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One Tank Trips From Jacksonville, FL – Horse Stamp Inn
Destination: Horse Stamp Inn
Address: 2418 Horsestamp Church Road; Waverly, Georgia 31565
Directions from Jacksonville: Take I-95 north; take Exit #22/Horse Stamp Church Road. Head west for 3.5 miles.
Details: Nestled on a secluded tree-covered property with expansive green fields, rustic horse barn and a fresh water pond, this Southern mansion has been restored and allows people to escape their troubles for a peaceful getaway.
Family Friendly: Yes.
Cost: Complimentary winery tours and wine tasting are offered 7 days a week from 10 am-6 pm with Sunday tours starting at 11 am.
Contact: 912-882-6280
WAVERLY, Ga. is a coastal Georgia town that is home to the Horse Stamp Inn. The bed-and-breakfast is nestled on a secluded property that houses dramatic trees, expansive green fields, a rustic horse bar and an artesian fresh water pond.
It was the dream of owners Kris and Tom Hutcheson to one day own a bed-and-breakfast inn. Once the sprawling property became available, the couple jumped at the chance to transform it into a getaway for those looking for a quiet getaway.
Said Tom: “It’s very serene, tranquil and peaceful,” he said. “It’s close enough to cities like Jacksonville, Savannah, and Atlanta to be one-day trips.”
The Horse Stamp Inn offers five bedrooms along with a full Southern-style breakfast that is made with fresh eggs straight from the chicken coop. Opening the inn has been a labor of love for the Hutchesons. Kris and Tom attended to every detail when they were getting it ready for its debut.
During a tour of the lodge, Kris pointed out the features of the B&B.
During a tour of the Sea Biscuit room, she said it is the largest room in the inn and, “is the only one with access to the top veranda,” adding that it provides a place for guests to “relax, have fun and reconnect.”
The owners said they hope their inn provides some peace of mind to guests who visit.
“Life can be busy and if we can take some of that load (so that a guest) feels like they’ve really relaxed and leave here with a good feeling and feel ready to go back out and hit it again then we’ve accomplished our job,” Tom said.
One Tank Trip From Jacksonville – Graham Swamp Mountain Bike Trail
Destination: Graham Swamp Mountain Bike Trail
Directions from Jacksonville: Take I-95 South; The trail is located on Colbert Lane at Flagler Beach in the Graham Swamp Preservation Area, about half-way between SR100 and Palm Coast Parkway
Details: Just a few short miles from beautiful Flagler Beach lies one of Florida’s premier mountain biking destinations, Graham Swamp. Situated on The Graham Swamp Preservation Area, it provides nearly 7 miles of intermediate singletrack littered with advanced features including everything from sweet drops, nasty climbs, and double jumps to tight switchbacks, log rides, and gnarly rock gardens.
Family Friendly: Yes
Cost: Free
When you think of mountain biking, you probably don’t think of Florida. But we found a place that’s a hidden gem on this one tank trip. Before hitting the trail. Who better to talk to then local bike shop about the best place to ride.
“Palm Coast has gone in the direction of make it the cycling capital of Florida,” said Tony Libretti of the Bicycle Doctor. “It’s become a place to bring your bike, ride the trails, see the scenery, stay the night. We actually have rolling hills, tough decents, and everything out here.”
Flagler county offers miles and miles of trails. The one that came highly recomended was the Graham Swamp Trail. The best thing about it is it’s free. Just bring your bike and your helmet. Volunteers carved out this challenging single track out of the landscape.
One Tank Trips From Jacksonville – iFLY Orlando
Destination: IFLY Orlando
Address: 6805 Visitors Circle • Orlando, Florida 32819
Directions from Jacksonville: Take I-95 South to I-4 west. Turn right on International Blvd. Exit at Visitors Circle.
Details: You can experience human body flight! Indoor Skydiving at iFLY Orlando is safe for kids, challenging for adults, exciting for teens and realistic for skydivers. No experience is necessary, great fun for all ages, three and up.
Family Friendly: Yes
Cost: Contact the center at (800) 759-3861 or visit iflyorlando.com
Located off of Interstate 4 near International Boulevard, IFLY Orlando is one of only 24 facilities in the world where adventurers can skydive indoors. The facility is a vertical wind tunnel that looks like a spaceship from the outside. From the inside, the adrenaline starts racing as you hear the roar of the engines.
The attraction uses five airplane engines that suck air into the tunnel, which creates the lift for your sky diving adventure. Starting at $54.99, an experienced instructor, like our guy striker, will walk you through instructions
Thrill-seekers receive two flights for 1 minute each. And while that may not seem like a lot on paper, it actually feels a lot longer while inside the wind tunnel. No experience is necessary and the only age restriction is that participants be at least 3 years old and in decent physical shape.
Judging from the experience recently by several kids who were at the center, the experience is a blast. As for the ride itself: One word, thrilling.
One Tank Trips from Jacksonville – Kayak Amelia
Destination: Kayak Amelia
Address: 13030 Heckscher Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226
Directions from Jacksonville: Take I-295 north towards the airport; Take the SR-105 N exit, EXIT 41, toward Blount Island; Merge onto Heckscher Dr.
Details: Northeast Florida offers thousands of acres of tranquil inland marshes that can be explored via a variety of tours offered by Kayak Amelia.
Family Friendly: Yes
Cost: Ranges from $32-64 and daily hours are from 9am-5 pm.
Contact: 904-251-0016
One Tank Trip to Amelia Island, a peaceful resort that offers an urban getaway. “People can’t believe this is here in Jacksonville,” said Ray Hetchka, owner of Kayak Amelia. “We are actually in the city limits. It’s peaceful.”
Kayak Amelia is an easy 30-40 minute ride from downtown Jacksonville. Located in Talbot State Park, it’s close to a major city and feels like another world — especially on the miles of tranquil inland marshes. Adventure seekers can go by themselves or take family and friends.
Prices range from $32-64 and the attraction is open from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. daily. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, bug repellent and a zip lock bag for phone and valuables. Supplies can also be purchased at Kayak Amelia. There is plenty of wildlife but not alligators — they don’t like the salt water. Kayak Amelia is a good place to experience northeast Florida.
One Tank Trips From Jacksonville – St. Augustine Winery
Destination: San Sebastian Winery
Address: 157 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Directions from Jacksonville: Take I-95 south towards Daytona Beach; Take the SR-16 exit towards St. Augustine/Green Cove Springs; turn left on SR-16E; Turn right on N Ponce de Leon Blvd.; Turn left on W King St.
Details: San Sebastian Winery was founded in 1996 and is in a part of the state considered to be the birthplace of the American wine industry, dating back to 1562.
Family Friendly: Yes, for winery tours.
Cost: Complimentary winery tours and wine tasting are offered 7 days a week from 10 am-6 pm with Sunday tours starting at 11 am.
Contact: 904-826-1594
According to historians, St. Augustine is the birthplace of American wine, an industry that dates back to 1562.
The San Sebastian Winery is keeping that tradition alive. Company officials consider themselves pioneers in the development of table, sparkling and dessert wine. Their facility has over 18,000 square feet of space inside, 40,000 gallons of wine storage capacity and houses an automated bottling line that allows them to bottle 1,250 cases of wine per day.
The wine is all made from hybrid and muscadine grapes. In addition to producing wine, the facility offers tours and wine tasting.
Don’t want to do the tour? Check out the cellar upstairs for music and drinks on the rooftop deck. The location provides beautiful views of the city with appetizers. And the best thing about the winery is that it’s free. It’s open 7 days a week, followed by a tasting. Visitors who want to avoid driving can catch a trolley that has convenient stops right in front of the winery.