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A Babymoon in Amelia Island

You know how they say that a baby changes everything? Well, since my favorite thing to do is travel to coastal towns (especially in Florida), I figured I should get in one more trip before the arrival of baby Lola. As I write this, my husband and I are excitedly expecting our first child and we have only about a month before she arrives.

baby announcement flip flops on beach

Over the course of the last few years, we’ve crisscrossed the Sunshine State exploring as much of the coastline as possible—which is no small feat. There are 825 miles of drop-dead gorgeous beaches in Florida.

Omni Amelia Island - Sunset at Walkers Landing 4

Of course, once Lola arrives and we get settled in, we plan to take her with us wherever we go. But since I’ve heard that the first few months require time at home to gradually introduce the new baby into the world, I knew I had to pick one last vacation spot that could count as the ultimate babymoon destination.

Lola 1

Amelia Island: The Perfect Destination for a Babymoon

Nestled on the northernmost part of Florida’s east coast, Amelia Island offers a combination of pristine beaches, abundant natural wildlife and plenty of that warm Southern hospitality. Picture large Spanish moss-draped live oaks trees, saltwater estuaries teeming with marine life and, of course, golden stretches of uncrowded sand.

Amelia Island Beach 1

There are many reasons why I love Amelia Island. There is no other place like it in Florida. Having lived in Miami for the past decade, trust me when I say that Florida’s northeast coast couldn’t be more different than South Florida, or even the rest of the Sunshine State.

Downtown Fernandina Harbor Marina Sunset 2

My list of must-haves for this trip included: perfect weather for a stroll through town, beach views at an upscale and pet-friendly resort, delicious food (I’ve been craving down-home Southern cooking like fried chicken and mac ‘n cheese…oh, and chocolate) and plenty of rest and relaxation. Amelia Island proved to be the perfect fit for all of the above.

Omni Amelia Island - Pool

Explore Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach

Situated on the northern part of Amelia Island, on the west bank of the Amelia River, you’ll find Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach. This cozy seaport village spans about 50 blocks and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s much to explore in this enchanting downtown area, filled to the brim with Victorian era architecture and pirate folklore.

Downtown Fernandina

We enjoyed strolling along tree-lined Centre Street and wandering in and out of some of the local shops. One of my favorites, Pearl, is an upscale women’s boutique featuring colorful resort wear and accessories. There was even a section of adorable Lilly Pulitzer dresses for children (I can’t wait to dress Lola in Lilly!).

Downtown Fernandina Pearl Boutique

Head to a store called Christmas on the River for festive keepsakes year-round. We found a red crab ornament with “Amelia Island” written on the outer shell. Other fun stops include The Book Loft, Twisted Sisters and Ship’s Lantern Gift Shop.

Downtown Fernandina - Ship's Lantern Gift Shop

Remember that Southern cuisine I was craving? I found exactly what I was hoping for at 29 South Restaurant. Chef Scotty Schwartz can cook up an impressive plate of fried chicken, grits, mac ‘n cheese and fried green tomatoes. It was delicious and I highly recommend this spot!

Dining - 29 South

Another great eatery is Joe’s 2nd Street Bistro. It’s also a chef-owned upscale restaurant and offers an impressive menu of steaks and seafood.

Dining - Joe's 2nd Street Bistro

To cure your sweet tooth, head over to Fernandina’s Fantastic Fudge shop. With a secret family recipe that dates back to 1887, they make all their fudge the old-fashioned way, using a copper kettle and marble slabs.

Dining - Ferandina's Fantastic Fudge

Plus, you’ll find plenty of specialty chocolates and ice cream too. And let’s be honest, there’s really nothing more satisfying during pregnancy, then loading up on chocolate.

Dining - Ferandina's Fantastic Fudge Storefront

Where to Stay in Amelia Island

I had heard amazing things about Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, so I couldn’t wait to spend our babymoon at this gorgeous beachfront property.

Omni Amelia Island - View

The resort is quite expansive. It’s situated on 1,350 acres and 3.5 miles of pristine beach. We rented a golf cart from Amelia Wheels to get around the property.

Amelia Island Beach 2

This is one of those hotels that truly has something for everyone: multiple pools, a kid’s splash and play park, nine restaurants, golf, tennis, yoga, water sports, 14 shopping boutiques, a jam-packed weekly event calendar with tons of activities and so much more.

