Page 16 - Guest Advantage Spring/Summer 2016

for good clean fun, Jacksonville Beach
is your place. Nationally recognized for our lifeguard training programs, our beaches are protected year-round. The Red Cross Life Saving station houses one of the country’s only remaining volunteer life saving organizations. With all the amenities of a beach resort community, Jacksonville Beach welcomes you with the hospitality of a small home town. Choose from our first class accommodations ranging from oceanfront hotels to small intimate motels and bed and breakfasts. Dine at oceanfront restaurants offering Florida’s finest seafood and local specialities or at unique restaurants and pubs throughout this exciting city.
Amelia Island & Fernandina
Named for Princess Amelia, daughter of George II of Great Britain, Amelia Island is the only place in the United States to have been under the dominion of eight different flags. It’s been home
to an array of cultures and colorful characters: Timucuan Indians, European explorers, pirates, bootleggers, Gilded Age millionaires, and shrimpers all make up the colorful tapestry of this treasured island’s rich history. They’ve left behind a
legendary legacy (and much to explore.) Amelia Island is home to enough biking
and walking trails to give you a change
of scenery each day. The island provides
a number of options from rugged trails winding past century-old, moss-laden live oaks to smooth scenic coastal paths and even the beach at low tide. Bike rentals are available throughout the island.
Looking for an on-the-water experience? Amelia River Cruises offer richly narrated tours from the historic waterfront
along the wild beaches of Cumberland Island. The Amelia Boat Club will
rent you a boat (and even arrange for a captain.) 904-261-9972 ameliarivercruises. com
Be sure to visit Fort Clinch, 2601 Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach,
one of the best-preserved Civil War Era forts in the US set in an enchantingly wooded state park. On the first weekend of every month, re-enactors stage a “Union Garrison” event where you can experience what daily life at the Fort was like in 1864.
Pirate Playground, 2500 Atlantic Ave, Fernandina Beach, is a shady playscape designed to be accessible and enjoyable for children and adults with a range
of physical abilities. It borders on the entrance to Egan’s Creek greenway, a perfect spot for a walk (and for pictures.)
Stroll, shop and eat in Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach. Down and around Centre Street, you’ll find a range of eclectic independent local businesses with genuine Southern charm. Visitors should also spend a Saturday enjoying the outdoor markets: the Fernandina Beach Market Place downtown and the Amelia Farmers Market at the Shops of Omni Amelia Island Plantation every Saturday from 9am-1pm. These markets offer delights ranging from fresh produce to sweet treats to flowering plants and artisanal wares.
See fernandinabeachmarketplace.com or ameliafarmersmarket.com.
There aren’t many places in the country where you can go horseback riding on the beach. Experience it on Amelia
Island where professional guides (and well-trained horses) are waiting for you. ameliahorsebackriding.com
If you’re on Amelia Island during the spring and summer, you can experience one of the most ancient and moving rites of spring. Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch volunteers monitor and flag nests and
host nest excavations, many of which are open to the public.
NE Florida has a rich history in the Shrimping industry that is celebrated at the annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp festival
Photo by Addison Fitzgerald
16 GUESTADVANTAGE •2016