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Pensacola | Pensacola Beach | Day Trips from Pensacola
Nestled on the Gulf of Mexico at Florida’s northwest tip, this region takes visitors back in time thanks to its rich cultural heritage. In 1559, Don Tristan de Luna first “discovered” the area, which today is divided into four distinct parts: North Pensacola, the walkable downtown historic district, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. The historic district is the heart of the area. Just across the bay, Pensacola Beach is on Santa Rosa Island, while Perdido Key is farther west, hugging the Alabama state line.
Pensacola
59 miles east of Mobile, Alabama, via I–10.
Pensacola consists of four distinct districts—Seville, Palafox, East Hill, and North Hill—though they’re easy to explore as a unit. Stroll down streets mapped out by the British and renamed by the Spanish, such as Cervantes, Palafox, Intendencia, and Tarragona.
An influx of restaurants and bars has brought new nightlife to the historic districts, especially Palafox Street, which is now home to a thriving entertainment scene. Taste buds water over fresh coastal cuisine from a number of award-winning, locally owned and operated restaurants, and the downtown entertainment district offers fun for any age throughout the year—festivals, events at bars and concert venues, and a growing Mardi Gras celebration.
At the southern terminus of Palafox Street is Plaza DeLuna, a 2-acre park with open grounds, interactive water fountains, and concessions. It’s a quiet place to sit and watch the bay, fish, or enjoy an evening sunset.
Getting Here and Around
Pensacola International Airport has dozens of daily flights and is served by American Airlines (American Eagle), Delta, Southwest, Silver Airways, United, and American Airlines. From Pensacola International Airport via Yellow Cab, it costs about $14 to get downtown or about $32 to reach Pensacola Beach.
In Pensacola and Pensacola Beach, Escambia County Area Transit provides regular citywide bus service ($1.75), downtown trolley routes, tours through the historic districts, and free trolley service to the beach from mid-May to Labor Day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings as well as Saturday afternoon.
Contacts
Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT). | 850/595–3228 | www.goecat.com.
Yellow Cab. | 850/433–3333.
Visitor Information
Contacts
Pensacola Visitor Information Center. | 1401 E. Gregory St. | 850/434–1234, 800/874–1234 | www.visitpensacola.com.
Exploring
Top Attractions
Historic Pensacola Village.
Within the Seville Square Historic District is this complex of several museums and historic homes whose indoor and outdoor exhibits trace the area’s history back 450 years. The Museum of Industry (200 E. Zaragoza St.), in a late-19th-century warehouse, is home to permanent exhibits dedicated to the lumber, maritime, and shipping industries—once mainstays of Pensacola’s economy. A reproduction of a 19th-century streetscape is displayed in the Museum of Commerce (201 E. Zaragoza St.). Also in the village are the Julee Cottage (210 E. Zaragoza St.), the “first home owned by a free woman of color”; the 1871 Dorr House (311 S. Adams St.); and the 1805 French-Creole Lavalle House (205 E. Church St.).
Strolling through the area gives you a good (and free) look at many architectural styles, but to enter some of the buildings you must purchase an all-inclusive ticket at the Village gift shop in the Tivoli High House—which was once in the city’s red-light district but now is merely a calm reflection of a restored home. A guided tour (at 11, 1, and 2:30 and lasting 60–90 minutes) lets you experience the history of Pensacola as you visit the Lavalle House, Dorr House, Old Christ Church, and 1890s Lear-Rocheblave House. | Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza St. | www.historicpensacola.org | $6 | Tues.–Sat. 10–4.
National Museum of Naval Aviation.
Within the Pensacola Naval Air Station, this 300,000-square-foot museum has more than 140 historic aircraft. Among them are the NC-4, which in 1919 became the first plane to cross the Atlantic; the famous World War II fighter the F-6 Hellcat; and the Skylab Command Module.
Other attractions include an atomic bomb (it’s defused, we promise), and the restored Cubi Bar Café—a very cool former airmen’s club transplanted here from the Philippines. Relive the morning’s maneuvers in the 14-seat motion-based simulator as well as an IMAX theater playing Fighter Pilot, The Magic of Flight, and other educational films. Pensacola, also known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation,” celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation in 2011. | Pensacola Naval Air Station, 1750 Radford Blvd. | 850/452–3604 | www.navalaviationmuseum.org | Museum free, IMAX film $8.75 | Daily 9–5.
Pensacola Children’s Museum.
The Pensacola Children’s Museum is the newest museum in the West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. complex. The museum offers a variety of programs for children of all ages, including story time, art projects, as well as a plethora of interactive historical exhibits from maritime to multicultural themes. | 115 E. Zaragoza St. | 850/595–1559 | www.historicpensacola.org | $6 | Tues.–Sat. 10–4.
