I’ve lived in Florida for years and traveled throughout the state, from Miami to Jacksonville and Tampa to Panama Metropolis, however there’s nothing like Pensacola.
It has the laid-back chill of Key West with the white-sand seashores of Sarasota in addition to the distinctive historical past that comes from dwelling below 5 flags because it was settled again in 1559.
And Pensacola is completely positioned for street journeys. You possibly can simply jump over to Destin or Panama Metropolis Seaside and again in a day. You’re solely three hours from New Orleans, proper off I-10 going west. Or you possibly can drive about the identical distance east to hit the state capital of Tallahassee.
However there are lots of extra sudden day-trip locations near Pensacola. You don’t want simply any seaside city (Pensacola has shoreline in spades) — you need one thing completely different. Listed below are 4 you shouldn’t miss:
- Seaside, an unbelievably Instagrammable waterfront deliberate group that’s lower than a two-hour scenic drive from Pensacola
- Perdido Key, a barrier island stuffed with pristine nature, solely a half hour from downtown
- Cellular, the massive metropolis, jam-packed with museums, about an hour west on I-10
- DeFuniak Springs, the basic Florida small city, hiding antiques and downright fabulous meals, simply over an hour away
Pensacola makes a great dwelling base for all of those day journeys. You would possibly even need to in a single day in considered one of them as I did in DeFuniak Springs (with ghosts!) to stretch out your journey.
Able to get began in your Gulf Coast household street journey? Right here’s the place to remain, play, and dine in Pensacola and past.
The place To Keep in Pensacola
To essentially take pleasure in a seaside city, you need to take advantage of it and keep on the seaside. Our keep on the Vacation Inn Resort Pensacola Seaside was one of many highlights of our journey.
They’ve a great deal of household perks, together with KidSuites with PlayStation and one heckuva pool deck. This factor had a lazy river, floaties, waterfalls, a tiki bar, seaside entry, and dwell leisure together with pirates and mermaids for the summer time and music and films on the weekend.
Pensacola Seaside balcony beachfront room with a gulf view on the Vacation Inn Resort
Begin your day with a scrumptious breakfast and unwind within the cocktail lounge on the finish of the evening. I like to recommend getting a balcony room — we noticed each dawn and sundown since we have been going through south — and probably the most comfy mattress you possibly can think about. Save a day to hang around on the resort and simply loosen up.
Pensacola Seaside pool deck on the Vacation Inn Resort Pensacola Seaside
Plus, every thing on Pensacola Seaside is strolling distance, which makes it tremendous handy on the finish of a busy day of sightseeing while you need to head to dinner or if you wish to spend the day on the water fishing, kayaking, or lounging.
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Issues for Households To Do in Pensacola
There’s a lot that I can’t listing every thing, however listed here are the highest stuff you shouldn’t miss in Pensacola.
Go to Fort Pickens on the Gulf Islands Nationwide Seashore. If I needed to decide a favourite attraction, Fort Pickens can be it. You possibly can climb pre-Civil Conflict fortress partitions, see cannons, try the Discovery Heart, {photograph} panoramic views, take ranger-led excursions, or simply admire the ocean oats waving atop rolling dunes that appear to be snow. Even the drive to the tip of Santa Rosa Island is attractive, and your parking cross is sweet for every week.
Pensacola’s historic Fort Pickens
Watch the Blue Angels, and tour the aviation museum. Possibly you’re not tremendous into aviation? Me both. However adults and children alike may have a blast on the Nationwide Naval Aviation Museum. It’s extremely effectively accomplished with interactive touchscreens and autos you possibly can climb inside. In case you’re on the town when the Blue Angels are performing, don’t miss their present.
Airplanes on the Pensacola Nationwide Naval Aviation Museum
Stroll the Pensacola Boardwalk and the pier. The boardwalk is Pensacola Seaside’s go-to spot for purchasing, swimming, snacks, and simply strolling round. The 1,471-foot pier, the place severe and beginner anglers catch Gulf fish like pompano and mahi-mahi, is true off the boardwalk, making this a great twofer vacation spot while you need some sand, solar, and possibly ice cream too.
Discover downtown and the historic village. A part of the attraction of Pensacola is that it has a correct downtown in addition to seashores. I’m speaking breweries and bookshops, a meals corridor and nice eating, and murals galore. Go to the Palafox Pier, historical past museum, and artwork museum. The Historic Pensacola Village, that includes a number of properties and a church from Pensacola’s previous, delivered to life with the assistance of dwelling historical past interpreters, is a should for households.
