Vacation Spots on the East Coast of Florida

Florida's 360-mile East Coast spans from Key Biscayne and Miami Beach in the south, to Amelia Island in the north. The East Coast, comprised of 15 major cities, is a summer beach vacation destination with numerous resorts, hotels and inns that feature championship golf courses, upscale dining establishments, private beaches and a wide variety of on-site activities tailored for singles, couples, families and large groups

• Amelia Island Plantation

  Amelia Island Plantation, on Amelia Island about 20 miles north of Jacksonville International Airport, sprawls over 1,350 acres between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. A Florida Department of Environmental Protect (DEP) certified green lodging destination, the plantation boasts a game room, fitness center, two swimming pools, hot tub, tennis court, and golf course that Forbes magazine calls "the best on Amelia Island." Guest rooms and villas include amenities such as fully-equipped kitchens, separate dining and living room areas, Serta pillow-top mattresses, 32-inch flat-screen televisions and mini-bars. Amelia Island Plantation offers ocean-side fine dining, and family-friendly casual dining at the golf course restaurant, beach club or verandah-style restaurant. The plantation also houses a 44,000-square-feet retail shopping facility and on-site nature center that offers scheduled activities such as wildflower tours, bird watching tours and kayaking excursions. Amelia Island Plantation 6800 First Coast Highway Amelia Island, FL 32034 888-261-6161 aipfl.com

• The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club

  Gayot.com says that The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club's staff leaves no stone unturned when it comes to guest comfort and activities. The Mediterranean-style resort, between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, is a 300-acre secluded retreat that boasts two championship golf courses, a private beach club on the Atlantic Ocean, four tennis courts, a spa, fitness center and three swimming pools. The Fairmont's multiple dining options include a casual sea-side eatery, an open-terrace grill, upscale steakhouse and Italian-American style fine-dining restaurant. The resort's guest accommodations include flat-screen televisions, private balconies, soaking tubs, separate showers, work stations with desks and Wi-Fi. The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club also offers 40,000 square feet of meeting facilities, a three-mile jogging path and exotic herb garden. The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club 19999 West Country Club Drive Miami, FL 33180 866-840-8069 fairmont.com

• Sundy House

  The Miami Herald calls the Sunday House a 1920s-style hotel with a tinge of hip. The Victorian-style boutique hotel in downtown Delray Beach is set amidst an acre of tropical gardens that boasts over 500 species of exotic plants, and gazebo and bench rest areas strategically placed around flowing streams and waterfalls. Each individually decorated hotel room or suite features amenities such as original artwork, private patios or balconies, fully-equipped kitchens, washers and dryers, Jacuzzis and plasma televisions. The hotel's grounds offer a freshwater swimming pool, a fine-dining establishment and contemporary, upscale lounge. Sundy House also offers complimentary beach shuttle services, and is near Delray Beach Tennis Center and Delray Beach Golf Club. Sundy House 106 S Swinton Ave. Delray Beach, FL 33444 561-272-5678 sundyhouse.com