As summer slips into fall, what better time to spend a fun evening in Fernandina Beach hearing local ghost lore at various haunts around town? Or how about a "Happy Hour" history tour, crawling pubs?
In this historic seaside city on Amelia Island, Florida, visitors have several choices of Ghost Tours, whether one prefers to walk or ride. With a history of pirates, and home to the oldest saloon in Florida (the Palace Saloon, with its signature drink “Pirate's Punch”), as well as the oldest hotel in Florida (the Florida House Inn), there are plenty of ghostly tales to be told. Tours are regularly held in Fernandina on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings via three ghost tour guides.
If you're into cocktails and history, there's also a new Fernandina Beach Pub Crawl Tour. The Amelia Island Museum of history is hosting "Happy Hour" history tours in historic Fernandina, so quench your thirst and hear tales of this Victorian-era seaport. One ticket purchase is required to visit four pubs and hear historical information about downtown Fernandina Beach. The museum's newest tour is held every Thursday evening at 5:30 pm. A ticket gets you one drink at each establishment and an earful of colorful tales about the places visited along the tour. Tickets cost $20 per person (naturally, you must be 21 and show ID). The pub crawl tour begins at the historic train depot in downtown Fernandina Beach by the city marina and railroad tracks. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. Call Thea at 904-261-7378 x105 or visit http://www.ameliamuseum.org.
WALKING GHOST TOURS, HISTORIC FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA
Amelia Island Ghost Tours (904)548-0996. Ghost Tours held regularly every Friday and Saturday night at 8 pm in Fernandina Beach. This walking tour covers 1.5 miles and takes around 2 hours. Ticket prices are $20 per adults and $15 for kids under 15 years old. Private tours can be arranged for any day of the week by calling Amelia Island Ghost Tours. This tour, led by Diane Blanton, seeks paranormal activity energy orbs with a EMF meter. (This is an instrument for measuring electromagnetic fields, often found a ghost hunter's tool box.) Call for reservations or visit http://www.ameliaislandghosttours.com.
Amelia Island Museum of History Ghost Tours (904)261-7378. A museum docent leads a ghost tour through the streets of Fernandina every Friday evening at 6 pm (tour duration one hour). This walking tour departs from St. Peters Episcopal Church cemetery (behind the church) at 801 Atlantic Avenue (at corner of 8th where Atlantic turns into historic Centre Street). Ticket prices are $10 adults, $5 students. Call for ghost tour reservations. Or visit web site http://www.ameliamuseum.org.
RIDING GHOST TOURS ABOARD TROLLEY, FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA
Polly the Trolley Ghost Tours (904)753-4486 . For those who prefer to ride, step aboard Polly the Trolley (pictured above) and ride along the streets of Fernandina, into the historic Spanish “Old Town” section of Amelia Island while hearing narration of ghost tales about “pirates, phantoms, and local lore.” The ghost trolley tours depart every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening at two departure times: 7:30 pm or 8:30 pm for a one hour ride. Ticket prices are $15 adults, $5 kids under 12, free for 3 and under. Tours depart from the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina at the foot of Centre Street (near Brett's restaurant). You may like to sit in a rocking chair on the waterfront porch of Brett's (you'll be able to watch a fall sunset on the west side of the island), and sip a drink before departing on the ghost tour.) http://www.pollythetrolley.com
_______________
About the author: W.B. Lawson of Florida Fine Living Media, writes lifestyle, tourism, and community articles, published in Amelia Island Living eMagazine and also blogs on the social network AmeliaIslandLiving.NET, “Life in an island town…”. SUBSCRIBE TO AMELIA ISLAND RSS FEEDS.
__________________