Pensacola holds many, many memories for us. Our mother (Melissa, David, and Christie’s, that is) is a born and raised 6th or 7th generation Pensacola native, and thus we grew up visiting our grandparents there every year we lived within driving distance. Our grandparents, sadly, are no longer with us, but the tradition lives on, and we spend many days in Pensacola together every year. We are now making new traditions and memories with the newest generation. Below you will find our family’s quirky list of things that we love to do there, both old and new.
The beach, the beach, most definitely the beach is our top priority when we are in Pensacola! Our favorite beach is one favored by the locals and is less touristy. Bonus: an authentic New Orleans snoball stand has opened up nearby!
Here’s our list of 7 tips for making that above-mentioned beach trip safer and easier! All the better to enjoy those gorgeous beaches.
The “airplane museum” has been an annual pilgrimage (or two, or three. . .) for more than twenty years, and we still love it. Free, air-conditioned, patriotic, fascinating, educational: the list could go on for why this is a must-visit in Pensacola!
About ten years ago we noticed this little Greek Food stand tucked away on the side of the road that leads to our favorite beach. We checked it out, and were instantly hooked. Excellent food with generous portions for reasonable prices? We’re there. Bonus: it’s now across the street from a great playground our kids LOVE.
Downtown Pensacola has turned into a charming spot to wander around, and now actually has good coffee too! (File that under the “definitely new” category.) Fosko Coffee Barre is our favorite coffee spot in Pensacola.
Some days you can’t/shouldn’t/don’t want to go to the beach. Good news for the kids is there’s a small children’s museum jam-packed with fun in downtown Pensacola! Added plus: your ticket is good for a week, making it a great option to visit often during your stay.
A brand-new find that we’ll revisit often. Authentic and amazingly delicious, it also fills the bill for not cooking dinner when on a beach vacation.
Franco’s Italian Restaurant is where we head when we’ve got a hankering for Italian food.
Craft Gourmet Bakery is a new favorite — head here for excellent bread, pastries, desserts, and even coffee! Somehow they manage to do all that very well, in a cute atmosphere, no less.
Other Favorite Activities & Food (Posts Coming Soon!)
Blue Wahoos Game
Ft. Pickens (There’s now a boat you can take from downtown to get there! Boat is our favorite way to get there by far.)
5 Sisters Soul Food
Bodacious Brew with Kids’ Garden
Grape Garden Chinese Food
