PENSACOLA USHERS IN THE FALL/WINTER SEASONS WITH NEW DIRECT FLIGHT ROUTES, MAJOR MILESTONES, FRESH DINING, FESTIVALS AND MORE

While temperatures across the state might not be cooling down just yet, Pensacola, Fla. is ready to usher in the fall/winter seasons with new direct flight routes from Pensacola to New York City, momentous milestone celebrations and events, new dining options for visitors and more throughout the destination.

Getting to Pensacola
When planning a visit to the destination, getting to Pensacola has never been easier, with direct flights from major hubs like Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Nashville. Launching this November, travelers can also enjoy direct daily flights from Pensacola to LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Delta Airlines, making getting to/from the Big Apple a breeze for travelers.

For those living in neighboring states such as Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, the destination can also be accessed via road trip in five hours or less – making a sunny beach trip all the more convenient.

Major Milestones
This fall, the Pensacola Ice Flyers are celebrating their momentous 15-year anniversary season in the destination. The Ice Flyers, part of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), launched their inaugural season in Pensacola in 2009 and have delighted fans for nearly two decades at the Pensacola Bay Center. All season long, the Ice Flyers will surprise and delight fans as they celebrate their anniversary.

Home of the original Bushwacker, the Sandshaker Lounge has been a Pensacola Beach staple since 1973. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, The Sandshaker is mostly lovingly known for the rich, chocolate concoction that includes Kahlua, the occasional rum topper, and for those who’d want to add something extra, fresh or frozen fruit like bananas or strawberries.

Featuring over 740 whiskeys and artfully crafted cocktails, The Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, which gets its namesake from seventh U.S. President Andrew Jackson, is celebrating 10 years of integrating local history into an entertaining experience for both locals and visitors alike this year. And just a few blocks south sits Old Hickory’s sister bar, The Kennedy. Celebrating its fifth anniversary next year, The Kennedy is known for melding together the nostalgia of the early 1960s with a modern twist and is the perfect spot to enjoy classic cocktails and small bites created with locally sourced ingredients.

Taking place this November, the Annual Frank Brown Songwriters’ Festival will once again bring nationally acclaimed songwriters and musicians from around the world to venues along Florida’s Gulf Coast from Nov. 9, 2023, to Nov. 19, 2023, with several can’t-miss engagements at the iconic Flora-Bama on Perdido Key. Next year will mark 40 years as the festival continues to provide musicians an opportunity to share their stories behind lyrics that otherwise may go unheard with music-loving fans.

This November also marks the 10-year anniversary of a Pensacola staple, the Pensacola Foo Foo Festival. A 12-day celebration of culturally creative happenings, events, and moments under one banner, this year’s events will take place from Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, to Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. Set to be one of the most memorable iterations yet, this year’s Foo Foo Fest will see leading acts such as Manchester Orchestra, Broadway star Megan Hilty, immersive fine art experiences and tours, performances by the Pensacola Opera, Pensacola Children’s Chorus and others.

Fresh Dining
New locations of beloved eateries have been popping up throughout the destination this year, continuing with Pearl & Horn, which will open a new, larger space this Fall. Offering the perfect culinary blend of land and sea nestled into the edge of Pensacola’s Historic Downtown district, the new expanded location will seat 300 guests and will feature a freshly shucked oyster and seafood bar, an outdoor dining area, and a private dining room available for special events. The menu will boast delicious additions of colorful caviar, seafood towers, elk, and bison. Guests can continue to visit the original location at The Garden at Main + Palafox until reservations for the new space open later this year.

Recently opened in late August, the Salty Pearl Raw Bar marries fresh seafood with innovative culinary techniques. With something for every kind of seafood lover, the Salty Pearl offers succulent oysters, seafood platters, and lobster rolls that are sure to keep customers returning for more.

Vinyl Music Hall’s new food venture, Proper Burger, recently opened on Palafox and offers craveable smash burgers and fries. Keeping it simple, their signature burgers are a custom-made Costello’s Butcher Shop meat blend slathered in their signature Proper sauce. Guests can get a single or double patty, with the choice of fries, which are made using beef tallow.

Fall Festivals
This November, there’s no better destination to vacation artfully than Pensacola. Featuring a wealth of fall festival programming, Pensacola invites visitors to experience it all with high-caliber arts and culture festivals such as the 51st Annual Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival (Nov. 3-5, 2023). The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is one of the highest-regarded, most popular arts festivals in the U.S. The three-day, juried art show draws more than 200 of the nation’s best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen, and other artists.

The Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show will take place Nov. 3, 2023, to Nov. 4, 2023, with the theme celebrating “50 Years of Women in Naval Aviation.” One of Pensacola’s largest and most coveted events, visitors can enjoy a lineup of aerobatic performances alongside the Blue Angels at the free-to-the-public events, with paid seating options also available for purchase. This year, the Budweiser Clydesdales will make special appearances in Pensacola at the Blue Wahoos Stadium on Nov. 1, 2023, and at the Homecoming Air Shows over the weekend at NAS Pensacola. Fans of all ages are invited to bask in the beauty of the ambassadors of the iconic Budweiser brand.

