Mike & Joyce Hendrix's Pensacola Information for Visitors

Pensacola has name recognition. Generally when we say we are from Pensacola we do not have to say Pensacola, Florida. Most people know that Pensacola is in Florida. In addition to being the residence of an eclectic group of individuals (heaven only knows where they come from) that are Hell-bent on making National News, Pensacola is noted
for the sugar white beaches, Pensacola Christian College and the Naval Aviation Museum. In the past decade or so Pensacola was home to several abortion clinic bombings (we have been a hot-bed for individuals protesting abortion), we also were the town where different individuals actually shot abortion doctors. One time with a shotgun the other incident was with a pistol. Pensacola is where a shark at Ft. Pickens attacked a boy. The incident made national news for weeks. Several years ago two young boys beat their father to death with a baseball bat. The trial made national news for weeks. Not long ago a Grand Jury indicted 4 of 5 County Commissioners. The Governor removed them from office. All have either been found guilty or pleaded guilty. Without the guilty verdicts the good-people from around here would have put them back in office. It is just the kind of place we are. Go figure. Thankfully, Florida has a law that prohibits convicted felons from holding office.

Pensacola also produces some "good" individuals. It is home to some of the best athletes in North America. Emmit Smith (the league's career rushing leader) of the Dallas Cowboys, Derrick Brooks (2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Roy Jones Jr. one of the best professional boxers ever.

Notably, Pensacola is the site of the very first European settlement on the North American continent. A group of Spaniards set up a colony here in 1559, then a bad hurricane hit and the would-be colonists lost all their supplies and many of their ships. After nearly starving they were rescued. If not for the unfortunate hurricane Pensacola would be what Charleston, SC and St. Augustine, FL are. The colonization efforts in those communities were not devastated by a hurricane and were both successful. I think St. Augustine lays claim to being "America's oldest city" as it was colonized in 1565.

When Spanish conquistadors explored this area they named the local Indian tribe the Panzacola (meaning "the place of the long-haired people"). The 1559 landing of Don Tristan de Luna and his fleet on the coast of Pensacola made this area the first European settlement in the United States. As luck would have it the place de Luna chose to colonize was destroyed by a hurricane. Mother Nature had done what the local Indians had been unable to do, force the Spaniards to abandon their settlement and return to Spain. Now you know where the 1st Settlement by Europeans in the United States was.

Pensacola is situated on a large Bay that in certain eras was busyer than New York harbor. Imagine that! The Navy has always had a presence in Pensacola especially that part of the Navy that has to do with aviation. It is home to the "Blue Angels" public relations team. The "Blue Angels" practice aboard the Naval Air station when they are in town. Check for schedules when you arrive. The Naval Aviation Museum is also located on the base. This is not a fly-by-night joint; it is truly a "National Museum" on the order of Smithsonian. Don't
miss it if you are in the area.

Pensacola's association with the navy is truly close. It is recognized as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation" as well as the "Mother-in-Law of the Navy". The "Cradle of Naval Aviation" moniker is self-explanatory. It is where it began! The affectionate "Mother-in-Law of the Navy" moniker has a ton of truth associated with it. Young men fresh from college have arrived in Pensacola for both Officer training and Pilot training. The pilot training takes up to a year. These young officers were good "catches" for any of the local belles. The movie "Officer and a Gentleman" was about the life of a young naval officer and how a local girl pursued him. The Navy would not allow it to be filmed on base (they thought it would be
derogatory) so filmmakers filmed it at an old base in California. I think the military has learned to make better decisions these days, at least when it comes to the filmmakers.

Pensacola Beach: If you have small kids a good place for them to play in the water is Quiet Water beach which is located on the bay or sound rather than the Gulf. Several Public beaches and parking lots are available. The sand along the northeastern Gulf coast (from Cape San Blas, Florida west to Orange Beach, Alabama stretch some of the most
beautiful beaches in the world. Literally, these have been rated as the best beaches in the world, it is NOT just advertising hype. The sand is pure quartz crystals that are as white as snow. You should experience walking barefoot in this sand. It is a unique experience. As the sand moves around in the water it becomes like very small river
rocks. There are no rough edges on the sand. Each grain is smooth like a marble or river rock. Experience the sound of walking in it then remember how each grain is smooth and just seems to slide away when you put weight on it. It is kind of like walking through a field of small marbles. It is speculated that the source of our snow-white beach sand is the Appalachian Mountains. Some scientist say the quartz was transported to the beach by the Apalachicola River, 160 miles east of Pensacola Beach. Others say the Gulf Stream
transported the quartz sand here. The Gulf Stream theory is the one I like best.

