In 2024, our team at Destination Amelia Vacation Rentals held our 2nd Amelia Island Photo Contest to celebrate another year of incredible guests and their experiences on Amelia Island. The annual contest, which launches in the fall, invites travelers to share their best trip photos from their recent stay with us before the new year arrives. Our team loved receiving so many excellent entries and is now thrilled to announce the winners!
1) Beach Scenes Category
The first photo contest category was Beach Scenes: images of Amelia Island’s pristine coastline. We received entries featuring our guests walking in the sand, their children and grandchildren splashing in the waves, seagulls soaring, and golden sunrises. Without further ado, Maureen Beytagh of Ohio is our Beach Scenes Category Winner with this classic scene of a soft Amelia Island sunset with pink hues. Beytagh shared, “I walk to this location every day, as it is one of our favorites on the island. We were happy to share this photo with all of you!”
2) Landmarks Category
The second photo contest category was Landmarks and guests were welcome to send their photos of recognizable Amelia Island landmarks such as historic homes and sites. We received some stunning entries of the marina in downtown Fernandina Beach and of Walker’s Landing in the Amelia Island Plantation, which is home to an ancient burial mound dating back to the Timucuan Indians. Congratulations to Bess McCall of South Carolina for this submission of Fort Clinch! In her snapshot, you can see the large scope of the fort’s design and its positioning on Cumberland Sound. A row of cannons points across the St. Mary’s River into Georgia and are silent testimony to the strategic importance of Fort Clinch during the Civil War.
3) Enjoying A Destination Amelia Rental Category
The third photo contest category was entitled Enjoying a Destination Amelia rental! Our favorite entry was a peaceful image entered by Steve Dubanoski of his view while “enjoying the sunset from the rear patio of 2129 Beach Wood.”
All three of these category winners receive a $100 gift certificate that’s applicable towards a stay anytime with Destination Amelia.
4) Grand Prize Winner!
Now we are thrilled to announce the Grand Prize Winner of our 2024 Amelia Island Photo Contest …. Crystal Thomas of Connecticut with this sunrise image! Our team loved how her photograph captures that quiet, breathtaking time of day when the first morning light is cresting the horizon. We love the warm orange and yellow glow and how the boardwalk directs your eyes up the path, past the dunes, to the ocean. Crystal will now get to enjoy a 3-night vacation at one of our Destination Amelia vacation rentals for free! Major congratulations to Crystal!
Eager to make your own Amelia Island memories? Are you ready to sink your toes into the appalachian-quartz sand and linger along our 13 miles of pristine beaches? Don’t delay and book one of our Amelia Island vacation rentals today!
Whether you are celebrating your honeymoon or just looking to escape on a date night with your partner on Amelia Island, here are a few romantic things to do that will kindle the right sparks with your loved one! Get ready for a charming atmosphere, delicious meals, sunset walks, and a lot more!
Classic Sunset Beach Walk:
If you are looking for a special, classic Sunset Beach Walk, you are in luck! Amelia Island offers beautiful and serene beaches, where you can spend time with your partner. Take a step back and enjoy the gorgeous sunset colors, peaceful atmosphere, and your loved one. (Extra tip: If you and your loved one are enjoying a full romantic getaway and not just a date night, don’t miss the opportunity to see the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean too! Sleeping in is nice, but watching a new day dawn together is an unforgettable experience with your toes in the sand!)
Visit the Fernandina Beach Historic District:
Be sure to put the Fernandina Beach Historic District on your list when planning a date night. It has a wide variety of shops and restaurants, and it is a great place to spend an afternoon or even two. The sunset views from the marina are hard to beat. History buffs will enjoy strolling the side streets and finding all the historic markers that summarize the days long past. Art aficionados should plan to visit for the second Saturday of each month, when participating galleries host free art events and open houses during the Artrageous Artwalk. Then everyone can appreciate the district’s architectural gems. Did you know the National Register of Historic Places recognizes and protects 50 blocks and 400 structures in downtown Fernandina Beach? Clearly Amelia Island’s historic downtown has much to showcase for those who love to explore and experience new places! This is why Coastal Living‘s readers voted Fernandina Beach as the Best Historic Downtown and #4 Happiest Seaside Town. Perfect for a date night!
Book an Amelia Island Trolley Tour:
One fantastic way to see the historic district, learn some interesting facts about the island, and enjoy some leisurely time with your special loved one is to hop onboard with Anchor Trolley and Transport, formerly Amelia Island Trolleys. Their experienced driver will take passengers around the city, plus up to Olde Town and parts of Fernandina Beach’s north end. Book your trolley ride today! For those adventure seekers wanting a faster, more thrilling way to explore, Amelia Island Board Rentals offers electric skateboard tours on the seashore with guides, at American Beach, or around the historic district. Or couples can rent a 2-passenger, fully-electric FUV (fun utility vehicle) to go sightseeing through them. Check it out here!
Amelia Island Horseback Riding:
Horseback riding on the beach is a wonderful experience and very different from riding on a mountain trail. You will enjoy the sea breeze in your hair and dramatic views of the ocean from atop your steed. This is a truly unique opportunity through Amelia Island Horseback Riding, which offers daily rides from Peters Point Beachfront Park!
Dinner Date on Amelia Island:
If sunset walks, trolley tours, and horseback riding are not your kind of romance, Amelia Island offers a dizzying range of fantastic restaurants, where you can take your date and enjoy an exquisite atmosphere and delicious food. For the really special occasions, Salt (one of the restaurants at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island) is one of only two AAA 5 diamond restaurants in the entire state of Florida — there are only 49 AAA 5 diamond restaurants in the entire U.S. for 2022!