 Victorian seaport village
with small-town charm, southern
hospitality, and rich history. Take a step back in time in
Fernandina Beach, Florida...
Yesteryear . . . It's easy to picture in your mind's eye images of late nineteenth century
days past, when you take a stroll down Centre Street, the main corridor of
quaint shops and historic buildings, called "downtown" by locals. In this enchanting 55-block historic district (National Register of Historic Places), Amelia
Island's Victorian seaport village, Fernandina Beach, makes one feels somewhat
suspended in time -- there still remains the aura of simpler days past.
Licking ice cream cones, sipping gourmet coffee, nibbling homemade fudge
and chocolates, and browsing the quaint shops, both visitors and local
residents enjoy the relaxation and simplicity of Fernandina's historic
downtown district. History buffs will certainly enjoy guided tours of bed & breakfasts
and historical homes and buildings.
Read recent "Heritage Tourism" article from Amelia Island Living©
eMagazine section, covers the must-see historic sights on Amelia Island.
Another feature article to read is about the
historic Amelia Island Lighthouse, Florida's oldest lighthouse dating
to 1839.
Guided tours are available through the Amelia
Island Museum. Find out more about Amelia's rich history right now
via Intro to Amelia Island
history, a summary of local facts about the area's historic past.
 Pictured left is
Fernandina Beach's Victorian-era courthouse with clock tower, a symbol of
historic Centre Street in the downtown area near the Fernandina Harbor
Marina.
For a unique perspective of downtown, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, while you
listen to an oral history tour of the historic district. This is a
special treat for children and adults alike -- there are not many things
that can transport you back in time, like listening to the clip-clop of hooves while riding in a
horse-drawn carriage in Fernandina Beach. (If you're staying at a
bed & breakfast inn downtown, you can even arrange to be picked up at
your inn by a carriage.) The Old Towne Carriage Company has been
operating horse drawn carriage tours for many years in historic
Fernandina Beach. See their website at www.ameliacarriagetours.com Or call Old Towne Carriage for further information at 904-277-1555.
Besides several fine dining restaurants (see dining section),
there are casual eateries, ice cream and candy shops, coffee cafes, art
galleries (see art section), antique shops (see antiques section), clothing shops, jewelers, and many other
specialty boutiques all located within walking distance in the historic
downtown area of Fernandina Beach. Walk down some of
the side streets connecting to Centre Street to view historic bed and
breakfast inns, plus
charming private
homes and cottages, reflecting Victorian-era architectural design (see
listing of bed & breakfast inns).
If you want to come to Amelia Island by water
and dock your boat, at the foot of Centre Street is the Fernandina Harbor Marina (call ahead to check docking availability,
and see Boating & Fishing section.
The Hampton Inn & Suites harbor front hotel overlooks the marina. This hotel is not
a typical-looking Hampton Inn. The exterior facade was specially
designed to blend with the surrounding historic architecture of Fernandina
Beach.
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