Now for my recommendations of what to see and do in Pensacola:

Pensacola has several places to visit that are not normal tourist fare. Some of my favorites are:

Joe Patti's Seafood

Take a trip to Joe Patti's seafood. Located on the corner of Main and "A" street near downtown Pensacola. They have taken the term "Seafood Market" to a higher level. Fresh seafood is the order of the day. From squid to crawfish and everything in between is available. Fresh shrimp are probably the cheapest you will find anywhere. If you are into scallops always get the bay scallops; they are the small ones. Smaller equals better in this case. Two fish that are excellent choices along the Gulf coast are Scamp, which is a member of the
Grouper family and Trigger fish. Both have sweet white meat. Triggerfish is great for grilling since the filets are firm and will stay together. You will also be able to get some unique items intheir specialty store like fresh sourdough bread, Greek and Cajun entrees and spices. Joe Patti's is very much like Pike's Street Market in Seattle as far as the atmosphere goes. Go there prepared to take home some culinary delights.

One fun thing to do between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon is wander down to the docks and watch the charter fishing fleet return with their catch. There is always action around the "cleaning table" as the catch is cleaned and iced for the trip back home. If you want to watch this show you can stop by the marinas on Pensacola Beach.

If you are interested in birds there is a tern and skimmer nesting area just south of the toll bridge onto Pensacola Beach. The terns and skimmers build their nest in the dredge spoil area that you will see just south of the water tanks, which are located at the toll bridge. The best way to view this area is to proceed in your vehicle past the nesting area to one of the parking lots not far up the road then walk back. These birds do not nest year around but you should have a good opportunity to view them in early to mid-summer. Another
nesting area for terns and plovers is along the National Seashore just past the entrance gate to Ft. Pickens National Park.

Many ospreys' nest on the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. The Naval Air Station is not a normal military base. It is open to the public. There is a National Cemetery, a National Park (FT. Barrancas), and a National Museum of Naval Aviation on board. Anyone can go to these places. All you have to do is tell the guard on the gate you are going to the National Cemetery or the Museum and they will wave you on through. Osprey nests are on nesting platforms literally all over the base. Some locations are as follows: There is a cluster of radio antennae towers located south of the golf course and north of the National Cemetery. This spot is marked by an intersection with a traffic light. The nests are on the Northwest corner of this intersection. Look for piles of sticks high on these towers. There are three to 5 different nests in this group of towers. Just west of the Navy bank is a telephone building that has a nesting platform located in the parking lot behind the building. This is located west of the bank and before the golf course. Another nesting platform is located ½ mile west of the Naval Aviation Museum, across the street from the entrance to Oak Grove RV Park. Another nesting platform is
located on the south side of the road very near the back gate. If you pay attention you will spot others.

National Museum of Naval Aviation & IMAX Theatre

National Museum of Naval Aviation & IMAX Theatre: Located on Naval Air Station Pensacola in South West Pensacola. This Museum is 3rd in the state of Florida for number of visitors. You should see this if you are in the area for a few days.

While visiting the Naval Air Station do not miss the view from the Lighthouse restaurant. This restaurant is located across the street from the National Museum of Naval Aviation on board NAS Pensacola. The food is nothing to write home about. The VIEW you will remember forever. The best time to visit this restaurant is from lunch through mid afternoon when the sun is at its zenith making the view most memorable. The large viewing windows across the entire backside of this restaurant face Pensacola Pass where Pensacola Bay enters the Gulf of Mexico. The beautiful blue green water and the ship traffic into and out of the harbor are worth a sandwich for the family. You could also opt for the lunch buffet, which is available for around $6.00. Remember you are here for the VIEW, not the food. With that said there would be nothing wrong with the food.

Wildlife Sanctuary of NW Florida located at 105 N "S" street 850-433-9453 is the area's home and rehabilitation site for injured and disabled wildlife. Although not a real zoo this place has many local animals and birds on display that you would not normally see at a ZOO.

