By Lauren Tjaden

Pensacola Beach is famed for its soft white sand, clear, turquoise-hued waters, and for being the home base for the Blue Angels. But it has less obvious pleasures, too. Check out these photos of cool things my husband and I discovered there.

Hey you, get off of my beach! We left this crabby individual alone after he waved his claws at us a few times. Sand crabs like this one are common on Florida’s beaches. And no matter how much sugar-sand they’re surrounded by, they never seem to smile.

What will you find on the shores of Pensacola Beach?

What will you find on the shores of Pensacola Beach?

- Lauren Tjaden

Five Cool I Discovered in Pensacola Beach (4)

- Lauren Tjaden

We wondered at Saturn, and the clear rings around it, on a free star gaze courtesy of the Escambia Astronomers Club at Fort Pickens. The club’s members include some renowned astronomers, and they’ll happily share their knowledge with you at periodic events held in the area.

This dog beach, just west of Pensacola Beach, is sure to make your best friend’s tail wag. Little else is as joyous as the sight of a pooch frolicking in the surf and digging in the sand. And sharing a swim with him is something you’ll always remember.

We stumbled on this beach wedding, just down the shore from the dog beach, and ended up wiping away a few tears. This simple ceremony was made perfect by the backdrop of the emerald water and white sand, and the melody of the surf was the perfect accompaniment to the solemn words that were spoken.

We learned that one strong guy with good technique can carry 20 beach chairs at one time. We met this young man behind the beachfront Hilton on Pensacola Beach. He grabbed 10 folded chairs under each arm, squatted like an overburdened camel, and ran as fast as he could under the weight relocated the chairs. He looked very odd from the back, but it worked!

Five Cool I Discovered in Pensacola Beach (5)

- Lauren Tjaden

Five Cool I Discovered in Pensacola Beach (6)

- Lauren Tjaden

What will you find on your trip to these snow-white shores?

 

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