Christmas & Holidays on Amelia Island

Holiday Calendar 2026

Date	Event	Crowds	Notes
Nov 6-8	Island Fall Festival (finale)	Medium	Last hurrah of fall
Nov 27-28	Thanksgiving	High	Family gatherings
Dec 4-6	Festive Friday #1	Low	Tree lighting
Dec 11-13	Festive Friday #2	Low	Caroling
Dec 18-20	Festive Friday #3	Low	Santa visits
Dec 23-25	Christmas Eve/Day	Peak	Most expensive
Dec 26-31	Post-Christmas	High	Family trips
Dec 31	New Year's Eve	Peak	Fireworks, parties
Jan 1-2	New Year's Day	Medium	Quiet after the rush
Jan 19	Martin Luther King Jr. Day	Low	3-day weekend

Festive Fridays in Fernandina (December, weekly)

What: Weekly holiday events in downtown Fernandina. Tree lighting, caroling, Santa visits, live music, food vendors, and shopping.

When: Fridays in December, 5-9pm

Where: Centre Street, downtown Fernandina — read our Fernandina Beach guide

Cost: Free

The signature holiday event. Centre Street closes to cars; the shops stay open late, restaurants offer outdoor specials, kids meet Santa, and adults drink mulled wine. It's the most festive event on the island in December.

Tips

• Arrive 5-6pm to avoid the worst of the cold
• Bring a light jacket (60-65°F at sunset)
• Park in the Centre Street public lot
• Eat early (6pm) or late (8pm) to avoid lines
• Bring cash for food vendors

Other Holiday Events

Christmas dinner at the Ritz or Omni

Special Christmas dinner at Salt (Ritz) or Marsh View Bar & Grill (Omni).

When: December 25, 5-9pm  ·  Cost: $100-$200 per person (Ritz), $60-$100 (Omni)  ·  Reservations: 2-3 weeks ahead

Christmas Eve dinner on Centre Street

Most Centre Street restaurants are open Christmas Eve with special menus: David's, 29 South, Café Karibo, The Boatright's, LuLu's. Cost: $50-$150 per person. Book 1-2 weeks ahead.

Christmas Day brunch

Brunch at the Ritz, the Omni, or a few Centre Street restaurants. The Ritz does a grand buffet ($80/person, $30/child). The Omni does a buffet too. Centre Street is mostly closed, but Café Karibo and Slopery are usually open.

New Year's Eve fireworks

Fireworks at the Ritz-Carlton and the City of Fernandina Beach. Midnight on December 31. Free to watch from outside (Ritz beach is private — only guests can be on the sand). Watch from A1A or the marina. The Ritz party is $200+/person; the City of Fernandina party is free.

New Year's Day brunch

Quieter than Christmas Day. Same venues (Ritz, Omni, Centre Street), same costs, same reservation lead time.

Holiday lights tour

Self-guided or guided tour of decorated homes and businesses. Free (self-guided), $20-$50 (guided). Ask the visitor center for the map. The historic homes in Fernandina are particularly beautiful, the Ritz has an elaborate display, the Plantation has a walk-through display, and downtown is strung with white lights.

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Where to Stay for the Holidays

For families (multi-gen)

• Omni Amelia Island Plantation villa — 2-3 bedrooms, full kitchen, plenty of space, kids' programs during holiday break
• Ritz-Carlton — turndown service, kids' program, multiple restaurants, family-friendly

For couples (romantic)

• Ritz-Carlton — Salt for Christmas dinner, spa, fireplace in the lobby
• Elizabeth Pointe Lodge — adults-preferred, full breakfast, wraparound porch
• The Addison on Amelia — adults-only, walking distance to Centre Street

For groups of friends

• Omni Plantation villa — plenty of space, multiple restaurants
• Hampton Inn & Suites — suites with sleeper sofas, walking distance to Centre Street

For budget travelers

• Hampton Inn & Suites — $189-$329/night
• Residence Inn — $179-$289/night, full kitchen

Browse all options in our budget hotels and all hotels guides.

Holiday Pricing (2026)

Date	Ritz	Omni Oceanside	Hampton Inn	Residence Inn
Thanksgiving week	$399-$499	$189-$259	$159-$199	$149-$189
Festive Fridays (Dec)	$359-$489	$179-$229	$149-$179	$139-$179
Christmas week	$599-$799	$329-$449	$219-$289	$209-$269
Post-Christmas	$499-$649	$249-$349	$189-$239	$179-$229
New Year's Eve	$599-$799	$329-$449	$219-$289	$209-$269
New Year's Day	$399-$499	$189-$259	$159-$199	$149-$189
Mid-January (deals)	$279-$399	$139-$189	$129-$159	$119-$149

Most expensive: Christmas week, New Year's Eve  ·  Best deals: Mid-January, post-Festive Fridays (after Dec 20, before Christmas)

Book ahead: 60-90 days for Christmas/New Year, 30-60 days for other holiday weeks

What to Do During the Holidays

With family

• Beach walk — too cold for swimming, but great at sunset
• Fort Clinch — decorated for the holidays, period reenactments on the first weekend
• Centre Street Festive Fridays — kids meet Santa, adults drink mulled wine
• Holiday lights tour — self-guided or guided
• Christmas dinner — Salt at the Ritz, Marsh View at the Omni
• New Year's Eve fireworks — at the Ritz or the marina
• Spas — uncrowded in early December, busy mid-December
• Movies — most hotel rooms have good streaming
• Board games — bring your favorites

