Amelia Island Activities | Amelia Island Williams House, Fernandina Beach, FL

Archive for the ‘Amelia Island Activities’ Category

Concours de’Elegance and Spring arrive on Amelia Island

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

Each year we look forward to the second weekend in March when the Amelia Island Concours de’Elegance returns to Amelia Island. This year with an unusually warm winter, spring came early and the show enjoyed temps in the mid 70′s. Some of the cars came to downtown Fernandina Beach as part of the annual “road trip” and I captured some photos for our blog that are attached. We were full for the show as are virtually all accomodations of the Island, and had several neat and interesting cars brought by guests (Fisker,Morgan,Porsche). There is always a lot of car talk from both ladies and gents, and most are true enthusiasts for everything auto oriented. The auctions apparently drew some high sales, with the top car going for $4.4 million. The show itself was well attented and for the first time I can recall sold out of tickets. We usually are fully booked by around August or September as the show grows in popularity every year. Come join us next year for this amazing event!

A beauty in Downtown Fernandina

Racing cars abound

A cool looking front end

Corvette well represented

A beautiful red entry

Georgous vehicle

Downtown center st sees action

Something for everyone's taste

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, car shows
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Beaching on Amelia Island in December

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

We had an unusually warm fall and winter this year on Amelia Island and during the week after Christmas we took advantage of the warm weather to enjoy part the beach on the ocean side of the Island. Deborah’s daughters and family were here from North Carolina and we slipped off one afternoon for a picnic and fun on the beach. Come and join us at the Williams House and find your spot along our thirteen miles of wide open and uncrowded beaches!

Deborah and her daughters on the beach

Family fun at the beach

Searching for shark's teeth and shells

Birds enjoying the beach

Wide open beaches on Amelia Island

Tags: amelia island attractions, Beaches of Amelia Island
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Christmas Comes Early on Amelia Island with Bed and Breakfast Cookie Tour

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Deborah by Williams House decorations

Saturday was a big day on Amelia Island as all eight B&B’s decorated for Christmas, baked their favorite cookies and opened their doors to over 500 visitors for the Amelia Island Bed and Breakfast Cookie Tour. The tour is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year, and this time visitors enjoyed a warm and mostly sunny day. Trolleys, taxi’s and horsedrawn carriages carried visitors between Inns and fresh cookies and refreshments were ready at each stop. At Williams House we began decorating Nov. 1 and finished a day or two before the tour. We had six rooms plus the common area open for touring and everything was decorated to the max. Our cookie was a peanut butter, oatmeal variety with both regular and dark chocolate M&M’s. Thanks to our slight over-cooking, I am still enjoying a few. Carriage horses Boomer and Jazz moved between Hoyt, Williams House and Fairbanks and the trolley moved visitors from Hoyt to Elizabeth Pointe. Taxi’s took them the final leg to Amelia Ocean Front. We had an excellent turn-out that was 70% higher than last year. Apparently lot’s of folks wanted to get into the Christmas spirit or they are really serious cookie fans! A portion of the revenue will be given to Barnabus Center, our charity for 2011, and the added crowd versus last year will help us give them a larger donation. We want to thank Barabus for their volunteers who helped each B&B with stageing their rooms and guiding visitors. Our thanks from the Williams House and all the other B&B’s for public support of this tour and our charity and we look forward to even bigger results next year! We hope you enjoy some pictures from the event and the Williams House.

Jaime,Deborah,Byron&Jami on WH porch before tour began

Williams House front porch

Williams House dining room

Williams House stairwell

Williams House grand hall

Williams House parlor

Williams House hall tree

Top porch tree

Dining room table

Flamingo Christmas tree

Candy pole sign

Williams House decorations

Decorations with a candy theme

Deborah tells visitors our history

Visitors prepare to tour Williams House

Visitors size up Boomer

Jazz also treats guests to ride

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, B&B Cookie Tour, Christmas
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Great Southern Tailgate Cook-Off Amelia Island

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Yes, that title is a mouthful, but so was the barbecue at the last weekend’s Great Southern Tailgate Cook-Off. Held on Amelia Island for the second year, it featured expert barbecue teams from all around the south. Having tasted several, I have to say they were great at their chosen profession or hobby! Crowds were good and every where you looked people were enjoying their favorite version of barbecue. Pulled pork, ribs, chicken were all available and the smell of wood fired cookers filled the air. Visitors could also get smoothies, funnel cakes, fries, onion rings and beverages. Held at main beach with ocean backdrops, it was a fun event with great views.

cooking up close

Crowds sniff out favorite barbecue

Unique vehicles add flair

Music added to the fun

Deborah with friends Bob & Sue order up

Welcome to great barbecue

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, Guest Experiences, local attractions
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Exploring Fort Clinch with Family

Monday, July 4th, 2011

Byron's brother Gary at entrance to Fort Clinch

Byron’s brother Gary visited recently from Raleigh, NC and we had the opportunity to introduce him to one of our favorite local attractions, Fort Clinch, an historical Florida State Park. Started as part of the United States coastal defense system before the civil war, it never really saw action although Union soldiers occupied the fort during the war. It was worked on again as part of the 1930′s WPA projects as were many of these early forts. Since then it has been worked on with volunteers and donations and is largely intact and complete. It is usually manned by at least one soldier in period uniform who will gladly enlighten you on what life was like in the fort during the 1860′s. On the first weekend of each month in the summer, reenactments are staged with larger numbers of soldiers joining the historic setting. There are numerous tunnel like alley ways to and from various parts of the fort, cannons atop the walls, gun turrets, a dry moat, powder rooms, officer and enlisted quarters, jail, kitchen and blacksmith shop. The fort is about four miles from the current Fernandina Beach historic district and sits at the northern most point of Amelia Island. There is beach access and a fishing pier within the park as well. Views north to the south end of Cumberland Island are available from atop the river side walls. We always encourage guests at the Williams House to find time to visit this little piece of history and try to imagine what life was like on Amelia Island in the 1800′s.