If you happen through to be here during the spring or fall there is bird banding taking place at Ft. Morgan, Alabama west of Pensacola. To get to Ft. Morgan you first need to get to Gulf Shores, Alabama then take the road west until you get to the end (approximately 20 miles). Plan to spend some time at this activity. From April 1 through 15 and again October 7 through 21 the Humming Bird Society conducts bird banding at the Fort Morgan site from dawn till the birds thin out each day. They target neo-tropical migrants as they either
gather for their journey across the Gulf of Mexico in the fall or literally fall out of the sky exhausted from their trip back in the spring. This is an up close and personal experience. The people doing the banding will let you walk the nets with them and explain everything they do. As spectators you may even get to hold a bird then release it, after it has been banded, of course. If you are a birder this is something to experience. All birds being banded can be viewed from very close range. When you get to view them at this close range you can easily see all of the markings that are shown in the identification guides. These same markings would be nearly impossible to see as these small birds flit around in the treetops. If you stay around until late in the afternoon why not make dinner plans for the restaurant located at the marina just before you get to Fort Morgan. This restaurant is located adjacent to the marina. The food is good and the sun set from the 2nd story windows is worth going out of your way for. This place is NOT expensive, if you want expensive you can find those back in Gulf Shores. What it does have is an unbeatable sunset dining experience at a super price. It is less than 5 minutes away from the bird banding activity. I might add that there are many campgrounds in Gulf Shores, including many mom and pops as well as Gulf States State Park. For more information on the bird banding activity contact Bob Sargent at 205-681-2888.

Champion paper mill just north of Pensacola offers a plant tour.

The Vietnam Memorial or Wall South:
Located near down town Pensacola on the waterfront between the bridge to Gulf Breeze and downtown proper is the Wall South a replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D. C. When you are driving down bay front parkway look for the Vietnam era army helicopter on display. Parking is on the North side of the memorial. This memorial was
conceived and paid for by Vietnam era veterans. The Wall South is located about a half mile west of the bridge to Gulf Breeze on Pensacola bay.

Visitors Center:
The local visitor's center is located at the North End of the bridge
to Gulf Breeze.

Fishing bridges & Piers:

You must have a Florida Fishing License to fish in Florida. You must have a salt water-fishing license if you fish from a boat in Florida's salt water.
Everyone must have a license to fish in Florida's fresh water. There are tackle shops in Gulf Breeze that will help you with bait and the appropriate terminal tackle.

The Pensacola Beach fishing Pier is an area favorite.

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Museums:

Barkley House 410 S. Florida Blanca. An early 19th century home built around 1825 and the oldest brick building standing in Pensacola. It is the last of the area's Creole high houses.

Civil War Soldiers Museum 108 S. Palafox Place. The museum features an array of artifacts, including one of the nation's largest medical collections. There is a film "Pensacola in the Civil War"

National Museum of Naval Aviation on Naval Air Station Pensacola. This free museum is one of the best museums in the country. Exhibits range from biplanes and blimps to space age aircraft. An IMAX theatre is located in the museum.

Native Paths Cultural Heritage and Resource Center 400 S. Alcaniz St. This is a Native American museum filled with prehistoric artifacts and American Indian artwork.

Pensacola Historical Resource Center 117 E. Government St.

Pensacola Historical Museum 115 E. Zaragoza St. Exhibits on Pensacola's history cover the early American Indians, military and maritime history.

Quina House 204 S. Alcaniz St. One of Pensacola's oldest houses standing on its original site. The 1 & 1/2 -story structure is an example of the Creole (Spanish-French, 1810-1830) architecture of this area.

T.T. Wentworth Jr., Florida State Museum, and Historic Pensacola Village located in Plaza Ferdinand, Downtown Pensacola. Living History Demonstrations on Saturdays.

University of West Florida Archaeology Institute. Artifacts from Archaeological sites in northwest Florida.

Advertised Area Attractions:

Ft. Pickens National Park: Ft Pickens NP was destroyed by hurricane Ivan in 2004 then hit hard again by hurricane Dennis in 2005. Ft Pickens has not reopened or should I say there is no longer a road to Ft Pickens. Some day I suspect that Ft Pickens NP will reopen. What year that will be remains a mystery.

Pensacola Beach: If you have small kids a good place for them to play in the water is Quiet Water beach which is located on the bay or sound rather than the Gulf. Several Public beaches and parking lots are available. The sand along the northeastern Gulf coast (from Cape San Blas, Florida west to Orange Beach, Alabama stretch some of the most
beautiful beaches in the world. Literally, these have been rated as the best beaches in the world, it is NOT just advertising hype. The sand is pure quartz crystals that are as white as snow. You should experience walking barefoot in this sand. It is a unique experience. As the sand moves around in the water it becomes like very small river rocks. There are no rough edges on the sand. Each grain is smooth like a marble or river rock. Experience the sound of walking in it then remember how each grain is smooth and just seems to slide away when you put weight on it. It is kind of like walking through a field of small marbles. It is speculated that the source of our snow-white beach sand is the Appalachian Mountains. Some scientist say the quartz was transported to the beach by the Apalachicola River, 160 miles east of Pensacola Beach. Others say the Gulf Stream transported the quartz sand here. The Gulf Stream theory is the one I like best.

