In honor of being in Pensacola for almost a year, I thought I’d share some of the best outdoor adventures here. Pensacola has so much to do for anyone outdoorsy and isn’t as overrun (yet) as other Florida cities. Without further ado, here are my top recommendations for all the nature lovers!
Starting off with the most obvious – the beach! If you grew up along the Atlantic coast like I did, you will be shocked by how beautiful the beaches here are. Which one you go to depends on what you’re looking for. Casino Beach is where you’ll find the Pensacola Pier, but also the most crowds. Across from Casino Beach, on the sound side, is Quietwater Beach, which is part of the Santa Rosa Sound. This is better for flat water and close access to the Boardwalk, which has plenty of shops and restaurants. Park East and Park West are less crowded spots. In addition, both offer designated dog parks on the beach.
Because the Gulf is usually calm and clear, it is a great place for exploring underwater. Park East and Casino Beach both have artificial reefs you can swim out to. The Fort Pickens Jetties are another great spot, especially for scuba, since it gets around 60 feet deep. If you are looking to scuba dive further offshore, I recommend the USS Oriskany reef!
Pensacola has a lot of nature trails to choose from. You can find two different trails on the UWF campus, the most famous being the Edward Ball Nature Trail. Big Lagoon State Park and Blackwater River State Park are both great options for some good trails, and both offer swimming if you need to cool off after walking.
Fort Pickens is a must if you’re in Pensacola! It does have a dollar entry fee per car, but it is worth the money. It is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, one of only ten National Seashores in the nation. There is so much to do on the fort like, camping, scuba diving, exploring the 19th-century fort, and swimming at Langdon Beach.
I will count this as an outdoor activity since you are outside once you reach the top of the lighthouse. But this is another place you can’t miss in Pensacola. The lighthouse has a small museum at the bottom so you can learn about its history. It is a 177-step climb to the top of the lighthouse, and once you reach the top, the sights will blow you away.
The Graffiti Bridge is a unique and well-known part of the Pensacola community. It was definitely one of the first things that stood out to me when I moved here. There is something new spray painted on the bridge almost every day. This is also a great spot for sunset and to get a view of the Pensacola Bay.
Thank you so much for reading! In case you missed my last blog post, you can click here to read it.
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