Start from 31 curated places around Amelia Island, FL, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Wicked Bao
A downtown Fernandina spot bringing Southeast Asian street food to the island through steamed bao buns, noodle bowls, and shareable small plates that have made it the most-talked-about table on Amelia Island. The crispy rice tots and the rotating specials show the kitchen's range. Best for a creative dinner that breaks from the local seafood-basket default.
España Restaurant & Tapas
A family-owned Spanish and Portuguese tapas room on South 4th Street that has been one of the island's most consistent fine-dining anchors, known for the Gambas Mozambique, a Portuguese fisherman's stew, and a paella that takes advance planning but rewards the patience. The room is warm and personal in the way that long-running family places tend to be. Best for a proper sit-down dinner with wine and shared plates.
Trails & outdoors
Fort Clinch Hiking and Biking Trail
A six-mile shared-use trail running the full length of the Fort Clinch State Park peninsula through maritime hammock and along the edges of the salt marsh, with enough natural elevation change to surprise visitors who expect Florida flat. It connects the campground to the beach and to the fort, making it the island's strongest full-day trail experience. Best for a longer hike or bike ride that takes in multiple habitats at once.
Egans Creek Greenway
A 300-plus-acre freshwater corridor running north-south through the middle of the island, with five miles of interconnected hiking and biking trails through live-oak hammock draped in Spanish moss, tidal creeks, and open marsh. It is a productive birding site with alligators, river otters, and bobcats making regular appearances. Best for a morning nature walk away from the beaches and crowds.
Things to do
Amelia Community Theatre
A nonprofit community theater in the historic district that has been producing live shows on its two stages since the early 1980s, ranging from classic musicals to contemporary drama performed by a roster of dedicated local actors. The intimate main stage makes even the middle seats close to the action. Best for an evening of live theater in a town-sized venue where the energy is genuine and the commitment to the work is evident.
Happy Trails Walking Horses
The operator that now runs the beach horseback rides at Amelia Island State Park, the only Florida state park where you can ride a horse on the sand. Gentle Tennessee walking horses carry riders of every experience level through maritime hammock and out onto the wide, undeveloped southern beach. Best for a signature Amelia Island outing that is genuinely unlike anything else on the island.
Landmarks & sights
Fernandina Beach Historic District
More than 50 blocks of Victorian-era architecture on the National Register of Historic Places, stretching from the Amelia River waterfront up Centre Street past wraparound porches, ornate gingerbread trim, and a dense collection of galleries, restaurants, and independent shops. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has called it one of the top historic small-town destinations in the country. Best for a self-guided morning walk followed by browsing the storefronts.
Fort Clinch State Park
A 1,400-acre park occupying the northernmost tip of Amelia Island, anchored by a well-preserved Third System brick fort with panoramic gun-deck views over the Atlantic and the Cumberland Sound. Beyond the fort, the park holds maritime hammock forest, unspoiled beach, and six miles of shared-use trail. Best for a full morning that mixes Civil War history with shelling and a proper hike.