Taking place Nov. 12, 2023, Pensacola Eggfest will return to Blue Wahoos Stadium to showcase BBQ teams and backyard cooks from all over the U.S. who share a love for cooking and the joy of giving back to their communities.

Late November brings the 56th Annual Snowball Derby, a 300-lap model stock car race held annually at Pensacola’s Five Flags Speedway. The event attracts some of the bigger names in short-track racing, including top series NASCAR drivers such as Kyle Busch, Steve Wallace, Bobby Gill, Chase Elliot, and others.

Rejoice in the Holiday Season
With miles of sugar-white sands as white as snow and rolling emerald waves, the holidays are wrapped in even more cheer each winter as the streets – and beaches – come alive for the season. This year, swap the snow for the sand for this year’s holiday celebrations.

All winter long, Pensacola offers ample experiences to choose from, like the annual First City Lighting Festival in mid-November that illuminates the walkable downtown square with 500,000 lights. The stunning spectacle is free to the public and creates a scene straight out of a storybook. Beginning Nov. 16, 2023, the local favorite Winterfest brings “snow” to Plaza Wonderland during a magical festival complete with holiday music, live performances, holiday treats and so much more. After the Thanksgiving holiday, visitors can venture to the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk to experience the annual Christmas tree lighting.

Beginning in November, visitors are invited to be on the lookout for the Holiday Cube in Downtown Pensacola. The perfect backdrop for a memorable photo op, the cube features different destination scenes inspired by the holiday season. Don’t forget to hashtag #ExperiencePcola!

And for those looking for a festive boozy beverage, don’t miss Nightmare on Palafox. The Halloween cocktail pop-up takes over The Old Hickory Whiskey Bar and The Kennedy each October with Halloween-themed cocktails, collectible decor, and more. Nightmare on Palafox is a must-see experience for visitors ages 21 years or older. Following Thanksgiving, the bars will transition into a Christmas-themed pop-up that will have guests returning for more festive fun.

Leading into December, annual immersive experiences also return to Pensacola like the Polar Express Tour where tap-dancing servers lead visitors through a trolley ride of the classic Christmas tale. In addition, The Cajun Christmas Experience is a great choice for those who like a little history with their Christmas cookies. During this open-air trolley ride, a guide shares stories of how they celebrate Christmas in the bayou as guests travel to Pensacola’s Historic Village.

On Dec. 2, 2023, the Lighted Boat Parade will illuminate the Santa Rosa Sound as guests watch from the shoreline and Pensacola Beach Boardwalk starting at 6:30 p.m. Then, on Dec. 3, 2023, visitors can venture out to Pensacola Beach to witness the Surfing Santa Beach Christmas Parade.

On Dec. 9, 2023, don’t miss a trip to the Flora-Bama to experience the Annual Santa Drop, where Santa Claus will skydive onto the snowy-white sandy beach on Perdido Key. Visitors are encouraged to keep their eyes on the skies as Santa Claus prepares to make his magical entrance at 12:30 p.m. in this free-to-the-public event.

For more information about Visit Pensacola and upcoming happenings around the city this season and for 2024 milestones, email pr@visitpensacola.com.

About Visit Pensacola
Visit Pensacola is the destination organization for Escambia County, which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. With over 460 years of rich history and nearly 40 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration, and communication.

Visit Pensacola Launches Experience Pensacola Destination App

Visit Pensacola announced the launch of its Experience Pensacola app. The app is designed to assist both locals and visitors in navigating Escambia County.

“This app makes exploring the destination easier than ever, “Visit Pensacola President Darien Schaefer said. “For our residents, I think they’ll find themselves discovering activities and restaurants they never knew existed and for visitors, they’ll find an easy tool to organize and share their vacation with family and friends.”

With a built-in location finder, app users can find experiences closest to them. Some of the core features include:

  • Travel deals for an affordable vacation (locals can indulge, too!)
  • Local restaurant listings
  • Trails and Interactive Tours
  • Custom itinerary builder
  • Happy Hours
  • Current events
  • Local transportation options
  • Museums and attractions

“One of the features I like most is the interactive trails,” Visit Pensacola Partner Relations Manager Kaya Man said. “When we’re stumped for something free and fun to do, it’s a great resource.”

The Experience Pensacola app is available for download on the Apple Store or on Google Play. To learn more about the Experience Pensacola app, or to download it, visit www.visitpensacola.com/app/.

Pensacola Florida Has Something For All Taste Buds

Buttery, smoky oysters, wood-fired locally caught lionfish and what’s that? A fried green tomato topped with crab meat, bacon and a shallot-champagne vinaigrette? Do we have you drooling yet? Pensacola’s cuisine has a mind of its own combining New Orleans creole flavors with a southern twisted Gulf side experience. Our cuisine is so important to us that we dedicate a whole festival season to it and you’re invited!

It’s a well-kept secret that fall is one of the best times to visit a coastal southern town. With a light breeze in the air, the best sunsets of the year and an eclectic mix of seasonal cuisines and cocktails, Pensacola is sure to be your go-to vacation this fall.