Fodor’s Choice | Pensacola Naval Air Station.
Locals almost unanimously suggest this as the must-see attraction of Pensacola. As you drive near it, don’t be alarmed if you’re suddenly struck with the shakes—they’re probably caused by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels’ aerobatic squadron buzzing overhead. This is their home base, and they practice maneuvers here on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 11:30 from March to November.
Then stay late—the pilots stick around after the show to shake hands and sign autographs. During the show, cover your ears as the six F/A 18s blast off in unison for 45 minutes of thrills and skill. Watching the Blue Angels practice their aerobatics is one of the best “free” shows in all of Florida (your tax dollars are already paying for these jets). It’s also home to the National Flight Academy, which teaches the principles of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) during an immersive experience for students aged 11–17. | 1750 Radford Blvd. | 850/452–3604, 850/452–3606.
Seville Square Historic District.
Established in 1559, this is the site of Pensacola’s first permanent Spanish settlement (it beat St. Augustine’s by six years). Its center is Seville Square, a live oak–shaded park bounded by Alcaniz, Adams, Zaragoza, and Government streets. Roam these brick streets past honeymoon cottages and homes set in a parklike setting. Many buildings have been converted into restaurants, bars, offices, and shops that overlook broad Pensacola Bay and coastal road U.S. 98, which provides access to the Gulf Coast and beaches. | 850/595–5985.
FAMILY | T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum.
Even if you don’t like museums, this one is worth a look. Housed in the elaborate, Renaissance revival–style former city hall, it has an interesting mix of exhibits illustrating life in the Florida Panhandle over the centuries. One of these, the City of Five Flags, provides a good introduction to Pensacola’s history. Mr. Wentworth was quite a collector (as well as a politician and salesman), and his eccentric collection includes a mummified cat (creepy) and the size 37 left shoe of Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest man (not creepy, but a really big shoe). A wide range of both permanent and traveling exhibits include a rare collection of dollhouses, Black Ink (a look at African-Americans’ role in printing), Hoops to Hips (a review of fashion history), Civil War exhibits, and a kid-size interactive area with a ship and fort where kids can play and pretend to be colonial Pensacolans. | 330 S. Jefferson St. | 850/595–5990 | www.historicpensacola.org | Free | Tues.–Sat. 10–4.
Vince J. Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park.
The latest gem of the city sits on Pensacola’s waterfront and offers a multi-use, public-private park development that is home to a 5,038-seat multipurpose stadium and Randall K. and Martha A. Hunter Amphitheater that overlooks beautiful Pensacola Bay. The stadium is also home to the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, part of Minor League Baseball’s Southern League, and is considered one of the premier facilities in Minor League Baseball. Keep an eye out for tickets—they sell out fast—as well as a variety of other events that fill the stadium and surrounding park year-round. | 301 W. Main St. | 850/436–5670 | pensacolacommunitymaritimepark.com.
Worth Noting
Fort Barrancas.
Dating from the Civil War, this fort just northeast of the Museum of Naval Aviation has picnic areas and a half-mile woodland nature trail. It is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, which is maintained by the National Park Service. | 3182 Taylor Rd. | 850/455–5167 | Free | Nov.–Feb., daily 8:30–3:45; Mar.–Oct., daily 9:30–4:45.
North Hill Preservation District.
Pensacola’s affluent families, many made rich in the turn-of-the-20th-century timber boom, built their homes in this area where British and Spanish fortresses once stood. Residents still occasionally unearth cannonballs in their gardens. North Hill occupies 50 blocks, with more than 600 homes in Queen Anne, neoclassical, Tudor revival, and Mediterranean styles. Take a drive through this community, but remember these are private residences. Places of general interest include the 1902 Spanish mission–style Christ Episcopal Church; Lee Square, where a 50-foot obelisk stands as a tribute to the Confederacy; and Fort George, an undeveloped parcel at the site of the largest of three forts built by the British in 1778. | www.historicnorthhill.com.
Palafox Historic District.
Palafox Street is the main stem of historic downtown Pensacola and the center of the Palafox Historic District. The commercial and government hub of Old Pensacola is now an active cultural and entertainment district, where locally owned and operated bars and restaurants attract flocks of locals and visitors. The opulent, renovated Spanish Renaissance–style Saenger Theater, Pensacola’s 1925 movie palace, hosts performances by the local symphony and opera, as well as national acts.
On Palafox between Government and Zaragoza streets is a statue of Andrew Jackson, which commemorates the formal transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States in 1821. While in the area, stop by Veterans Memorial Park, just off Bayfront Parkway near 9th Avenue. The ¾-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the more than 58,000 Americans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
Pensacola Museum of Art.
