06/04/2026
From the Retreat:
We had the best time exploring the island during our Celebrating Amelia Island Signature Experience! 🗺️🌴✨
We spent the day seeing what makes the island we call home so special. ❤️ We kicked things off by diving into local history with a visit from our friends at the Amelia Island History Museum. These historians told us the tale of one of the island’s most famous trees, complete with a theatrical reenactment—Kate’s tree, named after Katherine MacDonell Bailey, who saved it. The city wanted to cut down the tree in the middle of Ash St., near 8th St., for expansion, but when the removal crews arrived, Kate protested. Her efforts convinced the city to create an alternative route for the road. Not only did she protect this stunning landmark, but she even wrote the Fernandina High School alma mater. How cool is that?! And what better way to celebrate Amelia Island than with a lunch made with fresh and local Mayport shrimp, caught just down the road from us in Jacksonville. 🦀 We gathered to enjoy a delicious meal before spending the afternoon on the water together. ⛵️ We hopped aboard the Amelia River Cruise, where we got to sightsee at all of our favorite local destinations, including Cumberland Island, where the Carnegie family's wild horses live. It was a day full of history, learning, and, of course, our favorite local flavors. 🌟