Pensacola Florida historical past village demonstration downtown, photograph courtesy of Go to Pensacola
Chill out on the seaside. It bears repeating. Even for those who’re not staying on Pensacola Seaside, it’s worthwhile to save at the least a half day to go over and see what all of the fuss is about. That is the whitest, softest quartz sand, washed down from the Appalachian Mountains.
There’s additionally a cool youngsters’s museum, a lighthouse, yet one more historic fort, dwell theater, annual occasions like November’s Foo Foo Pageant and April’s crawfish competition, and nighttime paddling in LED-lit clear kayaks — all value having fun with you probably have the time.
I’d plan round every week to see the sights and do just a few day journeys.
The place To Eat in Pensacola
On the subject of eating in Pensacola, you’ve bought to strive the recent seafood.
We loved the dreamy shrimp tacos and yum bowl at Crimson Fish Blue Fish, proper throughout from our lodge on Pensacola Seaside. Did the waterfront views and the chillax ambiance with garden video games and tremendous pleasant service make the meals style a bit bit higher? Yeah, in all probability.
Pensacola Seaside garden video games and enjoying at Crimson Fish Blue Fish, photograph courtesy of Go to Pensacola
My decide for eating downtown is The Backyard on Palafox + Major. There are over 10 locations to eat and drink on this open-air but lined meals corridor that stays surprisingly cool even when the solar is blazing. With every thing from tacos to fried hen, everybody within the household can get what they need.
Pensacola’s downtown meals corridor The Backyard on Palafox + Major
I attempted some genuine Peruvian meals from Leaping Lomo, together with the lomo saltado, a zesty dish with marinated beef, and a lucuma smoothie, produced from a South American fruit that just about tastes like butterscotch — extremely really helpful! I may vouch for the recent and wholesome bowls Bluefin Poké, which has grilled hen, shrimp, and extra for those who’re not into uncooked fish.
Now that you simply’ve sampled a bit of what Pensacola has to supply, it’s time for extra Gulf Coast street journey enjoyable.
DeFuniak Springs: Historic Attraction, Native Taste
Take a day away from the waterfront to go to considered one of Florida’s basic small cities, DeFuniak Springs. Their historic downtown is stuffed with boutiques, eateries, and antiques subsequent to a 260-acre park with a superbly spherical lake, considered one of solely two on the planet. They repeatedly host particular occasions — we occurred to be on the town for a boisterous Oktoberfest — however the Christmas gentle present on the lake is the annual favourite.
Elsewhere, the historic district flaunts Victorian properties amid moss-draped oaks, the oldest repeatedly operated library within the state, a depot transformed right into a free historical past museum, and the majestic Resort Defuniak.
The lodge has been superbly restored with mosaic flooring and a gleaming brass ceiling within the foyer. Previous-timey touches abound, like the important thing rack behind the entrance desk and classic furnishings, however these aren’t the one throwbacks — just a few ghosts who’ve lived and died on this century-old constructing are hanging round too. Paranormal investigators repeatedly report preternatural exercise, and several other unusual sounds and sightings have been witnessed by lodge guests.
Historic Resort Defuniak parlor is simply off the foyer
In case you’re curious, prolong your day journey to an in a single day and see what it’s all about. Nothing spooky occurred throughout our keep, however the reminiscence of these moist, candy better-than-New-Orleans beignets, provided within the morning to lodge friends, nonetheless haunts my desires, so there’s that.
In reality, Café Nola was the spotlight of our keep. This Creole restaurant serving up Nawlins classics like shrimp and grits, po-boys, and jambalaya ranks amongst 10 greatest locations I’ve ever had dinner — and that’s after 15 years {of professional} meals and journey writing, thoughts you.
It wasn’t simply that it was good Creole delicacies. It was the distinctive spin Chef Ernie placed on every thing. There was a particular “rougarou” pasta that evening (named for the legendary bayou creature) made with recent gnocchi that was so silky, so delicately decadent that it’s onerous to explain it as something in addition to excellent. We additionally tried the crawfish étouffée and gumbo with recent bakery bread on the aspect. However the star of the meal was on the backside of the menu, a dish referred to as Redfish NOLA, filled with crabmeat and topped with creamy shrimp and lobster sauce. Greatest fish I’ve ever eaten, palms down.
A redfish platter and Cajun delicacies at Cafe Nola
The parts have been beneficiant — we had leftovers — and the ambiance is upscale however nonetheless welcoming to households.
