Amelia Island has roughly the same dimensions as Manhattan Island—13 miles long by 2 miles wide—but any similarity ends there. Situated off the extreme northeast coast of Florida, this southernmost of the large Atlantic barrier islands has fewer inhabitants than a square block of the Big Apple, many of those in the tiny historic town of Fernandina Beach at the northern tip. The Omni Amelia Island Resort cuts a 1,350-acre swath across the center, from the dune-lined Atlantic to the tidal marshlands bordering the Intracoastal Waterway. Forest and shade abound, and so does bird life.
The resort has always paid more than the usual attention to its tennis. For 29 years, the 23 Har-Tru courts at its Racquet Park were home to the annual Bausch & Lomb Tennis Championships, a major stop on the women’s tour (the event has since been dropped from the calendar). Attractively and spaciously laid out among the moss-bearded live oaks, the courts (now including 7 pickleball courts) border a large pro shop and a splendid indoor fitness center—complete with a lap pool in a greenhouse-like enclosure. Wicker chairs await on the outside decks, providing a place to relax and watch the action on the nearby courts. One of these is the Stadium Court, an intimate venue framed by a few rows of terraced seats. It is available for any guest who wants to play on the same court where the pros used to compete each spring.
Otherwise, Amelia stands out for its multiple dimensions. Lodging options include the 402-room Omni Amelia Island Resort, a resort that Omni refurbished and expanded both to provide better lodging for the adjacent conference center and to give vacationers the option of full hotel services as an alternative to a condominium rental. The resort also has three golf courses within its borders. Kids can look forward to their own island, home to a well-run children’s program. There is also an excellent nature program, miles of bike lanes to supplement its free on-property shuttle, Segway tours (those one-person motorized pair of wheels), a gourmet market and a dozen or so shops in the village at the entrance and adjacent to The Spa. That attention to tennis is only one aspect of its appeal.
When Omni hotels took over the resort, they immediately sought to revitalize the tennis and to do so brought in the Cliff Drysdale Tennis group both to run the day-to-day tennis programs for adults and juniors and to stage tennis camps.
Tennis Staff & Programs: The Drysdale group installed Rob Wright as director. Originally from Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, Wright is an LTA-certified teaching pro with more than a decade of coaching experience. Since joining CDT in early 2016, Wright has held key roles at resorts across the country, including The Inn at Perry Cabin in Maryland, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in California, and Sand Valley in Wisconsin. Since arriving, he has increased activity, beefed up the game matching and introduced daily themed instructional clinics followed by a drills session. There are also Cardio sessions and social round robins, both of which run three times a week, as well as Quickstart programs for kids, after-school junior programs, and a summer junior day camp. As a guest you can also take advantage of the staff’s game matching services and participate in round robins. Finally, the resort runs 2- and 3-day tennis packages for individuals, couples, and families and for teams—all with the option to customize—and on selected dates runs special Ladies Only retreats and Doubles Retreats.
Courts: Racquet Park has 23 Har-Tru courts (5 with lights for evening and night play) and 7 pickleball courts laid out through a forest of live oaks. Many of the courts are thus in shade—a significant benefit during the hot, steamy summers. One of these is a sunken stadium court, which has a few tiers of seats
Off Court
Beach: This broad corridor of grass-tufted sand extends along the length of the island, though it is at its most beautiful within the resort, where it borders natural dunes that rise as high as 50 feet in places. All the construction took place behind the primary dune line, with strategically placed boardwalks over the dunes providing access to the beach and Atlantic Ocean.
Golf Courses: Omni Amelia Island Resort has 36 holes of championship golf. Coquina shell cart paths predominate (asphalt has been used only when necessary to prevent erosion), and the fairway edges have been flared to prevent runoff from entering adjacent lagoons and creeks. Only organic chemicals known not to adversely affect bird life are used and colorants are avoided entirely. There is also a 10-hole Little Sandy course, arrayed around Red Maple Lake, with holes ranging from 30-125 yards
Long Point: Tom Fazio’s scenic if tight course winds through marshes, thick oak and pine forests, and oceanfront dunes. Par: 70. Length: 4,863-6,567 yards.
Oak Marsh: The first course and still most demanding course at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, Oak Marsh was designed by Pete Dye—his signature bulkheads outline numerous greens—and is notable for its natural rough and use of existing features. Water hazards riddle 14 of these holes. Par: 72. Length: 4,983-6,607 yards.
Oak Marsh Golf Course is currently closed for renovation, expected to reopen November 1, 2024.
