Amelia Island's two south-end resorts offer their guests luxury and pampering like no other. Award-winning golf, internationally known tennis facilities, upscale spa and shopping, kids programs, conference and meeting space, and decadent dining all allow visitors to relax, unwind and let someone else take over - in an upscale environment. As wonderful as that is, that's not all there is on the southern end of our island paradise, there are also two state parks for fishing and meandering along the water's edge, horseback riding on the beach,
tours of a historic African-American beach community, miniature golf, bike rides along tree-canopied streets and much more. Welcome to south Amelia Island - AKA The Luxury Zone!
STAY
The southern end of Amelia Island is most notably known for two luxury resorts – the
RITZ-CARLTON, AMELIA ISLAND and
OMNI AMELIA ISLAND Resort. Here is where you will find opulence interspersed with nature’s bounty. If pampering is on your agenda, step into the relaxing sanctuaries of their resort spas and let your cares slip away. Relax poolside and bask in the ocean views, take a nature tour, shop til you drop and dine in award-winning restaurants. You can stay right where you are for your entire stay and have everything right at your fingertips! If you would like something a little friendlier on your wallet, look into a vacation rental at
Summer Beach Resort or
Amelia Surf & Racquet Club. Both have fabulous ocean views, pools to swim in, tennis courts to play on, and all the comforts of home. Wake up to the sunrise over the Atlantic in Amelia Island’s only oceanfront motel. Recently renovated,
The Beachside Motel offers guests standard rooms, efficiencies, and kitchenette rooms to choose from.
The Surf Beach Motel is directly across the street from the ocean and has a restaurant and bar on property with live music, umbrella drinks and fried shrimp baskets. If none of these lodging suggestions are appealing to you and you're looking for a home to rent, never fear. Check out all of your choices
here.
PLAY
If you're a golfer, the south end is the place to be! Named “Top 121 Golf Resort in the World” by Condé Nast Traveler,
Omni Amelia Island Resort is home to a Pete Dye-designed championship golf course, the exclusive member's Long Point golf course designed by Tom Fazio that provides access to resort guests, and the newly added 10-hole Little Sandy course. The Golf Club at Summer Beach, Amelia River Golf Club, and Fernandina Beach Municipal Golf Course round out the island's five courses. Learn more about all of them and all things golf,
here. If tennis is your game then you'll be smitten with
Omni's Racquet Park, a top-notch tennis facility where many of the greats (think Agassi, Navratilova, Evert, Sharapova and the Williams sisters) have played before you.
Get in tune with nature as you step off the beaten path and walk, run or bike the
AMELIA ISLAND TRAIL, seven miles of tree-lined pathways which hug scenic Highway A1A, part of the East Coast Greenway. If your idea of luxury is a day on the water, the southern end of Amelia Island offers an array of aquatic expeditions, including stand-up paddleboarding,
kayaking, or casting a line off the mile-long
George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park. At the southernmost tip of the island is
Amelia Island State Park, a respite from everyday life where you can ride
horseback on the beach or simply take in nature’s majesty with over 200-acres filled with beaches, salt marshes, and maritime forests.
EAT
There's no shortage of great dining spots on the southern end of Amelia Island. From the AAA Five Diamond award-winning
Salt restaurant at
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island to the homemade goodness of the
Parkway Grille, your tastebuds won't know which way to turn. Located in the shops at Harris Teeter are two standouts:
Bantam & Biddy, your stop for southern cooking and all-day breakfasts; and
Lagniappe, a delicious eatery combining the traditions of French Creole with unique Southern culinary staples. Feel the seabreeze and hear the waves at
The Surf Restaurant & Bar or, if you're looking for a friendly neighborhood bar and family-style restaurant, head to
Baxter's for "the best steak on the island". Located in the Palmetto Walk Shopping Center,
Cucina South Italian Bistro serves up pastas, pizzas, and seafood while
Bar Zin Bistro and Wine Bar features upscale comfort food and wines from around the world. Step into southern refinement with a bend at
Pogo's Kitchen, a cozy, casual restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating, full bar, and extensive wine selection. In addition to Salt, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island also offers other delicious dining experiences at their poolside restaurant, Lobby Bar, and casual grills. Check them all out
here. Further south at Omni Amelia Island Resort, you can dine on coastal Mediterranean-inspired seafood at the
Verandah or take your pick of several restaurants located at
The Shops of Omni Amelia Island Resort.
Check out ALL that our island has to offer everywhere by visiting ameliaisland.com. Then, pack your bags and come see us!