| Let's Do Spring Break in Pensacola |
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| March 13, 2009 |
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Let's do spring break in Pensacola. I was there last week with the VISIT FLORIDA video crew doing a video on the city and their 450th anniversary. What a delightful, delicious destination!
Pensacola is Old Florida with a generous serving of southern hospitality topped with true down home appreciation for inclusive events - did I mention Pensacola prides itself on having plenty of free activities?
Here's a few - free admission to the National Naval Aviation Museum all the time, every day. On Tuesdays, free admission to the Pensacola Museum of Art. Wednesdays watch the Blue Angels practice (bring cameras) and go to their autograph session. Gallery Night is free on Thursday, March 20 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes free wine tastings. Local artists are showcased along with downtown businesses and nightlife.
The first Friday of each month brings a concert downtown with Live after 5. Saturday tour Fort Barrancas with national park rangers, all for free. Saturdays is the Palafox Market, a farmer's market downtown, loaded with artisans, fresh produce, boiled peanuts (don't miss these, they are delicious), plus herbs, plants and the chance to meet local artisans and farmers.
On the weekend of April 4-5, get your jazz fix with free admission to Pensacola JazzFest 2009 at Seville Square in downtown Pensacola. Whew. Look at that list. That is a lot of free things. How is your wallet feeling? Pretty happy?
A special event coming up, also free - Kids Expo on March 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. introduces all the arts groups to kids and their families. This is a huge event.
I've saved three great things for last:
First - the Pensacola Bay area has 52 miles of white, sandy beaches and oh, so accessible. We stayed at Pensacola Beach and walked out the hotel door and onto the beach. Doing a little shell hunting at the water's edge while the sun came up, well, it is magical. You have to be there!
Second - the food. This is a culinary destination. Don't miss Joe Patti's. Their nearby deli serves meals, and the main seafood store will happily cook shrimp for you to take to the beach, your hotel room, heck, they may not even make it back to the car. Ever'man Natural Foods Co-op has a deli and organic goodies. Oh, and the Pensacola Wine Festival happens April 2-5.
Third - want to do something different during spring break? Why not volunteer? You can cook a meal or desserts at their house to serve families with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida, phone 850-477-2273. And Appetitie for Life appreciates two hours of your time, whether you are teens or seniors or inbetween, to help with meals served to the hungry. Their number is 850-470-9111. And you can help make theater magic at Pensacola Little Theater. They need help before shows painting and building sets. Call artistic director Jerry Ahillen at 850-434-0257.
Enjoy. |
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| A hand-carved statue holds up a live oak tree in Seville Square, Pensacola |
| Credit: Lucy Beebe Tobias, VISIT FLORIDA Authentic Florida Expert |
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