5. Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Pensacola has it’s own minor league baseball team, the Blue Wahoos. In true Pensacola fashion, the stadium overlooks the water. Nothing beats watching a game with a bucket of popcorn and a cold beer with a cool breeze coming off the water as the sun goes down. Even people who aren’t baseball fans in general will have a good time. There are mini games, races, give aways, and dances between every inning. They sometimes have scheduled fireworks after the game too.
Tickets start as low as $10 for Hill-Kelly Hill. While there is traditional stadium seating, Hill-Kelly Hill is “standing room only.” It is a large grassy hill and a great option for people with small children who won’t be able to sit through a game. Bring a blanket, picnic style, and let the kids stretch their legs while you enjoy the game.They often have a bounce house set up in this area as well.
6. Festivals & Special Events
When you visit Pensacola, check the calendar of events. Pensacola loves parades and festivals and it seems like there is always something going on. There is Pensacon in February, Pensacola JazzFest and Pensacola Bay Music Fest in April, the Crawfish Festival in April/May, the Pensacola Seafood Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Emerald Coast Beer Festival in September, the Greek Festival, Barktoberfest, and Interstate Fair in October, the Foo Foo Festival, Pensacola Egg Fest and Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival in November, and Winterfest in December.
Holidays are well represented of course. There are multiple Mardi Gras Parades in February and Christmas Parades in December. O’Rileys does a Grog March for St. Patty’s Day and Santa Pub Crawl in December.
There are regular reoccuring events too including Bands on the Bayou, Palafox Market, Gallery Night, Movies in the Park, and Big Screen on the Bayou
7. The Parks
Pensacola has many nice “green” areas where you can enjoy some downtime. One of the most popular is Bayview Park located along Bayou Texar. There are tennis courts, play grounds, boat launches, picnic areas, and a fenced dog park and dog beach. During the summer they host local concerts and movie nights. There is a brand new Outdoor Pursuits Center where you can rent SUP, kayaks, pedal boats, bikes, and camping gear. The also offer summer youth day camps that focus on outdoor activities.
Plaza de Luna at Palafox Pier features a large statue of the Spanish conquistador Don Tristan de Luna, the proclaimed first to visit Pensacola. There is a splash pad and fountain and you will often spot people fishing. There is an excellent and often busy restaurant here too, Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille. We like to snag one of the outdoor tables and watch the sunset over the marina.
Admiral Mason Park is a 5.5 acre park located on the site of a previous baseball stadium named for Charles P. Mason, a formal Navy Vice Admiral and Pensacola mayor. There is a half scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans memorial here along with an over 2 acre pond, walking trails, fountains, and benches.
8. Graffiti Bridge
Visit Pensacola and see a bridge! Well to be specific a bridge covered in graffiti. To the unfamiliar visiting a bridge seems like a dumb suggestion but hear me out. This railroad overpass, known simply as Graffiti Bridge, is a local landmark. People have been painting it since the 1930s. It gets painted over daily, sometimes multiple times. Artists range from the casual to the professional. I’ve seen some museum quality painting here. Feel free to bring a can of paint and add your touch.
Graffiti Bridge is also known as a running joke to locals because of the frequent accidents that occur here. Yes an accident is no laughing matter but in spite of the low clearance being a well known and advertised issue, people still manage to get trucks STUCK on a regular basis.
9. Take a Hike
So when you visit Pensacola hiking is likely not the first thing that comes to mind but you have to burn those fried shrimp off somehow. Florida has pretty flat terrain so you won’t get a lot of sweeping vistas on your hikes here. However that doesn’t mean the views aren’t enjoyable. If you want a hike with a water view, head to Bay Bluffs Park. It’s a 0.8mi out and back hike but mostly on boardwalk.
Or head to Big Lagoon State Park. Entrance fee is $6 per vehicle. There are 5 miles of trails and you can see marshland, estuaries, narrow beaches, shallow bays, and open wood lands. There is also an observation tower for a birds eye view of Gulf Islands National Seashore and Perdido Key. It’s considered the gateway to the Great Florida Birding Trail.
Consider a hike on the 5.9 mile loop trail, Perdido Bayou Trail. It is located at Tarklin Bayou Preserve State Park. This 4000 acre preserve is home to 4 species of endangered pitcher plants. Entrance fee is $3 per vehicle. The parking lot is currently closed for renovations so check for accessibility before you go.
The UWF West Campus Trails are extremely popular with locals. There are over 18 miles of trails within the 600 acres on the westernmost campus.
10. The Seafood Markets
One of the main draws to visit Pensacola, or the Gulf Coast in general, is to eat all the fresh local seafood. It doesn’t get much fresher than directly from the seafood market. Joe Patti’s is easily the most popular and draws a crowd regularly but the slightly lesser known Maria’s is our favorite. You can of course make your purchase and take it back to your condo to prepare but, if you don’t have access to a kitchen or want to cook on your vacation, both places will steam your shellfish on request.
