Amelia Island Historic District

This has become my go to for bringing family and friends- the historic district is packed full of great food, drinks, shopping and history. I'm still exploring and finding new businesses to fall in love with. I can say there is plenty I love about Amelia Island.

Marlin & Barrel Distillery- Blueberry Lemon Zest Vodka
Salty Pelican- tuna nachos
AIBC- giant soft pretzel and excellent fish-n-chips
Paisley Grace Makery- all your crafty needs
Twisted Sisters - great home decor and gifts
The Decantery- amazing craft cocktails in a lush bar
The Principal's Office- fun twist on an old school! Bar in the principals office
Timoti's- love their chowder and calamari
Art on Centre- unique art from local artists
Tasty's- burgers, dogs, fries and more
Trailer Park Collectibles- my go to antique shop
Cinnamon Bear Country Store (& Ice Cream)- gift shop and ice cream!
The Spice & Tea Exchange- try the Florida blend
Fort Clinch- for you history nerds

And so many more businesses! Quieter than other tourist towns, just more laid back!

This is a really cool area to walk around and explore while on Amelia Island. There are tons of restaurants, bars, gift shops, and art galleries within 50 blocks. The buildings have such beautiful architecture. They have a courthouse, post office, and a hotel that were built over a hundred years ago. The Palace Saloon is Florida's oldest bar. There is also a lighthouse nearby the district.

My favorite thing to do was to grab a cup of coffee and walk in and out of gift shops. I also took strolls along the seaport and watched the boats go by. If you want to know more about the area, you can visit the Amelia Island Museum of History to learn more about its history. For food, there are plenty of dining options within the historic district. I highly recommend eating at the Salty Pelican. The Farmers Market runs every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

A special place, the Historic District is a wonderful place to visit. Quaint shops with some merchandise you won't find anywhere else. Of course a lot of the stores are focused on beach wear and casual men and women's clothing. And as expected there are the kitschy tourist places, selling stuff you didn't know you needed (Not). There are beautiful houses from 150 years ago, wonderful restaurants, churches, a court house, a harbor, boats, walkable streets, with benches to sit and people watch. Street entertainers on the weekend. Cool place, fun environment, historic architecture. Free auto parking.

Really cool area. I love Amelia Island, and one of the greatest things about it is the historic district. Has a lot of cool shops, restaurants and bars. Great bars you should definitely try is the Palace Saloon, Florida's oldest bar! Great ambience, live music, great bar tenders... cool place to hang out and spend the night. You should also try The Decantery... classy high end bar. It is beautiful and very comforting. Great places to eat as well and I would definitely recommend The Salty Pelican as it has fresh seafood. It does everything well, I ate all types of meals at this restaurant and everything was perfect.

I recommend you read my reviews of each particular restaurant/bar I listed above for more details.

Definitely come to Amelia Island and check out its historic district and have some fun!

My wife and I spent every bit of 8 hours here at the Amelia Island Historic District and I survived. This place was alive Thanksgiving weekend.

Eat Drink and be Merry! That's pretty much what we did.

* Coffee at Amelia Island Coffee
* Free food samples from vendors at 7th Street Market
* Lunch at Hola Cuban Café
* Beer and popcorn at PJD's Beer and Wine Garden and watched the Florida Gators vs. FSU Seminoles game in which the Gators won 41 - 14.
* Vodka and Rum tasting at Marlin and Barrel Distillery
* Christmas Tree Lighting
* Dinner at Wicked Bao
* More Coffee and pastry at Pozzi Coffee and Wine Bar

First time guests should visit the Information Center located in 1st Street. We enjoyed a self-directed walking tour through the fascinating Historic District of Fernandina Beach, listed on the National Register for Historic Places. Beautiful houses and structures were built in the late 1800s (see pics). I would suggest to also visit the Amelia Island Lighthouse built in 1839. It's only a couple of miles away so why not!

Note: There are multiple public parking lots around the area and also 3-hr parking areas.

