Elegant and dignified, the stark white Amelia Island Lighthouse proudly claims its house on the 13-mile-long northernmost barrier island in Florida. For lighthouse fanatics checking off a must-visit record of beacons of sunshine, this magnificence ranks excessive as a result of it’s the state’s oldest, inbuilt 1838, and the one one from Florida’s Territorial Interval to outlive with out main rebuilding. Nevertheless, the lighthouse is only a teaser for historical past buffs as a result of Amelia Island has a storied previous that’s as entertaining as it’s academic.
Amelia Island Lighthouse. Picture courtesy ameliaIsland.com
When the French first arrived in 1562, they encountered the Timucuan, Native Individuals residing in huts comprised of palm fronds and dust. Huguenot Jean Ribault might have been the primary European to set foot on Amelia Island, however Juan Ponce de Leon wasn’t about to allow them to have it. British Common James Oglethorpe named the island “Amelia” after a princess, the daughter of King George II. Maybe the mosquitoes and alligators had been an excessive amount of for the British as a result of 20 years later, they traded Florida again to Spain.
As you journey on A1A alongside stretches of dunes and glistening sands to the island’s northern finish, you’ll discover the 67-foot-tall Amelia Island Lighthouse perched on the very best level of the island. Nonetheless operational, it’s the westernmost lighthouse on the east coast of the U.S. Its Fresnel lens guides seafarers into the St. Marys River, separating Florida and Georgia, towards Fernandina Harbor. They didn’t initially construct the construction on Amelia Island; it was moved brick by brick from neighboring Cumberland Island in Georgia and reconstructed on this spot.
Excursions are supplied on the primary and third Wednesdays of the month and though guests enter via the lighthouse, climbing its 69 granite steps isn’t allowed. On Saturdays, the grounds are open to the general public.
A go to to the state’s oldest lighthouse isn’t full with out a stroll via Amelia Island’s enchanting Victorian seaport village. Picture courtesy ameliaIsland.com
STAY OVER
The long-lasting Fairbanks Home is the B&B the place you need to relaxation your head. The 1885 Italianate residence represents the opulence of a bygone period. A 15-foot tower and a number of fireplaces add to its appeal | fairbankshouse.com
DINE OUT
Thought-about the birthplace of the American shrimping business, Fernandina Seaside proudly serves the native catch. Strive crab-stuffed shrimp over fried tomatoes or shrimp and grits at Joe’s 2nd Avenue Bistro | joesbistro.com
INSIDER TIP
Hire a bicycle and pedal Amelia Island Path parallel with a scenic byway; the Timucuan Path alongside salt marshes, sandy seashores and maritime canopies; Fort Clinch State Park’s nature trails; and the pleasant streets of Fernandina Seaside’s historic district | bikeamelia.com
