We watch people unload cars every day: four beach chairs wedged in a trunk, an umbrella that didn't survive the drive, a cooler with a broken hinge. Most of it didn't need to come. Here's what to actually pack for Amelia Island, what to rent when you get here, and what to grab from the shelf two minutes from the sand.
Bring
- Swimsuits, two each. One dries while you wear the other. The air is humid; nothing dries overnight.
- A light long-sleeve and a hat. The sun here is strong from March through October, and the breeze makes you forget it.
- Water shoes or old sneakers if you plan to explore the jetty rocks at Fort Clinch or the tide pools.
- A light rain layer. Summer afternoons bring short, hard showers; they pass in 20 minutes.
- Your own helmet, only if you're particular. Every bike we rent comes with one, in every size.
- Reusable water bottles. There's water at Main Beach, Peters Point and the park.
- A dry bag or zip bag for your phone on a paddle board.
Rent instead of hauling
Beach chairs and umbrellas. A pair of Tommy Bahama chairs and a 7-foot umbrella weigh about 25 pounds and take up a suitcase. We rent the set for $40 a day delivered, or $50 a day set up on the beach for you, standing before you arrive and gone each evening. Amelia Island's beaches are carry-on, carry-off, and nothing stays out overnight (turtles, and the county clears what's left after 8 PM), so the set-up service is the version where you never carry anything at all.
Bikes. A beach cruiser is $15 for four hours or $25 a day, helmet, lock and bag included, and it's how you get around the island without touching the car. E-bikes for the long rides. Child seats, tag-alongs and trailers are $5 a day; don't fly with a bike trailer.
Boards. Surf, body and paddle boards from $10, with the leash, paddle and safety gear. Airlines charge more than that to check one.
The bonfire. Firewood, fire pit, chairs, torches, speaker, s'mores: we bring all of it, November through April. Don't pack a fire pit.
Buy when you land
These are the things that leak, break, get confiscated or take up the space you need for the swimsuits. All in the store, 2021 S. Fletcher, open 9 to 7 every day:
- Sunscreen and aloe. Liquids over 3 oz. don't fly; a full bottle here costs what a half bottle does at the airport.
- Beach towels and a lightweight beach blanket.
- A cooler. Buy a soft one here, leave it with the rental at checkout.
- Sand toys, kites, boogie boards and skim boards for kids. Cheaper than checked-bag fees and they're a souvenir on the way home.
- Flip flops, hats, sunglasses, cover-ups. Somebody always forgets one.
- Snacks, cold drinks, ice. Across the street from the sand, so you're not making a grocery run.
- The tee. Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach tees for everyone, and a hoodie for the cool evenings in winter.
Leave at home
Glass of any kind (banned on the beach), alcohol for the county beaches south of Sadler Road (banned, $500 fine), pop-up tents if you're planning to leave them out (they must be off the sand by 8 PM), and anything you'd be sad to lose to a wave. Fireworks are illegal on the beach too.
Staying in the Plantation or at the Omni?
Pack even less. We deliver bikes, chairs, umbrellas and boards to the resort and every villa, same price as the store, and the set-up service covers the beach in front of the resort year-round. Details on our Omni and Plantation delivery page.
Quick answers
Should I bring beach chairs to Amelia Island?
Only if you're driving and have the room. Renting a chair-and-umbrella set is $40 a day delivered, and it's Tommy Bahama gear, not the folding kind from the trunk.
Can I buy sunscreen and towels near the beach?
Yes, at our store across from Seaside Park, open 9 to 7 daily, along with snacks, drinks, ice and everything else on this list.
Do I need to bring a bike helmet?
No. Every rental includes a helmet; Florida requires them for riders under 16, and we carry every kid size.