Pensacola’s city jail once occupied the 1906 Spanish revival–style building that is now the secure home for the museum’s permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by 20th- and 21st-century artists—and we do mean secure: you can still see the actual cells with their huge iron doors. Traveling exhibits have focused on photography (Wegman, Leibovitz, Ansel Adams), Dutch masters, regional artists, and the occasional art-world icon, such as Andy Warhol or Salvador Dalí. | 407 S. Jefferson St. | 850/432–6247 | www.pensacolamuseum.org | $7 | Tues.–Sat. 10–5.
Beaches
Perdido Key State Park.
Part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, this state park is on Perdido Key, a 247-acre barrier island. Its beach, now referred to as Johnson Beach, was one of the few beaches open to African-Americans during segregation. Today the park offers primitive camping year-round. It is within walking distance of dining and nightlife on the key and is a short drive from Alabama. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking. | 5 miles southwest of Pensacola off Rte. 292 | Perdido Key | www.floridastateparks.org/perdidokey | $3 per vehicle.
Where to Eat
Al Fresco.
$ | ECLECTIC | Five different dining spots (including four airstream trailers serving as food trucks), complete with umbrella-shaded tables, sit within a sea of palm trees in downtown Pensacola. You will find a wide variety of flavors to suit any palate, with Shux Oyster Bar as the anchor and four airstream trailers including Z Taco Fresh Mex, Gouda Stuff Gourmet Melts, Gunshot BBQ, and Fusion World. Have a taco before a baseball game, or enjoy a chilled bottle of beer before walking through the shops downtown. Be warned: this is a fully alfresco dining experience. Hours vary by truck, but all are open for lunch and dinner daily. | Average main: $8 | 501 S. Palafox St. | 850/438–1999 | www.eatalfresco.com.
Dharma Blue.
$$ | ECLECTIC | Geographically speaking, this trendy spot is in downtown Pensacola (on leafy Seville Square), but its cuisine is all over the map. The menu roams from Asia (sushi and spring-roll appetizers) to Italy (pan-roasted chicken) to Mexico (lime-roasted chicken quesadilla) to the American South (fried-green-tomato club sandwich)—and wanders around to other dishes like blackened mahimahi, grilled duck breast, and peach-barbecue-glazed pork tenderloin. For dinner try tomato-crusted grouper with caper-cream sauce, the fish of the day (blackened, grilled, or tempura-fried), or Shrimp YoYo—panfried shrimp tossed in spicy sauce. Dine inside under a collection of Southern folk art, or outside under café umbrellas and droopy oaks. | Average main: $20 | 300 S. Alcaniz St. | 850/433–1275 | www.dharmablue.com | Closed Sun.
Fish House.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | Come one, come all, come hungry, and come at 11 am to witness the calm before the lunch storm. By noon the Fish House is packed with professionals, power players, and poseurs. The wide-ranging menu of fish dishes is the bait, and each can be served in a variety of ways: ginger-crusted, grilled, blackened, pecan-crusted, or Pacific-grilled, which puts any dish over the top. The attentive service, bay-front setting, and signature “Grits a Ya-Ya” (fresh gulf shrimp on a bed of smoked Gouda-cheese grits smothered with a portobello mushroom sauce) keeps diners in the net. Steaks, delicious homemade desserts, a sushi bar, more than 300 varieties of wine, and a full-service bar don’t hurt the popularity of this restaurant either. | Average main: $28 | 600 S. Barracks St. | 850/470–0003 | fishhousepensacola.com.
Global Grill.
$$$ | ECLECTIC | Come hungry to this trendy downtown Pensacola restaurant, and fill your eyes, plate, and belly from the selection of more than 40 different tapas, 11 entrées, and eight salads. Among the tapas are the high-demand lamb lollipops, Israeli couscous, sundried tomato au jus, spicy seared tuna with five-pepper jelly, and the andouille-Manchego empanadas with cucumber cream. To jazz things up, entrées like filet mignon, gulf shrimp, duck breast, fresh fish, and New York strip compete with the light appetizers. | Average main: $26 | 27 S. Palafox St. | 850/469–9966 | globalgrillpensacola.com | Reservations essential | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch.
Fodor’s Choice | McGuire’s Irish Pub.
$$ | IRISH | Since 1977 this authentic Irish pub has promised its patrons “feasting, imbibery, and debauchery” seven nights a week. A sense of humor pervades the place, evidenced by the range of prices on hamburgers—$10–$100 depending on whether you want it topped with cheddar or served with caviar and champagne. Beer is brewed on the premises, and the wine cellar has more than 8,500 bottles. Menu items include corned beef and cabbage, great steaks, and a hickory-smoked prime rib. In an old firehouse, the pub is replete with antiques, moose heads, Tiffany-style lamps, and Erin-go-bragh memorabilia. As for the “richness” of the decor—on the walls and ceiling are nearly $1 million in bills signed and dated by “Irishmen of all nationalities.” | Average main: $20 | 600 E. Gregory St. | 850/433–6789 | www.mcguiresirishpub.com.
