Reservations are not required but are a good idea. Founded in the 1930s by Abraham Lincoln Lewis, president of the Afro-American Life Insurance Co., who bought 200 acres of Amelia Island ocean frontage as a resort for black Americans. Those who frequent the beach say what really makes it special isn't the topography. Though the beach is nice enough, what really attracts people from Georgia and Jacksonville is the social summer scene from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The weekend-night parties are as predictable as the tide.
Food is part of magic.
Music is a bigger part. But people hungry for fun are the key. A maritime forest and bluffs from chest-high to more than 20 feet. It has hiking trails, wildlife and undisturbed salt marshes. Open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.