Antiquity meets authenticity on this captivating barrier island.

I can’t remember my first time on Amelia Island. The 18-mile long stretch of sand on Florida’s northeast coast has been part of my family for generations. My parents grew up vacationing there, renting ramshackle beachfront cabins on the island’s north side for $40 a week. In 1980, my young parents bought a house—for $35,000—across the street from those cabins, and I have a very vivid memory of standing on the front porch of that house one summer night, watching some of the little white clapboard shacks burn to the ground.

Like those cabins, Amelia Island has evolved in its 4,000-year history, but remained constant: You can no longer buy an ocean view house for $35,000, but you can still find that small-town beachy charm without looking too hard. Amelia, and its city center Fernandina Beach, have the distinction of being the only communities in the United States to be ruled by eight different political groups. The island’s nickname, “Isle of Eight Flags,” boasts of its rather chaotic past, and its 50-block waterfront historic district celebrates it.

The best way to experience Amelia Island is with a local. I’m no native, but I’d like to think that I’ve spent enough time there to be considered an honorary islander. So with sentiment at my side and history as my guide, I go back to the Isle of Eight Flags to roam—and reminisce.

Lay of the Land

You’ll find Amelia Island just south of the Georgia state line, an easy 2 1/2-hour drive from Savannah. The island is long and skinny: 18 miles from end to end and 3 miles wide.

Fernandina Beach, nestled in between the two poles, is a quaint shrimping village with a love of pirate lore. Centre Street is the main drag of the historic district and dead ends into the boat docks. Restaurants, antique shops, bars and souvenir stores line Centre, and tourists stroll the sidewalks in this vibrant downtown area.

Amelia Island Plantation takes up 1,350 acres on the island’s south end. Essentially an all-inclusive resort, the Plantation offers golf, tennis and beaches, and prides itself on good environmental stewardship.

On the north tip of Amelia Island is Fort Clinch State Park, one of the most well preserved 19th-century forts in the country, maybe because no battles were fought there. In addition to the historic fort, visitors will find a fishing pier and some of the calmest, quietest beaches in the area.

Where to Stay

The most high-profile place to lay your head on Amelia Island is the Ritz-Carlton, a AAA five-diamond oceanfront resort. With 444 guest rooms, each with its own private balcony and view of the coast, this hotel is luxurious and peaceful. Children are welcome, and there are even activities for teenagers. Be sure to visit the spa and try the Heaven in a Hammock treatment, a massage performed in a swaying hammock.

If such grand-scale amenities aren’t your style, Amelia Island boasts plenty of intimate bed and breakfasts and inns, many located in the historic district. One to try is the Addison on Amelia, a 14-room boutique inn made up of three antebellum houses surrounding a courtyard. Guest rooms have 600-thread count sheets and hardwood floors, while breakfast consists of banana pancakes and fresh fruit smoothies.

For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, rent Katie’s Light. Built as a replica of a Chesapeake Bay lighthouse, Katie’s Light earned its 15 minutes of fame when it appeared in the 1988 movie The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking. It’s not a working lighthouse, but it’s beachfront, it’s quirky, and it’s a bit of a town celebrity.

Where to Play

Amelia Island beckons outdoors lovers, and with good reason. Its 13 miles of beaches offer activities for every kind of visitor, from those who like to work up a sweat on vacation to people who like to—well—not work up a sweat.

One of my favorite things to do on Amelia is hunt for sharks’ teeth. In fact, when I was a little girl my father used to call me “Eagle Eyes,” thanks to my peculiar knack for spotting the little black triangles in the sand. Amelia’s beaches are constantly renourished, which can make it easier to find the fossilized teeth. The best time to look is at low tide, when shell beds are more exposed.

Surf fishing is another popular beachside activity. No need for a boat, just bring a rod, some bait and a sand spike (which holds your rod in the sand). Whiting are the most common catches, but trout and reds also swim around near the shore.

For history lovers, don’t miss taking a walking tour of Historic Fernandina Beach. Hosted by the Amelia Island Museum of History, guides take visitors through the Silk Stocking District, an area full of Victorian mansions where ladies who could afford silk stockings lived in the late 19th century.

On the first weekend of every month, living historians at Fort Clinch State Park re-create life during the Civil War, with artillery demonstrations and soldier drills. If you miss this event, the park is still worth a visit for its beaches, fishing and hiking trails.

Where to Dine

Like many beach towns, the restaurant scene on Amelia Island is a mixture of beach bars and fine dining. Shrimp is the seafood of choice here; in fact, Fernandina bills itself as the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry.

Salt, located at the Ritz-Carlton, is a AAA four-diamond eatery. The restaurant uses its ocean views as inspiration for its menu: simple, flavorful food from the earth and sea. As an added touch, servers bring samples of various salts to the table, but the food is usually perfect without it. Try the filet mignon: It melts in your mouth.

