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Unincorporated community in Florida, United States
Photo: Jason Meredith from Louisville, Kentucky, United States., CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community in West Florida on Santa Rosa Island, a 40-mile (64 km) barrier island. Anchored at the western tip of Florida, it stretches along the Gulf of Mexico. You can choose from busy lifeguarded beaches, or the quiet, secluded beaches of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
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This site is maintained by the National Park Service. The fort is a popular destination. It was built to defend Pensacola Harbor from invaders, but during the Civil War, it was manned by Union troops, who used it to attack the nearby Confederate-manned Fort Barrancas and Fort McRee. The fort also has some notoriety for being a prison for the captured Native American Geronimo. In addition to the fort, there are relatively uncrowded beaches here, camping, and a few nature trails. However, keep a wary eye out for bird nesting sites, which are illegal to disturb. They are well-signed by the park rangers, and the birds that dive-bomb you when you get too close are also an effective warning signal.
Is probably the strangest site to see here. Built in 1959 by the Knights of Columbus to honor the quadricentennial of the discovery of Pensacola, the 10-foot concrete cross and the sand dune on which it stands have been batted repeatedly by hurricanes, all without even the slightest scratch! Perhaps it's the will of God?
Novelty Architecture - a Futuro House - that has been in Pensacola Beach at least since the early seventies.
This is the most popular beach in all of Pensacola, and has the most amenities. Restrooms and changing rooms are available, there's a large lifeguard presence, police, vendors, umbrellas, a large fishing pier, and surfer-free areas. Portofino Boardwalk, with food and shopping, is within walking distance. During the summer and on weekends, the local radio station is often here, broadcasting music for the beachgoers. Volleyball courts are available here. The further you travel from the pier, the fewer crowds there are. You can even drive down Ft. Pickens Road and use one of the entry points on the left-hand side of the road to find less popular areas, although these areas may not have changing rooms.
isn't terribly popular; with no waves, and no people, it's pretty lonely out here. The funky smell doesn't help its popularity either. It lies on the north side of the island, facing Santa Rosa Sound. It is mostly a parking area for the gulf side public beach. Although there are tons of interesting shells, shell-collecting here is a bad idea, since almost all the best finds are already inhabited by hermit crabs. There are rarely lifeguards at this beach, but you may run into students from Pensacola Christian College, who are only allowed to swim here, away from the temptations of Casino Beach.
This-out of-the-way beach is just before the Fort Pickens gate, and is one of the best beaches on the island. It has restrooms, lifeguard protection, ample parking, good waves, lots of white sand and shells, and has far fewer people than the busy Casino Beach. Make sure not to cross into the Fort Pickens park boundary; the shoreline there is off limits due to nesting shorebirds.
Park East is 1.25 miles east of the Portofino Resort and Spa. This is the last beach on the island before you enter Gulf Islands National Seashore property and reach the Opal Beach area further to the east. There's a restroom and changing room here, as well as picnic pavilions and a lifeguard station. This beach tends to be less crowded than other beaches.
Langdon Beach is one of the beaches open to the public in the Fort Pickens Area; most other beaches in the park are closed for shorebird nesting. There are no amenities, and no lifeguards. Like the rest of the Fort Pickens Area, there is no automobile access, so you'll have to hike, bike, or boat here. Since it's so hard to get here, the area is isolated, with very few people: just sea grass, sun, sand and waves.
Further east than East Park is the hurricane-damaged Opal Beach, part of the National Park Service.
On the sound side of the island, behind the Portofino Boardwalk. The beach here is narrow, and since the island blocks the waves from the Gulf of Mexico here, the water is quiet, with no waves. With no waves, no rip currents, and lifeguard protection, it's a great beach to take kids to.
Locals like to keep this event a secret, and it's hard to find any information about the festival online, but the festival has been celebrated every year in August for more than twenty years. Sponsored by the bars on the island, it honors the famous Bushwacker cocktail with live bands on two stages, a dance club, and cheap drinks; the fun lingers into the early hours of the morning.
