The Complete Amelia Island Travel Guide (2026)

What is Amelia Island?

Amelia Island is the northernmost of Florida's Atlantic barrier islands, located in Nassau County on the northeast Florida coast, 30 minutes from Jacksonville. The island is 13 miles long, 2 miles wide, and home to ~12,000 year-round residents.

The island has 8 flags in its history (Timucuan, French, Spanish, English, American, Confederate, and back to American) — more than any other place in the US. The historic district of Fernandina Beach has 50+ blocks of Victorian architecture.

The vibe is "old Florida" — no high-rises, no theme parks, no party beaches. It's a "build sandcastles, ride bikes, eat shrimp, sleep well" island. The pace is slow, the people are nice, and the seafood is fresh.

Quick facts

Fact	Detail
Size	13 miles long, 2 miles wide
Population	~12,000 year-round, ~30,000 in summer peak
County	Nassau County, FL
Largest town	Fernandina Beach (north end)
Main beach access	Main Beach (mid-island), American Beach, Fort Clinch
Closest major airport	Jacksonville International (JAX), 30 min
Distance from Atlanta	5 hours
Distance from Miami	5.5 hours
Distance from Savannah	2.5 hours
Time zone	Eastern (EST/EDT)
Sales tax	7% (FL) + 1.5% (Nassau County) = 8.5%
Hotel tax	6% (FL) + 2% (Nassau County) = 8%

Getting to Amelia Island

By air

• Closest airport: Jacksonville International (JAX)
• Drive time: 30–45 min
• Airlines: Most major US carriers (Delta, American, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier)
• Direct flights from: Most US hubs
• Rental car: Essential, $50–$80/day at JAX

By car

• From Atlanta: 5 hours via I-95
• From Miami: 5.5 hours via I-95
• From Savannah: 2.5 hours via I-95
• From Charleston: 3.5 hours via I-95
• From Orlando: 2.5 hours via I-95
• From Tampa: 4.5 hours via I-95
• From Washington DC: 9 hours via I-95
• From New York: 12 hours via I-95

Rental car

• At JAX: Most major brands (Hertz, Enterprise, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, Dollar, Thrifty)
• On the island: Limited (Enterprise, a few local)
• Cost: $50–$80/day for a compact, more for SUV

Getting around Amelia Island

Car (essential)

• Most visitors need a car to get to the fort, the beach access points, the restaurants, and the activities
• No Uber/Lyft on the island (very limited)
• No public transit (Nassau County has minimal service)
• Parking is free at most beach access points
• Parking is paid at the Ritz and Omni ($25–$35/night)

Bicycle

• A1A is bikeable end-to-end (20+ miles)
• Egans Creek Greenway is paved (3.5 miles)
• Plantation has internal paths (5+ miles)
• Rentals: $25/day from Amelia Island Bicycle Rentals

Walking

• Centre Street is walkable (1 mile)
• Main Beach is walkable from Hampton, Courtyard, Amelia Hotel
• Plantation is walkable within the resort

When to visit

Best months

• April: Best weather (75–85°F, low humidity, no hurricane risk)
• October: Best weather (75–85°F, low humidity, last month of warm water)
• Tied for best

Good months

• May: Warmer, Shrimp Festival weekend
• September: Still hot, but lower prices, hurricane risk starts
• November: Cool, quiet, deals

Months to avoid (or embrace if you want summer)

• June–August: Hot, humid, peak crowds, peak prices
• January–February: Cold (for swimming), but good for deals

See our full best time to visit guide for month-by-month weather and pricing.

