Winter in Pensacola is Fabulous!
Pensacola, FL -
A day at the zoo is fun any time of the year! The Pensacola ZOO is home to more than 700 wild, not-so-wild and endangered animals and lush botanical gardens. Spend your day hand-feeding giraffes, riding a train through the wildlife preserve, or walking on a boardwalk 12 feet above the animals.The fun never ends...right in the heart of Pensacola is Sam's Fun City, featuring over 20 rides, attractions for children of all ages and a new Arcade... and general admission is free!
Plus, there's Fast Eddie's Fun Center...young or old, short or tall, Fast Eddie's has it all! Varied sizes of go-carts with four tracks that meet all age and driving skills for this Superkart Speedway with computerized scoreboard! There's also an air conditioned state of the art Game Room should the Florida sun get too hot? Cycling, in-line skating and jogging are all popular on the beaches and equipment rentals are easily available. Simply put...there's a lot of wholesome entertainment for the whole family including miniature golf, bowling, batting cages and more than two dozen movie theaters.
No doubt about it, there's
plenty of culture here as well - art, history, dance,
entertainment...
If you're looking for the "wide open spaces," enjoy a ride along the aptly named Scenic Highway, an 11 mile stretch offering eye-catching views of Escambia Bay and colorful bluffs. To the west, you can swim, hike or picnic at Big Lagoon State Recreation Area and the Perdido Key State Recreation Area. There's something for everyone in the family: birding, boating, concerts, and night-time beach tours.
To the northeast you will find "The Canoe Capital of Florida." Shallow, spring-fed creeks flow through woodlands at a tranquil, relaxing pace. The pristine streams are popular with groups, families and individuals.
Canoe, kayak, paddleboat or inner tube along the Perdido River or through Blackwater River State Recreation Area, which covers 200,000 acres teeming with wildlife. Cabins, campsites, nature trails and picnic areas abound - especially at Blackwater Canoe Rental and Sales and Adventures Unlimited.
No doubt about it, there's plenty of culture here as well... art to open your eyes, dance to keep you on your toes, and history to entertain and educate you. You can hear all sorts of sounds - jazz, country, big band as well as opera from The Pensacola Opera and symphony from The Pensacola Symphony. Theatrical and dance companies perform throughout the year and professional touring companies make their home in the lovingly restored Saenger Theater. Nearby, the Pensacola Little Theatre holds forth in a stylish 474-seat theater in the Pensacola Cultural Center, home to numerous arts groups. Dance, choral and symphony groups use both theaters for a variety of cultural and artistic shows.
Great festivals and events are held virtually every weekend, celebrating everything from seafood, sausage and barbecue to art, music and heritage. The Navy's Blue Angels soar through the skies in July and November and the Pensacola Seafood Festival kicks off the fall season, followed by the Pensacola Interstate Fair in October with big-name entertainers, food, games and 60 rides on the midway. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is in November, attracting artists and art-lovers from around the nation while the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival brings dozens of tunesmiths to town.
Of course, Pensacola Beach is the hub of Santa Rosa Island... it was first discovered centuries ago by Spanish conquistadores. Santa Rosa Island offers miles of unspoiled white sand, blue-green water, numerous restaurants, and a taste of history. Much of this barrier island is protected from development. The Gulf Islands National Seashore keeps beaches accessible to the public and preserves the area's environment and history. Sun-seekers can mix and mingle at popular beaches or, if they prefer, they can claim isolated stretches of sand for themselves.
Motorboats, sailboats, surfers and windsurfers
coexist easily in the Gulf and bays while parasailers float overhead
and fishermen try their luck from sea and shore. The calendar may say "winter," but
in Pensacola there's always plenty to do...it's fabulous! 
