[SoccerMom811]

Hi All,

I am wondering if Amelia island would be a good spot for three families to vacation together in late June, early July 2008? We are looking for a place with nice beaches, decent waves, and other activities - shopping, tennis, parks, museums, etc. Some in our group like to lay on the beach all day, others like to get up and do things.

Do you have any suggestions on good places to stay? Fernandino Beach or AIP? Other areas? We'd like to be on or extremely near the beach, under $2,500 per week per family, and we'd each need 2-3 bedrooms.

Any suggestions for not to be missed activities?

Any alternative locations we should consider? We live in SC south of Charlotte and want to be within a one day drive of home.

Thanks!

[riveree]

Amelia Island is really nice, I think you'd love vacationing there .

Fernandina Beach has some nice shopping and restaurants. It's a small area, but since you'll probably spend most time on the beach, I imagine it will be enough for you.

If you really wanted more non-beach things to do, I'd suggest staying in St. Augustine instead of Amelia, but since the beach is enough of an attraction, Amelia is a good choice.

After checking out Amelia, head south to Jax. Check out Atlantic/Jax Beach (Ragtimes would be great for lunch and it's located in a nice walkable shopping area):

http://www.ragtimetavern.com/

Just inland about 15 minutes from the beach is our newest outdoor shopping center, The Saint Johns Town Center. It's unique to NEFL with some very upscale shopping not found elsewhere around here:

http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=857

These are 2 really good museums in Jax:

http://www.mocajacksonville.org/
http://cummer.org/

Our zoo is now a zoo and botanical garden (still working on some of the gardens):

http://jaxzoo.org/

If there will be kids with you, they might like our water park:

http://www.adventurelanding.com/jaxbeach/index.html

Then there is St. Augustine. I'd recommend 2 full days in St. Augustine to get a feel for it. There is tons to do in historic St. Aug. A tour on one of the trolleys is hokey, but it really is a great way to see all the historical sights.

Hope that helps to give you a few ideas .

[5FLgirls]

We had friends who stayed in a townhouse on Amelia Island Plantation last March. They were a quick 5 minute walk to the beach and pool. Their townhouse was three bedrooms on the golf course and very nicely decorated. I don't know how much they paid because their company covered it. We had a really nice time visiting them. There is definitely something for everyone on this type of vacation but those that like to get out and about might have a 40 minute to 1 hour drive to the sites of Jax and St. Augustine. Even visits to the Georgia coast are within driving distance for day trips and such.

Another place to visit that is still within a day's drive of you is the Panhandle. We have stayed at Watercolor in Santa Rosa Beach and it is a great family vacation. We loved it but our idea of a great vacation is just sitting on the beach. Great beaches there and I know there were activities for those active ones in your group within the area.

Good Luck.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by SoccerMom811

Hi All,

I am wondering if Amelia island would be a good spot for three families to vacation together in late June, early July 2008? We are looking for a place with nice beaches, decent waves, and other activities - shopping, tennis, parks, museums, etc. Some in our group like to lay on the beach all day, others like to get up and do things.

Do you have any suggestions on good places to stay? Fernandino Beach or AIP? Other areas? We'd like to be on or extremely near the beach, under $2,500 per week per family, and we'd each need 2-3 bedrooms.

Any suggestions for not to be missed activities?

Any alternative locations we should consider? We live in SC south of Charlotte and want to be within a one day drive of home.

Thanks!

Hi Soccermom (I can relate to that username)
The Panhandle beaches mentioned by 5FLgirls are, IMHO, by far the most gorgeous beaches of Florida--nothing compares (I lived there from '05 until late May of this year.) However, Amelia Island is closer to you and is plenty nice indeed, with more to do.
I live in Fernandina Beach and love it here, especially the Historic District.
You'll definitely have shopping, tennis, museums, and beautiful parks and greenways.
The Shrimp Festival is in May, but that might be more excitement than you really want, it gets pretty crowded here.
As for lodging:
Some people really like the Plantation, others find it overrated.
My sister in law will be staying at Summer Beach, it has been well-thought-of these days.
Amelia Island Online (broken link)
Amelia Island Vacation Rentals

[2bohemians]

Hey There,

We too think Amelia Island is a beautiful location. However, we have to agree with some of the other posters --- come see the Panhandle / Emerald Coast -- it really is spectacular. Plenty of exquisitely beautiful beaches to lay on or play on, shopping is all around with all kinds of options, activities for the kids are abundant depending on what they like. If you've never been here and you come here, you may never want to leave. Anyhow, here are some websites that will give you a taste of it's beauty:

Discover 30A

Beaches of South Walton

Watercolor

Seaside

[SoccerMom811]

thanks for your posts, I really appreciate the insider information. I have been to the panhandle (Destin, about 16 years ago) and it is gorgeous for sure. But Watercolor and Seaside look too pricey for us. The rates look to be about 4-5K for the type of house we need. That's too high. Any alternatives that might be more reasonable in that area?

Regarding AI, is the beach muddy there? My mother stayed at AIP several years ago, and she said the beach was "muddy". Her words.

Thanks for the help!

