For those who love their beach holidays with a healthy dose of culture, Pensacola is just the destination for you. Known as “The City of Five Flags”. The British, French, Spanish, Confederate, and American flags have flown over this charming city at various points over the previous centuries. This cultural melting pot has given birth to a vibrant city filled with countless sightseeing highlights.
The first area I would recommend visiting is Historic Pensacola. It is eight and a half acres of museums and historic sites containing 30 buildings with 12 that the public can visit. They have one ticket, with seven days to explore option so you have plenty of time to discover the marvellous history of the region. Highlights include the Pensacola Museum of History where you can visit the replica Trader Jon’s Bar. Martin “Trader Jon” Weissman with his larger-than-life gregarious personality and famous mismatching socks was much loved by celebrities and locals alike, especially the flight students and military personnel who used to frequent the bar before it was closed down. The local naval aviation school is one of the most famous in the United States. Other places to visit include the Museum of Commerce where you can see an antique local trolley car. The museum of industry is where you can discover why lumbering, commercial fishing and brick-making propelled Pensacola from a sleepy village to a thriving commercial hub.
If you want to visit somewhere with pristine natural beauty intertwined with historical importance, then do check out the national park surrounding Fort Pickens. Apart from being a famous military fort, it also played a crucial role in the underground railway programme to help enslaved individuals escape to other states and countries where slavery had been abolished at the time. Nowadays, it’s a picturesque area filled with stunning hiking trails, crystal clear waters and places for overnight camping.
As with the other places along the Emerald Coast, marine adventure is an unmissable highlight of Pensacola. They have unique offerings which you won’t discover anywhere else in the region. Glow Paddle is a fun way to allow yourself to enjoy an evening excursion on a calm, shallow lake with kayaks and paddle boards fitted with crystal clear LED lights. It’s a great bonding experience with friends or family and they’ve developed newer products like glow pedal bikes.
For an experience of a lifetime, try Condor Sailing Adventures. You get to sail on a world-class 40 ft. Condor racing trimaran and it’s never crowded as they take a maximum of 6 people only. Due to the structure of the boat, it’s incredibly stable and it’s rare for anyone to suffer from any sea sickness. It is an extremely rare experience, as there are only 21 Condors worldwide. You can either enjoy the sunset with dolphin watching or book a cruise when the Blue Angels are flying. From there, you can go and check some beautiful luxury properties in Pompano Beach.
Finally, you might be wondering: what are the dining options in Pensacola? If you are a seafood lover, then this is just a gastronomic paradise for you. Restaurants like Grand Marlin excel in offering the freshest seafood. They print their menus daily depending on the local catch of the day. They have gulf oysters, hand-cultivated ones from off-bottom East Bay, BBQ oysters and oyster Rockefeller. Local specialities like seared red snapper and grilled mahi-mahi are always popular with their diners but they also have cosmopolitan takes on classics such as their Hong Kong-style halibut, which uses marinated baby bok choy, ginger, scallion and soy sherry broth.
Other places to try for more casual dining include casino beach bar and 5 Sisters Blues Café. The former is great for casual al fresco lunch where you can grab a healthy bite like an ahi tuna poke bowl and more moreish burger options. The location is superb as it’s right by Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier. At 1471 feet long, it is a mecca for locals who love fishing and you’ll often see redfish, pompano and spotted seatrout being caught. Brunch at 5 Sisters Blues Café is a popular local tradition and you’re guaranteed to see a long queue out the door before opening. They have live jazz performances on a Sunday and they reputedly have the best southern fried chicken along the Emerald Coast. And then spend some time in the local district of Belmont-Devilliers. It’s been redeveloped in recent times and hosts a rich tapestry of cultural venues promoting blues, gospel and jazz artists as well as boutique, independent art galleries.
https://www.visitpensacola.com/
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