Featuring a historic downtown buzzing with local shops and restaurants that are located near a quaint coastline, Fernandina Beach has long been one of the South's popular beach destinations.

Online voters now have the opportunity to decide if it is the best little seaside community in the country.

Fernandina Beach is one of 20 nominees in a contest held by USA Today to determine the best coastal small town in the United States. Locations such as Los Angeles and Miami don't appear here; nominees must have a population of fewer than 25,000 people to offer "uncrowded, unpretentious and affordable seaside fun in small packages that prove bigger isn't always better," according to contest rules.

Vote here: Make your choice for best coastal small town

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As of Thursday morning, Fernandina Beach was in third place. Voting runs through noon Monday.

Here is what the USA Today has to say about Fernandina Beach: "Visitors to the quaint Victorian bay side town of Fernandina Beach on Florida's Amelia Island enjoy 13 miles of idyllic beach, a smattering of moss draped oaks and a charm that makes the island feel more Old South than Floridian. Vacationers have been flocking to this Atlantic island since the late 19th century, when Henry Flagler helped transform the wild island into a seaside resort destination."

Other nearby nominees include St. Simons Island and Tybee Island, both located in Georgia, and Florida's Sanibel Island.

Voting is allowed once a day per person through the end of the contest.