April 20, 2022
The word “wellness” conjures up something a little different for everyone — from strolling the beach or relaxing at a spa, to playing a round of golf or getting your sweat on at a fitness studio. It’s all about the state of being in good health, whatever that means to you. From sunup to sundown and beyond, Amelia Island holds a myriad of ways for you to feel good and “well”. Start planning your getaway now.
Located just a block from the ocean and nestled under a canopy of live oaks are Sea Cottages of Amelia, your home away from home for the next 3 days and a quiet retreat with all the creature comforts. These studio or one-bedroom suites come with kitchenettes for healthy meal preparation to enjoy right inside your cottage (Visit the downtown Farmer’s Market for fresh local produce). If you’re looking for a quaint, outdoorsy feel, Sea Cottages of Amelia is for you. If you’re looking for something a little more intimate, try the Spa Package at The Fairbanks House. Or for those planning a luxurious getaway, book a stay at the Omni Amelia Island Resort or book The Mediation Retreat at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.
Kick off your weekend with a healthy al fresco lunch at The Surf Restaurant, located across the street from the ocean. The Surf has been serving up laid back cuisine sine 1957 to the delight of locals and visitors alike — all to the sounds of, you guessed it, the surf. Start off with some peel and eat shrimp followed by a Blackened Ahi Tuna Noodle Bowl (my own personal favorite, but there are others). All of the noodle bowls include Udon noodles, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, red onions, cabbage, and snow Peas, tossed in a delicious ponzu sauce. Wash it all down with a glass of iced tea and you’re good to go.
Spend the afternoon doing whatever gives you that zen feeling. We’ve got a couple of suggestions. Book an afternoon spa visit with either The Spa at Omni Amelia Island Resort where you can enjoy “clean & green” therapies and treatments including massage, peels & wraps, and signature scrubs in a peaceful environment — or — escape to the rejuvenating solitude of The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Amelia Island for a variety of massages, facials, Chakra balancing, reflexology, and meditation along with a healing saltwater pool. Or, try them both on different days. Soothing spas will leave feeling way more refreshed than when you went in.
If spa visits aren’t your thing, why not spend the afternoon teeing it up on one of our 5 island golf courses? Nothing says relaxation better than hitting the fairway with family and friends. All of our courses offer a challenge and something a little bit different from one another but the one thing they have in common is their natural beauty — all with a nod to the river, ocean, moss-draped oaks and marshes of Amelia.
The Verandah Restaurant, located at Racquet Park inside Omni Amelia Island Resort, is considered one of the island’s finest restaurants and for good reason. You can dine on house-made pasta and fresh local seafood with a coastal Mediterranean influence. The Verandah offers flavors of the local Atlantic Ocean and neighboring farmers directly to your plate. Also located at Omni Resort is The Sprouting Project — a monthly farm-to-table experience where guests dine on a featured seasonal ingredient grown directly from their on-site organic garden. These mindful meals also includes a tour of the garden, aquaponic greenhouse, barrel room and apiary.
Insider Tip: Although held one night of every month, it would be worth your while to see if the Sprouting Project dinner is available while you’re here.
Start off day two with a delicious juice, smoothie, or bowl from Go Juice. Go Juice wants you to live a healthy, active lifestyle that you can feel good about, so get fueled up with the freshest ingredients from mother nature with no extra additives or artificial flavors. The perfect start to your day… and you’ve got a busy day ahead! The Ginger Kale Juice is a deliciously zingy morning jumpstart.
Set up an outdoor adventure with Amelia Island Kayak Excursions, offering a variety of kayak tours ranging from black water wooded environments, salt marsh estuaries, and intracoastal waterways, to Cumberland Island National Seashore, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, and the Suwannee River. What better way to get up close and personal with nature than in a kayak on the water?
Insider Tip: We have quite a few kayaking companies on the island and they’re all good. Find your favorite here.
The folks at Grab n Grow Real Food and Juice Bar believe that fast-food doesn’t always have to be junk-food. They proudly provide real and fresh food… fast. Enjoy Acai bowls, fresh juices, smoothies, soups and salads all made from scratch!
