Amelia Island is located in Nassau County, Florida and is the northernmost barrier island on Florida’s Atlantic coast and the southernmost of the Sea Island chain that stretcsh along the East Coast of the United States from South Carolina to Florida. On a map, Amelia Island is 35 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida, 127 miles south of Savannah, Georgia and 197 miles east of Tallahassee.

 Find out more at about Amelia Island.

If driving by car, Amelia Island is just 15 miles east of I-95 from exit 373 crossing the Intracoastal Waterway. From the south, take I-295 north to Heckscher Drive, then go north on 105. A beautiful scenic drive.

Less than 30 minutes from Amelia Island, Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is the closest airport and links Northeast Florida with cities across North America and around the world.  Passengers have many airline options with 10 airlines serving the area today. 

Private, corporate and charter aircraft may use the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport located on Amelia Island.

Get more details and directions on how to get to Amelia Island. 

Beloved by naturalists, conservationists, birders, and adventure enthusiasts alike, Amelia Island is an eco-tourism paradise.  Situated  along the Atlantic Coast, all 13 miles of pristine quartz beaches are open for running, walking or just enjoying.  Visitors seeking a does of fresh air can also enjoy trails at Fort Clinch State Park, Amelia Island State Park, and Egans Creek Greenway.  You may even spot some local wildlife, including gopher tortoises, sea turtles, dolphins, bobcats, and many species of birds and reptiles.  

The island is home to a 50-block National Historic District in downtown Fernandina Beach that is a thriving neighborhood rich with eclectic shops for amazing and unique shopping and locally-owned restaurants.  Check out the charm-filled boutiques like the Amelia Island Soapery and then stop for fresh seafood at the Salty Pelican Bar and Grill. The modern shrimping industry began here and shrimpers still ply these waters from the downtown Marina anchoring Centre Street and amazing sunset views over the water. 

There are a variety of tours to discover the wonders of Amelia Island year-round from Anchor Trolley and Coast One Tours, to Amelia Island History Tours and even ghost tours led by the Amelia Island Museum of History and Amelia Island Ghost Tours.   

Before you leave, don't forget to relax and rejuvenate in a luxury resort spa at The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Amelia Island or the Spa at The Omni Amelia Island Resort on the south end of the island.  

 

If you’re looking for a destination that’s easy to get to (30 minutes from Jacksonville International Airport) but slightly off the beaten path - with a vibrant historic downtown, pristine beaches, abundant wildlife and nature, eclectic dining, outdoor festivals, mild year round temperatures, award-winning golf, quaint bed & breakfasts, upscale resorts and hotels, rod-screaming fishing, river kayaking, museums, loads of shopping, soothing spas, and family-friendly fun - then this laid-back island off the northeast coast of Florida is perfect for you!

Escape the everyday with experiences you won't forget.  On Amelia Island, you can easily do as much - or as little - as you want  Here's just a sample of the experiences waiting for you.

ON THE WATER

• See the island and it's surroundings (including neighboring Cumberland Island) from the deck of an Amelia River Cruise or numerous sightseeing charters.
• Amelia Boat Club & RentalsAmelia Boat Club & Rentals can put you on the water for fishing, cruising or sightseeing, with or without a captain.
• Bring home your own fish story with an excursion on one of 40 fishing charters!  Amelia Island Charter Boat Association and Amelia Island Guides Association can help you find the perfect fit.
• Come face-to-face with nature in the natural backwaters in a kayak or on a SUP board.  Choose from nearly a dozen expert, local tour guide companies for an experience to remember.

ON LAND

• Immerse yourself in the history of the island by visiting one of our museums like the Amelia Island Museum of History located in the old county jail. 
• Take a horseback ride on the beach with Happy Trails Walking Horses, Kelly Seahorse Ranch, or Amelia Island Horseback Riding.
• Join an experienced naturalist on a bike, Segway or kayak tour discovering birds, turtles, edible plants, night creatures and crabs at The Nature Center at The Omni Amelia Island Resort.
• Practice yoga at an island studio.  For a scenic backdrop, try yoga on a paddleboard with Kayak Amelia, beachside at Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, at a historic venue at The Williams House or poolside at The Courtyard by Marriott.
• Try tennis or pickleball at the Atlantic Rec Center or The Omni Amelia Island Resort.

IN THE AIR

• Skydive Amelia Island offers a tandem skydive with stunning ocean and breathtaking beach views.

With mild temperatures year-round, it's always a perfect time to visit Amelia Island! Spring brings plentiful blue skies and breezy days with average high temperatures in the 70s, allowing excellent biking or hiking along the island's numerous trails. Summer offers warmer daytime temperatures with nice sea breezes for that much-needed beach day, complete with a refreshing swim in the Atlantic. The island experiences nice changes in Autumn as rainfall decreases and average temperatures decline, perfect for an afternoon kayak outing along the Intracoastal Waterway. Winter on Amelia Island is usually characterized by drier, crisp air and comfortable weather that is just right for walks on the beach, a round or two of golf, or spotting wildlife.

Find more information about Amelia Island weather.

When it comes to choosing a vacation destination that the whole family will love, Amelia Island is the natural choice. Whether your little one is 6 months or 16 years, the island will keep them occupied and enthralled day by day. Depending on your budget, most accommodations are kid-friendly, however the two south island resorts offer award-winning kids programs, babysitting services, an array of pools to play in, naturalist-led nature programs and on-site shopping and dining. Kids will get a history lesson at one of the island’s five museums or at Fort Clinch, a civil war era fort where history comes to life. Rent bikes and hit the miles of bike trails located around the island or take in a family-friendly game of putt putt. Hang ten on a rented surfboard or take a lesson if you need to. So much to do on Amelia Island that your kids will be begging you to come back year after year.