Where to Stay
Crowne Plaza–Pensacola Grand Hotel.
$$$ | HOTEL | On the site of the restored historic Louisville & Nashville (L&N) railroad passenger depot, the Crowne Plaza has a 15-story glass tower, attached to the train depot by a glass atrium, and incredible views of historic Pensacola. Bi-level penthouse suites have whirlpool baths. Pros: great location near downtown; amenities perfect for business travelers. Cons: it’s a box; there are more intimate choices closer to downtown. | Rooms from: $188 | 200 E. Gregory St. | 850/433–3336, 800/348–3336 | www.pensacolagrandhotel.com | 200 rooms, 10 suites | No meals.
New World Inn.
$$ | B&B/INN | If you like your inns small, warm, and cozy, with the bay on one side and a short two-block walk to the downtown historic area on the other, then this is the inn for you. The bedding, carpeting, and wallpaper reflect five periods of Pensacola’s past: French and Spanish provincial, early American, antebellum, and Queen Anne. Several rooms have four-poster mahogany beds, and the rooms are large and comfortable, but the old-style furnishings might benefit from a little new-world dusting. The lobby’s collection of signed portraits of famous (and formerly famous) guests is a hoot. The cozy bar, 600 South, has a tapas menu, and a continental breakfast is provided. Pros: perfect location downtown; unique boutique hotel. Cons: not well suited for kids or large families. | Rooms from: $109 | 600 S. Palafox St. | 850/432–4111 | www.newworldlanding.com | 14 rooms, 1 suite | Breakfast.
Residence Inn by Marriott.
$$$ | HOTEL | In the downtown bay-front area, this immaculately kept all-suites hotel is perfect for extended stays, whether for business or pleasure. The location is ideal for exploring Pensacola’s historic streets on foot—rooms in the back have views of the bay—and families especially appreciate the extra sleeper sofa, fully equipped kitchens, and free grocery delivery. Breakfast and evening social hour are complimentary. Pros: self-serve meal and dining options make a family retreat easier. Cons: ordinary hotel style. | Rooms from: $179 | 601 E. Chase St. | 850/432–0202 | www.marriott.com | 78 suites | Breakfast.
Solé Inn and Suites.
$$ | HOTEL | If you want to stay in the middle of downtown action but within reasonable distance of Pensacola’s beaches, Solé Inn and Suites offers a bit of trendy style in a central location for a great price. The staff is friendly, the rooms and lobby have a hip, retro feel to them, and the patio has a cool, throwback fountain to congregate around before heading downtown to dine or shop. Pros: unique decor; complimentary happy hour; free Wi-Fi. Cons: small bathrooms; during peak season downtown location can be loud. | Rooms from: $109 | 200 North Palafox St. | 850/470–9298, 888/470–9298 | www.soleinnandsuites.com | 45 rooms | Breakfast.
Nightlife
Pensacola offers a wide variety of lively places to enjoy once the sun goes down, from Irish pubs to local watering holes that were once the haunts of old naval heroes. You can sample homegrown concoctions at upscale martini bars and the tunes of local and national music acts at numerous live-music venues.
Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom.
This restaurant and bar has one of the Panhandle’s most extensive selections of specialty beers—more than 150, including 36 on tap. A second location has opened at 204 9 Mile Rd. in North Pensacola. | 10 S. Palafox St. | 850/497–6073 | www.hopjacks.com.
Hub Stacey’s.
On the corner by Seville Square, this friendly neighborhood pub has bottled beer, numerous drink specials, sidewalk tables, and a good vibe as well as delicious grub. | 312 E. Government St. | 850/469–1001 | www.hubstaceys.com.
McGuire’s Irish Pub.
Those of Irish descent and anyone else who enjoys cold home-brewed ales, beers, or lagers will feel at home in this restaurant and microbrewery. Its 8,500-bottle wine cellar includes vintages ranging from $14 to $20,000. If you want a quiet drink, steer clear on Friday and Saturday nights—when crowds abound and live entertainment enlivens the masses. | 600 E. Gregory St. | 850/433–6789 | www.mcguiresirishpub.com.
New York Nick’s.
This place is a little of everything: a sports bar, a rock-and-roll club, a shrine to Bruce Springsteen, and a popular downtown bar and grill. It’s an “A+” spot for all the best “Bs” in life—beer, billiards, burgers, and the Boss. | 9–11 S. Palafox St. | 850/469–1984 | www.newyorknicks.net.
Seville Quarter.
