Outdoors & Nature Insider

Pensacola Beach Credit: Amanda Mims

Whew!

Listen up, folks - if you are looking for a fantastic outdoors adventure, you have to plan a trip to Northwest Florida. Birding, hiking, biking, kayaking and every other imaginable form of outdoor recreation can be enjoyed along the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

I didn't camp this time, but I stayed in an awesome third floor room that looked down over the beach. At night, I'd leave the balcony door open and listen to the surf; the sound of the waves crashing on the shoreline made for a great conclusion to a perfect day exploring the area.

I'll tell you a little bit about my day out at Fort Pickens, and if you like a good adventure, I can guarantee that this is an amazing experience. Fort Pickens is a historic fort built in 1834 and was used until 1947.  The area around the fort is one of the coolest places to explore, especially since you have to reach the area by foot or bike (14 miles round-trip). You can take a shuttle, but I suggest you carry a day pack, some sunscreen (which I forgot - more on that later), and hike or bike out to the area. You know those disaster movies where towns and buildings are intact, but there are no people? That's what it kind of feels like when you make the trip out to Fort Pickens (closed to vehicle traffic since 2004).

I loaded up a day pack with some snacks and water, unloaded my bike and started out for Fort Pickens knowing that there would be sections that I would have to push through the sand. It's a little challenging, but the payoff is well worth it. Back to the sunscreen thing - I left my sunscreen in my vehicle!  Don't make this mistake, the combination of sun and white sand left me pretty scorched. You've seen all these pictures of me with my hat on backwards, right? Well, that left my forehead exposed to the sun (I can be a goofball sometimes), and now I have a spot there that looks and feels like someone took a blowtorch to it. Ouch! 

The beach is totally empty, and you probably won't see another person for hours. It's amazing! If you want to visit, the time is now. The road will be reopened in late April, and I'm sure that since the area has been closed for so long plenty of people will be making the trip.

Keep checking back for an article on the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and if you are the adventureous type, you should go out to Fort Pickens. Just remember to bring the sunscreen!