Pensacola

Relax, unwind, and explore!

Forty miles of sugar sand beaches and clear turquoise waters are just the beginning of your holiday experience when you visit Northwest Florida’s Pensacola. Discover nearly 500 years of history, unique shopping, and luxurious places to stay when you plan a trip. This diverse and dynamic holiday hotspot is built on the back of a range of unique districts & neighbourhoods. Most people flock to Perdido Key or Pensacola Beach’s sugar-white shores or to downtown’s vibrant walkable streets but other neighbours include uptown Pensacola, home to Pensacola International Airport and the Belmont-DeVilliers district, once known as the Harlem of the South and rich with multi-cultural history; there really is so much to explore on a visit to Pensacola.

Getting here is easy. Leaving is so hard!

Pensacola International Airport is your gateway to the Gulf Coast and Pensacola Bay Area. The airport is conveniently located 15 miles from Pensacola Beach and six miles from downtown. Pensacola also sits on Interstate 10, only 3 hours from New Orleans for easy access to neighbouring states. There are non-stop flights to Pensacola from 15+ USA cities with American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, and United Airlines and Silver Airways. Flights with Delta via Atlanta and Jet Blue via New York make flying from the UK to Pensacola a breeze. 

Play on world-famous beaches!

Find two multi-award-winning beaches along Pensacola’s coastline. Pensacola Beach’s sugar-white sands, crystal-clear waters and range of hotels and restaurants are a favourite with beach lovers, water sport lovers and foodies. Perdido Key is a peaceful sanctuary with white-sand dunes, calm Gulf waters to its south, and wetlands, estuaries, and wildlife to the north. Both beaches are home to the USA’s longest federally-protected seashore - Gulf Islands National Seashore – where solitude, relaxation, unobstructed views, and access to the Gulf are just a short hike, bike ride, or kayak trip away.

Explore Downtown Pensacola!

America’s First Settlement - Downtown Pensacola - features historic attractions, niche shops, and more. Uncover 450+ years of history along the free three-mile-long path of America’s First Settlement Trail with QR codes across 20 tops and 70 points of interest. The Trail is free to use and explores the history of Pensacola – which was the first European Settlement in North America. Or why not take time at the Historic Pensacola. Visit historical homes and see re-enactments as locals demonstrate traditional Gulf Shore chores & Crafts.

Stroll along Palafox Street and rub shoulders with older stores that have made downtown a destination for decades as well as trendy clothing stores, hip breweries and cocktail bars, great restaurants, pubs and cafes. It’s a place where you won’t find chain restaurants but will feel like a local.

Make your holiday memorable – and tasteful!

From food trucks, pub fare, and down-home casual eateries to white-tablecloth high-end establishments; food is at the heart of Pensacola. Fresh seafood is a must in Pensacola and with the miles of shoreline that won’t be a surprise. One of the best things about the seafood is that no matter what kind of dining experience you are looking for – from flip flop to Fine Dining – you will find it here. Enjoy a high-end experience with fresh gulf coast seafood, Blue Angel chips or Oysters plus a new menu feature daily at The Grand Marlin. Drink a Pensacola favourite, The Bushwacker, at Flora Bama the famous establishment which borders Florida and Alabama or take time exploring The Garden located in downtown at Palafox and Main – a food truck hall with a wide range of dishes and menus available. For that sweet treat - explore the city’s top-rated bakeries and desserts shops for sweet treats including J’s Bakery and Café and Nothing Bundt Cakes. 

Pack your sunscreen and curiosity – a world of family fun awaits in Pensacola!

Tackle Goof Golf Pensacola’s twists, turns, ramps, windmills, and 20-ft tall golfing T-Rex. Whizz down Splash City Waterpark’s thrilling Flash Flood and Shark Attack tube slides. Rally the crew and fly high with wall-to-wall aerial action at Sky Zone Pensacola. Pay a visit to the great museums across the city, including the Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola Museum of History, Pensacola Children’s Museum, Quina House Museum.
Dive into Pensacola’s past with a trip to Fort Pickens which can be reached via the Pensacola Bay City Ferry.

There’s so much more than beaches!

Pensacola boasts a rich culture and festival scene. Downtown’s historic core is the place to watch a show at Saenger Theatre; catch a live performance at Pensacola Opera and Pensacola Symphony Orchestra; admire the beauty of dance at Ballet Pensacola; gaze at the exhibits at Pensacola Museum of Art; and snap a selfie with the ‘Back to the Blocks’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’ murals. Award-winning festivals fill the calendar; from the famous Mardi Gras in February, the Pensacola JazzFest, April, the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, and Pensacola Seafood Festival in September to the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival in November.

A gamut of activities are yours for the taking!

Awaken the adventurer in you with Pensacola Bay’s scuba diving, kayaking, paddling, sailing, and canoeing on the Gulf. Try jet-skiing on the Ole River; off-road mountain biking along Muscogee bike trails; and go-karting at Fast Eddies SuperCart Speedway. Catch a Minor League Baseball game at Blue Wahoos Stadium or hit the fairways of Lost Key Golf Club and Marcus Pointe Golf Club. Step back in time at Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas. Pensacola is home to the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels – with major shows happening twice a year. PLUS, you can catch them practising across the destination every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the summer. It’s like seeing an airshow for free! The best places to view the practice are Fort Pickens, from the water on a guided boat tour or your own chartered vessel and at the top of the Pensacola Lighthouse.