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Suggestions on day-tripping from Amelia Island: What's around the "First Coast" of Florida . . .
Jacksonville and St. Augustine. (Plus nearby Cumberland Island,
Georgia and Savannah, Georgia.)
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Jacksonville, Florida.
Drive time: 30 to 45 minutes south of Amelia Island. |
One of the pluses of living on Amelia Island in
a "small town" environment (escaping the hustle and additional
stresses of a metropolitan area), is the fact that when one desires
"big" city amenities, Jacksonville is only a 30+ minute drive away
(depending on what part of Jacksonville you're going to).
Jacksonville, Florida
(Duval County)-- Jacksonville has art galleries, performing arts theatres, its own symphony orchestra
(links listed below),
fine restaurants, and four large shopping malls (The Avenues, Regency, The
Landing, and Orange Park). The so-called "River City,"
sits on the banks of the massive St. John's River.
Jacksonville even "sports" its own
NFL football team (the Jacksonville Jaguars) and a newly-built football
stadium/arena. Jacksonville has also clinched one of the top sporting events in
the world. Yes, Jacksonville, Florida will host Super Bowl XXXIX in the
year 2005!
Jacksonville is part of what is considered the "First Coast"
area which includes the counties of Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns in
the northeast corner of Florida. With a population of 778,879,
Jacksonville is the 14th largest city in the U.S. But Jacksonville
holds claim to being the largest city in land area (in the contiguous
United States), expanding a total of 774 square miles. Jacksonville
has a population density of about 1,006 people per square mile. Jacksonville also has miles and miles of
beautiful beaches (Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach,
Ponte Vedra), and many quality golf courses. One of the top
golf tournaments, the TPC -- The Players Championship is played at
Sawgrass in Jacksonville.
The city also offers a zoo -- the
 Jacksonville Zoological Gardens, an easy 30-minute drive along Heckscher
Drive from Amelia's south-end. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., call the zoo
for further information at (904)757-4463. Some
people enjoy taking tours of Jacksonville's
Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
Jacksonville is one of only five locations offering Budweiser tours in the
entire country. Call about their free tours (904)696-8373, offered year
round. Enjoy complimentary tastings in the "Hospitality Room."
The brewery is located between the Jacksonville Int'l Airport and downtown --
take the "Busch Drive" exit off I-95. The
largest family amusement center in the area is in Jacksonville -- Adventure
Landing. Adventure Landing offers Shipwreck Island, a water park with
a 65-foot Caribbean play village (wave pool, 12 slides, spray nozzles.)
Plus "The Rage -- Florida's only uphill water coaster." Adventure
Landing is located at 1944 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach. Call
(904)246-4386 for further information. A second location on the westside of
Jacksonville, at 4825 Blanding Blvd. (904)771-2803, offers miniature golf,
arcade, go-karts, and laser tag.
Kingsley Plantation, Fort George Island
With towering oaks dripping
with Spanish moss, Fort George Island is the location of the Kingsley Plantation, the state of
Florida's oldest remaining antebellum plantation home. Built
in the early 1800's, this historic plantation contains the original plantation
home, slave quarter's ruins, and barn. Admission is free -- call
(904)251-3537 for daily hours. The area sits within the 40,000 acre Timucuan
Preserve, where Timucuan Indians inhabited the area over 2,000 years ago. Fort
George Island State Cultural Site is located off Amelia Island's
south-end. Go off the island's south-end bridge along A1A and drive
through Big Talbot Island, then Little Talbot Island. Fort George Island is
several miles to the south of Little Talbot, about 20 minutes from Amelia.
Park hours
are 8 am until sunset, year-round. Amelia
Island is the most northern point of what is called "the historic
Buccaneer Trail," which continues through the Talbot Islands, Fort
George Island and south on A1A through Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach,
Jacksonville Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach. The trail which follows the
path of French explorer Jean Ribault, as well as Spanish settlers and even
pirates, ends in St. Augustine, "where continuous European settlement of
the New World began."
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