For my second stop, I revisted a place that I used to enjoy with my family as a young child – long ago in a previous century.
Amelia Island and it’s signature town, Fernandina Beach, has a history of non-native settlement that extends back nearly 500 years- that’s extremely old by American standards, one of our oldest towns.
In fact, Fernandina is known as the Isle of 8 Flags. The original Timucuan people were confronted with French Hueguenots, then Spanish and English colonizers, the Spanish again, a local republic claim or two, Mexican rebel forces, the Conferacy and finally the United States.
I spent only a few hours here, there is plenty too do if one chose to spend a weekend here, including historical and arts/culture tours and activities and beautiful beaches and marshes to explore.
Amelia Island is about a 2 hour drive from Orlando metro area and only 30-45 minutes from Jacksonville.