In the heart of the Historic District is Pensacola’s equivalent of New Orleans’s French Quarter. In fact, you may think you’ve traveled to Louisiana when you enter any of its seven bars and two courtyards offering an eclectic mix of live music. College students pack the place on Thursday, tourists come on the weekend, and military men and women from six nearby bases are stationed here nearly all the time. This is a classic Pensacola nightspot. | 130 E. Government St. | 850/434–6211 | www.sevillequarter.com.
Vinyl Music Hall.
Music now fills the space of this 112-year-old former Masonic lodge. An impressive variety of bands and acts have floated through the intimate music venue, which offers mostly standing room. It’s also home to 5½ bar, where mixologists create unique, handcrafted drinks from the classic to the contemporary in a swanky, downtown loft atmosphere. The box office is open weekdays between noon and 5 as well as before all events (one hour before start time). | 2 S. Palafox Pl. | 850/607–6758 | www.vinylmusichall.com.
Performing Arts
Pensacola Little Theatre.
This popular little venue for locals presents dramas and musicals year-round. | 400 S. Jefferson St. | 850/432–2042 | www.pensacolalittletheatre.com.
Saenger Theatre.
The restored 1925 Saenger presents touring Broadway shows, concerts by Pensacola’s Symphony Orchestra (850/435–2533 | www.pensacolasymphony.com), and performances of the Pensacola Opera (850/433–6737 | www.pensacolaopera.com). | 118 S. Palafox St. | 850/595–3880 | www.pensacolasaenger.com.
Shopping
The Pensacola area is home to a variety of shopping options. The Palafox and Seville historic districts are enjoyable areas for browsing or buying; here boutiques sell trendy clothing and imported and eclectic home furnishings. Meanwhile, the area’s main shopping staple, Cordova Mall, contains national chain stores.
Cordova Mall.
Ten miles north of the historic districts, this mall is anchored by large stores such as Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, and World Market. There are also more than 125 specialty shops and a food court. | 5100 N. 9th Ave. | 850/477–5355.
Quayside Art Gallery.
The largest co-op art gallery in the Southeast has items by local artists in a variety of mediums. Other shops here display glass, wood, metal, paintings, and jewelry. | 17 E. Zaragoza St. | 850/438–2363 | www.quaysidegallery.com.
University Town Plaza.
This renovated outdoor shopping center is anchored by Sports Academy + Outdoors, Toys R Us, Burlington Coat Factory, and Famous Footwear. Many dining options are nearby and in the complex. | 7171 N. Davis Hwy. | 850/477–7562 | www.simon.com/mall/university-town-plaza.
Sports and the Outdoors
Canoeing and Kayaking
The Pensacola Bay area is known as the “Canoe Capital of Florida,” and the pure sand-bottom Blackwater River is a particularly nice place to paddle. You can rent canoes and kayaks from a number of local companies as well as from outfits on nearby Perdido Key, home to the picturesque Perdido Watershed.
Adventures Unlimited.
This outfitter on Coldwater Creek rents light watercraft as well as campsites and cabins along the Coldwater and Blackwater rivers in the Blackwater State Forest. Though prime canoe season lasts roughly from March through mid-November, Adventures Unlimited rents year-round. | 8974 Tomahawk Landing Rd. | Milton | 850/623–6197, 800/239–6864 | www.adventuresunlimited.com.
Blackwater Canoe Rental.
Canoe and kayak rentals for exploring the Blackwater River are available from this outfitter northeast of Pensacola off Interstate 10 Exit 31. | 6974 Deaton Bridge Rd. | Milton | 850/623–0235, 800/967–6789 | www.blackwatercanoe.com.
Fishing
With 52 miles of coastline and a number of inland waterways, the Pensacola area is a great place to drop a line. Bottom fishing is best for amberjack and grouper; offshore trolling trips search for tuna, wahoo, and sailfish; and inshore charters are out to hook redfish, cobia, and pompano. For a complete list of local fishing charters, visit www.pensacolafishing.com.
Beach Marina.
For a full- or half-day deep-sea charter, try the Beach Marina, which represents several charter outfits. | 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. | 877/650–3474.
Golf
The bay area has a number of award-winning and picturesque golf courses. Some offer beach views, and others are local haunts.
Club at Hidden Creek.
Hidden Creek is known for its lush landscape, rolling terrain, and scenic layout. The public course, designed by Ron Garl, offers challenging play for all levels of golfers with water throughout and well-guarded greens. It’s rated one of the “Top 201 Courses to Play in North America” by Golf Digest. A natural grass practice facility with driving, putting, and chipping areas offers another unique feature. | 3070 PGA Blvd. | Navarre | 850/939–4604 | theclubathiddencreek.com | $25–$47 | 18 holes, 6805 yards, par 72.
Lost Key Golf Club.