You wanna sweat off some unwanted fat? We’ve got you covered all around the island plus the mainland. Club 14 Fitness offers 13,000 sq ft of workout space with group classes, state of the art strength training equipment and weights, child care, a healthy juice bar and day/week passes. If you don’t sweat here, it’s your fault. OrangeTheory Fitness is located just off the island in Yulee. This popular chain of fitness studios allows OTF members from all over the country to keep up with their own familiar workout when away from home. No excuses! Similarly is Eat The Frog Fitness, a training program based on science and backed with the latest technology to give members the most results driven and personal experience possible. Centred On Yoga in historic downtown Fernandina Beach, offers a variety of beginner and intermediate yoga classes with all certified instructors with over 28 years of experience. Namaste.
Remember when I said that wellness means something different to everyone? Enter Arte Pizza, Amelia Island’s woodfire pizza grill “sustainably sourced and crafted with love”. Arte offers an elevated pizza experience with Napoli wood-fired pizzas (available in gluten-free and cauliflower crust), pastas, handhelds, sensational salads and more. All of their dishes are made with the freshest ingredients including cheeses from Wisconsin, home grown herbs, and local wild caught shrimp. If you like Italian food, you’ll enjoy it and you’ll be “well” because of it. I promise.
Insider Tip: Try the Beet Salad with mixed greens, beets, goat cheese, and walnuts all drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Yum!
Kick off day 3 at Garden Street Bistro where breakfast is served all day, every day. Not only do they specialize in original menu items, but they also have incredible, freshly baked daily, bread, burgers, crab cakes, wraps and mouthwatering specials. Sit inside or outside in the courtyard beneath wisteria vines.
The beach. A place where you can run, walk, stroll, or lay without a care in the world. Or, a place where life-changing decisions can be made simply by breathing in the sea salty air and listening to the rhythmic sounds of the waves lapping against the shoreline. On this, your last full day, let’s take a hike with mother nature. A good beach hike begins at Main Beach and ends at Fort Clinch with lots of sharks teeth to be found. Another great hiking area is Egan’s Creek Greenway, a protected area of 300+ acres of sensitive lands between Atlantic Ave and Sadler Road. It’s peaceful pathways serve as a network of trails that are suitable for hiking and biking while studying wildlife and native vegetation. Either of these places will clear out ALL the cobwebs.
If you want a lot of healthy food groups all rolled into one, Akari Sushi may be calling you. Located in downtown Fernandina Beach, Akari “is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high quality fresh ingredients”. Sushi menus can be overwhelming with so many types of rolls but when it comes to wellness and sushi, just remember simple is better. For heart and brain health, stick to rolls with veggies, tuna, salmon, mackerel, eel, and avocado Try to avoid the tempura or rolls laden with mayonaise and cream cheese. It’s hard, I know but for the sake of health… Anywho, Akari will hook you up!
Fort Clinch State Park is a 1,500-acre historic park providing exceptional recreational activities, camping and wildlife viewing. While it is best known for it’s civil war-era fort that offers daily tours and monthly reenactments, it’s the biking trails that bring many folks in. Experienced trail riders enjoy the somewhat difficult off-road trails with plenty of hills, dips and turns while families opt for a more casual ride on the paved roads throughout the park. Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover, cyclist or a bit of all three, you will thoroughly enjoy exploring this unique natural and historic place.
Sadly, it’s your last night so let’s make it good with an unforgettable meal at Pogo’s Kitchen. Pogo’s, on the island’s south end, is a favorite with locals and visitors for it’s non-pretentious atmosphere and really good food. You can dine inside but try to sit outside on the patio for nice Florida ambiance. Sip on a good bottle of wine and start out with raw oysters, done either Classic (cocktail sauce) or Pogo’s style (champagne) all while planning your next visit to Amelia Island. Everything at Pogo’s is good and the service is even better.
Insider Tip: For a tastebud sensation, try the Szechuan Spiced Duck with Chinese Broccoli and Scallion Pancake. Oh. My. Goodness.
These suggestions are just a sneak peek of all Amelia Island has to offer as you plan your Spa & Wellness Getaway. Discover more and plan your perfect trip on www.AmeliaIsland.com for a complete list of places to stay, eat and play. We’re looking forward to seeing you back here for years to come.
Pictured above: Biking through Fort Clinch State Park Wellness is defined as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. Whether it’s […]
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