In case you do keep in DeFuniak Springs a bit longer, close by Morrison Springs, common with divers, is an efficient cease for attainable manatee and sea turtle sightings. And wine aficionados ought to cease by Chautauqua Vineyard for candy muscadine wines with tropical and floral notes reflecting their environment.
Seaside: Florida’s Image-Excellent Seaside City
There are two methods to get to the oh-so-charming city of Seaside from Pensacola. Take the interstate to get there quick and keep away from stoplights or go for Freeway 98 alongside the gulf. Relying on visitors, they’ll take virtually the identical period of time — slightly below two hours — however the waterfront route is fewer miles and extra enjoyable for those who’re not in a rush.
Nevertheless you get there, it’s worthwhile to go to Seaside.
A shaded path in Seaside, Florida, photograph courtesy of Walton County Tourism
It’s onerous to explain the magic of this deliberate group, however possibly the intentional design explains a few of it. Roads finish in beachfront pavilions, the city heart is true on the water, and there’s a small city America vibe that blends “Norman Rockwell” with “island seaside paradise.”
Seaside isn’t an island, however it has that world unto itself type of really feel. The city is walkable and bikeable, persons are pleasant, and the photograph ops are almost limitless. Snap an image of the large, purple-hued Vincent Scully mural, the not-too-crowded seaside, the seasonally adorned and adorably petite publish workplace, or the quiet park at Ruskin Place the place the youngsters can hunt for the hidden fairy forest on the north aspect of the plaza.
View of Coleman Pavilion and the seaside in Seaside, photograph courtesy of Walton County Tourism
You possibly can simply whereas away just a few hours simply exploring, hopping into artwork galleries or visiting boutiques to seek out native souvenirs like jewellery, decor, and summery garments. Youngsters will particularly just like the whimsical toys at Duckies.
If you’re hungry, head to the Nice Southern Café for fabulous Southern delicacies infused with international flavors. They do plenty of recent seafood from the gulf — you possibly can’t go improper with the catch of the day — in addition to burgers, uncooked oysters, and one thing great referred to as “Grits a Ya Ya.” That is their tackle shrimp and grits: blackened shrimp, smoked bacon, portobello mushrooms, and smoked Gouda grits. I’m used to shrimp and grits which can be a bit oily, however as you possibly can see from the pic, that’s not the case right here.
Grits a Ya Ya at The Nice Southern Cafe? in Seaside
Get pleasure from lunch on the porch in paradise as you sip one thing refreshing (they do mocktails too!) and simply take in the scene.
Perdido Key: Pristine Pure Magnificence
Solely half-hour from downtown Pensacola, Perdido Key isn’t a high-commitment day journey for those who solely have a day to spare, however you possibly can positively make a day of it.
It’s quieter than its sister metropolis to the east, however nature lovers will take pleasure in exploring the numerous parks, together with:
- Huge Lagoon State Park, greatest for water-based enjoyable like boating, paddling, and fishing in addition to the three-story remark tower for unparalleled views and birdwatching
- Tarkiln Bayou State Park, 4,000 acres of nature trails and a boardwalk for mountaineering by uncommon and endangered vegetation
- Perdido Key State Park, proper throughout from the guests heart and boasting flawless, crowd-free seashores made for sandcastles, swimming, and sundown images
We really visited Perdido Key earlier than Pensacola, and it was a good way to slip into our trip. Perdido Secret’s laid-back and scenic, a completely nice place to unwind as you kick off your Gulf Coast household street journey.
Perdido Key State Park seaside at sundown
Whilst you’re on Perdido Key, seize dinner on the common Flora-Bama Yacht Membership, which, opposite to the title, isn’t all polo shirts and who’s-who fanciness. They’re extra good meals, good drinks, no fuss. There are TVs enjoying sports activities, greenback payments papered to the picket posts, and locals in flip-flops who come right here as a result of they know the meals is sweet. I appreciated that that they had wholesome choices, like my seared tuna on a raspberry pecan salad that had simply the precise stability of candy, salty, and umami.
Flora-Bama Yacht Membership options shrimp nachos and ahi tuna salad
We took an opportunity on the Greek shrimp nachos, a flavorful mound of wonton chips sufficiently big to share, strewn with Gulf shrimp, feta, onions, peppadews, olives, and extra. However they’ve so many nice choices: plenty of NOLA delicacies, crab desserts, uncooked oysters, pasta, sandwiches, seafood platters, and, for those who actually need to splurge, their signature dessert, beignet fries served with white chocolate ganache. It’s the right ending to an lively day spent mountaineering and swimming.
Professional tip: Afterward, you possibly can stroll throughout the road to croon alongside to dwell music on the world-famous Flora-Bama Lounge crossing the Florida and Alabama state line.
