FERNANDINA BEACH
www.fernandinabeachflorida.org

Discovered by French explorer Jean Ribault, who set foot on where Fernandina Beach is located, in 1562, it is riddled with a rich history spanning ancient Indian tribes, pirates, and shrimpers.  This small town is the setting of many historical scenes as a place where eight flags have flown, to include France, Spain, England, United States, and the Confederacy.  There is great pride taken in the history which dates back 4,000 years to the ancestors of the Timucua Indians.  European settlers landed around 400 years ago and by the start of the 20th century had made it one of the busiest ports in the country.

A mix of residential and commercial late-Victorian architecture in downtown, reflects the city's great prosperity in the late 1880's. When the north-south railroad line bypassed the island in the early 1900's, tourism moved southward and shipping declined. Thus, old buildings were repaired rather than replaced, and the architectural heritage was preserved.

The heart of downtown is Centre Street, a charming eight-block corridor with pedestrian-friendly street-scaping leading to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Fernandina Harbor Marina, where shrimp boats unload catches and charter boats depart for sightseeing and fishing. Surrounding shops offer an array of art, antiques, apparel, books, candy, collectibles, dry goods, furnishings, gifts, jewelry, merchandise, souvenirs, tobacco and toys. Cafes and restaurants provide a spectrum of cuisine. Bed and breakfast inns furnish a selection of overnight accommodations.

The island's white sand beaches and many golf courses attract vacationers year round.  There are 57 public access points to the beach and are rarely crowded, even in the summer.  Throughout the island, large live oaks draped in Spanish moss canopy the roadways offering southern charm.  Although the summers are hot, the breeze of the ocean makes it more tolerable than south Florida, thus attracting vacationers from all over the United States.