AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA
With the tranquility of a quiet beach and the charm of wide-open spaces, Amelia Island has everything you’re searching for as you plan your next escape. The island is only 13 miles long and two miles wide, but natural beauty is what the island is all about. If you’re looking for a hotel, why not stay at the oldest one in the state? The Florida House Inn has been up and running since 1857 and is the longest operating hotel in Florida. While you’re here, you can explore the island’s enchanted rivers and marshes while embracing the wonders of nature. As far as food, you can indulge in the various flavors served outdoors under a brilliant sky.
While it’s a fantastic place, it’s somewhat of a hidden gem, so there are many things that most people may not know about this beautiful island. It’s strongly believed that there is buried treasure here. While this seems far-fetched, Amelia Island’s harbor would regularly have hundreds of ships moored during its ancient history, and many of these were pirate ships.
Also, the oldest saloon in Florida is on Amelia Island. Another fun fact is that the island was colonized 3,000 years ago. Based on pottery found in archaeological digs, the oldest-known inhabitants of the island date back to 1500 BC. If you love shrimp, you’ll be happy to know that Amelia Island is the birthplace of our modern shrimp industry! The boat-builders of Amelia Island were vital in formulating the process of shrimping with giant nets to tug in the hefty loads of these delicious crustaceans.
Next, what’s better than one harbor? Why two of course…..
