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June 30, 2026 · The BlackEvents Team

Getting to American Beach + Highland Beach: The Logistics Playbook

How to actually reach American Beach on Amelia Island, FL and Highland Beach on the Chesapeake in MD. Flights, drives, lodging, and how to combine both into one road trip.

American Beach in Florida and Highland Beach in Maryland — two of America's most historically significant Black beach communities — are 900+ miles apart, but both are reachable within a day's drive of most East Coast cities.

Here's the logistics playbook for both.

American Beach, FL

Where it is

  • Location: Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, FL
  • Nearest major city: Jacksonville, FL (30 minutes south)
  • Nearest major airport: Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) — 30 minutes drive

Getting there

By plane:

  • JAX — nonstop flights from most major East Coast, Southeast, and Midwest hubs
  • Rental car at JAX — plentiful options
  • Drive to American Beach — 30 minutes north on I-95 + local roads

By car:

  • From Atlanta: 5 hours
  • From Miami: 5 hours
  • From Charleston, SC: 3 hours
  • From Savannah, GA: 90 minutes
  • From Orlando: 2.5 hours
  • From Tampa: 4 hours

Where to stay

On Amelia Island:

  • The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island — luxury resort, adjacent to American Beach
  • Omni Amelia Island Resort — family-focused resort
  • Amelia Hotel at the Beach — mid-range
  • Hampton Inn Amelia Island — budget-friendly chain
  • Various historic downtown Fernandina Beach hotels — character
  • Airbnb in Fernandina Beach — substantial supply
  • Airbnb in American Beach itself — limited but real; check current listings

Nearby:

  • Jacksonville hotels — full range, 30 minutes south
  • St. Augustine hotels — historic city, 90 minutes south — worth a stop

When to visit

  • Best: March-May and October-November — warm without brutal humidity
  • Peak: June-August — hottest, most humid
  • Off-peak: December-February — 60s-70s, comfortable, less crowded

2026 signature event

American Beach Healthy Heart Luncheon — Sunday, March 22, 2026, 2 PM – 4:30 PM. Book the surrounding weekend well in advance.

Restaurant options on Amelia Island

  • T-Ray's Burger Station — beloved local
  • Sliders Seaside Grill — beachfront casual
  • The Salty Pelican — waterfront
  • Downtown Fernandina Beach restaurants — variety
  • Ritz-Carlton restaurants — upscale resort dining
  • Consider Jacksonville for a broader dining scene, including Black-owned restaurants

Car required?

Yes. American Beach and the surrounding Amelia Island area require driving between attractions.

Highland Beach, MD

Where it is

  • Location: Highland Beach, Anne Arundel County, MD, on the Chesapeake Bay
  • Nearest major city: Annapolis, MD (adjacent — 15 minutes)
  • Nearest major airports: Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) — 30 minutes; Reagan National (DCA) — 45 minutes; Dulles International (IAD) — 90 minutes

Getting there

By car:

  • From Washington, DC: 45 minutes
  • From Baltimore: 30 minutes
  • From Philadelphia: 2 hours
  • From New York City: 4 hours
  • From Richmond, VA: 3 hours

By plane:

  • BWI — cheapest flights typically
  • DCA — closest to downtown DC
  • IAD — biggest international hub
  • All three have rental car access

Where to stay

Annapolis (15 minutes from Highland Beach):

  • Historic Inns of Annapolis — colonial-era character
  • Graduate Annapolis — modern boutique
  • Loews Annapolis Hotel — full-service
  • Waterfront hotels on Compromise Street — proximity to downtown + water
  • Airbnb throughout Annapolis — significant supply

Highland Beach itself:

  • Very limited lodging supply — this is a residential community
  • Some Airbnb rentals; check current listings

Kent Island (30 minutes from Highland Beach):

  • Chesapeake Bay Beach Club — resort-style
  • Comfort Inn / Hampton Inn — chain options

Baltimore (30 minutes):

  • Full urban hotel supply
  • Consider for combining Highland Beach with Baltimore's Black cultural attractions

When to visit

  • Best: April-May and September-October
  • Peak: June-August
  • Off-peak: November-March — cooler, museum may have limited hours

Restaurant options near Highland Beach

Highland Beach itself: minimal.