Cellular: Occasion Vibes and Museums Galore
Pensacola is lower than an hour from Cellular, well-known because the birthplace of Mardi Gras. The port metropolis is stuffed with sights. Whilst you can’t really match all of it into someday, you possibly can definitely strive. We did!
I like to recommend beginning on the parks on the western finish of town within the morning when the climate’s cool and the close by Cellular Museum of Artwork, which has the best youngsters’s exhibit (large interactive Lite-Brite, anybody?).
Strolling the galleries, botanical backyard, and free Japanese backyard will assist work up your urge for food for an early lunch. We ate at Carpe Diem Espresso & Tea Co., an ideal spot for households. Their meals menu is kid-friendly, with all-day breakfast and sandwiches like hen salad — scrumptious! — and PB&J.
Get pleasure from lunch at Carpe Diem Espresso & Tea Co.
However the drinks are what they’re well-known for. You will get a tea, smoothie, pour over, espresso, or considered one of their frappés. I cherished their velvety cappuccino and the blended frozen drinks, wealthy with Ghirardelli chocolate. They’ve artistic flavors equivalent to peanut butter, banana, and dreamsicle and may even do customized flavors. Pair it with dessert, like their recent purple velvet cake, tiramisu, or pecan pie, and also you’ll have sufficient vitality for the remainder of the afternoon.
After lunch, head to the historic metropolis heart. Listed below are just a few sights to examine off your bucket listing. You possibly can’t do all of them, so select your personal journey.
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- Cellular Carnival Museum: OK, this one isn’t actually non-compulsory. We puzzled what the fuss was about, however it’s completely fascinating. Go and also you’ll perceive.
Cellular Carnival Museum show of Mardi Gras costumes
- GulfQuest: This maritime museum was really helpful to us whereas we have been on the carnival museum, so we stopped in. It’s interactive and nice for youths.
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- Condé-Charlotte Museum: One of many first jails in Alabama, this two-story dwelling has interval rooms, a walled backyard, and docents who’re Cellular historical past consultants.
- Historical past Museum of Cellular: That is proper subsequent to the guests heart, making it an ideal first cease in your itinerary.
- Mardi Gras Park: Throughout from the historical past museum, this greenspace is stuffed with colourful statues with plaques explaining who they’re and their carnival connection.
- USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park: Climb aboard and discover a World Conflict II battleship and a submarine. There are tanks and airplanes too!
- Exploreum Science Heart: This museum has over 150 interactive displays plus momentary exhibitions. Once we have been there, that they had one all in regards to the science, legends, and psychology referring to worry.
There are lots extra family-friendly sights round Cellular. In case you’re driving east, hit up Alligator Alley to see gators galore.
However there’s yet one more place each household ought to go to.
Bonus: Bellingrath Gardens & Dwelling
Bellingrath is a Cellular space attraction, however it actually may very well be a day journey of its personal.
This attractive 65-acre backyard blooms year-round — daffodils, camellias, tulips, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and, most spectacularly, azaleas within the spring. I fell in love with the romantic rose backyard, and there’s additionally an Asian-themed backyard and a conservatory.
A Bellingrath Gardens historic dwelling with classic furnishings
The ten,500-square-foot house is value touring, so get the combo ticket. And not using a guided go to inside, you gained’t study the fascinating historical past of this riverside property. Walter and Bessie Bellingrath constructed the 15-room villa in 1935, designing it to mix gracefully with its environment. The handmade brick, ironwork, and flagstone terraces add an old-world aesthetic whereas the central courtyard and lots of home windows let within the Gulf Coast surroundings. Close by, fountains, statuary, and even a grotto really feel virtually like an extension of the constructing.
A rich Coca-Cola franchisee, Walter purchased the property on the recommendation of his physician (as I discovered on a tour by that very physician’s grandson), and the Bellingraths generously opened their backyard to the general public to take pleasure in.
Bellingrath Gardens rose gardens
And we will take pleasure in it nonetheless at present, whether or not it’s an informal stroll by the grounds or one of many many particular occasions just like the Easter egg hunt, Youngsters Gulf Discovery Day, and spectacular Magic Christmas in Lights.
There’s a lot to see and discover in your Gulf Coast street journey. Consider it or not, I solely skimmed the floor right here! These wide-open seashores and culture-rich cities have heaps to supply households in search of journey blended with a wholesome dose of leisure. Take a Pensacola street journey up by the Florida Panhandle a while, and also you’ll perceive what makes this place so particular.