Where to stay

The full Amelia Island hotels index covers all 13 properties. The short list:

Luxury (3 options)

• Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island — $480–$890/night (summer), $359–$520 (shoulder), $279–$399 (winter)
• Omni Amelia Island Plantation — $389–$789/night (villa)
• The Addison on Amelia Island — $425–$695/night

Mid-range (4 options)

• Omni Oceanside Resort — $239–$489/night (summer), $189–$329 (shoulder)
• Elizabeth Pointe Lodge — $329–$589/night
• Hampton Inn & Suites — $189–$329/night
• Residence Inn — $179–$289/night

Budget (5 options)

• Beachside Motel — $119–$189/night
• Amelia Hotel at the Beach — $149–$239/night
• Courtyard Amelia Island — $159–$259/night
• Ocean Coast Hotel — $109–$179/night
• Budget Inn — $89–$129/night

Resort fees

• Ritz-Carlton: $45/night
• Omni Oceanside: $35/night
• Omni Plantation: $35/night
• Most mid-range: $0
• Most budget: $0

What to do

See the full 25 best things to do on Amelia Island. The top 10 ranked:

1. Fort Clinch State Park — Civil War era, $6/vehicle
2. Fernandina Beach Historic District — 50+ blocks, free
3. Beach time — 13 miles of sand, free
4. Amelia Island Museum of History — old jail, $10
5. Horseback riding on the beach — Kelly's, $130
6. Sunset kayak tour — Amelia Island Kayak, $80/couple
7. Amelia River cruise — Amelia River Cruises, $30–$60
8. Shrimp Festival — May, free
9. Island Fall Festival — October, free
10. Egans Creek Greenway — 3.5 miles, free

Beaches

Public beaches (free)

• Main Beach — playground, skate park, lifeguards in summer, parking $3–$5
• American Beach — historic, no lifeguards, parking free
• Fort Clinch Beach — state park, no lifeguards, $6/vehicle
• Peters Point — north end, 24/7 off-leash dog beach
• Seaside Park — small, parking, free

Beach rules

• Reef-safe sunscreen required (Florida law, no oxybenzone or octinoxate)
• No glass on the beach
• No pets on Main Beach 10am–5pm (summer), no pets on American Beach 10am–5pm (summer)
• No fires except in designated areas
• No alcohol on public beaches
• Watch the flag system (green/yellow/red)

See our full Amelia Island beaches guide.

Where to eat

Fine dining ($100+/person)

• Salt at the Ritz — oceanfront, jacket suggested
• David's Restaurant — Centre Street, French-influenced
• 29 South — Centre Street, contemporary

Mid-range ($30–$80/person)

• Coast at the Ritz — oceanfront, casual
• Marsh View Bar & Grill (Omni) — ocean view, casual
• Café Karibo — Centre Street, garden patio
• The Boatright's — Centre Street, beer garden
• LuLu's on the Marsh — Centre Street, casual
• Salt Life Food Shack — beachside, casual

Casual ($10–$30/person)

• Slopery — Centre Street, breakfast burritos
• Pablo's Mexican — Fernandina, cheap
• The Patio Place — Fernandina, breakfast
• The Sandbar — mid-island, burgers
• Publix — grocery, ready-to-eat

Day trips

St. Augustine (75 min south)

Florida's oldest city, 400+ years of history, 75 min from Amelia Island. Castillo de San Marcos, Flagler College, St. George Street, Lightner Museum, ghost tours. Pair the two for a 5-day trip.

Cumberland Island (30 min north)

National seashore, undeveloped, 30 min from Amelia Island. Wild horses, 50+ miles of beach, Carnegie ruins. Day trip doable, overnight better. Ferry from St. Marys, GA ($35).

Jacksonville (30 min west)

The closest city, 30 min from Amelia Island. Riverside (5 Points, King Street District), Jacksonville Beach, Cummer Museum, Catty Shack Ranch. Good for a half-day trip or a dinner out.

Savannah, GA (2.5 hours north)

One of the most beautiful cities in the US, 2.5 hours from Amelia Island. Historic district, Forsyth Park, River Street, Bonaventure Cemetery. Better as an overnight.

Jekyll Island (1.5 hours north)

State park feel, less crowded, 1.5 hours from Amelia Island. Jekyll Island Club, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 4 golf courses, Driftwood Beach. Pair with St. Simons Island.

Sample itineraries

See the full 3-day itinerary and 7-day itinerary for the long versions.

