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