Posts Tagged ‘pensacola’

Top Florida Panhandle Beach Vacation Spots

With the economy currently in a rough state people are looking for a way to relax and get away but still not break the budget. One of the most underrated locations in the US for great beach vacations and fun in the sun is the northwest Florida Gulf Coast.

The Florida Panhandle beaches are some of the great you will find in the world, the sun is bright, the water is warm, the sand is white, and did I mention the water? Yep, its a beautiful emerald color.

Here are some of the top spots to visit if you are looking for a low cost getaway with the family this year:

 

Pensacola Beach, Fl

This is is one of my favorite all time spots. The sand is as white as I have walked on anywhere. The place is laidback, if you are looking for someplace to be able to take the family and not worry about a wild party every step of the way this is the place.

Do not get me wrong, there are places to party but with the small town atmosphere of Pensacola Beach you can have a relaxing vacation watching the waves roll in. The family will love the beachfront hotels.

There are great restaurants with fresh Gulf seafood, you can check a few of them listed here: Pensacola Beach Restaurants

If you want to do a little shopping, some great beach drinks, and the bayside beaches go to the Quietwater Beach Boardwalk. This is the place where the fun also starts at night, there is live music at various times.

From a hotel standpoint, make sure you check out the Holiday Inn Express and the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front. There are others but those 2 are some of the favorites.

Navarre Beach, FL

If you go east down the Florida Panhandle from Pensacola Beach you will find Navarre Beach. This almost twin of Pensacola Beach is also on Santa Rosa Island and you can reach it by driving down the thin strip of a road from Pensacola Beach to Navarre. You will be able to see beautiful white sand and emerald water on each side the whole drive.

Make sure that while visiting Navarre Beach that you take a charter fishing trip, or rent a jet ski, you will find the rates and cost of doing something like this lower at Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach than you would find at a larger tourist destination (like a Clearwater Beach or Sanibel Island).

The sand dunes in this area are a natural beauty you have to see and appreciate. A constantly changing white flow that has to be seen to be believed.

For hotels you really need to check out the Summerwind resort to get the best beach views.

 

Fort Walton Beach, FL

The waterfront and hotels and resorts have been part of Fort Walton Beach since its earliest days. visitors have came to Fort Walton Beach on Santa Rosa Sound for years from the Mid-West and Southeast as an easy to access low cost vacation spot. An absolutely great spot to find a fishing charter and enjoy both bayside and gulf front activities or hit the quaint shops and great restaurants, Fort Walton Beach may be the vacation paradise you are looking for.

Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier

Pensacola Beach History and Facts

 

 

 

Pensacola Beach, Florida: Fast Historical Facts about Pensacola Beach

 

Pensacola Beach, Florida is known and loved for its white sands and festive atmosphere. Locals and visitors enjoy the beauty of the Gulf of Mexico, flaming-orange sunsets and delightful breezes year-round here. Many people fail to realize that Pensacola Beach is also a location that holds significant historical value as well.

 

Here are some fast and fun facts concerning the history of Pensacola Beach:

 

• v It was Fernando Maldonado who first anchored in Pensacola Beach waters to weather the winter of 1539-1540;
• v Maldonado was a lieutenant under the early Spanish Conquistador Hernando de Soto during the early Spanish exploration of North America;
• v Later, in 1559, Don Tristan de Luna y Arellano was the first to lead a settlement at Pensacola Beach. He brought 11 ships and 1500 settlers and anchored in the bay that today serves as the US Naval Air Station Pensacola;
• v Just weeks into the settling, a hurricane hit and destroyed 5 of the ships and killed hundreds of the settlers. After long-term famine and disease, the settlement was abandoned in 1561;
• v It wasn’t until 1722 that a presidio was established on Santa Rosa Island near what is now Fort Pickens;
• v Again, hurricanes hit in both 1741 and 1752 and forced the relocation of the presidio to the mainland;

 

More interesting facts concerning the history and present of Pensacola Beach, Florida below:

 

• v The construction of Fort Pickens was complete in 1834;
• v The Fort was used actively until WWII when new weaponry rendered it ineffective;
• v After its use as a military fort was ended, Fort Pickens was used to house Apache prisoners – including Geronimo;
• v Fort Pickens now serves as a historical monument. It features an auditorium, museum and a center for visitors that offers information and souvenirs;
• v Although still visible from the highway and trails, Fort Pickens proper is now off limits to visitors since Hurricane Ivan imposed severe damages on it;

 

Still more about the Pensacola Beach and surrounding areas:

 

• v Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community that is situated on Santa Rosa Island;
• v Santa Rosa Island sits across from Pensacola, Florida in the Escambia County;
• v Santa Rosa Island is connected to the mainland via bridges that span to the Fairpoint Peninsula;
• v The 2000 census showed the population of Pensacola Beach to be 2738;
• v The land that comprises Pensacola Beach was obtained in 1947 by the US Department of Interior and cannot be owned. Instead, its permanent residents are looked upon as long-term leasers;
• v Pensacola Beach is a hot spot for hurricane action. It has been significantly blasted 4 times since 1995;

 

Pensacola Beach, Florida remains as a tourist favorite for people from all over the planet. The weather is almost always pleasant. The sunsets are magnificent. The locals are friendly and the fishing is great. Be sure to visit the exciting and historic settlement of Pensacola Beach on your next trip through the Sunshine State.