Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach offer families a mix of beaches, state parks, outdoor trails and indoor diversions on Florida’s First Coast. Fernandina Beach, the island’s largest community, sits about an hour north of Jacksonville and roughly 90 minutes north of St. Augustine, according to Mommy Poppins.
For a beach day, Peters Point Beachfront Park in Fernandina Beach has public showers, restrooms and parking. The guide says water near the shore is calm for young children. Amelia Island has 13 miles of beaches, while Amelia Island State Park and nearby Big Talbot Island State Park offer additional shoreline options.
Families looking for nature can walk or bike the 300-acre Egans Creek Greenway in Fernandina Beach, where coastal waterways and habitats may include turtles, seabirds, bobcats and alligators. Leashed dogs are permitted. At Fort Clinch State Park, visitors can explore a former Union garrison from the Civil War, see living-history programs, hike or bike, and search the beaches around the fort for shark teeth.
Big Talbot Island State Park, a few miles south of Amelia Island State Park, is home to Boneyard Beach, known for its fallen driftwood. The source also identifies several family-oriented options in and around Fernandina Beach, including Amelia River Cruises & Charters, Amelia Island Kayak Excursions, mini-golf courses, the Amelia Island Museum of History, the Fernandina Beach Pinball Museum and the Amelia Island Lighthouse.
Visitors planning a winter trip may want an extra layer. The guide notes that January is Amelia Island’s coldest month, with average high temperatures of about 65 degrees.