[2bohemians]

Originally Posted by SoccerMom811

thanks for your posts, I really appreciate the insider information. I have been to the panhandle (Destin, about 16 years ago) and it is gorgeous for sure. But Watercolor and Seaside look too pricey for us. The rates look to be about 4-5K for the type of house we need. That's too high. Any alternatives that might be more reasonable in that area?

Regarding AI, is the beach muddy there? My mother stayed at AIP several years ago, and she said the beach was "muddy". Her words.

Thanks for the help!

If you haven't been to the Panhandle in 16 years, you may be shocked to see how things have change. Along the 30A when I lived here many years ago, there was nothing but scrub oaks and dunes -- it used to be my private little hideaway --- when I came back about 5 years ago, my private little beach was now a community called Rosemary Beach -- absolutely beautiful community but it was crazy to see what had happened.

Seaside & Watercolor are a little on the pricey side. But if you look around at some Vacation Rentals By Owner ..VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® Vacation Homes Rentals by Owner you may be able to find some better prices (we also sent you a pm with some additional resources).

In regard to AI, honestly it's been so many years since we have been there, we don't really remember -- but muddy doesn't come to mind. However, we are not sure there is anywhere else in Florida that has clean, white sandy beaches that we are so lucky to enjoy.

Let us know if there is anything else we can help with and we will do our best to help you in any way we can.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by SoccerMom811

thanks for your posts, I really appreciate the insider information. I have been to the panhandle (Destin, about 16 years ago) and it is gorgeous for sure. But Watercolor and Seaside look too pricey for us. The rates look to be about 4-5K for the type of house we need. That's too high. Any alternatives that might be more reasonable in that area?

Regarding AI, is the beach muddy there? My mother stayed at AIP several years ago, and she said the beach was "muddy". Her words.

I haven't seen a muddy beach here, but I guess when the tide is out, any beach might appear to be a little bit that way--I've seen it at St George Island. As I said, the beaches here are *not* quite as beautiful as the Emerald coast's, but they are still very nice and do have amenities, and plenty to do, with lots of nice restaurants.

I know what you mean about of Watercolor and Seaside.
They are lovely, but very, very pricey.
Finding something right on the beach is going to cost you, even by owner, but you might get lucky because there is so much inventory out there.

If you look into the Port St Joe/Cape San Blas area, you might find rentals that are a bit cheaper, with dazzling, quiet beaches.
If you are interested, look at the VRBO listings and search for a rental in the Gulf Pines Drive subdivision. This is a really nice spot, close to Apalachicola, and I know there are rentals there because I spent the summer of '06 on that block.

[Coffeecake]

Amelia Island is a very nice place to vacation. If you are staying at the Ritz Carlton, they have loads of things for kids to do. There are other hotels that are less expensive in Fernandina Beach. The Hilton sits right at the edge of the historic district and is within walking distance of the marina.

Amelia Island beaches are not known to be muddy. Plenty of shells to pick up. Golfing is also awesome on Amelia Island.

If you get a chance, drive over to the Talbot State Parks only 5 min. from Amelia Island. The park is a sight to see with all the naturally overturned live oak trees. (Live oaks are those sprawling, massive trees) Apparently, they fell over from either past hurricanes or erosion. Nevertheless, it is a natural jungle gym on the beach. The kids love crawling on top of, around and through the natural trees. It's really cool to see the tipped over giants with their roots high in the air. Loads to expore for kids. Amelia Island also has a great State Park - Fort Clinch. They do civil war reenactments that are especially neat to see at night by candlelight. The Fort sits on the ocean.

Also, St. Mary's, GA is only a 20 minute trip north and is a quaint old shipping village. Be sure to take the Boat Tour from the Fernandina marina. That's really fun, informative and a refreshingly, cool ride on a hot summer day.

If you have a chance to visit St. Augustine - 1 hour south, that is wonderful day trip. Being that it is the oldest continuously operated city in the U.S., the fort and oldest school house are fun to walk through. Cobblestone streets, great restaurants, and plenty of shopping. Don't forget to visit the creepy "Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum" and the "Wax Museum" in downtown St. Augustine for a change from shopping.

Another place to look into, I haven't been but I heard it is really, very nice, is St. Simon Island in Georgia. That is one hour north of Amelia Island and is a little closer for you. I've heard it is a great place to bring kids.

[ameliaplantationcondo]

Hi!
Clearly I would definitely recommend Amelia Island Plantation as a great family vacation resort. First of all nature reigns supreme and relatively unadulterated - which for us has always been extremely important. Secondly, it is huge and well protected so your kids can get on their bikes and go to all sorts of wonderful areas created for them and depending on their age can do so independently without worries. Our daughter loved the "Robinson Crusoe" type tree home, the adventure island, the miles of boardwalks along the marshes and along the beaches. Naturally the beaches are very uncrowded, with white sand and plenty of shell hunting, but there are gazebos and pools when the sun gets too strong. There are numerous dining opportunities both on the Plantation and in the charming old town of Fernandina Beach.
Check it out - I am sure you will feel the same. Accomodating groups of families is not a problem at all. It is fun to go there with friends, having the common experience of AIP and the privacy of your own condo.
Amelia Island Rentals | 1166 Beachwalk Rd

Happy holidays!
j