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13 Things to Know About Living in Pensacola

Thinking about living in Pensacola, FL? Known for its white, sandy beaches, warm weather, and prime location along the Gulf of Mexico, Pensacola is one of the best cities in Florida. Check out these 13 things to know about living in Pensacola!

Take Advantage of the Strong Job Market

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Looking for a job in Pensacola? With a low unemployment rate of 3.6%, this Florida city is a great place to advance your career. Pensacola offers a variety of employment opportunities across many industries, including financial services, healthcare, education, manufacturing, hospitality, and more. Work for Navy Federal Credit Union—the Pensacola campus is one of the credit union’s critical operational hubs! Healthcare professionals can find jobs at Pensacola hospitals like the Baptist Hospital or Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, home to the Studer Family Children’s Hospital—the only children’s hospital in Northwest Florida. Or find employment opportunities in manufacturing with companies like Ascend Performance Materials or GE Verona.

Attend Pensacola Colleges

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Pursue your higher education goals by attending one of the colleges or universities in Pensacola. Earn your degree in nursing, elementary education, or cybersecurity from Pensacola Christian College. Looking to attend a public university near the Gulf Coast? Earn your bachelor’s in biomedical sciences or master’s in accounting from the University of West Florida (UWF), which offers more than 70 undergrad programs and 32 graduate programs. Enroll in healthcare-related programs such as health services management or emergency medical services at Pensacola State College (PSC). Or continue your education with in-person and online classes at Troy University Pensacola.

Learn About The Cradle of Naval Aviation

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Founded in Pensacola in 1914, the Naval Air Station Pensacola (NAS) was the first permanent training center in the U.S. for naval aviators. This was because its warm weather conditions and location along the Gulf Coast allowed for year-round training. One of the most significant naval air stations, the NAS still plays a substantial role in Pensacola, employing more than 7,000 civilians. Also located at the Naval Air Station, visitors can see the Naval Aviation in the Great War and Dawn of Naval Aviation exhibits, look at historical planes, or watch the Blue Angels practice at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

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Explore Pensacola’s History

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First inhabited by the Indigenous Panzacola Tribe and later settled by the Spanish in 1559, Pensacola offers rich history. Often referred to as America’s first settlement, Pensacola is also known as the City of Five Flags, because the area has been ruled by the Spanish, French, British, Americans, and Confederate rebels. Marvel at the magnificent views of the Gulf Coast from the top of the lighthouse, or visit with the ghosts that haunt it at the Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. Discover more about Historic Pensacola by viewing exhibits like The City of Five Flags and Trader Jon’s at the Pensacola Museum of History. Or learn about how the U.S. constructed Fort Pickens to protect the Pensacola Bay from foreign attacks.

Enjoy Gulf Coast Weather

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One of the perks of living in Pensacola is the beautiful weather, which includes mild winters and warm summers! While the Florida Panhandle does experience cooler temperatures compared to Southern Florida, residents still enjoy an average of 224 sunny days per year and annual temperatures ranging from 42°F to 90°F. Thanks to its humid subtropical climate, Pensacola also receives about 64 inches of rain each year. If you’re looking for a warm city along the Gulf of Mexico with comfortable temperatures, Pensacola could be the perfect place for you!

Soak Up the Florida Sun at the Beach

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Pensacola’s Gulf Island National Seashore offers over 50 miles of coastline with unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico. Start out at Pensacola Beach, which offers residents many things to beyond relaxing on the white sand. Spend the day catching bluefish and redfish off the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier, rent a boat, or see dolphins during a dolphin cruise with Jolly Sailing and Dolphin Cruise. Paddle along the Intracoastal Waterway, walk or run along 5 miles of trails, or star-gaze at the Big Lagoon State Park. Visit the Island of Perdido Key for a wide-range of activities, from browsing local shops and restaurants to outdoor rec! Shop or grab a bite to eat at The Villagio, get on the water with Sail Wild Hearts, or walk the pedestrian trail at Johnson Beach. Go swimming or surfing, shelling for calico clams in winter, and more at Perdido Key State Park. Alternatively, grab a bite to eat and listen to live music at the iconic Flora-Bama Beach Bar, which has been serving up fun since 1964.

Cheer On Local Sports Teams

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Though there aren’t major professional teams in Pensacola, sports fans will still have plenty to enjoy while living in this Northwestern Florida city! Catch the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MiLB) hit a home run at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Watch the Pensacola Ice Flyers (SPHL) play at the Pensacola Bay Center. Cheer on the Pensacola FC (NPSL) as they score goals at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park. Buy tickets to see the University of Western Florida Argonauts football team (NCAA D-II) score a touchdown at PenAir Field—or watch UWF’s men’s or women’s basketball team as they play at UWF Field House.

Appreciate Pensacola’s Thriving Arts Scene

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The City of Pensacola offers residents a diverse art scene. See artwork from permanent exhibitions like The Nettles Family Collection and The Levandowsky Collection, or sign the kids up for summer camp at the Pensacola Museum of Art. Admire the POP: Murals as you walk through Downtown Pensacola. Attend the Life Drawing Group, or see local Contemporary artwork from the Cinco Banderas Collection at the non-profit Artel Gallery. Attend performances of shows like The Nutcracker by the Pensacola Ballet, The Marriage of Figaro by the Pensacola Opera, or classical concerts by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra at the historic Saenger Theatre. Or get tickets to musicals and plays such as A Man For All Seasons, The Play That Goes Wrong, or Disney’s Descendants at the Pensacola Little Theatre.

