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Get away without driving far(Florida Times-Union, The (Jacksonville) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 26--Coping with higher gas prices used to mean finding other places to shave expenses on vacations -- preparing some meals in a hotel kitchenette, for instance, instead of eating out. But with gas fast approaching $4 a gallon nationwide, tourism officials increasingly see travelers adjust by choosing destinations closer to home. "We understand that people may be cutting back on their vacations because of gas prices, so we're really going to be focusing on local residents," said Visit Jacksonville spokeswoman Lyndsay Rossman. Visit Jacksonville has been running a "Residents Can be a Tourist in Their Own Backyards" publicity campaign that features discounts from local businesses through June 10. Flamingo Lake RV Resort on the Northside has been using the same backyard catchphrase in its local advertising. High fuel prices "have really put a strain on our industry," said Michael Fisher, marketing director for the resort. Still, he said people aren't going to give up on their vacations. "They're still going to use their RVs but they're not going to go as far," he said. Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Johns County will give gas cards to Florida and Georgia residents who visit at least two nights in July. The Amelia Island Tourist Development Council decided to tap its reserves to spend an additional $100,000 on marketing in the Jacksonville area. Gil Langley, managing director for the council, said Jacksonville, Atlanta and Orlando have always been the biggest markets for visits to Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach. Even with high gas prices, he said he's optimistic people are going to take their family vacations, he said. "There are certain things in life that you hang onto no matter what, and I think people will always hang onto that," he said. FOUR GREAT BACKYARD VACATIONS To explore these tourist destinations along the ocean coast from Jekyll Island, Ga. to St. Augustine, you won't even need a full tank of gas. Jekyll Island, Ga. This barrier island's tourism roots go back more than 100 years, when wealthy Northeastern industrialists made it their playground. The island has 10 miles of ocean beaches, extensive bike trails, and a historic town center. --In the tank: 150-mile round-trip from Jacksonville. Gas would cost $28.50 at 20 miles per gallon. --Deep pockets: AAA gives three-diamond ratings to Jekyll Island Club Hotel ($189-$453). --More affordable: Quality Inn and Suites ($129-$179) and Days Inn and Suites ($120-$220 for "June Sizzling Rates") both get two-diamond ratings. --Dining: Mobil Travel Guide's five-star rating system cites five restaurants, led by the Grand Dining Room at Jekyll Island Club Hotel with three stars. Others are Blackbeard's and The Surf Steakhouse (each with two stars), and Zachry's Seafood and Latitude 31 (each with one star.) --Eco-tourism: Jekyll Island Campground ($20-$31) has 206 spaces. --Activities: Summer Waves ($16-$20), Georgia Sea Turtle Center ($4- $6), 63 holes of golf (some hotels include 18 holes in their room packages). --Learn more: www.jekyllisland.com or (912) 635-3636 Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach Frommer's tourist guidebook has called Fernandina Beach and its 50 blocks of historic buildings one of Florida's seven best small towns. Amelia Island features highly-rated resorts on the ocean. --In the tank: 70-mile round-trip from Jacksonville. Fuel cost, $13.30. --Deep pockets: The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island ($259-$709) gets five diamonds, the highest score possible, from AAA. Amelia Island Plantation ($179-$989) gets four diamonds. Through Aug. 14, guests staying in some rooms get the fourth night free. In Fernandina Beach, the Greyfield Inn ($395-$595) gets three stars from Mobil. The rate includes private ferry service, meals, and other amenities. --More affordable: Hampton Inn & Suites Amelia Island ($81-$199) and Comfort Suites ($99-$199) are three-diamond hotels in Fernandina Beach. Amelia Hotel at the beach ($99-$359) completed a $2 million renovation in March. --Dining: Salt, The Grill at the Ritz-Carlton is one of five Florida restaurants given five diamonds by AAA. By request, patrons can even eat in the kitchen. Mobil gives three stars to the Beech Street Grill in Fernandina Beach and one star to Down Under, a seafood restaurant "down under" a Florida A1A bridge. Centre Street in downtown is full of restaurants and pubs. --Eco-tourism: Fort Clinch State Park ($5 vehicle admission fee, $22 for camping) and Little Talbot Island State Park ($4 vehicle admission fee, $19 for camping). --Activities: Kayak Amelia ($55 guided tour). Amelia Island Plantation and Ritz-Carlton have golf courses and spas. Kelly Seahorse Ranch ($60) guided horse rides on the beach. The Timucuan Preserve features historic sites and hiking trails. --Learn more: www.ameliaisland.org or (800) 226-3542. The Beaches/Ponte Vedra Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach are where the town meets the surf. Ponte Vedra is home to big resorts. --In the tank: 36-mile round-trip. Fuel cost, $6.80. --Deep pockets: The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club ($320-$680) gets a five-diamond rating from AAA. The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra ($430-$580) is its nearby sister resort. In July, most room rates drop by $100 at both resorts. In Atlantic Beach, One Ocean Resort & Spa ($159-$659) is the new name for the renovated building previously known as Sea Turtle Inn. Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Beach Club ($199-$764) is next to The Players Championship golf course. --More affordable: Jacksonville Beach hotels getting three-diamond ratings are Comfort Inn Oceanfront ($199-$229), Quality Suites Oceanfront ($199-$259), and Courtyard by Marriott Oceanfront ($159- $269). In Neptune Beach, Seahorse Oceanfront Inn ($119-$199) gets Frommer's nod for value. --Dining: Restaurant Medure in Ponte Vedra gets a four-diamond rating. Mobil gives stars to these restaurants: Marker 32 (three stars) in Jacksonville Beach, Ragtime (two stars) in Atlantic Beach, and Aqua Grill (two stars) in Ponte Vedra. Frommer's value pick is Singleton's Seafood Shack in Mayport. --Eco-tourism: Hanna Park ($3 vehicle admission fee, $20-$34 for camping) covers 450 acres of maritime forest and beach in Jacksonville. Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas Reserve in northeast St. Johns County offers guided kayak tours of the Guana River for $45. --Activities: Adventure Landing ($23-$27), Jacksonville Beach fishing pier ($4 to fish, $1 for spectators). Jacksonville Beach's town center features concerts at Freebird Live. Atlantic Beach's town center is the site of Pete's Bar, which best-selling novelist John Grisham has featured in his books. --Learn more: www.visitjacksonville.com or (800) 733-2668. St. Augustine Rough Guide to the USA lists St. Augustine one of seven highlights for the entire state of Florida, along with Disney World and the Everglades. AAA calls St. Augustine one of North America's 10 most walkable cities. --In the tank: 80 miles round trip. Fuel cost, $15.20. --Deep pockets: Casa Monica Hotel ($197-$323) and Hilton-St. Augustine Historic Bayfront ($229-$249) each get four-diamond ratings. Casa Monica dates back to 1888. --More affordable: St. Augustine covers every price range. Some three- diamond hotels are Hampton Inn Historic ($146) and Holiday Inn & Suites ($99-$116). Frommer's value pick is Monterey Inn ($109-$119). Pirate Haus Inn & Hostel has dorm beds for $18 per person. --Dining out: Mobil gives three-star ratings to Le Pavillon and Raintree Restaurant and Steakhouse. Two-star ratings go to Barnacle Bill's Seafood House, Columbia, Creekside Dinery and Fiddlers Green. O'Steen's, a nothing-fancy restaurant known for its fried shrimp, gets one star. Frommer's value pick is the Bunnery Bakery & Cafe. --Eco-tourism: Anastasia Island State Park ($5 vehicle admission, $25 campsites) has four miles of beach. --Activities: The St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains ($19 for three days). Ghost Tours of St. Augustine ($12), Castillo de San Marcos National Monument ($6). Fort Matanzas (free) features a guided boat ride to Rattlesnake Island. Alligator Farm and Zoological Park ($22) is loaded with gators. St. Augustine Scenic Cruise ($15.75) tours the city's waterways. --Learn more: www.getaway4florida.com or (800) 653-2489. TIPS FOR A GREAT LOCAL GETAWAY Vacationing close to home might not seem like a break from everyday life. Here are some ways to boost the vacation experience: --Don't let familiarity breed contempt. "We have people from all over the world come to the First Coast for vacations," said Gil Langley of the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council. For instance, AAA gives its highest five-diamond rating for lodging to nine properties in Florida. Two are in Northeast Florida -- The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. --Plan your trip the way an outsider would. Part of a vacation is the anticipation that comes from scouring guidebooks and putting together a daily itinerary. One advantage of vacationing close to home is you can do some advance scouting. For instance, you can see whether the bed-and-breakfast or beachfront rental home is really as nice as it sounds in the promotional material. --Reward yourself for saving transportation money. Eliminating tanks of gas and plane tickets will help your everyday household budget. But take at least some of the savings and upgrade your vacation memories by treating yourself to accommodations, meals, or vacation activities whose cost would usually make you think twice. --Unplug yourself from work. A recent survey by careerbuilder.com found 25 percent of workers expected to stay in contact with the office even while on vacation. Breaking fee of the e-leash is a good goal no matter where you're going. But if you're close to home, those workplace obligations will make it harder to feel like you've gotten a clean break from the usual routine. To see more of The Florida Times-Union -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jacksonville.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |