Florida's Northeast Region

Northeast Florida, known as "Florida's First Coast," combines America's oldest European settlement with one of the nation's leading modern seaports, with a collection of small up-and-coming towns adding to the local color and natural beauty. Encompassing Atlantic beaches as far south as Flagler County and inland rural communities west to Palatka, the region offers travelers timeless adventures through mysterious 17th-century forts, vast prairie lands and wide beaches lined with sand dunes.

Romantic Getaways

Blessed with romantic ocean sunrises and river sunsets, Northeast Florida will replenish the soul, rest the body, refresh the mind and rejuvenate the heart.

For oceanside interludes, head to tiny Amelia Island, where visitors are greeted by miles of sandy beaches and blocks of lovingly restored Victorian mansions, many of which are now distinctive bed-and-breakfast inns. In Fernandina Beach, the island's only town, couples enjoy strolling or biking along shady streets past stately Victorian era mansions, whimsical gingerbread houses and the colorful "Silk Stocking District." Picturesque Centre Street offers a sampling of antique shops, boutiques and fine restaurants. At the Palace Saloon, spirits are still served from the 40-foot mahogany bar that hosted Vanderbilts, DuPonts and Carnegies in the tavern's heyday. For romantic waterfront adventures, explore the island's Civil War-era fort by candlelight or go on a sunset horseback ride along the beach.

Known as "Florida's River City by the Sea," many of Jacksonville's most popular sightseeing and entertainment activities are centered on the St. Johns River. Here, couples can stroll along wooden riverfront boardwalks and enjoy a parade of riverboats and shorebirds, with the downtown skyline as a backdrop. Couples can also catch water taxis to dozens of waterfront shops, restaurants and pubs. At Jacksonville Landing, a downtown festival marketplace, outdoor concerts can be enjoyed while watching the sunset over the river.

To the south, St. Augustine offers historical surroundings brimming with Old World charm. Couples can choose from several romantic ways to see the sites, from horse-drawn carriages and scenic river cruise ships on Matanzas Bay, to charming open-air trolleys and sightseeing trains. To see sights of a different sort, snuggle close for a narrated ghost tour of the old city, which begins every night at the City Gates. Visitors can also explore the city's past through its churches and cemeteries. From the 16th-century Mission of Nombre de Dios hidden under giant oak trees to the resplendent Venetian Renaissance-style Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Augustine churches and cemeteries provide a revealing look into the more serious matters of the heart.

Romantic accommodations are not hard to find in St. Augustine. The city is home to 26 Victorian and Spanish-style bed-and-breakfast inns, some centuries old, and some which are allegedly haunted. For distinctive shopping and dining, stroll through the city's 11 pedestrian-only blocks. In the 18th-century Spanish Colonial houses that line the streets, visitors will find numerous boutiques laden with arts and antiques as well as intimate restaurants tucked off narrow alleyways.

For more information on the shimmering shores and quiet inland of Florida's First Coast, call our Public Relations Department at (850) 488-5607 or visit our website at www.flausa.com. For a free Official Florida Vacation Guide, call toll free 1-888-7FLA USA (U.S.) or fill out a request at http://www.flausa.com/souvenirs/index.html

Visitors to the Sunshine State can stop by the Northeast Florida Welcome Center located 7 miles north of Yulee on Interstate 95 southbound.