Discover Family-Friendly Attractions

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Families looking for things to do in Pensacola can find fun-filled activities to keep the kids entertained! See orangutans and gorillas while riding the Safari Express Train Ride, feed camels and alligators, or see animals like hippos or giraffes at the Gulf Breeze Zoo. Spend the day riding go-karts, playing games at the arcade, and picking up food from the Snack Bar at Fast Eddies Fun Center. Attend Grandma Jenkins StoryTyme, watch the kids shop for groceries at the immersive Publix Supermarket exhibit, or let the kids put on lab coats and interact with medical play items at the Pensacola Children’s Museum. Go roller skating as a family at the Dreamland Skate Center. Learn about math, engineering, and science with hands-on activities—or sign the kids up for science-themed camps at the Pensacola MESS Hall. Or speed down the Summit Tunnel, Zoom Flume, or Loose Cannon waterslides in the summer at Splash City Adventures.

Attend Pensacola Events

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Stay busy by attending one of the many events and festivals in Pensacola. Watch the Sea Lion Splash, enjoy fair food, play games, and more at the 11-day Pensacola Interstate Fair. Attend free songwriting workshops, musical performances by local legends, and more at the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival. See the airshow by the NAS Blue Angels, look at the aircrafts on display, and more at the Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow. Try seafood from local vendors, attend live music performances, or let the kids get their face painted at the Pensacola Seafood Festival. Kick off the two-month Pensacola Mardi Gras event by attending the Cordova Mall Ball, and end the season with the French Quarter Fat Tuesday Celebration. Or shop for fresh produce, baked goods, and handcrafted goods from local Pensacola businesses every Saturday at Palafox Market.

Indulge in Fresh Local Seafood

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Looking for the best seafood along the Gulf Coast? Try one of the seafood restaurants in Pensacola—especially those along Pensacola Beach! Eat the Key Largo Shrimp, a bowl of Seafood Gumbo, or Grits & Grouper at The Oar House. Order the Grouper Bites, Chargrilled Oysters, or Shrimp Yum Bowl at Red Fish Blue Fish. Taste the Shrimp & Bacon Mac-n-Cheese, Fish Po’ Boy, or Flounder’s Classic Stuffed Flounder at Flounder’s Chowder House. Try the Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, Crab Cakes, or Southern-Fried Oysters for lunch at The Fish House. Enjoy the Seafood Platter, Fish Po Boy, or Shrimp Dinner at Favor Flavor Seafood Restaurant. Have Rockefeller Baked Oysters, the Seared Red Snapper, or the Really Cali sushi roll for dinner at Atlas Oyster House. Or indulge in Seafood Fries, Orange Miso Seared Scallops, or Caviar & Chips at the upscale Pearl & Horn.

Dine at Local Pensacola Restaurants

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Stop by for a Super Cinnamon Bagel and Matcha Latte or House Mocha at Bagelheads on your way to work. Enjoy the Short Ribs + Mushroom Ravioli or Grilled Duroc Pork Chop over a bottle of wine for date night at George Bistro + Bar. Looking for brunch in Pensacola? Dig in to the Stuffed French Toast, Fried Green Tomato Stack, or BLT&E from Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille. Try Southern favorites like the Fried Okra Basket, Aunt Sara’s Southern Fried Chicken, or Pulled Pork Sandwich at Five Sister Blues Cafe—and be sure to save room for CJ’s Blueberry Bread Pudding! Devour a Wild Boar Sloppy Joe, Bologna Sandwich, or UPH Pickled Beet and Goat Cheese Salad at Union Public House. Order the Blue Buffalo Fries with a Chicken Salad Sandwich or build your own hot dog at The Dog House. Or fill up on entrees like the Braised Lamb Tacos, Bao Chicken Bao Bao, or Lemongrass Pork Chop from 86 Forks Bar + Table.

Experience Pensacola Nightlife

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Looking for nightlife spots and bars in Pensacola? You’re in luck. Visit the seven rooms of the Seville Quarter—where you can attend Monday Night Bar Bingo with friends at Apple Annie’s, enjoy drinks while listening to piano players during the Dueling Piano Show at Rosie O’Grady’s, and more. Grab a Corned Beef Reuben Burrito, Shepherds Pie, and Irish Red Ale from O’Riley’s Irish Pub. Enjoy Dumplings, the Brie & Prosciutto Crostini, and cocktails with friends from The Kennedy. Attend a live music show, grab a bite to eat, and more at The Handlebar. Or try the Original Bushwacker, sing karaoke, and dance the night away at The Sandshaker Lounge on Pensacola Beach.

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Mike Beutler

About Mike Beutler

Mike Beutler is a writer and digital content specialist who transitioned to self storage in 2020 after several years in the airline industry. His travels cultivated a passion for exploring cities across the U.S. and abroad and inspired him to learn more about practical insights for urban living. With 14 moves under his belt, both locally and cross-country, he also has a passion for minimalism and organization, and sharing tips to help others make any space feel like home while staying organized.