Planning a Trip

Getting There -- The island is served by Jacksonville International Airport, 12 miles north of Jacksonville's downtown and 43 miles from the island. Skirting the Atlantic in places, the scenic drive here from downtown Jacksonville is via Florida A1A and the St. Johns River Ferry. The fast, four-lane way is via I-95 North and the Buccaneer Trail East (Fla. A1A).

Visitor Information -- For advance information, contact the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce, 102 Centre St. (P.O. Box 472), Fernandina Beach, FL 32035 (tel. 800/226-3542 or 904/277-0717; fax 904/261-6997; www.ameliaisland.org). The chamber's visitor center, in the rustic train station at the bay end of Centre Street, is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.

Getting Around -- There's no public transportation on this 13-mile-long island, so you'll need a vehicle. An informative and entertaining way to tour the historic district is a 30-minute ride with Old Towne Carriage Company (tel. 904/277-1555; www.ameliacarriagetours.com), whose horse-drawn carriages leave from the waterfront on Centre Street between 6:30 and 9pm. Advance reservations are essential. Rides cost $15 for adults and $7.50 for kids 12 and under; private 30-minute tours are the same but with a minimum of $60 per ride, 1-hour tours with a minimum of $120 per ride. The carriage company closes from November to April, when the horses get a much-deserved rest.

Another excellent way to see the town is on a walking tour sponsored by the Amelia Island Museum of History.