As a couple

• Spa day — uncrowded in early December, busy mid-December
• Christmas dinner at Salt — romantic, oceanfront, jacket suggested
• Centre Street walk — decorated, festive, free
• Holiday lights tour — self-guided
• New Year's Eve at the Ritz — $200+/person, includes dinner, drinks, fireworks
• Fort Clinch at sunset — quiet, beautiful, free
• Books by the fireplace — at the Ritz or Elizabeth Pointe

With kids

• Festive Fridays — kids meet Santa, free
• Beach walk — kids love shells, sandcastles
• Fort Clinch — kids love the fort
• Movie nights — in the hotel
• Pool (if heated) — Ritz and Omni pools are heated
• Indoor pool — most hotels have indoor pools or hot tubs
• Mini-golf — Jacksonville, 45 min

Weather & What Makes the Holidays Special

Air: 60-70°F days, 40-55°F nights  ·  Water: 64-68°F (too cold for swimming)  ·  Rain: 2-3" per month  ·  Sun: 10-11 hours of daylight  ·  Humidity: Low

No hurricanes (season ended November 30) and no snow (almost never — the last recorded was 1989). The "winter" is more like a New England fall.

Wildlife in winter

• Bald eagles — winter is the best time to see them
• Migratory birds — warblers, falcons, ospreys
• Whales — North Atlantic right whales migrate past, occasionally visible from the beach
• Dolphins — active year-round
• Manatees — occasional in the Intracoastal

What to Pack

Required

• Warm jacket (medium weight)
• Light jacket (for warmer days)
• Sweaters (2-3), long-sleeve shirts (2-3), t-shirts for layering
• Jeans (1-2 pairs) and dress pants (for dinners)
• Walking shoes (closed-toe) and sandals (for warm afternoons)
• Hat and sunglasses (winter sun is real)

Recommended

• Dress shoes (for dinners at Salt, David's)
• Scarf and gloves (for cold evenings)
• Camera (winter light is great) and books (for porch reading)

Skip

• Bathing suit (water is too cold) and heavy coat (not needed — the cold is mild)
• Snow boots (never) and heavy jeans (too hot on warm days)

Sample Holiday Itineraries

3-day Christmas trip

Day 1 (Dec 24): 4pm arrive, 5pm walk Centre Street, 7pm Christmas Eve dinner at David's or 29 South, 9pm walk Centre Street lights, 10pm back to hotel.

Day 2 (Dec 25): 8am coffee/pastries, 10am Christmas Day brunch at the Ritz or Café Karibo, noon beach walk, 3pm Fort Clinch State Park, 5pm back to hotel, 7pm Christmas dinner at Salt (Ritz) or Marsh View (Omni), 9pm back to hotel.

Day 3 (Dec 26): 8am breakfast, 9:30am bike the A1A or Egans Creek, 11:30am lunch at Slopery, 1pm drive to JAX, fly home.

3-day New Year's trip

Day 1 (Dec 30): 4pm arrive, 5pm beach walk at sunset, 7pm dinner at Café Karibo, 9pm walk Centre Street, 10pm back to hotel.

Day 2 (Dec 31): 8am breakfast, 9:30am Fort Clinch, noon lunch at the Boatright's, 2pm spa day (couples massage at the Ritz), 6pm pre-dinner cocktails at the Lobby Bar, 7pm New Year's Eve dinner at the Ritz ($200+/person), 9:30pm fireworks from the beach or marina, 11pm toast, back to hotel.

Day 3 (Jan 1): 8am coffee at Café Karibo, 10am New Year's Day brunch, noon beach walk, 2pm drive to JAX, fly home.

Money-Saving Tips

• Stay 5-7 nights. 5th night is often 50% off. Weekly rates available at most properties.
• Eat breakfast at the hotel. Most mid-range and luxury hotels include breakfast. Or eat at Slopery or buy groceries at Publix (next to Residence Inn).
• Eat lunch on the beach. Pack sandwiches, snacks, water. Salt Life has a to-go window.
• Eat dinner early (5-6pm). "Kids eat free" on certain days; earlier reservations are easier. Sunset is at 5:30pm in December.
• Skip the resort fee (sometimes). The Ritz, Omni Oceanside, and Omni Plantation charge $35-$45/night for Wi-Fi, gym, sometimes parking.
• Book direct. Most chains offer 5-10% off for direct booking. Loyalty points add up.

Common Holiday Mistakes

• Forgetting to book restaurants in advance. Book Christmas dinner, New Year's Eve dinner, Festive Friday dinners 1-2 weeks ahead.
• Underestimating the cold. Bring a warm jacket. The 60-70°F days are mild, but the 40-55°F nights are real.
• Expecting beach swimming. Water is 64-68°F. Too cold for most people. Plan for beach walks.
• Bringing kids without a plan. Most activities are adult-oriented. Plan indoor activities (spa, museum, movies).
• Not booking the spa in advance. Book 2-3 weeks ahead for holiday weeks.
• Forgetting reef-safe sunscreen. Florida law requires reef-safe sunscreen (no oxybenzone or octinoxate).

Holiday FAQs

Plan Your Holiday Trip

Compare all Amelia Island hotels, check December weather and travel tips, browse holiday restaurants, and read our best time to visit guide for shoulder-season rates and crowd calendars.