf cart (with a park ranger,) driving past the slave cabins to the kitchen house, hearing about the Kingsley Family and their history while the rest of the family continued on their two-wheel tour.
It was such a special day for the family as they laughed and shared stories about the Segways as well as what they learned on the tour. It was a holiday treat for all involved!
Segway tours are available Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tours start at $75. Click
here to learn more and to make your reservation.