Framed by the natural beauty of Perdido Key, Lost Key is located a short drive from downtown Pensacola and features the new Sea Dwarf Paspalum grass from the tee through the green. The public Arnold Palmer Signature Design Course was the first golf course in the world to be certified as an Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary. The clubhouse has a full-service golf shop, men’s and ladies’ locker-room facilities with lounge areas, and a restaurant and bar with indoor and outdoor seating and panoramic views of the golf course. | 625 Lost Key Dr. | 850/549–2160, 888/256–7853 | www.lostkey.com | $35 for 9 holes, $69 for 18 holes | 18 holes, 6801 yards, par 71.
Scuba Diving
Also called the “Mighty O,” the USS Oriskany, a retired aircraft carrier, was sunk 24 miles off the Pensacola Pass in 2006 to serve as the superstructure of the world’s largest artificial reef. The “island” is accessible just 67 feet down, and the flight deck can be reached at 137 feet. A number of dive shops offer charter trips to take divers to the site.
Pensacola Beach
5 miles south of Pensacola via U.S. 98 to Rte. 399 (Bob Sikes) Bridge.
One of the longest barrier islands in the world, Pensacola Beach offers a low-key, family-friendly feel with many local hangouts, fishing galore, and historic Fort Pickens. Connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, the island offers both a gulf-front and “sound” side for those seeking a calmer seaside experience. Public beaches abound in the area, including Casino Beach at the tip of Pensacola Beach Road, which offers live entertainment at its pavilion in the summer, as well as showers and bathrooms. Quietwater Beach Boardwalk, across the street from Casino Beach, also offers boutique shopping, eateries, and nightlife.
Long home to chain hotels as well as locally owned motels, the beach has opened a number of condominiums and resorts in recent years. Don’t miss renting a bike or taking a drive to explore both Fort Pickens Road and J. Earle Bowden Way (connecting Pensacola Beach to the Navarre Beach area), which have reopened after many years of being closed to vehicular traffic. They offer breathtaking, unobstructed views of the gulf.
Getting Here
Pensacola Beach is a short drive (just 5 miles) from Pensacola across the Bob Sikes Bridge (Route 399).
Exploring
Fort Pickens.
Constructed of more than 21 million locally made bricks, this fort, dating back to 1834, once served as a prison for Apache chief Geronimo. A National Park Service plaque describes the complex as a “confusing jumble of fortifications,” but the real attractions here are the beach, nature exhibits, a large campground, an excellent gift shop, and breathtaking views of Pensacola Bay and the lighthouse across the inlet. It’s the perfect place for a picnic lunch and a bit of history, too. | Fort Pickens Rd., at western tip of island | 850/934–2635 | $8 per car | Daily 7 am–10 pm.
Beaches
Casino Beach.
Named for the Casino Resort, the island’s first tourist spot when it opened in 1931 (the same day as the first Pensacola Beach Bridge), this beach offers everything from seasonal live entertainment to public restrooms and showers. You can also lounge in the shade of the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier. Casino Beach has the most parking for beach access on the island and is just a short stroll from dining, entertainment, and major hotels such as the Margaritaville Beach Hotel and Holiday Inn Resort Beachfront Hotel. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking. | 735 Pensacola Beach Blvd.
Langdon Beach.
The Panhandle is home to the Florida District of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the longest tract of protected seashore in the United States. At the Ft. Pickens area of the park on the gulf-side tip of Santa Rosa Island, this beach is one of the top spots to experience the unspoiled beauty and snow-white beaches this area is known for. Keep an eye out for wildlife of the flying variety; the Fort Pickens area is known for its nesting shorebirds. A large covered pavilion is great for picnicking and a few minutes of shade. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; snorkeling; sunrise; sunset; walking. | Fort Pickens Rd. | 3 miles west of Pensacola Beach on west end of Santa Rosa Island | www.nps.gov/guis/index.htm.
Where to Eat
Flounder’s Chowder and Ale House.
$$ | SEAFOOD | The wide and peaceful gulf spreads out before you at this casual restaurant where, armed with a fruity libation, you’re all set for a night of “floundering” at its best. Funkiness comes courtesy of an eclectic collection of objets d’art; tastiness is served in specialties such as seafood nachos and the shrimp-boat platter. Most signature dishes are charbroiled over a hardwood fire, and to cater to those who love the sea but not seafood, the extensive menu reveals more choices. Live entertainment is presented every night in season, with performances limited to weekends off-season. | Average main: $16 | 800 Quietwater Beach Blvd. | 850/932–2003 | www.flounderschowderhouse.com.
