Pensacola

Pensacola is home to the state’s oldest private country club, Pensacola Country Club. Founded in 1902 it is located on the beautiful Pensacola Bay. They feature a championship golf course, top notch tennis center, resort style pool, fitness center, and two full service dining rooms.

The Pensacola Yach Club is known as “The South’s Finest Yacht Club” and is located on Pensacola Bay considered to be one of the finest sailing venues in the world. Members enjoy a full service restaurant, bar, banquet and meeting rooms, marina, beach, and a swimming pool.

Finally, Lost Key Golf and Beach Club is a 413 acre community by Lennar. It has a championship Arnold Palmer golf course, marina and yacht club with both wet and dry slips, beach club, pool and fitness center, dining, and a beach shuttle service.

From food trucks to white tablecloths, waterfront restaurants with breathtaking views to historic hole in the wall establishments to grab a bite; Pensacola has it all.

With one indoor mall, an outdoor shopping plaza, and a quaint shopping district, Pensacola is a fairly average city when it comes to shopping destinations. One area Pensacola excels is the sheer number of antique stores doing business here. For those with the antiques and collectibles bug, Pensacola will not disappoint.

The Cordova Mall is the largest and most upscale shopping center in Pensacola. Cordova is anchored by retaillers like Dillards, Belk, Dicks Sporting Goods, Best Buy, World Market, and Bed Bath and Beyond. There are also over 120 specialty stores including American Eagle, Sephora, Victoria’s Secret, Pandora, and many others.

Palafox Street is a shopping district where you will find Boutiques, Art Galleries, Farmers Markets, and chic stores selling trendy clothing and handmade jewelry items.

University Town Plaza is an outdoor shopping complex with key retailers like Academy Sports and JCPenny.

At the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, shoppers can browse upscale boutiques, beach, and nautical themed stores.

Pensacola is a town built on great beaches and a strong military history. Accordingly, the city’s recreational aspects largely stem from these overwhelmingly important influences.

The Pensacola Beach Boardwalk is a gathering place for residents and tourists alike. The boardwalk is home to a long fishing pier, amphitheater, great shopping, and delicious dining opportunities. A large number of festivals and family friendly events are scheduled throughout the year and one can frequently enjoy live music at the amphitheater.

Palafox Street is described as the heart of Pensacola and named one of “America’s Great Streets.” This downtown hub is always a bustling center of activity with its shops, restaurants, art and culture, and live music and theatrical venues.

Gulf Islands National Seashore comprises the longest stretch of federally protected seashore in the United States. Here visitors can bicycle the many trails, go birdwatching for the nearly 300 species of birds that frequent the area, kayak and paddleboard the tranquil waters, or join a ranger for a guided tour. Perhaps one of the most interesting activities at the Gulf Islands National Seashore is to explore the parks four forts. One of the most impressive, Fort Pickens, was constructed in 1834 to defend Pensacola from foreign attack.

Pensacola has a thriving Performing Arts scene. The city boasts a classic ballet company, symphony, opera, and live theatre

Pensacola is proud to be the official home of the Blue Angels. Every July and November the Blue Angels take to the air over Pensacola to perform a free air show for residents and visitors alike.

The National Naval Aviation Museum is home to over 4,000 artifacts and more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft. In the museum, visitors can experience what it is like to fly by strapping into a flight simulator.

Consistently ranked amongst the nations best beaches, the beaches of Pensacola are famous for their sugar white sand and emerald green waters. You can find lively crowds at the popular main beaches near the pier. On the other hand, head to the beaches on the Gulf Islands National Seashore or Perdido Key, if a little peace and relaxion is what you are looking for. Like other Gulf Coast beaches, the wave action is typically very minimal and the shallow water extends far out from the beach.

With the Perdido Bay to the west, the Pensacola Bay to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Pensacola is perfect for boating of all kinds. From sailing, kayaking, powerboating, or yachting, people here just love being out on the water. Cruising the waters around Pensacola many boaters experience dolphins playing in the wake of their boat. At the mouth of Pensacola Pass, the inlet connecting Pensacola Bay to the Gulf of Mexico you will find Sand Island. This is a very popular place for boaters anchor up and relax, cookout, play, and party.

Fishing is a popular activity around Pensacola in both it’s inshore and offshore waters. With easy access to Gulf of Mexico waters through Pensacola Pass charter boats and private anglers alike find good catches of cobia, grouper, red snapper, amberjack and other species. Gulf waters are very shallow here and you may have to run 30 or 40 miles from shore to get to the best spots. On the inshore side of things redfish is a very popular target along with black drum, spotted seatrout, flounder, and sheepshead. The large bodies of water like Pensacola Bay, Perdido Bay, and Big Lagoon all hold fish and are easily accessible.

Pensacola schools are controlled by The Escambia County School District. The district administers 35 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 7 high schools. Escambia County School District has 40,386 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. According to state test scores, 47% of students are at least proficient in math and 48% in reading. Niche.com gives the school district a C+ rating and has it as the 48th best school district in the state. Private schools of note include Aletheia Christian Academy (Christian), East Hill Christian School (Christian), Episcopal Day School of Christ Church Parrish (Espiscopal), Creative Learning Academy, and Marcus Point Christian School (Baptist). It is also home to six universities and colleges, the largest being University of West Florida.

The Marcus Pointe Golf Club is one club of note in Pensacola. Created by Earl Stone it sits on 600 acres of rolling woodlands. Marcus Pointe is owned by Stonebrook Village Management which also manages Stonebrook Golf Club in Pace, Tangle Golf Club in Milton, and Golf Links Golf Center in Foley, Alabama. Because of this, membership at Marcus Pointe comes with the added benefit of access to all four courses.

If your game could use some fine tuning or you are just getting started in golf, you can find the help you need at the Pensacola Golf Center by Bubba Watson. Watson is a 2 time Masters Champion and a 12 time PGA Tour winner. As a Pensacola native and current resident he purchased the facility in 2018 and is making big upgrades.

Pensacola’s municipal golf course is Osceola Golf Course. It is an 18-hole Championship Course with a club house, practice green, driving range, full service restaurant and bar, and men’s and women’s locker rooms. This course is an old Florida design with small greens and narrow fairways. First opened in 1926, it has been named a partner course on Florida’s Historic Golf Trail

Scenic Hills Country Club features an 18-hole championship golf course. The course is noted for its rollin hills and pine lined fairways. It is the only course in Florida to host a USGA Open event.