Spa & Fitness Center: The Spa at Omni Amelia Island, a 13,000-square-foot island of tranquility designed by noted spa architect Bob Henley, backs up to Red Maple Lake not far from the reception center. Taking its cue from Lowcountry style, this low-slung building has gray clapboard walls, lighter gray trim, and a tin roof. Inside Douglas fir pillars support rough redwood beams in a simple but handsome entrance foyer and then floors paved with slate from China lead north and south to treatment rooms, some of which open onto balconies on the lake. Treatments include massage, hydrotherapy, facials, herbal wraps and more supplemented by retreats and personal growth programs.
The fitness center, whose location in Racquet Park makes it extremely convenient for tennis players, contains a broad selection of Cardio equipment, Cybex stations, and free weights. There’s also an indoor lap pool and whirlpool in a greenhouse-like building with windows on the courts. Both men’s and women’s lockers have sauna, steam, and whirlpools. Personal trainers are available and so are classes in aerobics, Pilates, and body sculpting.
In addition to everything else Amelia has more than 7 miles of biking and nature trails, guided nature tours, kayaking, and paddleboarding.
Children's programs: The resort runs an award-winning children’s program called “Camp Amelia” for children ages 4-10 and is available to guests of the resort, The Villas of Amelia Island and Amelia Island Club member. It operates year-round. Kids are divided by age group (3-4, 5-7, and 8-10) and entertained with a variety of activities. Sessions are $95/child.
Dining: Among the 10 choices, my top two picks are the Verandah located at Racquet Park for its seafood and a southern table and country market called Marché Burette located at The Shops at Omni Amelia Island. For variety, it’s worth the drive into Fernandina Beach to dine at the Beech Street Grill, at once delicious, informal, and very reasonably priced for the high quality of the food.
Accommodations
At eight stories tall, the 402-room hotel provides convenient access for meeting groups drawn to the adjacent conference center, and also lures vacationers wanting breathtaking ocean views, easy access to room service, a mere elevator ride to a living-room like lobby lounge and two excellent restaurants, and the most central location in the resort.
Parked behind the dunes lining a 3-mile-long beach, the narrow, flowing 402-room hotel provides every guestroom with a full-width balcony and sweeping views of the Atlantic. The entrances to all the rooms are on the back side from open, covered walkways with views westward across the live oak and pine forests.
The alternative to the hotel is any of the extensive array of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom villas available through The Villas of Amelia Island in various locations around the resort including oceanfront, Racquet Park, and in wooded neighborhoods beyond. That includes a set of Tennis Villas immediately behind the courts. All the condominiums are individually owned.
Getting there
Seasons: The resort is open year-round. Though the winter months do not invite a dip in the Atlantic, the two pools at the resort are heated and the tiered pool deck also has two hot tubs. The lower rates in the winter months make them good bargains if you’re interested in golf or tennis, however.
Travel Instructions: Amelia Island is 29 miles from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), which is served by all of the major airlines.
I recently attended a fantastic tennis camp in Amelia Island, and it exceeded all my expectations. The instruction from Jay and Scott was top-notch—they were knowledgeable, patient, and truly invested in improving our game. Rob, Gregor, and Tian were equally outstanding, bringing incredible energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to every session. The camp was well-organized, with a great mix of drills, strategy, and match play. Whether you’re looking to refine your technique or just enjoy a fun and challenging experience, this camp is the perfect choice. The Omni where we stayed at, was also perfect, the food was outstanding, we ate at the restaurants that the hotel had to offer and the local place for lunch, and I can assure you, the food was amazing.
If you want to attend a tennis camp, I highly recommend it to players of all levels!
MR
I attended tennis camp at the Omni Amelia Island this past weekend with 12 of my girlfriends and we had the best time! The facilities are beautiful and the tennis instruction was top notch. The pros are high energy, provided helpful instruction, and made the clinics fun with good music and competitive games. Even our longest clinic felt like it went by quickly. We had the best 3 days of sun, fun, and tennis at the Omni and I would definitely come back again.
LQ
What a weekend! The entire staff, from bellmen and waitstaff to retail associates and tennis pros, have been more than accommodating. Our first time at Omni Amelia Island has been met with nothing but wonderful accommodations, hospitality, food, and culture. A group of 13 of us came to FL for a tennis vacation to get us ready for the spring tennis season and the pros gave us exactly what we asked for and what we needed. This tennis camp was highly recommended by folks back home and we will absolutely share that same recommendation for anyone else who wants the same experience.
MS
Janie and I came to Omni Amelia Island last year and had excellent PB clinics with Bryan Gabb and we told him at the end we might bring some of our PB friends from Kitty Hawk in 2025. Well our 2025 group was 18 strong and we had two days of outstanding PB clinics with Bryan, Paul and Jay. What an excellent PB experience! They capped off the final clinic with some demonstration, play mixing participants with the professionals – it was fun and entertaining. We had open play on the non clinic days to work on the skills and strategy the pros taught us. Cliff Drysdale Tennis’s Megan O’Leary and Bryan Gabb did a wonderful insuring our large group received excellent instruction and enjoyed this beautiful resort to its fullest. I Highly Recommended the CDT PB camps and the Omni Amelia Island Resort!
