Celebrate Pensacola Then and Now

By Lynne R. Christen
Published: April 17, 2009
Last Updated On: March 10, 2011

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Beaches

History

Pensacola

Perdido Key

Join in the year-long 450th historic celebration for fun both on and off the beach.

When Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna’s ships sailed into the Pensacola Bay Area in 1559, a seaman’s journal declared it “the best I have seen in my life.” Over the following centuries, everyone wanted Pensacola, and flags of Spain, Britain, France, the Confederacy and the United States flew over the Pensacola Bay Area, known today as the “City of Five Flags.” In honor of the city’s 450th anniversary, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain praised Pensacola’s beauty and commitment to historic preservation during their visit in early 2009.

This year Pensacola offers an exciting double-dip destination. Join the year-long 450th historic celebration and enjoy miles and miles of sugar-white sand beaches framed by the shimmering emerald green Gulf of Mexico. There’s plenty to do on and off the beach. And, visitors are delighted to discover that Pensacola stays won’t break the piggy bank.

Kick Back in the Sun

Leave cares at home; you won’t need them here. Surrender to seaside daydreams or stay on-the-go. Soar over the beach by parasail. Troll for a big catch offshore or cast your line from the Pensacola Beach Pier, the longest pier in the Gulf. Dive or snorkel in crystal clear waters. For the experienced, the sunken USS Oriskany aircraft carrier (the world’s largest artificial reef) is a must-dive.

Go behind the scenes, too. Rangers at Gulf Islands National Seashore lead free Junior Ranger camps for kids and host full moon walks and barrier island outings. Don’t miss the best day to be at the beach: The Navy’s Blue Angels’ heart-stopping precision air show takes place over the beach on July 11, 2009!

Head downtown, where Historic Pensacola Village and Plaza Ferdinand bring history to life.

Off the Beach

When it’s time for break from beaching-it, tee off on championship greens at Lost Key Golf Club on Perdido Key and Marcus Pointe Golf Club in Pensacola. Indulge the yen for Zen at Fusion Spa Salon, Portofino Island Resort Spa or Beach Club Aqua Spa.

Head downtown, where Historic Pensacola Village and Plaza Ferdinand bring history to life. Visit T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum and turn the kids loose in the interactive Discovery Gallery. Catch a Broadway or arts performance at the beautifully-renovated Saenger Theatre, a former 1925 silent screen and vaudeville performance hall.

Set aside a day for the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola. More than 150 vintage aircraft share space with futuristic motion-based simulators, hands-on exhibits and an IMAX Theater at this premier air and space attraction. Museum admission is free. Get an early start on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings (March-November), depending on the weather, when the Navy’s Blue Angels flying team streaks across the sky behind the museum during practice sessions. On Wednesdays, get their autographs inside the museum following the practice. Find their schedule under activities at www.navalaviationmuseum.org.

While on the Naval Base, explore pre-Civil War Advance Redoubt and Fort Barrancas. Pensacola Lighthouse, the fourth tallest lighthouse in the U.S., has been standing watch over the base since 1859. You might catch a glimpse of one of the ghosts of the lighthouse still hanging around.

Tease Taste Buds

More than 350 area restaurants please all palates. Grits a YaYa piled with succulent shrimp is the star of The Fish House. Sample tasty tapas and trendy martinis at 600 South. Dig into a fresh seafood platter while the kids play pirate on the beach playground at Flounders Chowder House. Get the makings for a world-class beach picnic or a seafood feast at Joe Patti’s Seafood. And, when the sun goes down, nights heat up at clubs in Seville Quarter. 

Stay Awhile and Do It All

From chic resorts like Portofino Island to familiar names like Hampton Inn and Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front Hotel, lodging comes in all price ranges on Pensacola Beach. Condominium stays are synonymous with Perdido Key Beach stays. Compare vacation rental prices and perks with JME Vacations and RequestQuest. Soak up downtown ambience at the new Lee House Bed & Breakfast Inn or historic boutique New World Inn.

Check out specials and coupon links at Visit Pensacola (www.visitpensacola.com/coupons) and Hot Deals on Pensacola stays at VISIT FLORIDA (www.visitflorida.com/deals) Psst! Don’t tell anyone, but there’s a “secret season” when rates drop 40 percent or more.

This article is brought to you by the Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. To plan your own getaway to Pensacola, visit www.visitpensacola.com.