Amelia Island is a 13-mile barrier island at Florida's northeast corner, just 4 miles south of Georgia — the northernmost city on Florida's east coast is Fernandina Beach (pop. 13,000), and its Victorian downtown historic district is one of the most authentically preserved 19th-century downtowns in Florida. The island has hosted eight flags (more flags than any US territory), and the downtown's restored storefronts and 1879 Palace Saloon (Florida's oldest bar) give Amelia Island a distinct historical character that sets it apart from the resort-condo beach towns to the south.
For reunion planners, Amelia Island has an excellent vacation rental market: thousands of single-family homes, condos, and estate properties managed by Amelia Island Plantation, Omni Amelia Island Resort, and independent agencies like Amelia Island Properties. The Omni Amelia Island Resort (404 rooms, 5 pools, 36 holes of golf, multiple restaurants) is the turnkey full-service option for large groups. The Amelia Island Plantation area has clusters of rental villas perfect for groups of 30-80 people. A 5-7 BR plantation-style vacation home with pool runs $3,000-7,000/week in peak summer.
Fort Clinch State Park (1847 Civil War-era brick fort, one of the best-preserved in the Southeast) occupies the north tip of the island and includes excellent fishing, hiking, and a reconstructed Civil War encampment that rangers live-interpret on first-full-weekend reenactments. Cumberland Island National Seashore (Georgia) is accessible by ferry from Fernandina Beach, adding a wild island day-excursion option. Jacksonville is 35 minutes south; Savannah is 1.5 hours north.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
Fernandina Beach historic downtown
50-block Victorian National Historic District — galleries, restaurants, the 1879 Palace Saloon (FL's oldest bar), and the 1891 Bailey House Victorian mansion. The Centre Street main street is walkable in 30 minutes.
Official source ↗Fort Clinch State Park
1847 brick fort at the north tip of the island — one of the best-preserved antebellum forts in the Southeast. Free-access beach, fishing pier, and bike trails. $6/vehicle. Civil War reenactments first full weekend of each month.
Official source ↗Cumberland Island National Seashore ferry (Georgia)
Day trip by ferry from Fernandina Beach ($28/person) to a wild barrier island with feral horses, ruined Carnegie mansion (Dungeness), and pristine Atlantic beach. One of the most extraordinary day trips in the Southeast. Reservations required.
Official source ↗Omni Amelia Island Resort facilities
5 pools (including a lazy river), 36 holes of championship golf, multiple restaurants, spa, and 3.5 miles of private beach. Day passes available for non-resort guests. Group reunion packages with meeting facilities.
Official source ↗Atlantic Beach at Amelia Island State Park
The only state park in Florida accessible only by horse — 4-mile Atlantic beach that also permits horseback riding. Sunrise horseback rides from Seahorse Stables ($95-110/person). Completely unique experience.
Official source ↗Kayaking through Egans Creek Greenway
A 318-acre tidal marsh greenway through the center of Fernandina Beach. O'Leno Outfitters rents kayaks and runs guided tours. Egrets, roseate spoonbills, and fiddler crabs are common sightings.
Official source ↗Fishing on the Fernandina Beach pier
The public fishing pier at Fort Clinch State Park and the Main Beach fishing pier are the standard family fishing stops. No license required from shore; rods available for rent from bait shops.
Official source ↗Palace Saloon evening
Florida's oldest bar (1878) on Centre Street downtown — pressed tin ceilings, mahogany bar, and live music on weekends. The adults' evening anchor. The oldest bar story resonates at every reunion.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Amelia Island, Florida reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Jacksonville-area families and out-of-state visitors flying through JAX
- Historic-and-beach combination groups
- Upscale resort reunion packages (Omni Amelia Island)
- Active families wanting horseback beach riding, kayaking, and cycling
- Groups combining with Cumberland Island and Savannah/Jekyll Island
Practical logistics
- Nearest airport
- Jacksonville (JAX) — 35 min · Savannah (SAV) — 1.5 hr
- Drive times
- Jacksonville 35 min · Savannah 1.5 hr · Atlanta 5 hr · Orlando 3 hr
- Best rental sites
- VRBO, Airbnb — "Amelia Island vacation rental" · Amelia Island Properties · Omni for full resort packages
- Best months
- March-May and September-November (mild, less crowded) · June-August (peak, hot)
- Cell service
- Good throughout the island
- Groceries
- Publix and Winn-Dixie in Fernandina Beach (on the island)
- Cumberland Island
- Book ferry reservations at nps.gov/cuis well ahead — limited ferry capacity
When to go
March-May for ideal beach weather (68-80°F) and lower crowds. September-November for warm water, thinning crowds, and lower rates. Peak summer (June-August) is hot and humid but fully operational. Winter (December-February) is mild (55-68°F) and very quiet — good value for groups from colder climates.
