I am traveling to Jacksonville on business in a couple of weeks and wanted to get a little lighthousing done while there.

Here is my dilemma, I only have one extra day, which is Saturday, and I have a return flight at 5:30 pm.

I arrive Sunday at 2:00 pm. Given the lateness of my arrival, I figured the only light I would be able to on that day would be to drive down to St Augustine.

What other lights might I have the opportunity to go see and still be back in time to catch my return flight? I have no problem with getting up early to start.

Any suggestions (other than changing my return flight to Sunday lol) would be appreciated!

Amelia is just north of Jacksonville and Ponce DeLeon is about an hour and a half south. You should be able to see all three of those in a day.

Seeing St. Augustine on Sunday would be a good choice. This is one you can climb and you can see the fort from the top. It will cost $7.50 to climb and is open till 6:00 (I guess you need to be there by 5:00 to climb). The gift shop includes a selection of Harbour Lights.

The almost full day (Saturday) you could go north to Mayport to see St. Johns River and St. Johns. "IF" you can get on the base, you could get up close pictures (I have been turn down twice). However,if turned away, while near the main gate (Mayport Road)go to Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park (within a block or two). Go to the beach on the north part of the park. There is a fence with a guard on the other side nearby. You should be able to get a some what distance picture from there. After you leave pick up A1A north. You will be driving around the base as the road heads northeast, ahead and to the right you will see the lighthouse for a moment or two. When you see some houses on the right side turn into the neighborhood at Palmer Street, which will deadend to Broad Street (go left) and the lighthouse should be on your right, just the other side of the fence. Go should be able to get a good picture.

Now if you got up early Amelia Island could be done. If so, we will be close to the Car Ferry after you take your St. John's River Lighthouse picture. There is a fee. As you cross the river look behind you and you can see the top of the lighthouse again. After crossing the river take A1A to Fernandinia Beach turn right on Atlantic Ave. Look for 20th Street and take a left. Turn right at Highland Street then left to Lighthouse Circle. Now start looking for a narrow driveway. The address is 215 1/2. The driveway runs between two houses, so you need to drive slow to see it. There is a gate that most likely will be closed but you can get a picture from there (the trees do block part of the view). The area around the lighthouse is a residential neighborhood and water. The lighthouse is suppose to have tours in the future, but it seems to be slow going. Another possible shot is from Fort Clinch Park, but part of the lighthouse will be block with trees, but the top should show up well if you have a zoom lens.

If you do Amelia you may want to come back via I-95 to save a little time. Be sure to check distances and realize most of A1A is two lane.
HAPPY LIGHTHOUSE HUNTING.

Since you will be in Jax, I might think about doing Mayport and Amelia on Sunday after you arrive. Presuming your plane is on time, it will still be 3 PM before you get your rental car and get onto the road. If you have not been to St. Simons, I would actually start there, then stop at Amelia and take the ferry across the river, catching Mayport just after you leave the ferry. If you don't have a military ID or an escort you are not going to get onto the Naval Station. The St. Johns light (new one on the beach) isn't that great a light as I recall. You can get decent pics of the Mayport Light thru the fence unless they have "tightened up" the gap between the gate and the fence itself.

Go south on Saturday. Start at Ponce Inlet and then visit St. Augustine on your way back. Do allow plenty of time - traffic on the interstate can come to a screeching halt (as in a 3 lane parking lot, which I have had the pleasure of being caught in). Ponce is a great visit, especially with the fantastic lens display (two first orders!).

Thanks for all the info guys!

I would definately try and see St Simons on Sunday and if time permits on Sunday try for Amelia Island. If all you get to see on Sunday is St. Simons, then you might be able to squeeze in Amelia and Mayport one day during the week if you skip out around 2 PM and haul buggy. Saturday I would do as Dave said and get up early. I think Ponce opens at 9AM but it is about a 2 hr drive from Jacksonville(average) on I-95 and after Ponce drive up to St. Augustine by I-95 and you can be there in about an hour. The more scenic route is A1A but some of the road was washed out from Ophelia and even if the road was great, the traffic is awful. Depending on if you are at Ponce at 9 AM and leave by 10:30 AM you could be at St Augustine by 11:30 AM. If you left St. Augustine by 1 PM you could still make Mayport by 2:30 PM and leave by 3:00 PM and still get to the airport by 4:30 PM. You would not have much time too spare so it would be better to take some time during the week to see Amelia and Mayport.

Thanks for your view point Rich. Unfortunately, the reason I'm going to JAX is for a 5-day training class. Don't think I'll be able to "bug-out" early on any day even Friday. I'm going to have to lay all the options out and make some decisions.

As I don't have a fancy camera with a zoom lens (next on my shopping list after the plastic cools down from the reunion trip ), I'm leaning towards skipping the St John's lights.

Mel, the St. Johns River Light sits next to the fence of the Naval Station. You can see it easily from the fence. There was (probably still is) a gate right there that had a gap more than large enough to easily fit your camera thru to get a decent picture. This is the light that is near the ferry across the river.

The St. Johns Light (newer one) ain't nothing to write home about and you could better spend your time traveling to another light to visit.

Of the lights presented, the three that I would consider "must visit" lights are St. Simons, Ponce Inlet and St. Augustine. You can climb all three and each is well cared for.

You realize that we will expect a trip report and pictures.

St. Simons is very nice, however, it is not a Florida Lighthouse.

You are correct, Eric, but given a limited amount of time to visit lights, a trip to St. Simons is a much better time investment than Amelia and the two St. Johns lights combined. IMO. Jax is barely in FL anyways.....