Quarter masters office at Ft. Clinch

Bunk bed's in officer's room

View of ocean from gun port

Soldier explains gun turret workings

Cannon aimed along fort perimeter

Tunnel leading to gun turret

Ammunition storage

Gary climbs to the turret

Byron rests by the cannon

View of fishing pier and beach

Cumberland Island view

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, local attractions
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Experiencing an Amelia Island River Cruise

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

Deborah, Sue and Bob ready for departure

We recently had friends visiting from North Carolina and arranged for a river cruise to treat them to local views and history. We’ve been several times and are always impressed by learning something new on each trip, and on this particular visit, we were fortunate to get a very close up view of the wild horses, which histroically we have only seen from a distance. It was a strange day in that fires burning in the okefenokee swamp had created a smoke haze for the early part of the trip, giving the views a nostalgic old fashioned feeling.

These cruises are popular with Williams House guests since you get to see shrimp boats, Fort Clinch from the river, Old Town and the Pippi Longstocking house, beaches, marshes, the port, the paper mill, Cumberland Island, wild horses, flying manta rays, dolphins, and in our case the Dungeness ruins. In addition there is a history lesson on from the early days of the island to the present made interesting by your hosts on the tour. It’s a liesurely tour with great views. There are three cruises daily including morning, mid day and sunset.

Shrimp boats

Smoke from the fires blocks the sky

Captain's or Pippi Longstocking house from river

Fort Clinch

Dunes on Cumberland Island

Tree on Cumberland Island shoreline

Cumberland Island marshes

Horses walk the beach on Cumberland Island

Stallion leads the group

Returning to Fernandina

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, Guest Experiences
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2011 Amelia Island Shrimp Festival Parade

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

Honor guard starts the parade

floats of all types participate

Stage coach at shrimp festival parade

One of our favorite times on Amelia Island and the largest festival is the Shrimp Festival, held the first weekend of May each year. Festivities begin with a parade on Thursday evening and it is the longest of the year at over and hour. Many residents, businesses and associations participate and awards are given for the best float linking in the parade theme. It is truly a family affair with many children participating and many more lining the streets to get glimpses of all the fun floats and characters from pirates to Disney type costumes. Of course pirates abound and the parade closes with the pirate ship firing loud and smokey guns and cannon. Candy and beads are given out to spectators and everyone vies for the most collected and greatest variety. This is our sixth year of attending and viewing from the Williams House and this was the first year threatened by rain. But, rain came just before the parade, stopped for the hour plus of the parade and resumed again soon thereafter. Once again the parade was dry and fun! Enjoy the attached pictures.

old fire engine

Williams House guests enjoy parade from porches

Shrimps abound

Characters welcome

Another shrimp float

This shrimp rocks

Dancing in the street

Kids enjoy parade

Another fun float

Beware of pirates

Pirates must have a ship

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, local attractions, shrimp festival
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Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance – 2011

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

Beautiful Dusenberg

The 2011 Concours D’Elegance or parade of elegance kicked off yesterday with a group of cars coming downtown to show a portion of what will be presented at the Amelia Island golf course on Sunday. There were plenty of options from Allard to Dusenberg, Ferrari to vintage race cars with something for every taste. Many proud drivers and owners were nearby to explain details of the restorations and their own car’s history. There was a good crowd on a beautiful but slightly cool day in downtown Fernandina Beach. The show continues today with the auction segment and tomorrow these cars and many more are displayed on the golf course for enthusiastic auto buffs and anyone who appreciates the finest in automotive design and restoration. We and most of the island’s lodging have been booked out for months and restaurants are mostly fully booked in advance. A great time to visit if you enjoy cars and the early start of Spring on Amelia Island.

Colorful restoration

Beautiful engines

Sporty and colorful

Elegance from past motoring

Ready to race

Ready for a road trip

Orange and black beauty

Tags: Amelia Island Activities, Guest Experiences, local attractions
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Amelia Island Garden Show – Year 2

Monday, March 7th, 2011

Colorful flowers at garden show

Last weekend was the second annual flower and garden show on Amelia Island. We were blessed with beautiful weather near 80 degrees and sunny skies. Vendors include regular Farmer’s market vendors (held every Saturday morning) and additional and unique items. Crowds were good and in addition to the booths there was live music, food, whirlygigs, vegetables and fruit, pasta and italian gourmet specialties. Operating both Saturday and Sunday, it was a great time for Williams House guests to see a garden show and enjoy the local scenery. Deborah picked up some fill in plants for some of the winter damage and some new twists. We find garden beds a never ending story with some things doing well in Florida and others that struggle. There were some awesome flowers for just about anyone’s taste and plenty of variety. Attached below are a few colorful shots of the garden show activity and offerings.