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Affluent meets affordable | Where to stay and play on Amelia Island

By Aubrey Jackson
Amelia Island, United States travel destinations

Hi babes! Looking to enjoy a luxury getaway without leaving the state?! Then you’re going to love today’s vacation destination, we’re going to the beautiful Amelia Island located off the coast of northeast Florida and home to thirteen miles of beautiful beaches and wildlife. Great location for relaxation and luxury!

This post highlights affluent and affordable options to help you plan your trip! From where to stay and play on the Island this blog entry covers it all and at the end if you have any questions remaining, drop them in the comments and I will reply to you personally.

Omni Amelia Island Resort at a glance

Located just off the Northeast Florida coast is where you’ll find the luxurious Omni Amelia Island Resort. This is my first time staying at their beautiful property located on 1,350 acres with the beach only steps away from the resort.

The Omni Amelia Island Resort features an infinity-edge adult-only pool, a 10,000-square-foot family-friendly pool, a children’s splash park, and two hot tubs.

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Hey babes! Let’s enjoy a luxury getaway at the #omniresort on AmeliaIsland. #luxurytravel #floridavacation #traveltiktok
♬ Beach - DJ Ramon Mix

During our trip we had the pleasure of staying in the deluxe ocean view room, which is available at the regular rate of $399 with options for packages too!

I loved the room, the view, and all that came with it. Highly recommend.

Features:

Ocean view with either a furnished balcony or patio
425 sq. ft.
Flat screen TV
Luxurious bath amenities

Book your luxurious vacay here .

Fun fact | The resort is said to have a connection to Indian burial grounds and in the lobby/check in area there’s beautiful artwork like this that showcases the Indians and explains the artists behind the painting and history of the Indian pictured. I thought this was interesting to see and learn upon arrival to the resort.

Home 2 Suites at a glance

Affordable | Home 2 Suites

Now if you’re planning a trip to Amelia Island and want to spend less on accommodations but still be close to food, shops, and the beach? I would recommend the Home 2 Suites!

Home 2 Suites is part of the Hilton hotel brand and offers free wifi, free parking, free breakfast, pet friendly rooms and a business center.

Single and double bedrooms can range from $100-$200 a night depending upon availability.

Click here to check out their rooms and amenities.

Things To Do In Town

So now that you know where you can stay, let’s find out where you can play on the island! There’s a lot of options for you here whether you’re vacationing with friends, family, or your partner.

If you’re staying at the Omni you can opt to go kayaking and take a fun and educational kayak trip with Amelia Island Kayak Excursions, a family owned business that serve as your guides on the kayak tour. They’re extremely friendly and can share so much with you about wildlife andisland history. This is a great family activity year-round.

When you’re in town you gotta shop. First up, visit downtown Ferandina Beach, this is where you’ll find a charming waterfront village with great coffee shops, restaurants, and local shops to visit and buy from.

Downtown is also where you will find art galleries and I would highly recommend you pay a visit to The Julie Delfs Gallery, where you’ll see her amazing work on display for purchase and you can also partake in classes to make art of your own!

Mom and I took the adult art class that allowed us to make our own resin-epoxy painting under the professional guidance of Julie Delfs herself!

In this class, you will learn the basics of how to mix and swirl the resin-epoxy concoction onto a 12″x 12″ wood panel. You get to choose your own colors and feel like a kid again as you pour and play!

We loved how our paintings came out and Julie is able to ship it to you once your back home from vacation.

*You are financially responsible for the shipping costs*

Our class in total was around $90.00 with cost of shipping our artwork included.

Click here to learn more about the gallery and the classes!

Now that you’ve been able to shop, explore and paint now let’s hop on a boat and enjoy the Cumberland Island Tour with Amelia River Cruises & Charters!

This is a local favorite and super popular excursion for visitors as it offers an extensive and rich history of Amelia and Cumberland Island with views of wildlife along the way.

While on the cruise you’re able to see Fernandina’s shrimp boats, historic Old Towne and Ft. Clinch to name a few.

The tour guides are true historians, I was impressed by how much they knew about the island, the area, and the history!

Click here to learn more and book this excursion on your trip!

Overall it was an amazing experience, filled with insightful info and relaxing water views. Seeing the horses roam the national park was cool!

Here’s a look at some of the homes you’ll find in downtown. I love seeing homes like this! It shows how the area maintains the charm of homes that have history.

Dining

On vacation, we don’t count calories : D So let’s eat!

Oceanside at Omni Amelia Island Plantation is a 10/10 for me! This gorgeous oceanfront dining destination offers steaks, seafood, creative appetizers and great cocktails. Make a reservation and try the key lime pie and thank me later.

Salt Life Food Shack came highly recommend by locals and we see why! The food is delicious and you can enjoy your meal from the rooftop with awesome water views!

They have everything from fries to seafood and we loved it! I ordered their seafood pasta and mom tried their rice and salmon. The staff were amazingly friendly and super knowledgable about the menu and the area!

If you’re wanting to dine out, get dressed up and go luxe! Look no further than ‘Coquina’ at The Ritz Carlton; An oceanfront restaurant with a culinary presentation focused on seafood and coastal dishes inspired by the island’s Eight Flags heritage.

Coquina’s menu embraces the dynamic flavors inspired by the island’s time as a Spanish territory including ceviche made from freshly-caught fish and shareable tapas. A full-bar overlooking the ocean features signature cocktails and flavorful sangrias.

Coquina is open seasonally for lunch, dinner and cocktails.

Final thoughts ...

Overall I had an amazing experience on Amelia Island, its my first time here and I am so grateful to have been able to experience the different offerings and options on the Island to be able to share them with you!