Explore the quaint streets, museums and restaurants of this coastal city and visit the beaches and golf courses on the outskirts of town.
Fernandina Beach is a charming city on Amelia Island, northeast of Jacksonville. It is known for its miles of sandy beaches and high-end resorts and spas. The town center is full of boutique shops and restaurants. Explore historic sites and attend the annual shrimp festival. Play a round of golf on an Arnold Palmer course. Many hotels cater year-round to visiting tourists.
Spend time relaxing in the Florida sun on one of the city’s many beaches. Some of the best spots for sunbathing are in Fort Clinch State Park, with wetlands, plains and beaches. See a reenactment by volunteers dressed as soldiers and others from the Civil War era within the grounds of the old fort.
Take a tour of the city center in a traditional horse-drawn carriage. Dine at one of the restaurants and cafés before watching a dramatic performance at the Amelia Community Theater. Visit the Amelia Island Museum of History to learn about the region’s intriguing past. Fernandina Beach was once a busy Victorian seaport. Enjoy a guided museum tour, which is included in the admission fee.
Practice putting at the Arnold Palmer designed Golf Club at North Hampton. The course features six sets of tees to challenge players of different skill levels. Play mini-golf in the exotic setting of Island Falls Golf, which also has varied levels of difficulty for the entire family to enjoy.
If you’re here in spring, attend the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, held each year on the first weekend of May. Boat parades, ice cream eating contests and beauty pageants are held, all in the name of shrimp, the area’s signature seafood.
Fernandina Beach is a 27-mile (43-kilometer) drive or taxi ride east from Jacksonville International Airport and just 4 miles (6 kilometers) away from the smaller Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. The city is located near the northern part of Amelia Island, next to Fort Clinch State Park. Rent a car to drive the 36-mile (58-kilometer) trip northeast from downtown Jacksonville.