A Postcard from Pensacola Beach, Florida
Sitting on this soft white sand, watching the kids play in calm blue-green water, we wonder why it took us so long to call this place ours. Feels like Camelot, spring all year round and so much to do, yet no pressure to do anything. Come visit us here, in our new vacation home in Pensacola.

 

About Pensacola Beach
With an average of 343 days of sunshine and temperature ranges between 60 and 77 degrees, it's hard to beat a vacation in Pensacola. While Pensacola is a city in its own right, often the term designates the nearby coast-towns of Pensacola Beach and the Perdido Key, as well. Peninsula beach, located on Santa Rosa Island, and Perdido Key, on the western side of Pensacola, are both barrier reefs protected from development, and famous for long stretches of exquisite white sand.  The Gulf Islands National Seashore has over 1300 acres of untouched nature, literally minutes from downtown Pensacola. A second-home here gives you all the beach access you want, plus fun.

Local History
Discovered in 1559 by a Spaniard sailing up the Gulf of Mexico, Pensacola and the beach was one of the earliest places settled by Europeans. Perdido Key was settled later, in 1693, by European explorers. In 1834, Fort Pickens was completed as a defensive fort for the US, though it was later abandoned and is now a museum. Pensacola has preserved its history well, with a plethora of museums and archaeology tours. The most important native settlers have been well protected - the variety of birds, sea-life, and lush vegetation are still untouched.

An Average Lifestyle
Many people with second homes in Pensacola choose to live close to one of the beaches, enjoying a very relaxed leisure lifestyle. This includes golf, swimming, and hiking. At the same time, Pensacola is a business hub for the area, and those who live there all year round have the benefit of good steady work, with incredible vacation paradise spots a short drive from home. As the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce says, it's a place where "thousands live like millions wish they could".

Things to Do
• Enjoy deep sea and fresh water fishing
• Fish in the bay off the Pensacola Bay Bridge
• Swim in the blue-green water of the Gulf of Mexico
• Walk miles of soft white sand
• Shop along the downtown streets filled with small specialty stores
• Watch birds and enjoy nature at Big Lagoon State Park
• Visit the National Aviation Museum, home of the famed Blue Angels
• Learn history walking along the archaeological trail
• Enjoy outdoor recreation of every type: walking, swimming, skating, camping
• Watch Osprey, Dolphins, and Loggerhead turtles in their natural habitat
• Golf on the only world-class environmentally friendly golf course

Cultural Activities
• Pensacola Museum of Art
• Pensacola Historical Museum
• Guided Tours at Fort Pickens

Location
Located in the Northwest Panhandle of Florida, close to the border of Alabama, directly on the Gulf of Mexico.

Elevation: 32 feet
Distance to other major cities:
To Fort Walton, Florida: 36 miles
To Mobile, Alabama:  56 miles
To New Orleans, La:  166 miles
To Tallahassee, Fl: 174 miles
To Atlanta, Ga:  280 miles
To Gainesville, Fl: 296 miles

Getting There
- Pensacola Regional Airport has 38 flights to nearby cities via Northwest, Delta, Continental, US Airways, and AirTran
- By train, Amtrak's Sunset Limited stops three times a week
- By car on Florida's interstates

Weather
Annual Average Temperature: Average High: 77; Average Low: 60
Annual Average Rainfall:  62 inches/year

Population
Population: greater Pensacola: 58,165
Median age: 39.5

Housing
Options: Wide Mix of Condominiums as well as large older homes
Costs: Average price of a house in 1998 was about $90,000; in 2003 the median price of a single family home was $116,400

Economics
With no state income tax, the cost of living in Pensacola is about 92% of the national average. Industries include aviation, technology, and health services. Aerospace and semiconductor industries are prominent. The mean household income in 2000 was $52,000. Economically, the area has healthy employment, growing population, and reasonable home prices.

Education
University of West Florida, in Pensacola and Ft. Walton