Urban travelers don't have to go far to unplug city stress and enjoy Mother Nature's gifts in the Pensacola Bay Area, designated a hot spot for biodiversity by the Nature Conservancy. Turn off technology, slow the pace and tune into the tempo of the tides, sun, moon and stars along 52 miles of coastline, parks and preserves, woodlands and wetlands, rivers and creeks.

Sustainable Stays

Pensacola sustainable stays range from eco-conscious hotels to camping under the stars and "roughing it" smoothly at campground lodging.
  • Find primitive camping on the eastern end of Perdido Key.
  • Other tent camping is available at Big Lagoon State Park, Fort Pickens and Lake Stone Campground. Help nurture nature by adhering to "Leave No Trace" guidelines.
  • Think rustic at the School House Inn and cabins at Adventures Unlimited Outdoor Center on Coldwater Creek in nearby Milton.
  • Scout out eco-conscious hotels. Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front, the Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel and Towneplace Suites by Marriott are Florida Green Lodging properties. Hotels pending Florida Green Lodging certification include Days Inn Pensacola Beachfront, Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach, Holiday Inn Express on Pensacola Beach, Courtyard by Marriott Pensacola Downtown, Country Inn & Suites and Fairfield Inn in Pensacola.
    Turn off technology, slow the pace and tune into the tempo of the tides, sun, moon and stars along 52 miles of coastline, parks and preserves, woodlands and wetlands, rivers and creeks in the Pensacola Bay Area.

Float Your Boat

There is no shortage of ways to get out on the water around Pensacola.
  • Catch a big one on these saltwater fishing charters: A Reel Eazy Charter and Aquatic Charters.
  • Get in on local fishing events such as the 39th International Billfish Tournament in July and girls-only Fishin' Chix events.
  • For some freshwater fishing, cast your line on Bear Lake, Escambia River and lakes of Blackwater River State Forest.
  • Kayaking, canoeing and tubing down Coldwater Creek and Blackwater River with Adventures Unlimited is always a good time.
  • Rent a waverunner, motorboat, catamaran or kayak at Key Sailing on the Portofino Boardwalk.
Take a Hike or a Bike

Park the gas-guzzling car and meet nature on foot or by bike.
  • Put on your walkin' shoes for beach walks and hikes along nature trails like Edward Ball Nature Preserve Trail, Naval Live Oaks and Big Lagoon State Park, or take a ranger-led full moon walk. Search for Pensacola running clubs and annual running events to get in on the action.
  • Rent a bike at Tiki Island on Pensacola Beach and ride east along the dunes and Gulf of Mexico.
Flora and Fauna

See how many of the 300 resident and visiting water birds you can spot along Project GreenShores habitat on Bayfront Parkway.

Go eye-to-eye with denizens of the deep on dive trips over Timber Hole limestone reefs and shipwrecks like the USS Massachusetts, Antares and USS Oriskany (the "Mighty O" is recommended for experienced divers only).
  • Check out Bay Breeze Dive Center, Dr. Dive and Eazy Dive.
  • Marvel at, but don't disturb, federally-protected mammoth sea turtles that crawl laboriously on shore to lay their eggs during the summer.
Polish Putts

If golf is your idea of getting outdoors, Pensacola greens offer plenty of play along woodlands and wetlands.
  • Try your luck at Lost Key Golf Club on Perdido Key (the first golf course designated an Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary), Marcus Point Golf Club, Scenic Hills and Osceola Municipal Golf Course in Pensacola.
This article is brought to you by the Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. To plan your own getaway to the Pensacola Bay Area, call 800-874-1234 or visit www.visitpensacola.com.