AJ
We planned a last minute girls trip to the Omni for a tennis weekend. We had the best time and loved every minute of our experience. We played a lot of tennis and had a wonderful instructor Jay that was able to handle a group that was determined to have fun. He was funny, taught us a lot and only made our trip better. The only negative to the weekend was that it wasn’t long enough! We’ll be back again and can’t wait!!!
JF
My first time to Omni Amelia Island was incredible. Jay made our experience unbeatable! He is an asset to the club. We look forward to returning. Thank you,
Jill Finley
BJ
We had a great tennis weekend at Amelia Island! Staff is fantastic – fun, responsive, and kind. Jay and Tienen made it fun and had great tips. Rob and the ladies at the desk were so accommodating and helped us schedule the perfect weekend for our group.
NS
Wonderful experience! Jay was a fantastic instructor!
AW
Amazing experience with all you could want to have on vacation!
JE
Gregor, Jay and Amy were great!
Not only was their communication easy to understand, they were fun and friendly and gave an upbeat vibe to our whole tennis retreat.
The instruction was perfect for helping me take my doubles strategy to the next level.
This was an amazing group of pros that I won’t forget!!
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404 Reviews on “Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa”
I recently attended a fantastic tennis camp in Amelia Island, and it exceeded all my expectations. The instruction from Jay and Scott was top-notch—they were knowledgeable, patient, and truly invested in improving our game. Rob, Gregor, and Tian were equally outstanding, bringing incredible energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to every session. The camp was well-organized, with a great mix of drills, strategy, and match play. Whether you’re looking to refine your technique or just enjoy a fun and challenging experience, this camp is the perfect choice. The Omni where we stayed at, was also perfect, the food was outstanding, we ate at the restaurants that the hotel had to offer and the local place for lunch, and I can assure you, the food was amazing.
If you want to attend a tennis camp, I highly recommend it to players of all levels!
I attended tennis camp at the Omni Amelia Island this past weekend with 12 of my girlfriends and we had the best time! The facilities are beautiful and the tennis instruction was top notch. The pros are high energy, provided helpful instruction, and made the clinics fun with good music and competitive games. Even our longest clinic felt like it went by quickly. We had the best 3 days of sun, fun, and tennis at the Omni and I would definitely come back again.
What a weekend! The entire staff, from bellmen and waitstaff to retail associates and tennis pros, have been more than accommodating. Our first time at Omni Amelia Island has been met with nothing but wonderful accommodations, hospitality, food, and culture. A group of 13 of us came to FL for a tennis vacation to get us ready for the spring tennis season and the pros gave us exactly what we asked for and what we needed. This tennis camp was highly recommended by folks back home and we will absolutely share that same recommendation for anyone else who wants the same experience.
Janie and I came to Omni Amelia Island last year and had excellent PB clinics with Bryan Gabb and we told him at the end we might bring some of our PB friends from Kitty Hawk in 2025. Well our 2025 group was 18 strong and we had two days of outstanding PB clinics with Bryan, Paul and Jay. What an excellent PB experience! They capped off the final clinic with some demonstration, play mixing participants with the professionals – it was fun and entertaining. We had open play on the non clinic days to work on the skills and strategy the pros taught us. Cliff Drysdale Tennis’s Megan O’Leary and Bryan Gabb did a wonderful insuring our large group received excellent instruction and enjoyed this beautiful resort to its fullest. I Highly Recommended the CDT PB camps and the Omni Amelia Island Resort!
We planned a last minute girls trip to the Omni for a tennis weekend. We had the best time and loved every minute of our experience. We played a lot of tennis and had a wonderful instructor Jay that was able to handle a group that was determined to have fun. He was funny, taught us a lot and only made our trip better. The only negative to the weekend was that it wasn’t long enough! We’ll be back again and can’t wait!!!
My first time to Omni Amelia Island was incredible. Jay made our experience unbeatable! He is an asset to the club. We look forward to returning. Thank you,
Jill Finley
We had a great tennis weekend at Amelia Island! Staff is fantastic – fun, responsive, and kind. Jay and Tienen made it fun and had great tips. Rob and the ladies at the desk were so accommodating and helped us schedule the perfect weekend for our group.
Wonderful experience! Jay was a fantastic instructor!
Amazing experience with all you could want to have on vacation!
Gregor, Jay and Amy were great!
Not only was their communication easy to understand, they were fun and friendly and gave an upbeat vibe to our whole tennis retreat.
The instruction was perfect for helping me take my doubles strategy to the next level.
This was an amazing group of pros that I won’t forget!!