Sometime around Independence Day, the famous Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, puts on a free show for spectators at Pensacola Beach. This popular event swamps the small island, so expect hard-to-find parking, incredibly slow traffic, and long waits at the local restaurants. If you don't mind spending a lot of time on the beach instead of fighting traffic, and love air shows, it's a great way to spend a weekend celebrating the United States.
This popular little eatery offers live music, boat slips for diners, and a range of food, from burgers to seafood. As the owners of Maria's Seafood in Pensacola, they can offer incredible seafood at good prices; try their local, Gulf-caught shrimp.
The beautiful restaurant with a dining room dominated by a 1,200-pound Blue Marlin, offers fresh seafood, much of it locally sourced. With a menu ranging from hamburgers ($10) to ribs to fresh fish dishes beginning with fish filleted in the restaurant's climate controlled fish house, The Grand Marlin offers something for every taste in a comfortable setting with gorgeous views. Outside the open-air North Drop Bar serves a full menu, offers Island Cocktails and serves up live music on the weekends. Daily "at the bar" specials, like fresh shucked oysters on the half shell for $4 a dozen Tuesday afternoons from 3-to-6.
Beautifully interior designed, family friendly surf-themed sports bar. Walls decorated with custom Waterboyz surf boards. Twenty high-definition flat-screen TVs and continuous satellite feeds means the game is always on. Local celebrity chef Dan Dunn understands the importance of chowing down while cheering for your team and isn't afraid to pile it on. Quality American comfort food, great sports and good friends - it doesn't get better than this unless you have box seats. Let the games begin.
Seafood baskets, po' boys & Cajun-Creole classics, served in simple digs with TVs & outdoor seats.
The Gulf of Mexico isn't home to many crabs, other than the blue crab, and oddly enough, that's one of the few varieties this restaurant doesn't serve. But that hasn't stopped Crabs from becoming a trendy and popular restaurant, serving crabs from all over the country. If you want to try locally fished food, eat somewhere else. If you want a great view from their deck, overlooking the Gulf, with some massive king crab legs, give them a try.
Opened in 1958, this is the oldest bar on the island still operating. It's not terribly popular with tourists, so island residents flock here to hang out and enjoy live music. Try Rum Night on Sundays from 3PM-7PM, when all rum drinks are just $1.50.
The Paradise Bar and Grill has a dock at the back of their restaurant for hungry and thirsty boaters. You can call-ahead with your order, and they'll have it ready when you pull ahead. This makes them popular with boaters, and island residents.
For a while, this lounge was run by the U.S. Marshals, following the owner's arrest in a high-profile cocaine bust on the island. Now under new ownership, the Sandshaker Lounge remains the number one bar on the island. It tends to have the best parties, the most crowds, and its biggest claim to fame is their invention of the Pensacola Bushwacker.
Three and four-bedroom condominiums, luxuriously equipped, on-site spa and fitness center, free-form outdoor pool, indoor lap pool, beach umbrella and chairs and concierge service for advice and help on restaurants and activities.
This is the newest condominium complex on the island, and the largest, and far and away the most expensive. It offers extensive amenities, including reserved spots on the beach, complimentary boat taxis, free golf at four local courses, and access to their luxury spa.
A well-known department store chain, has two locations in Pensacola Beach. Most beach essentials can be found here.
By car
From Pensacola, take the Pensacola Bay Bridge to Gulf Breeze, and turn right at the giant Pensacola Beach swordfish sign. There's a small toll of $1 to enter the community.
By bus
By boat
Pensacola Beach is easy to explore by boat. Boat rentals are available on the island, or from Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, and you have a wide variety of craft to choose from.
By car
Santa Rosa Island is a narrow, elongated island. The two main roads, which run along the island's length, are Fort Pickens Road and Via de Luna Drive.
By foot
Most of the attractions of Pensacola Beach can be visited by foot, and Casino Beach is conveniently close to all the major restaurants, shopping, hotels, and the Portofino Boardwalk.
By trolley
35 ticket, trolley service on Pensacola Beach is free! The service travels from the Portofino Boardwalk to all major hotels and resorts on the island.
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