Locals know
the best places to watch sunset, dine by the water, pop the question,
get a fresh grouper sandwich, take the kids on a rainy day and much
more. Writer Lisa Codianne Fowler talks to everyone from the grocery
clerk to Donald Trump to glean hidden secrets known by the locals.
Best
place to take the kids:
quot;Fort Clinch State Park on Amelia Island. There are a number
of nature trails, and the beach there was named one of the top beaches
in the country by Conde Naste Traveler #8230; the beach is right
in front of the fort, which was built in 1840. They always have
re-enactors out there, and you cannot get them to talk in 2001 --
they're back in 1860s. About four times a year there are150 - 200
of them, all dressed in period costumes. The women cook food from
the 1860s -- they make bread by grinding the wheat -- and the kids
play games from the 1860s. It's gorgeous out there, and educational
and fun for the kids.quot; - Dick Flitz, owner, The Amelia Island Williams House Bed and
Breakfast
Best place to watch the sunset:
quot;At sunset I sit upstairs at the Crab Trap, one of the older
restaurant bars in Fernandina Beach, and look out the back corner
window. You see the most awesome sunset. It's also during their
happy hour. Mostly locals go there and there's usually a guitarist
playing, which of course adds to the ambiance. Once people find
out about it, they keep going back, especially on Friday and Saturday
nights.quot; - Debbie Manser, owner, Ride the Beaches of Amelia
Most
romantic spot:
quot;Staying at home on Fort George Island, that's my favorite
romantic spot! Other than that, I like Fernandina Beach just because
it's a quaint little out-of-the-way village. You can stroll the
streets at night and have dinner -- my favorite restaurant there
is La Clos. We go there for our special occasions. We also like
the San Marco area, just a mile south of downtown Jacksonville.
There are lots of nice shops and restaurants #8230; it's got everything
from ice cream parlors to pizza parlors to nice, upscale dining
-- Matthew's is probably one of the finest restaurants there.quot; - Jack Diamond, Rink, Reynolds, Diamond amp; Fisher Architects.
One
thing you just can't leave town without doing: quot;There's
nothing quite like a night cruise on the St. John's River. If you
don't own a boat you can rent one, and there are cruising boats
you can go on with your friends and have dinner and drinks. The
sky is full of stars and there's black water below. It's dreamlike.
Of course, the Jacksonville skyline rising out of the water is breathtaking.
What's amazing about it is how big the river is and how big the
sky is above. It reminds you how small you are in the universe.quot; - Jim Overton, city councilman and quot;Jacksonville cheerleaderquot;
