Plan your Amelia Island trip

Everything practical about visiting Amelia Island, in one place.

Getting here

The nearest airport is Jacksonville International (JAX), about a 30-to-40-minute drive south of the island via I-95 and A1A. It is the only sensible option for most visitors; Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport handles general aviation only.

By road, Amelia Island sits just off I-95 at the Florida–Georgia line. From Jacksonville it is under an hour; from Savannah roughly two hours; from Atlanta about five and a half.

There are two bridges onto the island — the Shave Bridge on A1A from Yulee, and the Nassau Sound bridge from the south. Both carry all the island's traffic, which matters on festival weekends and at holiday changeovers.

Getting around

You will want a car. There is no meaningful public transport, the island is thirteen miles long, and the two districts you will use most — downtown and the beach — are two miles apart.

Within downtown, walking is the correct mode: the historic district is flat, compact and has free parking around its edges. Within the resort areas, most properties run internal shuttles.

Cycling works well. The island is flat, the Amelia Island Trail provides a paved multi-use path along part of A1A, and beach sand here is firm enough for fat tyres at low tide.

Weather, in short

Spring (March–May): the best of it. Warm days, low humidity, and the two biggest events on the calendar.

Summer (June–September): hot, humid, with near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Beach mornings, indoor or shaded afternoons. Water is at its warmest, mid-80s Fahrenheit.

Autumn (October–November): the local's favourite. Warm water, thinning crowds, and the tail of hurricane season.

Winter (December–February): mild by northern standards, cool by Florida ones. Good walking weather, cold water, short days, and the quietest the island gets.

Hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November, with the real risk concentrated in August, September and October. Travel insurance is worth it in that window, and any coastal Florida trip in September should have a flexible plan.

Parking

Free on-street and public-lot parking downtown, with time limits on the busiest Centre Street blocks. Free lots at the city and county beach accesses. Florida state parks charge per vehicle. Festival weekends change all of it — park on the edge of the historic district and walk in.

Accessibility

The island is flat, which helps. Downtown's historic sidewalks are uneven in places. Beach access varies by site: some accesses have boardwalks, and beach wheelchairs may be available through the city or county — we have not yet confirmed the current arrangements, so contact them directly.

Practical facts

Amelia Island is in Nassau County, Florida, in the Eastern time zone, and observes daylight saving. The island's ZIP code is 32034. The city is Fernandina Beach; the island is Amelia Island; they are not synonyms.