Beautiful place to shop, eat and just people watch! My husband and I spent the weekend here after Thanksgiving and we were treated with several events happening in the area. We visited the Amelia Information Center to get some tips and guidance on how to go around since it was my first time here and hubby can't recall his last visit. Upon arriving, we immediately saw the farmers market on the 7th street. They sell locally grown and produced goods. Some of the vendors also sell clothes, sweets, breads and pastries. I entered a huge antique shop and would've loved to stay longer but the hubs is already hungry.

We tried a few restaurants and coffee shops during our stay using Yelp (of course!) as our guide, but that would be for another review:) We checked quite a few historical houses too, they are everywhere! Captivating and most were charmingly maintained! Amazing! There were also activities for kids, photo with Santa, and a few Fernandina Beach Pirates roaming around (yes, they were in complete pirate costume!)And lastly, we witnessed the Christmas Tree Lighting at exactly 6pm. What an awesome experience!

It was a weekend well spent. So many things to do and see! I loved every minute of it!

Easily our favorite place in northeast Florida. If you can take a tour or a ride on the trolley, do it! The rich history and beautiful 19th century architecture of Old Florida is artfully blended with the contemporary in this moss-draped paradise. Outstanding cuisine, eclectic bars, piratical saloons, river tours, and plenty of local boutiques for everyone make this seaside village our little piece of Lowcountry luxe.

Wonderful July 4th here! Loved the fireworks and the family feeling you have walking downtown. It's like walking back in time. I love it here!
We will definitely be back to visit!

Everything one would expect from a Southern Seacoast Historical town.

The view is Lined with a beautiful brick drive, charming lampposts and Hundred's-of- years old trees that are filled with twinkling lights leading to the beautiful Marina with amazing scenic waterway views & photo opportunities.

The path is filled with lots of amazing shops and local business, some in buildings dating back to the late 1800's. Lots of Historical Sites and educational locations are within this walking area.

Many buildings look as if they are pieces of art; as Local Artists have studios here which are almost always displaying their works inside & out.

Whether yA are looking for high end clothing, jewelry & gifts or affordable antiques, souvenirs, and island wear - they have just the shop!

Mixed in with all the quaint shops and curiosities- enjoy coffee & ice cream from the creamery or watch fudge being handcrafted as the chocolate scents lure ya in for a sample of heavenly deliciousness.
Be sure to get extra from the large selection to take home - you'll definitely be wanting more! Oh, and there's Salt Water Taffy too!!

Adorable eateries are dotted all along the way, many include outdoor garden seating and eclectic menu's.

Also, for those who enjoy a nice Cocktail or Beer - there are pubs, saloons, and friendly bars scattered along the route. Many offer live music from local artists & great specials.

Almost all business are pet friendly, many offering fresh cold water bowls outside their entryway & treats allowing your fur babies to get in on the fun & enjoy a nice walk along the route.
Please keep in mind - there will be many other visitors & pets also, so if your pet isn't well behaved or is still learning proper manners this may be too much activity & cause anxiety for them.

There are lots of small tables, park benches & courtyards scattered throughout for resting, people watching, or just enjoying the ocean breeze & friendly atmosphere.

A beautiful & relaxing way to spend a day!!

A big fundraiser for the Amelia Island Historic Museum is their tour of homes at Christmas time! Residents open their houses to thousands of people tramping thru for two days...god love them! Different florist decorate seasonally with flowers and greenery too (I am sure as advertising for their shops but it can also give us ideas too). This is the 11th tour of homes and while most of the tours are grand old historic homes like this year... in the past they had more modern homes on the island for tours! The oldest home on tour this year was built in 1876 by Civil War officer from the north on 3rd street which is now owned by a young couple with children. What is unique about this house (in my opinion) was it is on 4 lots the 1st 2 lots had to remain by historic zoning but the last two they could use modern touches like a pool, outdoor grill area,small gym etc! Of the 6 homes 3 had the owners there and you could ask questions.. I enjoyed that too! It's a great way to start the Christmas season touring these lovely decorated homes.