Good morning, y'all. I always feel like such a bum when the UPS or FedEx guys show up at my house and we're all still in pajamas, but here we are, greeting them in pjs at 9:30 am once again. In my defense, we didn't get up until 8:30, we never start school before 10, and the kids are all happily playing together. The animals are all taken care of, the dishes are done, and laundry is going....I'm just still in pajamas with glasses, not contacts on. And I haven't brushed my teeth yet. Closed-mouth smile for the UPS guy, once again.
I could lie and say that we're just still all on vacation mode, but....it'd be a lie. This is every morning, folks. Thank goodness for homeschooling!
But.....speaking of vacations, how about a little recap of the last one our family took, and why Pensacola is awesome and should make it onto everyone's top ten list for places they want to take a family vacation? Why, yes, let's do that. Ready? Get your cup of coffee/tea, and sit down, and let's go on vacation!
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Pensacola is a city in the panhandle of Florida - the forgotten part of FL by the rest of the world, really. No Disney World, not as large of a retiree draw (it's not as hot), and not featured on MTV's spring break. It's not far from Panama City (2 hours west), but it's a world away as a vacation spot. Coming down from the Midwest, it's super easy, too. Basically, you just take I-65 the whole way - even the teens could do a round of driving for you, it's that easy. Flying is a little bit trickier, although Pensacola does have great little airport. It's just not as busy as other places, so the flight selections are fewer.
It's currently the home of an excavation of what is being called the oldest settlement in the country, beating out St Augustine by a few years. What does that mean for you? Lots to explore! Pensacola's been here for awhile - which means there's been lots of time for places and organizations and whatnot to develop. (For you homeschoolers, I'll link below to some great resources that can turn this vacation into a school field trip - in a fun way!).
In interest of full disclosure, it's also where I grew up. I might be biased, but I think the points below still stand. Pensacola is a great place to visit - especially as a family vacation, and here's why!
1). The beaches. Pensacola's beaches just recently got voted the best beaches in Florida, and it's really not hard to see why. The water is crystal-clear (you can see straight down to the bottom!), the sand looks and feels like white sugar, and there's so much to do! We almost always stay at a resort that rents out kayaks and paddle boards, and the like (they also have small sailboats and jet skis), and there's never a dull moment when you have those! This past week, we saw a ton of rays, some jellyfish, lots of dolphins, about a bajillion hermit crabs, and even a curious sea turtle. Even if you don't stay where we do, there are a couple of businesses who you can rent those things from (if your rental/lodging doesn't have rentals themselves).
2). Fort Pickens. This place is so much fun. I had forgotten how much until this year, when the oldest Circus clown and I went to explore it. It's HUGE, and the rangers and employees are super knowledgeable and helpful. Some of the best beaches can be found on the area along the fort, and the fort itself boosts daily tours, some special events (like ghost tours), and a chance to learn some great history - like being controlled continuously by the Union forces during the Civil War (and possibly being one of the first, if not the first, battle of the Civil War), and the place where Geronimo was held in captivity. The grounds were just meticulously restored, and are impeccable. A $20 car pass will get everyone who fits in the car (up to a 15 passenger van) into the fort (and other NPS sites nearby) for a whole week.
3). I can't make a Pensacola list without mentioning some of its most famous residents - at least for half of the year. The Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, are based at NAS Pensacola, and are in town for approximately half of the year (they move to CA for winter training). They practice out at NAS every Tuesday and Wednesday, when not out of town for an air show. You can find their practice schedule here. Practices are free to attend, and are staffed with fantastic volunteers who have been able to answer any question we've ever thrown at them. Check the schedule in advance, because the practice often ends with an autograph session with the pilots themselves, inside the museum. Speaking of the museum, I would be remiss if I didn't also mention that here. The NAS aviation museum is one of the best that I've ever been in - it's also free, with the exception of some movies and simulators. Tons of well-cared for exhibits, lots of people to answer questions, and an all-around great place to visit.
4). Pensacola has some of the best nature, and nature watching opportunities, of any place we've ever vacationed. Just this last week, we went on a dolphin cruise, did some hiking (Naval Live Oaks is an awesome spot for hiking and nature viewing), and managed to see all of the animals that I mentioned above....with hardly any work on our part! It can get really hot and humid during the summer, so we prefer to visit in the "shoulder season" of late spring, when it's warm enough to enjoy being outside, but not so warm that my tundra-dwellers melt. It's a perfect spot for on-the-road science classes, especially in marine biology. (Definitely can make this a school field trip, y'all!)
5). The restaurants. Pensacola is incredibly blessed with fun, delicious places to grab a bite to eat. We have our favorites, but those aren't the only ones! The seafood is fresh and amazing, and the atmosphere is often some of the best. I actually struggled with this quite a bit when moving away from the area - I didn't realize just how much outdoor dining was important to me when we'd go on "date nights", and that's not as easy to come by in some of the climates we've lived in! Two of our favorites (and the ones that the kids beg for) include McGuire's Irish Pub (we've added a couple of dollar bills to their collection!), and Red Fish, Blue Fish (giant outdoor eating area with fun lawn games to play). Mike and I also managed to find a few places downtown that we enjoyed for our date nights this year, the first of which was Dharma Blue. Great places, great food, and great for kids (we've never felt like our large family was unwelcome at any of these places - in fact, most of the time, the servers went out of their way to help make it an incredible dining experience. At Cactus Flower Cafe this last week, one of our clowns was overtired and hot and overwhelmed with the menu (he's got food anxiety to begin with, and was struggling quite a bit). Without any hesitation, she got down to his level and helped him create a meal that was exactly what he wanted, without any pressure or making him feel like a burden. She was worth her weight in gold!!).
6). I mentioned above that Pensacola was steeped in history - that's most evident when you take the time to explore Historic Pensacola Village and it's museums. I'm not sure how I mentioned to go to school for so long in the area without visiting these museums (I think I moved to the area just after the year that the kids all go explore local history or something), but we first took the family there a few years ago. It was worth it! For $36, our entire family can visit the 28 properties (historic sites and buildings, and a handful of great museums, including the Children's Museum) for SEVEN DAYS! For our whole vacation, we can sprinkle these great spots into our itinerary - easily filling up an entire vacation with things to do for less than the cost of one meal out. And, guys, it's not cheap because it's not worth it - these museums are great! Well maintained, well-staffed, and full of fun things to do and learn about. We went on a tour of the village the last time we were there, and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it - seeing the houses and learning about the way life used to be in Pensacola was wonderful for them. And, homeschoolers, here are those links I talked about: the teacher packets are wonderful materials that are easily turned into lap books and/or lesson plans for homeschoolers, too.
7). Festivals, festivals, festivals. These are some of my most favorite memories from growing up in the Pensacola area. These Southerners know how to party, and they know how to put on a good show. There's almost always something going on, and the city's website does a great job helping you find your way around the schedule. I have such fond memories of walking around downtown, exploring the food and crafts, and performers - taking my own kids back to them has been an experience that I've treasured. I'd highly recommend it for you guys, too - it's an economical way to fill up a family vacation, and one that won't let you down!
So, there you have it. Seven reasons why you and your family should put Pensacola on your list of vacation spots - a great spot to visit, and one that will not disappoint!
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