National Museum of Naval Aviation & IMAX Theatre: Located on Naval Air Station Pensacola in South West Pensacola. This Museum is number three in the state of Florida for number of visitors. You should see this if you are in the area for a few days.

Tubing, kayaking and canoeing on the Blackwater river and Coldwater Creek: Adventures Unlimited 850-623-6197 is a local business that provides all of the equipment, puts you on busses transporting you to demarcation points then meets you at the take out point. These are very good tubing trips in pristine waters. All you have to have is a few dollars and a swim suite. Another provider is Blackwater Canoe Rental located off Hwy. 90 at the Blackwater River State Park, 800-967-6789. You can Canoe, tube or kayak the only sand river in the nation. The Black Water River is shallow with no white water and is safe for all ages.

The historic district in downtown Pensacola.

The Pensacola Historical Museum located 115 E Zarragossa Street in downtown Pensacola. 850-433-1559

The Zoo: There is a very nice Zoo located on hwy 98 between Gulf Breeze and Navarre. It is on the South side of hwy 98 about 10 miles east of Gulf Breeze.

Civil War Soldiers Museum: 108 S. Palafox Place, Pensacola 850-469-1900. This museum exhibits the private Civil War collection of local physician Dr. Norman W. Haines, Jr. The collection dates back to the Antietam Battlefield.

Panhandle BUTTERFLY HOUSE & nature walk of Navarre: Located on highway-98 at the foot of the Navarre Beach Bridge Navarre, Florida. Navarre is around 18-miles east of Gulf Breeze. They advertise over 200 species of butterflies and numerous butterfly-attracting plants on display. 850-939-3267

The West Florida RAILROAD Museum located 206 Henry Street in Milton, which is 20 miles north east of Pensacola.

Historic Pensacola Village located 205 E Zarragossa Street in downtown Pensacola.

T. T. Wentworth Museum:
They say nostalgia is a thing of the past. Well, the TT Wentworth Museum is just the place to cure a good case of nostalgia. Across the street from Ferdinand Park in the Historic District, (downtown Pensacola) the museum is a collection of scenes or Americana from the late 1800s to more modern times. It has lots of historical notes and facts connected with the exhibits.

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Flea Markets,

I am not a flea market person so I cannot share much information on the subject other than to tell you that there two rather large flea markets in the area. Saturday is the BIG day in both of these places. Directions follow: The T & W Flea Market located as the name says between T Street and W street. Yes it stretches for blocks! T Street
and W street run north and south. The flea market is located south of Fairfield drive and North of Cervantes Street. On some maps Cervantes street will be alternate hwy 90. The other Flea Market is located across from the ZOO on hwy. 98 between Gulf Breeze and Navarre. My guess is that it is approximately 10 miles east of Gulf Breeze.

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Nightlife:

The Reef is a quaint little beach bar on Perdido Key about a ½ mile south of the Intercoastal Waterway Bridge where the road to Alabama turns from South to West. Another way to describe its location is at the Johnson Beach cutoff.

Farther down this road on the Florida Alabama border is a large bar known as the Flora-Bama. It is a well-patronized establishment that has loads of entertainment. This place is a favorite of the LA (Lower Alabama) crowd. Keep your eyes open you will see the Flora-Bama on the Gulf of Mexico straddling the state line. On summer weekends
there will be off duty police helping with traffic around this place. Stuff magazine named the Flora-Bama as one of the 20-best dives in the Country in its January 2003 edition. That should tell you it is one of those places that you should experience.

Seville Quarter in downtown Pensacola is a large establishment with a large variety of activities. They also have several restaurants in the complex.

On Pensacola Beach Peg Leg Pete's is a favorite with locals as is the Sandshaker. Pensacola Beach also has Hooters. As you might imagine Hooters is known more for the (delightfully tacky) good looking wait staff than their food.

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Restaurants:

Restaurants are something that is highly personal. What is absolutely wonderful to one is detestable to someone else. With that said here are some that I recommend along with "My Comments".

Three Pensacola restaurants are featured in "Road Food" a wildly popular book describing the best "local" food around the country.
Jerry's Drive Inn on East Cervantes street, The Coffee Cup also on
East Cervantes street and Hopkins House are "Road Food's" suggestions. Hopkins House has closed but the other two are just as good as they ever were. They are all unique and definitely local establishments.

The Coffee Cup is a breakfast and lunch place. The food is nothing to write home about in my opinion but it is THE place where everyone goes to socialize and be seen. Everyone who is anyone in Pensacola will make a regular appearance in this place.

