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With 99 picturesque, yet challenging golf holes, Amelia Island is a true golfers paradise for players of every skill level. Throw in some mouth-watering cuisine and a handful of quaint watering holes and this will be a trip you’ll be making year after year.
Check into either the Home2 Suites Fernandina Beach or Residence Inn Amelia Island, your home away from home for the next three days and centrally located to all Amelia Island golf courses, restaurants as well as the beautiful Atlantic ocean just minutes away. Looking for a luxury getaway? Book a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island or Omni Amelia Island Resort where award-winning golf is right outside your door!
Amelia River Golf Club is renowned as one of the best conditioned courses in the area. Smooth TifEagle greens, sculpted around a forest of majestic live oaks, sabal palms, southern pines and wax myrtles make it as beautiful to play as it is challenging. The course was designed by Tom Jackson and consists of 18 holes where ball control and accuracy are key to a great round. Lakes and ponds are featured on several holes including the signature island hole par three 17th. End your round with a stunning view of the Amelia River on the 18th! The Cape Cod-style clubhouse is warm and inviting and houses the golf pro shop featuring the latest in golf attire, logo items and top-of-the-line golf equipment.
First Love Brewing is a microbrewery with lots of beer choices and really good food. With over 20 rotating taps, First Love offers a mix of porters, IPAs and ales that go really well with their delicious chicken wings, smash burgers, and amazing pizza with their signature crispy housemade crust. INSIDER TIP: If you like a little spice, try the Hot Honey pizza made with with pepperoni, imported Calabrian chili and finished with a honey drizzle to balance the heat.
Get ready to enjoy the freshness and taste of good home cooking from Ms. Carolyn’s, located just down the road from the Residence Inn or Home2 Suites. Ms. Carolyn’s is known for her old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes dripping in sweet syrupy goodness. Other specialty menu items include French toast, quiche, and eggs Florentine. If you’re trying to be good, the seasonal fruit bowl or oatmeal may be just the ticket. INSIDER TIP: Everything is delicious at Ms. Carolyn’s but I would order the Crab Benedict if I were you. Trust me.
If you want to enhance your golf skills, taking a golf lesson is an excellent and speedy way to do so. Whether you’re a seasoned player in need of a quick tune-up or a complete beginner, you can rely on the expertise of the golf staff at Amelia River Golf Club to tackle any golf-related challenges. At the Amelia River Performance Center, you can opt for private or group lessons, and they also offer golf fittings to ensure that you and your clubs are a perfect match.
Put those lessons to the test by playing a round at The Golf Club Of Amelia Island, rich in natural wonders and pure golfing pleasure. Designed by PGA-TOUR Veterans Mark McCumber and Gene Littler, this 18-hole course exemplifies the essence of the game of golf. With challenges to put you to the test, it remains forgiving enough to remind you that golf is, after all, supposed to be fun. Nestled along the shores of the ocean, the course winds its way through palm, pine and oak trees, offering spectacular views of Amelia Island’s many natural treasures. It is simply an unforgettable golfing experience.
After your round ends, walk next door to The Lobby Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island for a signature old-fashioned from one of the island’s best bartenders and some made-to-order sushi. Celebrate all your birdies!
Dine in a relaxed, upbeat indoor/outdoor atmosphere and enjoy creative American bistro cuisine. Bar Zin Bistro located on the south end of the island, offers a tapas style menu of comfort food everyone loves. Start with the Charcuterie board served with artisan cured meats and cheeses, house pickled vegetables, local honeycomb, and mustards. The pan seared scallops with wild mushroom risotto is delicious and of course ending it with a mouthwatering dessert is the ultimate trifecta. Photo credit: Bar Zin Bistro
The first order of business is breakfast at iconic T-Ray’s Burger Station, a locally-owned Fernandina Beach favorite. Located in a former Exxon service station, T-Ray Mullis and his family have been serving up breakfast and lunch to hungry diners for over 20 years. The breakfast menu is simplistic, eclectic and oh so good with everything from pancakes and loaded hashbrowns to French toast and sausage biscuits. But, order the Kitchen Sink Omelette. It’ll be just what you need to kickstart your day. INSIDER TIP: Get there early!
Today you’re playing Oak Marsh at Omni Amelia Island Resort — selected by Travel & Leisure Golf as one of “Florida’s 50 Finest Courses.” and always included in Golf Digest’s prestigious list of the “Top 75 Resort Courses in the U.S”. It’s a classic Pete Dye course with tight fairways, bulkheaded, and seemingly tiny greens following serpentine salt marsh creeks and under moss-laden live oak trees. It certainly lives up to its name with stunning beauty all around. Take a moment when going to hole #9 and look at the trees while the stunning marsh comes into view. New to Omni Amelia Island is a 10-hole short course named Little Sandy. Nestled around Red Maple Lake, Little Sandy ranges from 30 to 125 yards and is a lot of fun to play. NOTE: Little Sandy is a walking course (no golf carts)
You’re here for as much golf as you can take so head over to the Lighthouse Driving Range powered by Toptracer at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club for a little fun and friendly competition with your friends. The Lighthouse Driving Range lets you play virtual courses, and receive instant shot feedback without ever leaving the range! Get an order of fried pickles and a cold beverage. This is the life!
Located within the historic William Bell House in downtown Fernandina Beach, Beech Street Grill has been serving up unique dishes in a cool atmosphere since 1990. This upscale southern restaurant showcases the best of the seasons with a global perspective on Southern traditions. Enjoy fresh local seafood, farmer’s produce, craft cocktails and an exquisite wine list. Start with an order of truffle fries and move on to the Shrimp & Grits, which are the best you’ll find anywhere. What a great way to end your time on Amelia Island!
These suggestions are just a sneak peek of all Amelia Island has to offer as you plan your Golfer’s Getaway. You only have three days so you’ll need to come back to play the other amazing courses on and around our island. Discover more and plan you perfect trip on ameliaisland.com for a complete list of places to stay, eat and play.