Our goal for this year’s summer vacation was simple–beach vacation! We had an adventurous and active vacation to Vail Valley, Colorado in 2018. In 2017, we toured all of the historical sites in Boston. So we were ready for some relaxation on the beach and fun in the sun. If you’re looking for a beach vacation with plenty of activities & relaxation and top-notch service, then consider Amelia Island, FL for your next family vacation. Read our family travel guide to Amelia Island for our Top 5 Tips and Tricks for your next family beach vacation!!!
Getting Here
We debated driving from Chicago to Amelia Island, FL (~15-hour drive) which would have been a long day but doable. Mike set up a google flight alert and found very reasonable airfare from Chicago to Jacksonville, FL. After a short 2 hour flight, we took a 45-minute Uber ride from the airport to our hotel.
Amelia Island, FL Family Beach Vacation Top 5 Tips and Tricks
A Family Travel Guide to Amelia Island, FL
STAY
Our stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island was everything we hoped it would be and more ꟷ relaxation in a luxurious setting, a plethora of activities for little & big kids and excellent service. The hotel is situated on a grand stretch of a pristine beach–perfect for building sandcastles, playing in the ocean and walks on the beach. Our favorite activities were boogie boarding in the ocean, soaking in the view of the Atlantic Ocean from the comfort of a beach chair and umbrella that the beach crew set up for us, swimming in the outdoor pool (there is a dedicated kids’ play area that is perfect for little kiddos), renting bikes to explore the island and playing tennis.
In addition, the hotel offered many other activities for kiddos including a Ritz kids club and a kids room equipped with a movie room and free arcade games (this was more suitable for our 3 kids).
Stunning view of the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
Kids loved to cool off in the pool at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
Points + Cash Upgrade
We booked our stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, a category 6 hotel (50,000 points/night), using our Marriott Bonvoy points. See our TIPS below use your points for four nights and stay for six:
- One great perk of the Marriott Bonvoy program is that all award stays of four nights or more get a fifth night free
- The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex has a $450 annual fee that includes an annual 50,000-point award night. Currently, you can redeem this award night at any category 1-6 Marriott hotel. We redeemed our free night at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Thanks to The Points Guy for this tip!
Initially, we planned to squeeze into a single room with two double beds. Luckily, when we asked for an upgrade at check-in, the hotel offered a reasonable cash upgrade to a one-bedroom oceanfront suite. The hotel also offered to waive the daily resort fee ($35) and roll-away fee ($35). We also earn additional Marriott Bonvoy points (21 points/dollar = 15 points per dollar because we are Platinum elite and 6 points per dollar because of our Bonvoy credit card) on this cash upgrade — win-win!
Resort Fee
Normally, we cringe at resort fees as they seem another expense and a way for the hotel to make money. However, the resort fee at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island included so much:
- Umbrella and chairs at the beach that the beach crew would set up for you! The fee technically includes one umbrella and two chairs but the crew always set up two umbrellas and 5 chairs for us
- Boogie board for the day. We usually rented two, but only paid for one
- Bikes! Again, the fee includes two bikes for two hours. We used five bikes for 2 hours and no charge.
- Tennis rackets, balls and court time
- Golf Driving Range. Mike wanted to hit at the range but we ran out of time.
- One fitness class per day (yoga, pilates, abs). We had great intentions to take a class but sadly did not.
Pathway to the Ocean
SHOP
The Shops at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island are a retail haven for shopping enthusiasts! Our two favorites were the Lilly Pulitzer boutique and Southern Tide (similar to Vineyards Vine). The Boutique was a curated selection of some of my favorite brands (Lululemon, Kendra Scott, Trina Turk and much more). While it offered a nice selection, the items included a pricey markup. The Sundry offered a little bit of everything–cute toys for little kids, a few snacks, some clothes, and souvenirs. The spa store also looked lovely.
Harris Teeter was a 20-minute walk or 10-minute bike ride from The Ritz. TIP: Stop here and stock up on some groceries, snacks, beach toys, and drinks. The drinks by the hotel bars and at The Sundry were pricey.
PLAY
The beach is the best playground at Amelia Island–riding the ocean waves, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, building sandcastles and so much more.
Biking is another great way to see the island. We biked on the historic American Beach along the ocean. In the 1930s-1950s, American Beach was referred to the “The Negro Ocean Playground”….a place for “recreation and relaxation without humiliation” Today, the beach is a community in transition. The National Register of Historic Places has designated the original 33 acres as worthy of historic preservation.
Enjoy a family-friendly river cruise watching the sunset and hear an abbreviated history of the Island. We loved this one-hour cruise. Tickets are reasonably priced at $22/adult and $16/child. TIP: Get in line early so you can sit at the front of the boat. FUN FACT: Amelia Island has served under 8 flags since its founding over 400 years ago.
EAT
A TIP to save money is to stock up on groceries at Harris Teeter. There is also a Starbucks inside Harris Teeter. We often had breakfast and some lunches and dinner in our suite. Here are our favorite restaurants both The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and in Fernandina Beach (a 15-minute Uber ride)
At The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
- Coast – Casual dining with a new take on coastal cuisine. We had a late lunch and breakfast here. TIP: sit in the enclosed porch and enjoy the sounds of the ocean (or live music from the pool)
- The Pub – The ambiance of a neighborhood pub is combined with local craft beers and elevated bar food. TIPS: Enjoy a game of pool and order the Pub pretzel.
- Lobby Bar – enjoy an evening happy hour outside overlooking the ocean. TIP: cocktails were fantastic! Two faves were: Fancy Strawberry (topped with St Germaine Whip) and Champagne Margarita (the name says it all!)
Fernandina Beach
- Burlingame – Delicious seasonal menus served in an intimate eatery that makes you feel like you’re inside someone’s home. TIP: go early for the happy hour specials
- Amelia Tavern – Elevated American brewhouse with something for everyone and beers brewed inhouse. TIP: 1/2 price bottles of wine on Wednesday that you can take home!
- Salty Pelican – Open-air restaurant serving good food and offering views of the river and sunset. TIP: Dine here if you plan to go on a River Cruise that is right across the street.
FUN
We escaped the ’80’s at the Amelia Island Escape Room! Plenty of different escape rooms. Check out their facebook page for specials and promo codes. The Escape Room was a short 15-minute drive from the hotel. Perfect when you need a break from the sun.
DISNEY! Facing another day of rain we made a game-day decision to drive to Walt Disney World. Disney is ~ 3-hour drive from Amelia Island. Definitely a lot of driving and pricey single day tickets but so worth it. One of the best family days ever. Check out our prior post on Disney World Top 5 Tips & Tricks.
Pack plenty of sunblock, good books, swimsuits and get ready for a fun family beach vacation!
Hope our family travel guide to Amelia Island, FL helps your family!
Happy Travels!
Bridget, Family Galavant
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