This post is sponsored by Visit Pensacola and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Sharing 25 Fun Things to do in Pensacola FL with kids that are family friendly and adventurous!
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25 Fun Things to do in Pensacola FL with Kids
Are you headed to the beautiful sugar- white beaches and emerald green water of Pensacola Florida? Are you looking for fun things to do with your kids and family? Pensacola is rich in history, culture and a diverse heritage. Pensacola is the first European settlement in North America! There are so many amazing Pensacola attractions for families besides just hanging out at the beach! Don’t get me wrong the beautiful beaches are a huge attraction to my family and I but having so many more options of things to do in the area make it even more fun as a vacation spot.
If you leave in the south east (Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi or even other parts of Florida)…then Pensacola Florida is your destination that is super easy to drive to for a long weekend, which is a game changer for our family! We can always squeeze in a long weekend but finding the right location is a key element! We’ve done several long weekends to the Florida coast with trips to Destin or even the beaches in Gulf Shores, AL but Pensacola hands down has more experiences and activities to keep you and your family busy!
So I’ve got the perfect itinerary and suggestions if you are planning adventurous things to do in Pensacola FL. Most of these suggestions we have done…some are on our bucket list for our next visit! Of these 25 Fun Things to do in Pensacola FL with Kids we’ve done most and all come highly recommended!
However I highly recommend staying right on the beach as a highlight experience. The Hilton at Pensacola Beach was by far the best – great rooms, comfy beds, amazing ocean side view which we caught some great sunrises and sunsets – plus their breakfast buffet was filled with amazing choices…and let us get right to our day without wasting time!
As we arrived in Pensacola and got checked into our hotel I then got to enjoy a Sunset sail with Gulf Breeze Sailing! The evening was absolutely gorgeous and I enjoyed getting to meet the staff of Visit Pensacola along with some fellow bloggers who were in Pensacola at the same time! What a fun and relaxing greet and meet to start the weekend!
We explored the Pensacola Beach Pier followed by dinner on the beach! 
What is there to do in Pensacola for free?
1- Spend time on the Pensacola Beach
2- Watch the Sunrise
3- Build a Sandcastle
4- Find Seashells
5- Walk around downtown Pensacola
6- Walk along the Bay
7- Watch the Sunset
8- Go for a swim in the Gulf of Mexico
9- Take a Historic Walk through Pensacola- With a walk along America’s top 10 streets, Palafox St. Here you’ll find an array of shops, restaurants, boutiques and galleries.
10- Watch the Blue Angels Practice –> more info on time frames here.
What is there to do in downtown Pensacola?
11- Walk along Palafox Pier
12- Eat at Jaco’s on the Bay – amazing food! You can’t go wrong with anything you order – seriously and the view (even though a storm was rolling in as we were eating!) over looking the bay and marina was super relaxing!
13- Catch a Blue Wahoos Baseball Game – This was truly a highlight of our time in Pensacola…so much so my little is still asking when we can go to a baseball game again!!! We had the best time at the baseball game but our little one’s favorite part was the Cracker Jacks so I’m not sure if she liked the game of the snacks the best!!!
You have one of the best views overlooking the Pensacola Bay. The stadium that hosts the minor league baseball team features craft restaurants and delicious food for a fun family night!
14- Stop by Bubba’s Sweet Spot – My husband grabbed ice cream and the little and I snagged several of their homemade chocolates/candies to try – oh so yummy! A local professional golfer, Bubba Watson, owns this unique store and it’s worth a stop!
15- Grab coffee at Bodacious Brew – If you need an afternoon boost or a morning to relax this gourmet coffee right in the center of Downtown Pensacola was a favorite on our Saturday afternoon before we headed home.
16- Drive around the beautiful neighborhoods and enjoy the architecture of the homes and businesses!
17- Palafox Market – on Saturday’s only you can find the local farmers market full of arts and crafts, with vendors selling organic goods as well. As we arrived at the Farmer’s Market it started to rain, so we weren’t able to stroll this beautiful market under a canopy of crepe myrtle trees that align Martin Luther King, Jr Plaza in Downtown Pensacola.
18- Downtown Museums to visit – T.T. Wentworth, Jr Florida State Museum. This Spanish Revival style building is named after a local history and collector, T.T. This museum houses eclectic collection of artifacts displaying Northwest Florida’s rich heritage.
19- Plaza De Luna Splash Pad- Located on South Palafox Street at the end of Palafox Pier. The views of the Pensacola Bay are worth the trip!
Does Pensacola have a boardwalk?
20- Yes and it’s so worth taking the time to walk it and explore! The Pensacola Beach Pier is conveniently located on Casino Beach just seconds from entertainment for the whole family. The pier is 1,471 feet long, and boasts some of the best pier fishing in the area. There is a small fee to enter the pier but it’s so fun and some great photo opportunities as well!
21- Fort Pickens and the Gulf Islands National Seashore – On the western tip of the Santa Rosa Island sits this beautiful park! The park rangers offer free tours daily.
Take a day or long afternoon and head out to Fort Pickens. It is a beautiful drive through the coast/bay with several places to stop and get out if you’d like to explore. As you enter into the Fort area you’ll see parking and the entrance where you can explore the fort, there are bike trails, camp ground and picnic areas as well. You can spend as much time or as little time here as you wish to adventure.
22- Big Lagoon State Park – are you looking for some outdoor nature adventure? This state park sits upland on 655 acres and separates the mainland from Perdido Key and the Gulf of Mexico. So many natural areas from saltwater marshes to pine flatwoods, which attract a wide variety of birds while the beaches, shallow bays and nature trails offered great outdoor opportunities. You can crab in shallow waters, hike, canoe or even kayak in this state park.
Things to do in Pensacola on a Rainy Day
23 – Pensacola Children’s Museum – A great hands on exploration of Pensacola history for children ages 10 and younger. We weren’t able to hit this spot up on this trip but we definitely plan to on our next adventure in Pensacola!
24- World’s Largest Naval Aviation Museum– Not only is this one of the world’s larges air and space museums it’s extremely kid friendly and a hands on experience for visitors. There is an indoor playground which includes a cockpit trainer for kids to climb into and os much more.
25- Pensacola Lighthouse– We were going to visit the Lighthouse on our way out of town but it was storming and our little fell asleep, so we’ve added it to our Pensacola bucket list!! I hear the climb of 177 steps has a spectacular view of the Pensacola Pass. This 150 year old lighthouse is one of the country’s tallest brick lighthouses.
Hi I’m Erin a Southern mama from South Mississippi, owner and chief editor of Sixth Bloom, blog helping moms use their camera to capture their families and adventures, talking all things home, parenting and our travel adventures as a family. You will find me living life to the fullest with my mister (aka husband) and our little three year old preschooler, Miss E, in our house we spent building for three years, doing all of the labor and work ourselves and paying for it as we went! We are blessed beyond measure and praise the Lord for all He’s done for us, through us and with us.
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