Away from the shore, but with an equally impressive ambiance, is the Beech Street Grill, a bistro with a global menu housed in a 120-year-old home. With an award-winning wine cellar and a live pianist, there’s a reason why this lively spot has been a staple of Amelia’s dining scene for nearly 20 years.

Of course, Amelia Island has its share of low-key beach shacks. Sliders, a beach bar that is actually on the beach, and The Surf, which sits across the street from the beach, both have good food at fair prices. The real attraction of these restaurants, though, is the salty vibe and the frequent live music.

For early risers, the best breakfast in town is at a little, out-of-the-way, strip-mall restaurant called Ms. Carolyn’s Breakfast and Desserts. Locals—and tourists in the know—flock to this spot for big cinnamon rolls, delicious coconut cake and a fabulous breakfast menu.

Where to Dance

The nightlife on Amelia Island is mostly concentrated in downtown Fernandina. During the tourist season, it’s easy to hear live music in the air.

The most famous downtown spot is the historic Palace Saloon. As Florida’s oldest bar, the Palace has seen its share of ups and downs: It sold gasoline and near beer to survive prohibition, and a 1999 fire nearly destroyed the old watering hole. The saloon is popular with locals and tourists alike, and has live music nearly every night.

A few blocks from the Palace is the Frisky Mermaid, a small blues venue located in the lobby of the Florida House Inn. The bar is dedicated to live blues and bluegrass music, but does offer shagging lessons on weekends.

If downtown Fernandina is too far to drive, head to the Falcon’s Nest on Amelia Island Plantation. The decor is aviation-themed, and the bar is packed when a DJ is in the house.

Where to Shop

Antique shops are in abundance on Amelia Island, but ironically, so are surf shops. Downtown Fernandina boasts great sidewalk shopping, but it also pays to venture out of the historic district.

Antiquing is a popular pastime, and two shops to put on your list are Eight Flags Antique Market and French Market Antiques. Both stores face Centre Street, the main street dissecting downtown, and both have a wealth of antique furniture and accessories.

Two more downtown stores worthy of a visit are Twisted Sisters and The Book Loft. At The Book Loft, you’ll find two floors of fiction and non-fiction books, including rarities and local history books. Twisted Sisters sells women’s clothing, accessories and gifts with a flair.

For a fabulous selection of swimsuits, sunglasses and surfing gear, head to Pipeline Surf Shop and Driftwood Sun & Surf. Even if you don’t surf, these stores can help you look the part.

The best time to visit Amelia Island is anytime: It’s peaceful in the winter and jumping in the summer. There’s something about this little town that keeps my family coming back year after year. My eyesight is certainly not worthy of “Eagle Eye” status anymore; a new family now owns my parents’ simple beach house; and a park occupies the oceanfront lot once filled with the little white ramshackle cabins. But no matter how Amelia—or I—change, the beauty and history of this barrier island is enough to steer me back, even if I never earn the right to be called a local.

For information on planning a trip to Amelia Island, visit www.ameliaisland.com

Where to Stay

The Ritz-Carlton. Rates from $199. 904.277.1100 or www.ritzcarlton.com
Addison on Amelia. Rates from $165. 904.277.1604 or www.addisononamelia.com
Katie’s Light. Rates from $380. 800.772.3359 or www.ameliaislandvacation.com

Where to Play

Walking tour of Historic Fernandina Beach 904.261.7378 or www.ameliamuseum.org
Fort Clinch State Park 904.277.7274 or www.floridastateparks.org/fortclinch

Where to Dine

Salt  904.491.6746 or www.ritzcarlton.com
Beech Street Grill 904.277.3662 or  www.beechstreetgrill.com
Sliders  904.277.6652
The Surf  904.261.5711 or www.thesurfonline.com
Ms. Carolyn’s  904.261.6277

Where to Dance
Palace Saloon  904.491.3332 or www.thepalacesaloon.com
Frisky Mermaid  904.261.3300 or www.friskymermaid.com
Falcon’s Nest  904.491.4242 or www.aipfl.com/falconsnest/index.html

Where to Shop
Eight Flags Antique Market  904.277.8550
French Market Antiques  904.491.0707 or www.frenchmarketantiques.com
The Book Loft  904.261.8991
Twisted Sisters  904.261.2501
Pipeline Surf Shop  904.277.3717 or www.pipelinesurfshop.com
Driftwood Sun & Surf  904.321.2188

Amelia Facts

Flags of Their Fathers: Eight different flags have laid claim to Amelia Island throughout its history.
France, 1562­­-1565
Spain, 1565-1763 and 1783-1821
England, 1763-1783
Patriots, 1812
Green Cross, 1817
Mexico, 1817
Confederate States, 1861-1862
United States, 1821-1845 and 1862-present

Oldies But Goodies

Amelia Island is home to some of the oldest places in Florida.
Oldest bar: Palace Saloon
Oldest continuously operated hotel: Florida House Inn
Oldest working lighthouse: Amelia Island Lighthouse