Pensacola

Introducing Pensacola

Right next door to Alabama, Pensacola is Florida’s gateway from the west, welcoming visitors driving in from the rest of the country. People are drawn not just by Pensacola’s relative proximity, but by its white-sand beaches made of quartz washed down from the Appalachian Mountains. But in 2004 Hurricane Ivan smashed through the city, causing untold damage and destruction, with its barrier-island beaches taking the brunt of the impact. Clean-up and regeneration is a lengthy process, but things are fairly back to normal and the local highway system got a major overhaul as an added bonus. The visitor bureau (850-434-1234, 800-874-1234; www.visitpensacola.com; 1401 E Gregory St; 8am-5pm) has maps and free internet access.

The Spanish tried to colonize this stretch of the Panhandle in 1559, but the hurricane-plagued settlement was abandoned after two years, leaving St Augustine to claim the longest continuous European settlement in the country. Pensacola’s harbor and geographical position have been key in its development as a military city, and the Naval Air Station remains an intrinsic part of the city’s population.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009