The name "Nassau" makes most people think of warm tropical breezes and beautiful beaches at sunset, but if you think you have to go all the way to the Bahamas to experience that, you must not have heard of Nassau County, Florida. Located in the extreme northeastern corner of the state, Nassau County features an Atlantic seaboard and a tropical climate that is much the same as the one to be found in the Bahamas. Yet vacation homes in Nassau are much easier to get to, and typically more reasonably priced, as well!
The population of the entire county hovers around 70,000 with many of the residents living in mid-sized towns along the seashore. The county belongs to the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area, and interestingly enough, was named in the 1800s not after the capital city of the Bahamas, but after a duchy in Germany. Nassau is quite easy to reach by car, with Interstates 10 and 95 both passing through the county. A number of prominent state routes also criss-cross Nassau County.
Former President Bill Clinton has vacationed in Nassau County, which presents visitors with a charming mixture of beach activities and inland agricultural concerns such as the large tree farms that dominate the central and western regions. Fernandina Beach is the county seat. Along with Hilliard and Callahan, it is one of three incorporated cities in Nassau County. There are dozens of unincorporated towns, however. Notable sports figures who make Nassau County their home include Howie Kendrick of the Anaheim Angels and Daniel Thomas of the Miami Dolphins.