Whether you live in the area or you’re visiting from out of town there is plenty of fun that you can have with your family in Pensacola, Florida. Pensacola is the Upside of Florida and a short 6 hour drive (48-minute flight) from Atlanta makes this location a great choice if you are looking for some family fun in the sun. But Pensacola isn’t just a beautiful beach, it plays host to some amazing museums and local fare as well. These are the places that are on the top of our list of fun things to do with your kids while visiting Pensacola
- National Naval Aviation Museum – This museum is free to visit, free to park so it is at the top of my list. The museum will not only leave your child in awe but you as well. With lots of hands-on learning, your child will be captivated for hours. With a small child playground to flight simulators, no age is left out of the fun. You can take a guided tour or get the National Naval Aviation Museum App for interactive fun. There are so many different planes to see, cockpits to jump into and everything that goes along with them. After you fall in love with the Museum you should consider checking out the National Flight Academy down the street. It’s the ultimate camp 7th-12th graders! Ambition Experimental Pilots (AXPs) will be briefed on the days’ action-packed mission and will work together to create a master plan, flight map, and debrief following the completion of every mission. Students around the country are discovering this new program. Perhaps your kids just aren’t into your plans for a summer vacation. You can send them to National Flight Academy for the week while you enjoy yourself around the City of Pensacola. Children stay right there in the Ambition building for a true camp experience.
- Historic Pensacola Village – Eleven different historic building that has transformed into educational into the West Florida History. The highlights of the Historic Pensacola Village were the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum and the Pensacola Children’s Museum. The Wentworth museum is located in 1900’s Spanish Revival style building that once was City Hall. With three levels of exhibits to explore including permanent and traveling exhibits you can teach your children about the rich history of the region. Head across the street to the Pensacola Children’s Museum for more hands-on learning fun. The first level is geared towards children under the age of 9. It plays host to interactive pretend play that allows young children to learn on a level that they understand. This was my daughters favorite part of all the museums because she was able to use her imagination. The second level is geared more towards older children and adults but still has hands-on learning for younger children. There are lots of historic artifacts from the region that was very intriguing.
- Ghost Tours – With all this talk about museums and history I have to mention ghost tours! If you aren’t interested in visiting a museum during the day because you are hanging out on the beach, you should come at night. You will get a guided tour that includes all the history and maybe a good scare to go with it. The Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum offers a ghost hunt, being a location that has been featured on Travel Channel and SciFi’s Ghost Hunters and has even been called the top haunted lighthouse in America. There is also one in the Historic Pensacola Village.
- The BEACH – What would a vacation to a beachfront city be without a trip to the beach! Hop over the three-mile bridge to Gulf Breeze and then grab a $1 for the last toll bridge onto the last island. You’ll find Sugar white sands and emerald waters. I lived on the Gulf as a child and never saw beaches as beautiful as these. I highly suggest staying on this island either in a hotel or renting a vacation home from Paradise Beach Homes if you have a bigger family. You then can walk down to the beach whenever you like. Being able to access the beach anytime instead of having to jump into your car is very nice. The homes on Pensacola beach are wonderful. They even have an elementary school on the island. (Just in case you end up staying, we almost did!)
Pensacola is an amazing place to bring your family. Not only will you have lots of fun in the sun but good educational fun as well. Teaching your children about the places you visit is something that leaves lasting memories as they grow. What is your favorite place to visit in Pensacola?
Check out some great places to grab food and art galleries in the Pensacola area here.
The City of Pensacola invited me to experience their amazing city to write this review. It was an amazing trip, and we will be returning very soon!
