The Best Day Trips from Amelia Island
Your Guide to Exploring Beyond the Island
One of the best-kept secrets about visiting Amelia Island is what lies just beyond it. Within an hour or two in any direction, you'll find wild, horse-roamed islands, the oldest city in America, charming Georgia coastal towns, and some of the most scenic stretches of A1A in the state. Whether you're spending a week here or just a long weekend, these are the day trips worth planning your time around.
St. Augustine, Florida
At roughly an hour south of Amelia Island, St. Augustine is the most popular day trip for good reason. It's the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the United States, and the history shows around every corner. Spend the morning exploring the Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century Spanish fort that still stands on the waterfront, then wander the cobblestone streets of the Colonial Quarter for lunch and shopping. For the scenic route down, take A1A south past Ponte Vedra and Vilano Beach. It may add a little time but you could plan a stop at our Nocatee location and is far more memorable than the highway.
Cumberland Island, Georgia
Cumberland Island is one of the most hauntingly beautiful places on the East Coast. Although it seems very close to Amelia, the easiest way to access the island is from the ferry in St. Marys, Georgia (about 45 minutes from Amelia Island). If possible, you can also take your own boat and dock at Sea Camp, Dungeness docks, or the Plum Orchard dock. The island is a National Seashore with no cars, no crowds, and no commercial development; just miles of undisturbed beach, maritime forest, and wild horses roam freely across the dunes. History lovers will want to seek out the Dungeness Ruins, the remains of a Gilded Age estate once tied to the Carnegie family. If planning an overnight trip, Greyfield Inn is a beautiful, dreamlike oasis. The historic mansion built by the Carnegies in 1890 offers an all-inclusive experience like no other. Cumberland Island is the perfect escape for the nature-oriented traveler looking for a slow, unhurried day of adventure.
Jekyll Island, Georgia
About an hour north of Fernandina Beach, Jekyll Island is an easy and deeply rewarding day trip. Once a private retreat for Gilded Age dynasties, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Morgans, the historic district's "millionaires' cottages" are now a National Historic Landmark open to visitors to view from the outside. Guided tours of the interiors are offered through Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Beyond the history, Jekyll offers beautiful beaches, Georgia’s only sea turtle rehabilitation facility, and miles of paved bike trails through the island's marshes and maritime forest. It's an ideal destination for families and history buffs alike.
Big Talbot Island, Florida
For a day trip that requires almost no driving at all, Big Talbot Island State Park sits just south of Amelia Island along A1A and is worth every minute of the short detour. The park is best known for Boneyard Beach, a dramatic stretch of shoreline littered with the bleached, skeletal trunks of ancient oaks toppled by erosion. It looks unlike anywhere else in Florida and photographs beautifully.
The park also has excellent birding trails home to the endangered Wood Stork and various heron and egret species. If you look hard enough you have a chance of also seeing bobcats, river otters, and alligators. Bring water and plan to stay a few hours because it's a slow, scenic kind of place that rewards the unhurried. For more on Big Talbot Island, check out our guide on exploring the state park here.
Savannah, Georgia
For a longer day trip, Savannah is one of the most beautiful cities in the South and well worth the 2 hour drive. The historic district's 22 oak-shaded squares, antebellum architecture, and riverfront make it one of the most photogenic urban landscapes in the country. Savannah's food scene has exploded in recent years, and the city rewards wanderers who have no particular plan. For classic southern food check out Common Restaurant and for best seafood spend a night at Fishbar. Come for a morning walk, a long lunch, and a browse through the shops on Broughton Street. If you've never been, it's the kind of place you'll immediately start plotting a return trip to.
Fuel Up at Timoti's Before You Go
Every great day trip starts with a great meal. Before you hit the road, or the ferry, swing by Timoti's Seafood Shak in Fernandina Beach for something fresh and satisfying to fuel the adventure. Our wild-caught seafood and made-to-order menu make us the perfect first stop before you explore everything northeast Florida and the Georgia coast have to offer. We'll see you on your way out!