BamaVol

I found some older threads, including one I started and another I had posted to but would love a current update.

Mrs BamaVol and I will be driving to Amelia Island for a 5 day weekend at the end of October. We enjoy good food, beer and wine. So, restaurant and bar suggestions are welcome. We like live acoustic music too, especially if it's combined with good food, beer and wine.

For activities, we'll walk and probably bring the kayaks. Suggestions on places to observe nature and hike are also welcome.

We'll be staying at the Hampton Inn in Fernandina Beach but don't mind driving 10 miles to find what we're looking for.

pbiflyer

We have some friends that live up that way that are pretty good with restaurant suggestions. In the past they have recommended:

For breakfast - Gourmet Gourmet, with outdoor seating.
For lunch, a local favorite is Cake Karibou, also with outdoor seating
For luch, Kellys Courtyard cafe -evidently highly rated on Trip Advisor.

They do not recommend a place called Merge.

The bike trails around the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort were nice. The resort rents bikes.

Will check on the kayaking thing. But I do remember the beaches around Amelia Island State Park being really nice. A bit south, though.

pbiflyer

Here is a highly recommended kayak outfit. Jennifer & Pete at Up the Creek Expeditions, definitely. (912) 882-0911.

PoincianaKings

I am looking at a stay in Ameila Island as part of our honeymoon next year.

Any additional comments on the best properties to stay in would be most welcome also.

BamaVol

Thanks. I'm undecided on bringing our own kayaks. It means taking the truck which is less comfortable than Mrs BV's sedan. If we don't bring ours, we'll be looking to rent (weather permitting).

Will definitely follow your restaurant suggestions - had read something about Karibou -and mean to visit.

pbiflyer

I think that the folks recommended can give you guidance on trips, hiking etc.

pbiflyer

Completely forgot about this place. Sounds like it fits the bill for activities for you. Fort Clinch State Park.

pbiflyer

We stayed at the Omni Resort. Pretty nice for a honeymoon. They were revamping the place last year, but I am sure they are done. Lots of activities - golf, beaches, biking, etc. It is spread out, so we did lots of walking.
There is also a Ritz Carlton on the island.

BamaVol

We have an annual pass to Fl State Parks. We were planning a visit. Also met author Tim Dorsey tonight and bought 2 books of Florida photos. One picture was of the Palace Saloon, oldest bar in the state - located in Fernandina Beach. We will plan on stopping in for a beer.

pbiflyer

Officially jealous!

BamaVol

Tim spoke for about 30 minutes to a small group - overwhelmingly female! He's quite the storyteller. Got a small preview of the next, as yet unwritten, book. Many of the people Serge has to put down are based on real life. There will be a character based on a guy who ordered coffee from his daughter (some healthy chain restaurant in Tampa) and paid for it from the tip jar. No word on how he will die.

BamaVol

It will be a few days before I can write a proper update but we did have dinner at Cafe Karibo as well as a drink at Karibrew. The food was excellent, the beer, not so much. I had a red ale and a wheat ale both of which tasted overwhelmingly of rye.

Kelley's is closed. Timoti's has the space and appears to be associated with Karibo.

We had dinner at Ciao on Centre and loved it. One of the best meals of the year. And we had 2 dinners at Espana (no tilde) on 5th I think - enjoyed the first so much we went back for Mrs BamaVol's birthday dinner. Good tapas and excellent paella. The wine was pretty good too. Had lunch at Brett's on the harbor and enjoyed that too.

BamaVol

A few more details:

We drove past Merge a dozen times in 5 days and not once did I see a car in the lot. Apparently others got the message that it is closed or about to close.

Fort Clinch State Park was a treat. We toured the fort and the 2 actors on site made the place come alive. They were a pretty funny pair. The Corporal of the guard tried to get me to enlist and he wanted to sign up Mrs BamaVol as a "washerwoman". The fort is well preserved and well provisioned. We spent a good 90 minutes touring it. There is an excellent video as well. We were both giggling as it finished as it was very funny as well as informative. After that we walked one of the trails. What we were told would take 1:45, took about an hour. The downside is the bike traffic, the trail is for hikers as well as bikers. At one point you have an option to take 2 nature trails through the swamp. ALthough we didn't see any, the "alligator crossing" signs looked like they meant business.

We also dined at Bretts, by the marina. Lots of outdoor seating with views of the boats coming in and out. We got to observe a small pod of dolphins out in the water while we ate. I thought the food was good there as well.

At least twice, I drank an I-10 IPA from a craft brewer out of JAX. A good drink and I will be looking for it locally.

We did not realize that we would be there the weekend of the FL-GA game. Fernandina was filled with Bulldog fans. It was not a problem. In fact, it made the atmosphere at the 2 beach bars we went to a lot more lively. I resisted wearing my orange UT shirt since both teams had already beaten us this season, although when the desk clerk asked me who I wanted to win, I told her I wished there was a way both could lose.

We drove through the Omni property. It looks fabulous. It is somewhat remote but it looks like there is enough right there to keep you from wishing it was closer to the rest of the action on the island. It was pouring rain when we drove through so did not get out and look around.

Downtown Fernandina Beach is very pretty. We appreciated the historical buildings and wished there were more we could go into. We were disappointed that the Catholic church was undergoing renovation and we attended mass in the church hall. We stepped inside the Palace Saloon. This is a historical 120 year old saloon but the stench of stale beer and half dozen disreputable types at the bar discouraged us from coming in for a drink.