Nassau County commissioners unanimously approved stricter beach driving restrictions on Monday, responding to environmental concerns and an ongoing lawsuit over sea turtle protection.

All of SE Georgia and parts of NE Florida under watch until midnight

The nonprofit Save Historic American Beach is suing Nassau County under the Endangered Species Act, hoping to stop vehicles from driving on the beach, saying it’s harming sea turtle nests. However, a judge ordered mediation, meaning the parties have to sit down with their legal teams to come up with a compromise.

On Thursday, the National Park Service announced that it will be opening a 45-day window to allow for public comment on the potential landmark designation of American Beach, a historic Nassau County beach that was once one of the only beaches for Black families in the Jacksonville area.

From the waterways to the trails to the beaches, here are some hidden gems you don’t want to miss when you venture up to Nassau County’s coast.

It is a fight that has been brewing for years as people in the area say they want to protect wildlife and families.

After decades of pleading with Nassau County to protect their shoreline, residents of American Beach are turning to the courts. They’ve filed legal notice against the county, demanding an end to beach driving they say puts families — and endangered sea turtles — at risk.

Read the latest stories and features about Black History Month and find local events in Jacksonville and across northeast Florida and southeast Georgia.

American Beach has a storied history of being a safe place for Black Americans, and one woman made sure the beach’s history wasn’t erased.

North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) will unveil new interpretative signs at Little NaNa Dune in historic American Beach in Nassau County Friday morning.

As summer comes to an end, many families are planning those final beach trips. One of those beaches is American Beach on Amelia Island. There is a good chance, many of the people who visit, don’t know the storied history of what was once one of the only Black beaches in our area.

A museum in Amelia Island that shares the story of an important chapter in Black history unveiled a new sign Monday ahead of its grand re-opening in October.

A dune at the historic American Beach on Amelia Island is getting $500,000 to help with preservation.

A crowd of onlookers watched Saturday at American Beach on Amelia Island as a group of fishermen reeled in and then released an 8-foot hammerhead shark.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville woman created a fun way for her son to learn about African American history by creating a landmark scavenger hunt. “I realized how much African American history is in our backyards that a lot of people may not know about. Again, making history fun and positive.”Here are a few landmarks you can visit to learn about African American history:O’Neal is encouraging the community to add to the list of locations. If you and your family visit any of the listed landmarks, take pictures and post them to social media using the hashtag #bblrtravel and #duvalaah (Duval African American History) to create awareness and trending topics. As I began to travel more, I wanted to find a way to get our kids active in African American history around the city.... Posted by Brittany O'Neal on Wednesday, October 21, 2020

American Beach has a rich history, especially African American history. Lewis, the first African American millionaire in Florida's history, bought acres of land on American Beach. Over the years, multistory homes and five-star resorts have been built within miles of American Beach and others along the coast. For decades American Beach was home to MaVynee "the beach lady" Betsch, who spoke against changes that would destroy the tradition and history of American Beach. After he recovered, he came to the beach he had enjoyed since he was a young boy: American Beach.