Pensacola’s Secret Season

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Kids salute the Blue Angels in Pensacola

Photo Credit: Lynne Christen

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Reel in the big ones in Pensacola.

Photo Credit: Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Outside the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola

Photo Credit: Lynne Christen

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A view of the stunning sands and waters of Pensacola Beach.

Photo Credit: Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

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An aerial view of the luxurious Portofino Island Resort in Pensacola

Photo Credit: Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Shrimp & Grits a Ya Ya at The Fish House in Pensacola

Photo Credit: Visit Pensacola

Mild weather and plenty of activities make Pensacola a great destination in the fall.

The news is out about Pensacola Bay Area’s “secret season.” Mild days and cool nights bring hot deals on fall and winter stays, and the calendar is filled with festivals and special events. It’s the ideal time for a guilt-free girlfriends’ getaway, adventure-filled mancation, romantic rendezvous or family weekend. And for seasonal visitors, heading south to escape Old Man Winter, Pensacola’s vacation rental rates are among the most affordable in the Sunshine State.

Saving on Stays

Here’s the lowdown on some Pensacola Bay Area fall travel packages packed with perks and savings of 25 to 50 percent. Stay three nights in a beachfront three- or four-bedroom residence at chic Beach Club with complimentary dinner at Jackson’s Steakhouse, a sunset cruise and pampering manicure and pedicure at Aqua Spa.

At Portofino Island, accommodations include a half-day fishing trip, daily rounds of golf and other value-added amenities.

Comfort Inn offers two-night packages with free tickets to Farmer’s Opry and IMAX.

In downtown Pensacola, eight elegant suites at the Lee House Bed & Breakfast are a short stroll from shopping, dining and entertainment in hip Seville Quarter.

The news is out about Pensacola Bay Area’s secret season. Mild days and cool nights bring hot deals on fall and winter stays, and the calendar is filled with festivals and special events.

Harvest of Fun

Pensacola’s harvest of fun won’t blast the budget. In fact, star attractions like the National Naval Aviation Museum and T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum are free. Pensacola Museum of Art also has free admission on Tuesdays.

Step back in time in the Pensacola Historic District, one of America’s first European settlements. Spot resident ghosts at Pensacola Lighthouse, Seville Quarter and 18th-century St. Michael’s Cemetery. Duffers enjoy fall/winter specials on public golf greens such as Osceola, Scenic Hills, Lost Key and Perdido Bay. Avid anglers bait their hooks on Escambia River for the richest variety of Florida freshwater fish, and a hearty catch is just about a sure thing in Gulf waters on crisp fall days.  

Seasonal events, such as Historic Haunted House Tours, Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, Holiday Marketbasket and Winterfest, add excitement to fall and winter stays. Worth the trip: The Navy’s Blue Angels precision-flying team zooms across the skies above Naval Air Station Pensacola on November 13-14 in their final 2009 show.

Flair for Flavors

Because there’s so much great food in Pensacola, the Pensacola Celebrity Chefs Program was created. Five chefs, including Irv Miller and Jim Shirley, make up the elite group that promotes local dining through culinary events and recipes, as well as at their own restaurants. You can sample their specialties at Jackson’s Steakhouse, Fish House, Atlas Oyster House and Deck Bar, Global Grill and H2O.

When Stars Come Out

When the sun goes down, stars come out, above and below. The Pensacola Bay Area boasts the “big five” of symphony, opera, ballet, theater and world-class visual arts. Live music pours onto the sidewalks at clubs in Seville Quarter and on Pensacola Beach. The perfect way to end the day: a beach stroll under a glittering starlit sky and full harvest moon.

This article is brought to you by the Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Fall under the spell of Pensacola’s secret season. Find out more about fall and winter promotions at the Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.