In Annapolis (15 minutes):

  • Vin 909 — waterfront
  • Boatyard Bar & Grill — casual, waterfront
  • Preserve — dressed, downtown
  • Cantler's Riverside Inn — Maryland crab classic
  • Various downtown restaurants — full range

In Baltimore (30 minutes):

  • Extensive Black-owned restaurant scene
  • Consider for a proper dinner outing

Car required?

Yes. Highland Beach is not walkable to most attractions, and public transit is limited.

Combining both into one trip

Option 1: Independent trips

Fly to each destination as a standalone weekend or long-weekend visit.

American Beach: JAX + rental car, 2-3 day weekend

Highland Beach: BWI/DCA/IAD + rental car, weekend or day trip

Option 2: The road trip

A full "Douglass legacy → Lewis legacy" road trip from Maryland to Florida:

Day 1 — Highland Beach, MD

  • Morning: arrive Annapolis
  • Midday: Twin Oaks / Frederick Douglass Museum
  • Afternoon: Downtown Annapolis (Banneker-Douglass Museum, waterfront)
  • Evening: Annapolis dinner
  • Overnight: Annapolis

Day 2 — Highland Beach to Charleston, SC

  • Morning: depart Highland Beach
  • Drive south: 7 hours
  • Evening: arrive Charleston
  • Charleston overnight

Day 3 — Charleston

  • Full day exploring Charleston (Old Slave Mart Museum, Charleston City Market, Rainbow Row, Gullah cultural sites)
  • Charleston overnight

Day 4 — Charleston to Amelia Island

  • Morning: depart Charleston
  • Drive south: 4-5 hours (stop in Savannah for lunch)
  • Afternoon: Savannah exploration
  • Evening: arrive Amelia Island
  • Amelia Island overnight

Day 5 — American Beach

  • Morning: A.L. Lewis Museum
  • Midday: walk NaNa and the historic community
  • Afternoon: Amelia Island beach, downtown Fernandina Beach
  • Evening: dinner in Fernandina Beach
  • Amelia Island overnight

Day 6 — Travel

  • Return from JAX or continue trip

Total: roughly 5 days, 1,000+ miles, two of the most historically significant Black beach communities visited.

Option 3: The extended East Coast Black history road trip

Combine Highland Beach + American Beach + other stops:

  • Highland Beach, MD
  • Washington, DC (NMAAHC, Frederick Douglass National Historic Site)
  • Charlottesville, VA (Monticello's Sally Hemings tour)
  • Richmond, VA (Black history sites)
  • Durham, NC (Hayti Heritage Center)
  • Charleston, SC (Old Slave Mart Museum, plantation sites)
  • Savannah, GA
  • St. Simons Island, GA (Gullah/Geechee sites)
  • Amelia Island, FL / American Beach

This is a 10-14 day trip covering major Black historical sites of the Eastern Seaboard.

What things cost

American Beach trip (2-3 days):

  • Flight to JAX: varies
  • Rental car (3 days): $200-400
  • Hotel (2 nights, mid-range): $400-800
  • Meals: $150-300
  • Museum donations, gas, misc: $100
  • Total per person estimate: $1,000-2,000 depending on class

Highland Beach trip (weekend from Northeast):

  • Drive from DMV: $50-100 gas
  • Hotel (2 nights, Annapolis): $400-600
  • Meals: $150-300
  • Museum donations, gas, misc: $100
  • Total per person estimate: $700-1,200

Full road trip (5 days):

  • Rental car (5 days): $400-700
  • Hotels (4 nights, mid-range): $800-1,600
  • Meals: $500-800
  • Gas: $200-300
  • Museums, activities, misc: $200-400
  • Total per person estimate: $2,000-3,500 depending on class

What to pack

For both destinations:

  • Casual coastal wear
  • Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
  • Hat with real brim
  • Walking shoes (for museum + community walks)
  • Sandals
  • Light layer for AC + evening breezes
  • Rain layer (both destinations can see rain)
  • Phone charger
  • A notebook for the museums
  • Prepared reading list before you arrive

Related

Two beaches. 900 miles apart. Both worth the trip.