Budgeting

Per person, 3 nights, 2 adults (October):

Budget trip (Hampton Inn)

• Hotel: $189/night × 3 = $567
• Meals: $50/day × 6 = $300
• Car rental: $50/day × 3 = $150
• Activities: $100
• Drinks/tips: $100
• Total: ~$1,217

Mid-range trip (Omni Oceanside)

• Hotel: $289/night × 3 = $867
• Meals: $80/day × 6 = $480
• Car rental: $60/day × 3 = $180
• Activities: $300 (kayak, fort, beach, sunset)
• Drinks/tips: $150
• Total: ~$1,977

Luxury trip (Ritz-Carlton)

• Hotel: $480/night × 3 = $1,440
• Meals: $120/day × 6 = $720
• Car rental: $80/day × 3 = $240
• Activities: $500 (spa, kayak, fort, beach, dinner at Salt)
• Drinks/tips: $250
• Total: ~$3,150

What to pack

Required

• Reef-safe sunscreen (Florida law)
• Hat (with strap), sunglasses (with strap)
• Water bottle
• 2–3 swimsuits per person, beach towel, sandals, walking shoes
• Light layers (evenings can be cool)

Recommended

• Light jacket (for restaurants with AC, sunset)
• 1 nicer outfit (for Salt or David's)
• Reusable shopping bag, camera (waterproof case), daypack
• Bug spray (in summer)
• Binoculars (for dolphin watching)

Skip

• Heavy jeans (too hot), high heels (sandy, cobblestone)
• Cotton (heavy when wet), expensive jewelry (lose at beach)

Useful contacts

Emergency

• Emergency: 911
• Police (non-emergency): (904) 277-7344
• Fire (non-emergency): (904) 277-7330
• Hospital: Baptist Medical Center Nassau, (904) 321-3500
• Vet (24-hour): Coastal Veterinary Hospital, Jacksonville, (904) 223-4361
• Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

Tourism

• Amelia Island Visitor Center: (904) 277-0717
• Nassau County Tourism: (904) 491-1755

Activities

• Kelly's Seahorse Ranch: (904) 491-5163
• Amelia Island Kayak Excursions: (904) 557-3660
• Amelia River Cruises: (904) 261-9972
• Fish Amelia Island: (904) 753-0907
• Amelia Island Museum of History: (904) 261-7378
• Ritz Spa: (904) 277-1100

FAQs

What is the best time to visit Amelia Island?

April and October. Best weather, no hurricane risk, warm water (October), moderate crowds, moderate prices.

How many days do I need for Amelia Island?

3–4 days. 2 days is enough for highlights. 5–7 days is enough for everything plus day trips.

Where should I stay on Amelia Island?

Ritz-Carlton for splurge, Omni Oceanside for family resort, Elizabeth Pointe for boutique, Hampton Inn for budget. See the full hotels index.

What is there to do on Amelia Island besides the beach?

Fort Clinch, historic Centre Street, horseback riding, kayak tours, fishing charters, golf, spa, restaurants, sunset at Fort Clinch, Amelia River cruise, museum, theatre. See the full 25 best things to do.

Is Amelia Island good for families?

Yes, very. The Omni Oceanside has the best kids' program. Fort Clinch is a hit. The beach is family-friendly. See family hotels.

Is Amelia Island good for couples?

Yes, especially for couples who want quiet. Elizabeth Pointe and the Addison are the romantic picks. Salt is the splurge dinner. See romantic hotels.

What is the most unique thing about Amelia Island?

The 8 flags in its history (Timucuan, French, Spanish, English, American, Confederate, and back to American). More than any other place in the US.

What is the best free activity on Amelia Island?

The beach, sunset at Fort Clinch, Egans Creek Greenway, Centre Street walking.

What is the best paid activity on Amelia Island?

Horseback riding on the beach at sunset. $130, 1.5 hours, bucket list.

What is the best deal on Amelia Island?

The shoulder season (April, October, November). Same as summer, half the price, fewer crowds. See best time to visit.