First on the docket is Tastemakers. We know you’ve probably heard of a pub crawl, but a restaurant crawl? Dine your way around the world through downtown Pensacola with dishes such as alligator sausage with watermelon relish, southern fried chicken, Irish boxty’s and so much more. The event passport provides free entry to the afterparty at the famous Seville Quarter, so you won’t want to forget that! If you want to continue around the world, stop in for the Greek Festival. Get your fill of baklava, gyros and dolmathes while vacationing.

Next up is Taste of the Beach. Sip, savor and surf through over 20 Pensacola Beach restaurants offering signature cocktails and dishes right next to the Gulf of Mexico. The festival is free to enter and all dishes are under five dollars! Later in the afternoon, the PensacolaBeach Chefs will take the stage to present live cooking demonstrations. Additionally, the festival will host cooking competitions, live entertainment and kid-friendly activities.

If you haven’t had enough seafood, just wait. The 40th annual Pensacola Seafood Festival kicks off the last weekend in September showcasing the freshest Gulf seafood in the country. Spanning three parks in downtown Pensacola, festival-goers can taste tapas from over 25 vendors, view regional art and bask in coastal ambiance.

For someone with a different palate looking to still enjoy the shoreline, opt for the best barbecue party on the coast at the Pensacola Egg Fest. Situated on top of Pensacola Blue Wahoos Stadium spanning Pensacola Bay, chefs meet at sunrise to prepare the day’s smoky goodness. Delicious samples to the public begin at 3 p.m. with everything from oysters to brisket to paella and even desserts!

Whether you’re looking for southern fusion or Gulf Coast seafood, Pensacola has options for everyone. Our cuisine is award-winning, according to Southern Living, Florida Travel + Life, Florida Trends Golden Spoon and Business Insider just to name a few. Our standards reflect history and culture dating back over 450 years that visitors are sure to experience the moment it hits their taste buds. We can’t wait for you to join us. For more information, visit www.visitpensacola.com.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola is the destination management organization for Escambia County which includes PensacolaPensacola Beach and Perdido Key. With over 450 years of rich history and 18 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration and communication.

Looking For Florida’s Best, You’ll Find It In Pensacola

The Pensacola Bay Area continues to prove to be a destination vacation through recent accolades. Known most well for its sugar white beaches, voted to the 10 Best Beaches in Florida by Conde Nast to be exact, the coastal city has established itself as an all-encompassing travel and leisure spot for visitors around the country.

Trips to Discover, an online travel publication that reaches over 7 million people, named the area to the 14 Best Day Trips in the Florida Panhandle and to the 12 Best Florida Summer Vacations on a Budget. The Pensacola Bay Area offers a multitude of activities from exploring the Gulf Islands National Seashore and its majestic forts, learning where Don Tristan de Luna landed and established America’s First Settlement over 450 years ago or enjoying the vibrant cultural scene downtown.

The Pensacola Bay area is known for its fresh Gulf Coast seafood, so well-known that Food Networks “Great American Food Truck Race” and host Tyler Florence stopped in to experience it. Business Insider named Taqueria El Asador, a local taco stand, to the 50 best tacos joint in all of America and Southern Living awarded the Flora-Bama the best bar in the entire state of Florida! Speaking of cocktails, locals favorite and owned by one of Visit Pensacola’s celebrity chefs, Skopelos restaurant has been awarded the 2017 Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator magazine!

As Pensacola gears up for the Fall Festival season, it places a significant emphasis on the culinary scene. We encourage foodies to come and experience a vast variety of tastes including gulf coast seafood, Greek, American street food and so much more. Festival season is the prime time to plan a vacation to the area as the official tourism season has come to a close, rates have declined and the weather is mild. You can easily say this is a locals favorite time of year!

Only in your state again named The National Naval Aviation Museum to the Best Free Activities in Florida and the Historic PensacolaVillage to the 13 Unforgettable Tours in Florida. With over 450 years of rich history, Historic Pensacola is a living laboratory that guides guests through 28 properties that have been fully restored. The village is fully operable and includes daily colonial living history demonstrations. The National Naval Aviation Museum is the world’s largest Naval Aviation museum and features more than 150 restored aircraft’s representing Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Aviation. Spanning 37-acres of ground space and 350,000 square feet of exhibit, the museum is open daily and offers free admission.

The US Navy Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow is currently in the running for USA Today’s Reader’s Choice award for top 10 Best Airshows. Be a part of our next accolade by voting daily, visit http://ow.ly/WNWj30dmkEa.

For more information about Visit Pensacola, call 1-800-874-1234 (toll-free) or go to http://ow.ly/Rga530dxikW.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola leads the effort of economic development through tourism in Escambia County. Comprised of over 200-member businesses, VisitPensacola’s mission is to position the Pensacola Bay Area as a premier year-round travel destination through tourism marketing, communications, meetings and conventions, reunions and group tour initiatives. For more information about Visit Pensacola, call 1-800-874-1234 (toll-free) or go to VisitPensacola.com.