Grand Marlin Restaurant and Oyster Bar.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | This restaurant offers unforgettable views of Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay along with mouthwatering fresh local cuisine. Top-notch seafood shares the menu—printed daily—with specials. A creative oyster bar carries the finest oysters from Apalachicola, East Bay, and beyond, shucked to order. | Average main: $21 | 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd. | 850/677–9153 | www.thegrandmarlin.com.
Where to Stay
Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front.
$ | HOTEL | The name is fitting; right on the gulf, this hotel offers incredible views at one of the beach’s most affordable prices. It also offers award-winning cuisine at H20 Restaurant, buzzing nightlife at Latitudes Beach Bar, and a number of beach and family-friendly amenities, including a grab-and-go deli for taking food to the beach and two- and three-bedroom suites facing the gulf. Off-season, you can enjoy the heated indoor pool. Pros: impeccably well kept; great dining; affordable. Cons: chain hotel. | Rooms from: $179 | 12 Via De Luna | 850/916–2999, 866/916–2999 | www.pensacolabeachgulffront.hilton.com | 272 units | No meals.
Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach.
$$ | RESORT | Known for its 250-foot lazy river and cascading waterfall, this gulf-front hotel is one of the most family-friendly on the beach. As one of the area’s newest hotels, it has stylish guest rooms in a cool and vibrant color scheme inspired by the ocean. For families, or adult travelers who are still kids at heart, the hotel offers KidSuites with a PlayStation, as well as an indoor game room and such added amenities as seasonal movies and children’s activities. After sunset, the friendly staff mixes up concoctions at a four-story tiki bar. Pros: indoor pool; beach-view fitness center. Cons: non-gulf-front rooms have views of the parking lot. | Rooms from: $200 | 14 Via de Luna | 850/932–5331 | www.myholidayinnbeachresort.com | 206 rooms | No meals.
Margaritaville Beach Hotel.
$$ | HOTEL | This tropical getaway, inspired by the lyrics of Jimmy Buffett, gives you the relaxed, fun Margaritaville experience with the amenities of a top-notch hotel that oozes barefoot elegance. Directly on the gulf, the hotel offers both gulf and bay views from oversized guest rooms. Pros: clean, inviting atmosphere; lots of dining options; local spa services available. Cons: somewhat off the beaten path to other local dining and nightlife. | Rooms from: $299 | 165 Fort Pickens Rd. | 850/916–9755 | www.margaritavillehotel.com | 162 rooms | Multiple meal plans.
Sports and the Outdoors
Dolphin-Spotting Cruises
Chase-N-Fins.
Climb aboard this 50-foot navy utility launch, which cruises Pensacola Bay along Ft. Pickens, Pensacola Pass, and the Lighthouse at Pensacola Naval Air Station in search of friendly dolphins. | 655 Pensacola Beach Blvd. | 850/492–6337, 800/967–6789 | www.chase-n-fins.com | From $25.
Fishing
Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier.
The 1,471-foot-long pier touts itself as the “the most friendly pier around.” It hosts serious anglers who find everything they’ll need here—from pole rentals to bait—to land that big one, but those looking to catch only a beautiful sunset are welcome, too. Check the pier’s website for the latest reports on what’s biting. | 41 Fort Pickens Rd. | 850/934–7200 | www.fishpensacolabeachpier.com | $7.50 fishers, $1.25 observers.
Day Trips from Pensacola
Inland, where the northern reaches of the Panhandle butt up against the back porches of Alabama and Georgia, you’ll find a part of Florida that goes a long way toward explaining why the state song is “Swanee River” (and why its parenthetical title is “Old Folks at Home”). Stephen Foster’s musical genius notwithstanding, the inland Panhandle area is definitely more Dixie than Sunshine State, with few lodging options other than the chain motels that flank the Interstate 10 exits and a decidedly slower pace of life than you’ll find on the tourist-heavy Gulf Coast.
But the area’s natural attractions—hills and farmland, untouched small towns, pristine state parks—make for great day trips from the coast should the sky turn gray or the skin red. Explore underground caverns where aeons-old rock formations create bizarre scenes, visit one of Florida’s up-and-coming wineries, or poke around small-town America in DeFuniak Springs. Altogether, the inland area of the Panhandle is one of the state’s most satisfyingly soothing regions.
DeFuniak Springs
77 miles northeast of Pensacola on U.S. 90 off I–10.
This scenic spot has a rather unusual claim to fame: at its center lies a nearly perfectly symmetrical spring-fed lake, one of only two such naturally circular bodies of water in the world (the other is in Switzerland). A sidewalk encircles Lake DeFuniak (also called Circle Lake), which is dotted by pine and shade trees, creating a very pleasing atmosphere for a long-distance mosey. In 1848 the Knox Hill Academy was founded here, and for more than half a century it was the only institution of higher learning in northwestern Florida.