Get inspired with the Amelia Island Family Travel Guide. 

Escape to Amelia Island without leaving your four-legged family members behind. We offer pet-friendly hotels/motels, resorts and vacation rentals where most pets are welcome to stay. Historic downtown Fernandina Beach is proud to be pet-friendly and you can tell by all the water bowls located outside many of the store fronts on Centre Street. If your furry family member wants to play on the beach, that’s fine. Leashed dogs are welcome to frolic in the surf just the same as you! Or, send them to one of the island’s dog parks for canine fun with friends.  

Learn more about pet friendly vacations on Amelia Island.

Unlike some of our Florida cities to the south, Amelia Island gets four seasons. Whatever season you like best and can travel in, we’ll have something to offer you.

Summer brings long, lazy beach days full of sunscreen, surf, laughing seagulls and all the sweet memories you can make at the beach. Fall is considered “off season” but is our favorite season to get outside and explore the island. Winter brings drier air and comfortable weather perfect for long beach walks and Right Whale sightings. There's no better place to spend the holiday season when our annual Dickens On Centre festival turns all of downtown Fernandina Beach into Merry Ole England. Stay through New Year's Eve and celebrate with the unique Shrimp Drop to ring in the New Year. Spring is simply gorgeous here and the temps are still mild enough to enjoy all the outside activities you can imagine.

With abundant sunshine and mild temperatures year-round, it's always a perfect time to visit Amelia Island!
 

From top-end resorts to historic bed & breakfast inns, the comforts of a favorite hotel to a oceanfront condominium or villa, Amelia Island offers a place for every stay, style and budget.

Live in the lap of luxury at the Omni Amelia Island Resort or The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Both of these award-winning beachfront resorts offering golf, spas, dining, pools, kids programs, shopping and more. If it’s a more intimate visit you seek, stay at one of our charming bed & breakfast inns all located in downtown Fernandina Beach and within walking distance to the harbor, restaurants, museums and shopping. From Amelia Schoolhouse Inn showcasing the restoration of a historic schoolhouse to the Amelia Island Williams House with lush gardens, fireplaces and all the old-world attention to detail that you'd expect, rest, relaxation and pampering are sure to please. Choose a select service hotel from trusted brands like Marriott or Hilton for a vacation with all the features you'd expect.  Or, combine all the comforts of home with special amenities by staying in a condominium, villa, townhouse or other vacation beach rental.

Discover the perfect accommodations for your perfect trip, HERE.

With 99 picturesque yet challenging golf holes, Amelia Island is a true golfer's paradise for players of every skill level. Golf packages with accommodations range from quiet B&B's to luxury resorts to oceanfront hotels.

There are five island courses to choose from. All different and all special. Omni Amelia Island Resort offers Oak Marsh, a Pete Dye-design featuring tight fairways, bulkheads and outstanding scenery. Guests of Omni can also play their members-only Long Point course named one of the top twenty courses in Florida. The Golf Club of Amelia Island, located at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, is a Mark McCumber/Gene Littler course and is challenging with water that comes into play on 13 of its 18-holes. The Fernandina Beach Golf Club, features 27 holes of public golf with generous fairways and impeccable greens, while Amelia River Golf Club has their signature par 3 hole #17 where players hit over water and onto an island green. 

Newly opened Little Sandy short course on Omni Amelia Island Resort and Top Tracer are perfect venues to perfect your game.

Get into the swing of things with the Amelia Island Golf Travel Guide for inspiration.

Whether you're craving southern fried food in a mom and pop setting, ice cream after a day at the beach, a coffee shop, tea house, fresh seafood prepared any way you like it, or delicious Provençal dishes by candlelight, Amelia Island's diverse food scene will keep your taste buds happy and your mouth watering for more. With more than 100 distinctive restaurants to choose from this small island offers a large variety for every palate and mood.

In addition to an inspired foodie scene, Amelia Island has robust craft beer, locally distilled spirits and adult beverage experiences.  

Get inspired about all the foodie events, experiences and great restaurants on Amelia Island with the Foodie Travel Guide.  

Amelia Island offers yearly family-friendly events and festivals that celebrate the island's colorful past and present. Spring and summer bring monthly outdoor concerts with Sounds on Centre, as well as our Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival where we celebrate all things shrimp over one weekend in May. Each March, Amelia Island Concours Week draws over 300 rare vehicles from collections around the world for live auctions and a celebration of the automobile like no other, culminating in The Amelia Concours d'Elegance. Other events throughout the year include Restaurant Week, Amelia Island Book Festival, and the Zooma Run for Women. Rounding out the year is Dickens on Centre where we turn downtown Centre Street into Merry Ole England complete with costumed characters, street peddlers, and themed entertainment.

Find more about the festivals and events on Amelia Island. 
 

Edged with natural Appalachian quartz sand and framed by sand dunes as high as 40 feet, Amelia Island's beaches have long been a source of beauty. With more than 40 public beach access points along our 13-mile-long shoreline, you can choose a different stretch of beach each day. And, with the ocean's average temperature at 82 degrees during the summer, they’ll be plenty of surfing and swimming.

Didn’t bring a chair and umbrella or surfboard? No problem. Beach rental stores are happy to help you out. Alcohol is not allowed on any City or County beach and only vehicles with permits are allowed to drive or park on the beach.

Let's go to the beach!  Discover the perfect beach getaway with the Amelia Island Beach Travel Guide!