Christmas at Elizabeth Pointe Lodge | Eastern NC Now

    Publisher's note: Please join me in welcoming our newest contributor to BCN, Kathy Manos Penn, a native of the "Big Apple", by way of the "Peach City" - Atlanta. Kathy, a former English teacher, authors The Ink Penn blog and is now happily retired from a corporate career in communications.

    In 2014 for the first time, we left town for Christmas and enjoyed a picture-perfect holiday at Amelia Island. In the past, my husband and I hosted Holiday meals for varying size crowds. The guest list ran the gamut from cousins, aunts, siblings and friends to just my mom and the two of us. After Mom passed away in the Spring that year, we wanted to create a new tradition for just the two of us, one that would make the holiday a little less sad. Our trip fit the bill.

    Picture us walking up the front stairs of the Elizabeth Pointe Lodge to a wraparound porch, and sighing, "Ahhh," as the long traffic-filled drive faded from our memories. The lobby was reminiscent of a New England B&B with the added attraction of an expansive ocean view. The Christmas tree in the corner, the inviting sitting area, and the aroma of freshly baked cookies combined to take our breath away.

    We had opted for the Christmas package, which meant another treat greeted us when we opened the door to our room. There we found a bottle of champagne chilling alongside a platter of cheese, crackers, and chocolates. We set aside the champagne and snacks for later and drove the short distance to Brett's Waterway Café in Fernandina Beach for a late lunch, where we sat outside in our shirtsleeves and enjoyed the sunshine as we overlooked the marina. After a nap, happy hour in the Lodge, and time in the porch rockers, we were so relaxed that we decided to return to the cheese and champagne in our room and forgo dinner out. It was a lovely start to our Christmas vacation.

    Our stay at the Lodge came complete with a daily breakfast buffet, including cooked to order eggs. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast surrounded by the ocean view and then hit the beach for a walk. That became our morning routine.

    The Lodge offered lunch but not dinner, so I relied on the helpful staff to handle our Christmas Eve and Christmas day dinner plans. Our Christmas package came with a gift certificate to David's, so we reserved Christmas night dinner there and a Christmas Eve meal at Joe's 2nd Street Bistro. With those plans made, we knew we'd be able to fend for ourselves for the remainder of our meals.

    Christmas Day we set out to bicycle through Fort Clinch State Park and the quiet town. Fortified once again with a hearty breakfast, we weren't hungry for a big lunch but did want a snack. Jack & Diane's on Main Street fit the bill with their eclectic menu and a huge selection of craft beers. As the day turned chilly and wet, we ended our afternoon with another nap. Dinner at David's that evening was a festive and delicious wrap-up to our day.

    We spent our last full day wandering through the shops that line Main Street in Fernandina Beach, enjoying the historic downtown decked out in Christmas finery. The next morning, we lingered over breakfast wishing we didn't have to leave. Our visit was everything we'd hoped for, and the inclusion of yet another gift certificate in our Christmas package, good toward our next stay at Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, made a return trip seem inevitable. And, you guessed it, that's where we'll be this year.

    Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident now happily retired from a corporate career in communications. Find her book, "The Ink Penn: Celebrating the Magic in the Everyday," on her website at www.theinkpenn.com. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com.