In 1885 the town was chosen as the location for the New York Chautauqua educational society’s winter assembly. The Chautauqua programs were discontinued in 1922, but DeFuniak Springs attempts to revive them, in spirit at least, by sponsoring a countywide Chautauqua Festival in April. Christmas is a particularly festive time, when the sprawling Victorian houses surrounding the lake are decorated to the nines.
There’s not a tremendous amount to see here, but if you have the good sense to travel U.S. 90 to discover Old Florida, at least take the time to travel Circle Drive to see its beautiful Victorian homes. Also take a little time to walk around the small downtown area and drop in its bookstores, cafés, and small shops.
Exploring
Chautauqua Winery.
Open since 1989, this winery and its vintages have slowly won respect from oenophiles wary of what was once considered to be an oxymoron at best: “Florida wine.” The winery has won honors in national and international competitions, with wines that vary from dry, barrel-fermented wines to Southern favorites like sweet muscadine and blueberry wines. Fourteen vats ranging in size from 1,500 to 6,000 gallons generate a total of 70,000 gallons of wine. Take a free tour to see how ancient art blends with modern technology; then retreat to the tastefully decorated tasting room and gift shop. | 364 Hugh Adams Rd | 850/892–5887 | www.chautauquawinery.com | Free | Daily 9–5.
Walton-DeFuniak Public Library.
By all accounts, this 16-by-24-foot building is Florida’s oldest library continuously operating in its original structure. Opened in 1887, the original space has been added to over the years. The library now contains nearly 30,000 volumes, including some rare books, many older than the structure itself. The collection also includes antique musical instruments and impressive European armor. | 3 Circle Dr. | 850/892–3624 | Mon. and Wed.–Fri. 9–5, Tues. 9–8.
Take a Tour: Circle Drive. Some of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in the state can be seen while you are walking or motoring around Circle Drive, the road that wraps around Circle Lake. The circumference is marked with beautiful Victorian specimens like the Walton-DeFuniak Public Library, the Dream Cottage, and the Pansy Cottage. Most of the other notable structures are private residences, but you can still admire them from the street.
Where to Stay
Hotel DeFuniak.
$$ | HOTEL | This sweet, Depression-era two-story redbrick structure is on a quiet corner a few blocks from peaceful Lake DeFuniak—just look for the two-tone 1937 Buick permanently moored out front. Each room has a different decor, from Asian to art deco to French country, and contains a combination of period antiques and reproductions. At the hotel restaurant, Bogey’s (850/951–2233), the dinner menu centers on fresh gulf seafood but also includes chicken, steak, and veal. It’s an unusual find in a small town, and one of the nicer places to stay in this part of the Panhandle.Pros: applause for the owners who created a sweet little retreat in the heart of downtown. Cons: DeFuniak can be eerily empty and quiet at night. | Rooms from: $105 | 400 E. Nelson Ave. | 850/892–4383, 877/333–8642 | www.hoteldefuniak.com | 8 rooms, 3 suites | Breakfast.
Falling Waters State Park
35 miles east of DeFuniak Springs via U.S. 90 and Rte. 77.
Falling Waters State Park.
This site of a Civil War–era whiskey distillery and, later, an exotic plant nursery (some species still thrive in the wild) is best known for also being the site of the Falling Waters Sink. The 100-foot-deep cylindrical pit provides the background for a waterfall, and there’s an observation deck for viewing this natural phenomenon. The water freefalls 67 feet to the bottom of the sink, but where it goes after that is a mystery. | 1130 State Park Rd. | Chipley | 850/638–6130 | www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters | $5 per vehicle, up to 8 people | Daily 8–sunset.
Florida Caverns State Park
13 miles northeast of Falling Waters off U.S. 90 on Rte. 166.
Florida Caverns State Park.
A short drive from the center of Marianna, a cute and pristine community, you can see what’s behind or—more accurately—what’s beneath it all. Ranger-led cave tours reveal stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, rim stones, flowstones, and “waterfalls” of solid rock at these underground caverns, where the temperature hovers at an oh-so-pleasant 68°F year-round. Some of the caverns are off-limits to the public or open for scientific study by permit only, but you can still see enough to fill a half-day or more—and be amazed that caverns of this magnitude exist in the Sunshine State. Don’t forsake the quiet, preserved, and peaceful woodlands, which encompass 10 distinct communities including upland glade, hardwood forests, floodplains, forests, and swamps. There are also hiking trails, campsites, and areas for swimming, horseback riding, and canoeing on the Chipola River. | 3345 Caverns Rd., off U.S. 90 on Rte. 166 | Marianna | 850/482–9598, 800/326–3521 for camping reservations | www.floridastateparks.org/floridacaverns | Park $5 per vehicle, up to 8 people; caverns $8 | Daily 8–sunset; cavern tours Thurs.–Mon. 9–4.