If you are stationed at Kings Bay, chances are you will venture out to Amelia Island, Florida. If you enjoy an outdoor adventure, look no further than to the nature’s playground around Amelia Island. Below are some fun outdoor adventures that await you!
Kayaking
There are multiple locations to kayak in and around Amelia Island. Whether renting a kayak for a solo adventure, or joining a kayaking group, Amelia Island offers a great launching point for multiple trips.
- Lofton Creek: My spouse and I recently rented kayaks for Lofton Creek (off island in Yulee) and spent about three hours enjoying the natural swamp scenery in Yulee. We saw turtles, alligators and birds during this trip.
- Egan’s Creek: Egan’s Creek is a great place to kayak on the island, just make sure you check the tide, as Egan’s Creek can only be navigated by kayak during high tide.
- Amelia River: Launch from downtown Fernandina Beach and kayak down the river. Go out to Tiger Island and sit on the white sand beach.
- Cumberland Island: If you are looking for an intermediate-advanced kayak trip, look no further than kayaking from Amelia Island to Cumberland Island. Depending on the weather conditions, you can expect waves and wind might make this journey a bit difficult. If you are feeling more adventurous, get back in the kayak and go up the St. Mary’s River into the marshes of Cumberland Island.
Hiking
If you prefer to get your nature fix from walking/hiking, there are plenty of trails around Amelia Island.
- Egan’s Greenway: This network of trails expands over about 300 acres of marshland. It is common to find people hiking, jogging or biking along this path.
- Fort Clinch State Park: Many people hike or bike along the main road in and out of Fort Clinch.Willow Pond Nature Trail and Magnolia Loop are favorites for nature watching and bird watching.
- Big Talbot Island State Park: located on the southern end of the island, this state park has a biking and walking trail that connected down to Talbot Island.
Boat & Nature Tours
Sometimes, you may want to enjoy nature without putting much physical effort into the activity. In that case, there are a lot of options for chartering private boats for nature tours of Amelia Island and Cumberland Island. My family and I did this a few weeks ago and chartered a boat for a nature tour. We were able to see Fort Clinch from the water and we went over to Cumberland Island and up to the Dungeness ruins. On that tour, we saw manatees, dolphins and wild horses. It was a fun way to enjoy an afternoon with my kids while also being out in nature.
What are some of your favorite outdoor activities around Amelia Island? For more resources on Kings Bay, read our articles here.