Omni Amelia Island - Bridge

We booked an oceanfront room with a balcony and a view of the water that stretched for miles. Each morning I would get up early for sunrise, just so I could soak up those stunning vistas.

Omni Amelia Island - Sunrise 1

One of our regular hangouts included the open-air verandah outside of the lobby. There you’ll find plush rocking chairs under swaying palm trees.

Omni Amelia Island - Rocking Chairs with a View

And because the Omni is pet-friendly, we were able to bring our miniature schnauzer, Ponce de Leon along. His favorite spot was the bubbling fountain that overlooked the adult pool.

Omni Amelia Island - Ponce de Leon at the Pool

Usually I’m very active when I travel, so I like to stand-up paddle board and explore via bicycle. But since I am at the end of my pregnancy, I really just felt like kicking back and putting my feet up. So we booked treatments at the spa. Situated in a lush meditation garden, complete with a wooden bridge over a picturesque tranquility pool, the spa inspires complete relaxation. And they have prenatal massages for mothers-to-be, like yours truly.

Omni Amelia Island - Spa Bridge

Another spot that inspires serenity is the resort’s Walkers Landing nature preserve area. There you’ll find brightly colored kayaks that you can take out and explore the salt marsh.

Omni Amelia Island - Kayaks

And because Walkers Landing faces west, it’s also one of the best places on the island to watch sunset.

Omni Amelia Island - Sunset at Walkers Landing 1

Head over to nearby Cucina South, nestled inside the Palmetto Walk Shopping Village, and you’ll find a cozy Italian bistro with excellent pizza and pasta selections.

Dining - Cucina South Exterior

Top off a perfect day by asking the concierge to set up a romantic beach fire pit for you. They’ll set up two chairs in the sand and bring out all the ingredients to roast marshmallows and make s’mores. We loved this!

Dining - Roasting Marshmellows at Omni Amelia Island

Amelia Island is a Natural Paradise

Since my favorite activities happen to include photographing nature, especially sunset and sunrise, we made a point to visit some of the island’s beautiful state parks.

Omni Amelia Island - Sunset at Walkers Landing 3

One of the few remaining undeveloped barriers islands in Northeast Florida, Little Talbot Island State Park is a great place for beachcombing and spotting wildlife.

Sunset at Little Talbot Island State Park

Or head to George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park, where you’ll find a one-mile long pedestrian-only fishing bridge. We caught an incredible sunset at this locale.

Sunset at George Grady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park

At the northern tip of the island and just across the channel from Georgia, you’ll find 1,400-acre Fort Clinch State Park. The beaches here are picture-perfect and there’s a historic Civil War-era fort that dates back to 1864. Volunteer soldiers march around the grounds and even shoot off an old cannon. My husband, the history buff, enjoyed exploring the old fort.

Fort Clinch State Park

In my opinion, Amelia Island is the perfect place to escape for a babymoon before your bundle of joy arrives. We had a wonderful time and we can’t wait to take little Lola back to our favorite spots someday soon.

Kara, Jeremy and Ponce de Leon at George Grady Bridge

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of VISIT FLORIDA. The opinions and text are all mine.

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8 Comments

  1. Okay first things first, congratulations again!!! I love that you went to Amelia Island! It’s been on my list to visit…love your photos!! And the flip flop photo! I’m so excited for you!!! Now moving Amelia Island up higher on my list!

  2. Congrats on your journey!! That was a lovely blog post. Makes me want to consider Amelie for my next trip. We cheated a little on our baby moon and did it post baby ;-) We went with Napa/Sonoma….I will say it was hard to be away from the little one….but the sleep was great! Hope you;re doing well and getting some rest!

  3. How exciting! Congrats on your new baby girl!!!!!!! I live in FL and I love amelia isalnd! Traveling the beaches of Florida is so fun! I want to travel more of the panhandle because it’s so beautiful!

  4. Traveling in beaches of anywhere is fun.I haven’t still visited the beaches of Florida but it’s somewhere on the beginning of my list.These photographs reminds me my trip to Sri Lanka which was my honeymoon destination.I love the sea food I had there and hotel accommodation was superb.Hoping to visit Amelia Islands soon.Congratulations for your baby girl.

  5. Stunning photos and experience. Amelia is absolutely gorgeous and I’ll definitely consider exploring Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach this year. Above all congratulations on your baby, that flip flop photo is the cutest thing :)

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