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
Groups of 10-25 fit in a 4-6 BR plantation-style vacation home in the Amelia Island Plantation area or near the beach in South Amelia.
Medium group · 25–60
Groups of 25-60 should book the Omni Amelia Island Resort group package or cluster multiple villa rentals in the Amelia Island Plantation community.
Large group · 60+
Groups of 60+ need the Omni Amelia Island Resort full group event package — 404 rooms, multiple ballrooms, and complete reunion infrastructure.
Sample 4-day Amelia Island Florida family reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly's Schedule and customize for your group.
Day 1 — Arrival + Fernandina Beach
- Fly into JAX (35 min) or drive from Savannah (1.5 hr)
- 2:00 PM check-in at plantation villa or resort
- 4:00 PM Fort Clinch State Park beach and north tip
- 6:00 PM welcome dinner on Centre Street — Joe's 2nd Street Bistro
- 8:30 PM Palace Saloon (adults — live music)
Day 2 — Cumberland Island Ferry
- 6:45 AM depart Fernandina Beach marina for Cumberland Island ferry
- 7:45 AM arrive Cumberland Island — feral horses, Dungeness ruins
- 10:00 AM beach walk on 17 miles of undeveloped Atlantic beach
- 1:00 PM picnic lunch (bring your own — no restaurants on the island)
- 3:45 PM ferry back to Fernandina Beach
- 6:00 PM group dinner at The Salty Pelican (waterfront)
Day 3 — Horseback Beach + Kayaking
- 7:00 AM sunrise horseback ride on Amelia Island State Park beach (Seahorse Stables)
- 10:00 AM return; breakfast at 29 South restaurant
- 12:00 PM kayak tour through Egans Creek Greenway
- 2:30 PM Omni Amelia Island Resort pools and beach (day passes)
- 7:00 PM grill night at the villa rental
Day 4 — Beach Morning + Departure
- 9:00 AM final beach morning at South Amelia Beach
- 11:00 AM Fort Clinch Civil War reenactment (first weekends)
- 12:30 PM farewell lunch at Timoti's Seafood
- 2:30 PM drive to JAX or head north
Reunion organizer tips
Book the Cumberland Island ferry far in advance — limited capacity means same-month reservations are often impossible. This is the single most special day trip from Amelia Island and it sells out.
The Omni Amelia Island Resort group sales team handles complete reunion packages — lodging, catering, golf packages, beach activities, and meeting space. Contact their group sales department for groups of 30+.
The Seahorse Stables horseback beach ride at sunrise is the Amelia Island experience that creates the most lasting reunion memories. Reserve 2-3 weeks ahead; groups of 8-12 per ride.
Centre Street downtown in Fernandina Beach is the best walking dinner area — Joe's 2nd Street Bistro (local upscale), Timoti's (casual seafood), and The Salty Pelican (waterfront) all handle groups with advance reservations.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Amelia Island, Florida reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
What makes Amelia Island different from other Florida beach destinations?
Amelia Island is Florida's northernmost Atlantic barrier island, with a Victorian-era historic downtown (Fernandina Beach) that survived Florida's 20th-century development boom. It has the historical character of Georgia's Golden Isles combined with Florida's warm climate. It is one of the least commercialized beach destinations in Florida.
How do I get to Cumberland Island from Amelia Island?
The Cumberland Island National Seashore ferry departs from the Fernandina Beach Marina (St. Marys, GA technically). Reserve at nps.gov/cuis — capacity is very limited (300 people/day). The ferry is $28/person round trip plus the $10 park entry fee. The island has no services — bring all food, water, and supplies.
Is Amelia Island good for a large family reunion?
Yes — especially for groups using the Omni Amelia Island Resort's group event packages. The resort has 404 rooms, 5 pools, multiple restaurants, 36 holes of golf, and conference facilities for group dinners and meetings. For self-catered groups, the Amelia Island Plantation community has villa clusters ideal for 30-80 person groups.
How far is Amelia Island from Jacksonville?
Amelia Island (Fernandina Beach) is 35 miles north of downtown Jacksonville — approximately 35-45 minutes via I-95 North and A1A. Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is the most convenient fly-in option, with direct connections from most major US hubs.
Other reunion-friendly spots nearby
Helpful planning guides
The complete family reunion checklist
12-month, 6-month, and day-of checklists organizers actually use.
Read the guide →Family reunion budget guide
How to estimate, track, and split costs without spreadsheets.
Read the guide →Family reunion on a $2,500 budget
A real budget breakdown for a destination reunion under $2.5K.
Read the guide →