Jerry's Drive Inn is a place that is firmly rooted in Pensacola History. It originated in an era of "drive-inns" the places where cute waitresses would come to your car and get your order and the owners lived above the business. Waitresses no longer work the parking lot but burgers and daily specials are still served inside. Like the Coffee Cup Jerry's is a local hangout. Successive generations of locals introduce their children to their childhood hangout. Now it is not uncommon for it to be three or more generation's favorite place. Their burgers even win awards.

Now that the "Local Road Food" places have been covered let's look at other options:

After experiencing "local hangouts" you should take advantage of the FRESH seafood. Some local restaurants are better than others. These are my favorites:

Chet's located on Navy Blvd. in Pensacola and also in Pace, FL on hwy 90 just east of the bridge over the Escambia River. A local favorite is mullet. Chet's knows how to prepare fried mullet and is known for catching their own.

Slip's restaurant is located near downtown Pensacola at 1500 Barrancas Ave (near "H" street). This is NO place to plan a fancy family outing to, but for lunch they have a superb fried grouper basket. Warning, this is a hole in the wall place. Weekdays they do a booming business with the downtown crowd, lawyers, judges etc., for lunch. The grouper
basket is SUPER, the atmosphere & ambience is lacking unless you are into people watching.

Joe Patti's seafood deli located 610 South "C" Street near downtown Pensacola. During the summer they do a good business with mullet lunches. They also have a variety of other seafood dishes with their fixings coming from their own seafood market. This is a LUNCH only place no dinner.

The Perdido Key Oyster Bar and Marina is located approximately 5 miles west of the back gate to the Naval Air Station. The Restaurant and Marina is located on the Intercoastal Waterway (ICW), at the foot of the Intercoastal Waterway Bridge from the mainland to Perdido Key. The Marina is home to a number of charter and sport fishing boats. They have terrific seafood, and you can sit and watch tugs and barges go right past the windows on the ICW. The Restaurant is well known
and normally crowded. Be prepared to sign up for seating and then take a stroll around the docks while waiting for a table. Take the first road to the east on the south side of the bridge to get to the Marina and Restaurant parking lot. Enjoy.

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A younger opinion of area Restaurants:

When our 30-year old Daughter-in-Law saw the three restaurants "Road Food" featured for Pensacola she could not believe it. If she would have written the book her three selections would have been: McGuire's Irish Pub and Brewery near downtown, The Fish House even closer to downtown, and Flounders on Pensacola Beach. She made three very good selections. Each is a top-notch establishment with a great business. The basic difference, as I see it is PRICE. The "Road Food" selections featured meals from $5 to $7 where these places feature entrees starting at $12 and heading higher rapidly so I am going to categorize them as:

"Renowned and or High-end eating establishments".

McGuire's Irish Pub & Brewery:
McGuire's is a great high-end eating establishment. The Pub's front walls have evolved into a makeshift shrine to celebrities, politicians and athletes who have dined there. Names include Al Gore, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Brooke Shields, John McCain, Harry Connickle Jr., Janet Jackson, Lewis Grizzard, Mary Stewart Masterson, Roy Jones Jr. and
Sugar Ray Leonard. Most memorabilia is framed with a photo. When newcomers walk into the lobby, their eyes immediately go to the dangling greenbacks, over $225,000 signed and dated dollar bills, stapled to the walls and ceiling. Some must touch the money to make sure it's real. It is a sensory reaction when one sees that many dollar bills stapled to the wall. At tax time the IRS categorizes the signed bills as gifts from customers and as such they must be reported. To tackle the job each year employee's section off an area and actually count each bill, using ladders to reach the bills on the ceiling. This annual event has been featured on the "Today" show with Katie Couric and Matt Lauer. The Today show crew filmed a half-dozen-pub employees hand counting dollar bills. The actual count takes five long days. The restaurant includes tons of memorabilia. The establishment has great food and is listed as one of the top 10 restaurants in Florida. The place also has a brewery where beer is made. If you want to experience this place on the "cheap" you could
get a hamburger and coke for around $7.00. That is an expensive hamburger, however, it is BIG and comes with fries. It will be difficult to eat the whole thing.

Fish House Restaurant:
Located on the water in downtown Pensacola the Fish House Restaurant caters to the areas "movers & shakers". The 30-something crowd of lawyers, doctors and others with good cash flow frequents the place. They like to say their cuisine is Southern with a Pacific Rim influence. Some of the hip-hop crowd enjoys the Sushi Bar. 850-470-0003

Flounder's on Pensacola Beach is a favorite. It is expensive but it is a favorite. They serve mostly seafood. My Daughter-in-Law could tell you all about it. If I want seafood I am going to get it fresh at some other joint charging about ¼ the price.

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