page 3 THE PLACE TO MEET. With a mixture of old world warmth and modern amenities, the Award Winning Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel offers visitors a destination accommodation. Planning a meeting or special event? We have a Certified Meeting Planner on staff to assist in arranging your meeting or function in our 7500 sq. ft. of meeting space. Completely restored historic L&N passenger depot lobby / Relaxed dining in 1912 The Restaurant Luxurious furnishings in every room, including flat-screen televisions CAVU Club features historical Naval Aviation mementos Located in historic downtown district and just 10 minutes from beaches / Free Airport Shuttle Reservations 850-433-3336 / Group Sales ext. 5550 www.pensacolagrandhotel.com page 6 ExperienceExperience the ultimatultimatemattee bbeacheacchh vvacationacation whewhererree explorationexplorraaationti and relaxationrelaxationion arear ree naturally naturraally encouraged. eencourraagedd.. 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ExploreExplore our coastalcoasttaaal pplaygroundlayground on yyourour nenextxt bbeacheach vacation.vacation. 866.915.0633 WXE]EXTSVXSJMRSGSQWXXEEE]]]EEEXXTSVXSJMRSGSQ This is our cozy corner of Florida, a secret we want to share with you. We’re warm breezes, crystal white sand, emerald water and Southern hospitality with a salty tang. Come to Pensacola and see for yourself. page 8 Table of Contents Travel Info . 10-11 Beautiful Beaches . 12-17 Pensacola Beach. 14-15 Perdido Key . 16-17 Downtown . 18-23 Pensacola Tour Menus . 24-25 Attractions and Free Activities . 26-27 Pensacola for Kids . 28-29 Arts and Culture. 30-31 Birding, Hiking, Cycling . 32-33 Golf . 32-33 Boating . 34-35 Fishing. 36 Diving . 37 Area Map. 38-39 Food and Lodging Feature. 40-41 Pensacola Beach Lodging & Dining . 42-45 Perdido Key Lodging & Dining. 46-47 Downtown Lodging & Dining . 48-49 Midtown Lodging & Dining . 50-51 West Pensacola Lodging & Dining. 52 Gateway Lodging & Dining . 53 Calendar of Events. 54-57 Meetings and Group Tours . 58 Weddings and Reunions . 60 Pensacola for Pets . 62 VisitPensacola.com Call us or stop by! VisitPensacola.com 1403 E. Gregory St. • (850) 434-1234 • (800) 874-1234 Guide produced in partnership with EW Bullock Associates QR Codes – We’ve placed quick response codes throughout this guide so you can access websites and videos right from your smart phone. Just download a free QR code reader, point, shoot and voila…more information at your fingertips. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in the guide. However, Visit Pensacola is not responsible for any errors or omissions that might occur. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this guide does not necessarily reflect endorsement of the products and services by Visit Pensacola. page 9 Pensacola Beach Air Show By air: With more than 100 flights daily to major cities, the newly renovated Pensacola International Airport is home to major airlines including AirTran, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, United and U.S. Airways. (850) 436-5000, flypensacola.com. By car, from the north: Take I-65 south through Alabama. After the Evergreen exit, take exit 69 to Pensacola. Turn left onto Hwy. 113, a four-lane expressway, and follow for 13 miles. At the dead-end, turn right and continue one mile to Hwy. 29. Turn left onto Hwy. 29 south and drive for 45 minutes until you reach Pensacola. From the east or west: From I-10, take the Pine Forest Road exit for Perdido Key or take I-110 into Pensacola and watch for signs that say “beaches” or “downtown.” page 10 Perdido Key Names and Acclaims Distances * Atlanta ..............................287 mi. America’s First Settlement — Founded by Spanish explorers in 1559; see page 21. Birmingham ......................260 mi. Chattanooga......................424 mi. City of Five Flags — Pensacola’s diversity in architecture, food and community * Chicago ............................922 mi. celebrations is the result of having been ruled by Spain, France, England, the * Charlotte ..........................567 mi. Confederacy and the United States. Cincinnati..........................716 mi. * Dallas ................................751 mi. Cradle of Naval Aviation — The training of every Navy, Marine and Coast Guard aviator Detroit ..............................975 mi. begins in Pensacola, which is also home to the world-famous Blue Angels and