| Along the Florida Panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico | | | | Abraham Lincoln in 2003 where he made his famous |
| you'll find the city of Pensacola. Pensacola is part of a | | | | "Mission Accomplished " speech. |
| stretch of Florida loving called the 'Redneck Rivera' by | | | | The waterways have always been an important part |
| the locals and in a way this is very true. Not only will | | | | of life in Pensacola from the early years when the |
| you find some great upscale shops and restaurants | | | | Spanish built Fort San Carlos de Barrancas to watch |
| but you can also kick back and relax on sugar white | | | | over the bay to the fishing fleets that bring in the fresh |
| sand beaches as you stare out at the emerald green | | | | fish and gulf shrimp caught in the waters of the Bay |
| waters of the Gulf or you can charter a fishing boat | | | | and Gulf here. |
| and try to catch one of the many species of fish that | | | | Fishing in Pensacola, as in most of Florida, is good year |
| swim in the waters around there. The sunsets along | | | | round. It's not unusual for the local restaurants to offer |
| the Gulf Coast are some of the most spectacular | | | | selections caught the night before such as snapper, |
| you'll ever see, one of the best places to see a sunset | | | | grouper, tuna and wahoo. In the early summer months |
| is on one of the many piers dotted along the water | | | | the shrimp boats come in offering their 'fruit of the sea' |
| here. It's a great place to just relax and take some | | | | - shrimp much to the delight of locals and tourist alike. If |
| time to unwind and speaking of time you'll have to be | | | | you prefer to catch your own dinner you can book |
| sure to set your watch to Central Standard time | | | | one of the many charter boats to take you fishing |
| because Pensacola is the western most city in the | | | | inshore for redfish, cobia or pompano, offshore |
| Florida Panhandle and just past the divide into Central | | | | charters can take you fishing for the wahoo, mahi |
| Standard Time Zone, the rest of Florida is on Eastern | | | | mahi and blue marlin. |
| Standard Time. | | | | Pensacola is also a sea port that connects Pensacola |
| Pensacola has a rich history. It is known as 'The City | | | | Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. So the sunsets enjoy |
| of Five Flags' because, at one time or another, it has | | | | some of the freshest seafood you'll ever eat at one |
| been under the control of five different governments | | | | of the many waterfront restaurants. |
| including the Confederacy. When the Spanish | | | | Families can plan a week there, of course there's the |
| controlled it they called it Panzacola which was the | | | | beach where you can lay on the sand all day or play |
| Indian name, when the French had control it was | | | | volleyball on the shore or build a sandcastle in the surf. |
| Pensacolle, it became permanently known as | | | | You can go out in a boat where you can fish snorkel |
| Pensacola when the English took it in 1763. | | | | or go for a dive and if you don't care to do any of that |
| You can also take in a little history when you visit the | | | | you can rent a sailboat, or get a canoe or kayak and |
| Naval Air Station there and tour the Lighthouse, Fort | | | | explore a river or one of the rare dune lakes in the |
| Barrancas or relive the glory days of Naval Aviation at | | | | area. When you're out on the water in the Florida sun |
| their spectacular museum. The Pensacola Naval Air | | | | don't forget the sunblock, you can still get a tan without |
| Station, also called the cradle of Aviation, is home of | | | | frying yourself. If you'd like to get away from the |
| the world renown Blue Angels and the Aviation | | | | water all together there are many shops to explore |
| Museum there is not to be missed. | | | | both 'mainstream' and quaint little local shops that offer |
| You can relive the days of WWII and view the some | | | | unique Florida style gifts and trinkets. If you'd like to |
| of the most famous aircraft used to defend our nation | | | | combined a day at the beach with shopping visit the |
| then - the Corsair, Dauntless and Hellcat. You can also | | | | Quietwater Beach Boardwalk, a local favorite spot. At |
| relive that first lunar landing in 1969 as you walk | | | | night you can enjoy one of several restaurants there, |
| through their recreation of the event. | | | | some of which feature live music certain nights of the |
| The National Naval Aviation Museum includes the | | | | week. If you'd like, you can make it a family night at a |
| history of not only the Navy but the Marines and | | | | one of the may Putt-Putt golf courses, go see a |
| Coast Guard as well. Believe it or not this place rivals | | | | movie or stop in a local ice cream shop. |
| the Smithsonian. It has nearly 300,000 square feet of | | | | Pensacola is a beautiful place to stop and appreciate |
| exhibit space, one of the most interesting displays is | | | | the world around you, have a fantastic seafood meal |
| the historical S-3 Viking jet which was used to | | | | and grab something uniquely Florida for the people |
| transport president George W. Bush to the USS | | | | back home. So come, enjoy and relax. |