Discover Amelia Island, Florida's Slice of Paradise

Amelia Island, Florida is an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This island paradise is where time truly does slow down, where everyone knows everyone, and where the locals are friendly and welcoming to people who are visiting.

The island is only 13 miles long and two miles wide, making it super easy to get around. Many locals use a golf cart or bike to travel from place to place, but there are still cars zooming in and out of the areas on the outskirts of downtown.

Downtown Amelia Island is the place to be for all types of dining, entertainment and shopping. For a taste of local fare you're going to want to check out Timoti's Seafood Shack. The tiny location is a local hot spot serving up freshly caught local shrimp and other seafood in a variety of ways.

For the best taste of local cuisine, the Baja rice box is the thing to order. The massive box is big enough to share and comes loaded with your choice of shrimp, fish, chicken or tofu. Your protein is piled high over coconut rice, avocado, greens, black bean salsa, tomatoes and a cilantro ranch dressing.

For something a little more upscale for dinner, try making reservations for Salt at the Ritz-Carlton. This Five Diamond, award-winning restaurant overlooks the ocean and uses its most valuable resource, salt, in a variety of ways throughout the menu. With over 40 different salts from around the world being showcased, you're sure to have a new appreciation for the seasoning you might take for granted at home.

A truly unique dining experience you're going to want to consider is the steak and eggs. The meal will come to your table with barely seared steak slices that are meant to be finished off to your temperature preference at your table. Each steak comes with a 250 million-year-old Himalayan salt block that is heated to over 800 degrees that you will finish cooking the meat on. The longer you leave the steak on the salt block the saltier it will be, giving you more flavor.

The downtown shopping area of Amelia Island is reminiscent of a turn of the century main street in any other small town, but this one leads right to the waters of the Amelia River, which divides the island from the mainland of Florida. Downtown Amelia Island has quaint shops featuring little knick-knacks, handmade Christmas ornaments and beach-style clothing. The street is somewhat small, so be sure to go early in the morning when the shops are just opening to explore without a lot of other people around.

Places to stay while on vacation at Amelia Island range from cute bed and breakfasts to high-end resorts. Where to stay really depends on what your budget and needs are while on vacation. For a bed and breakfast, The Addison is a beautiful location just a few blocks from downtown, comprised of three antebellum-style houses with a courtyard in the center. The owners of the property are warm and welcoming, and breakfast there is full of southern comfort, including the incredible creme brûlée French toast casserole.

The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island has won multiple awards for its spectacular resort, which offers spacious rooms with sweeping views over the ocean, glittering pools, beautiful restaurants and bars, a full-service spa and boardwalks right to the ocean. You wouldn't even have to leave the resort to experience much of what the island has to offer.

Inside the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton, you'll find floor to ceiling windows looking out over the ocean along with a lobby bar that features masterfully crafted drinks and hand-rolled sushi. If you're looking for a drink that's a little more experimental, you're going to want to stick around until the First Call.

This is done each night at 5:45 and features a new infused bourbon each day. The infusion is done in house and is on display for people to see as they walk through the lobby. Each day, the bar staff comes up with a new combination of ingredients to infuse, including combinations like pear, cloves, ginger, lime and rosemary to drink on its own or use in cocktails.

No matter whether you're looking for a weekend away filled with luxury or a family trip that won't break the bank, Amelia Island has something for everyone. The island is filled with local gems and beaches that stretch for miles, making it the perfect spot for 2020 travel.

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