the * Houston ............................600 mi. National Naval Aviation Museum; see page 27. Huntsville..........................346 mi. Best Convention & Visitors Bureau — We were honored as CVB of the Year by the Jackson..............................347 mi. Kansas City ......................966 mi. Southeast Tourism Society. Little Rock ........................603 mi. Best Beaches — Our Gulf Islands National Seashore is the longest stretch of protected Louisville ..........................644 mi. seashore in the country, and our beaches have been rated by TripAdvisor, Dr. Beach * Memphis ..........................475 mi. and the Travel Channel; see pages 12-17. * Miami................................674 mi. Milwaukee ......................1008 mi. World’s Largest Artificial Reef — The USS Oriskany, a retired aircraft carrier that was Minneapolis ....................1286 mi. sunk off our shores, is a hot spot for scuba diving; see page 37. Montgomery ....................170 mi. Nashville ..........................476 mi. New Orleans ....................225 mi. More to Know Oklahoma City..................909 mi. * Orlando ............................340 mi. Airlines Average Temperatures Richmond ..........................774 mi. • AirTran Month Air Water St. Louis ............................745 mi. Toronto............................1201 mi. (800) 247-8726, airtran.com January 52 68 * Washington, D.C...............961 mi. • American Airlines February 55 65 (800) 433-7300, aa.com March 61 68 *Direct Flights Offered • Continental April 67 72 (800) 525-0280, continental.com May 75 77 • Delta Helpful Web Sites June 81 80 (800) 221-1212, delta.com VisitPensacola.com • United July 83 83 (800) 864-8331, united.com August 82 84 VisitPensacola.Blogspot.com • U.S. Airways September 79 83 Facebook.com/VisitPensacola October 69 79 (800) 428-4322, usairways.com Twitter.com/VisitPensacola November 61 72 YouTube.com/VisitPensacola December 54 70 Area population: 400,000-plus Flickr.com/photos/VisitPensacola Time zone: Central page 11 You can still explore Florida the way it used to be. Stroll miles of white sand and wade in emerald water without another soul in sight. Watch dolphins frolic as pelicans glide silently by. Or stake a claim beside a beachfront hotel where a cool drink and succulent food are but sandy steps away. Snorkel, fish for pompano, paddleboard, build the castle of your dreams, try surfing or just laze away the day. page 12 Gulf of Mexico Gulf Islands National Seashore What to Pack Sandy Facts Five Essentials • The white sand of our beaches comes from quartz, the bones of the • Casual, cool clothes Appalachian Mountains far to the north, washing down the region’s rivers to • Camera the sea over millions of years. • Waterproof sunscreen • Soft and powdery, the sand is very fine-grained and is called “singing sand” • Games for the beach because it squeaks underfoot. • Swimsuit • Sand dunes topped with sea oats are a vital part of the ecosystem and help protect our barrier islands from waves and weather. With an average 340 days of sun, the Pensacola Bay Area offers beach lovers a place where dreams Things to Know become a beautiful reality. It’s always safest to swim where lifeguards are present, and never swim alone. Be sure to check (850) 932-SURF for flag conditions. Gulf of Mexico page 13 Pensacola Beach At A Glance Quietwater Beach Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier Beaches: They range from popular, local hangouts complete with concessions and attractions to secluded beaches in the national seashore where your footprints could be the day’s first. Popular Activities: Visitors choose from water activities such as parasailing, fishing, paddleboarding or surfing. For those without sea legs, we offer everything from shopping and first-class dining to miniature golf and exploring a pre-Civil War era fort. Location: Pensacola Beach is a 10-minute drive from downtown Pensacola and is on Santa Rosa Island, one of the world’s longest barrier islands. Events: Everything from Bands on the Beach concerts each Tuesday, May through October, to the Fiesta of Five Flags sand-sculpting contest and July’s gigantic Pensacola Beach Air Show, featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. page 14 Five Places Not to Miss on Pensacola Beach 1. Casino Beach. Located beneath the famous “beach ball,” this is the place to see and be seen. Named for a Island