With beaches as secluded or activity-packed as you wish, history in a fun sense and things that go whoosh and boom in the sky, Pensacola presents a whole new side of Florida that families will never forget (and budgets will never regret). Just look at what you can do (and discover) without even opening your wallet.


Flight 101

No family trip to Pensacola is complete until you've crooked your neck skyward to watch the elite Blue Angels flying team go through maneuvers right before your very eyes – and ears. The split-second accuracy, stealth approaches and earth-shaking thunder will raise the hair on your arms. Practice air shows take place most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings (check the schedule at www.blueangels.navy.mil) from March through November outside the National Naval Aviation Museum. Both the air show and admission to the museum are free.

The sky's the limit on learning inside the museum, too. Kids can get up close to a Blue Angel jet, try out the cockpit trainers, tour 150 military aircraft, explore period wartime vignettes and play pilot in the interactive Flight Adventure Deck. There's also a fee-based flight simulator and IMAX® theatre. While you're at the naval complex, explore the remains of antebellum Fort Barrancas.

Beach Recess: Drive to nearby Perdido Key for some fun-in-the-sun time. Part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, it offers long, windswept stretches of dunes and sand the color and texture of sugar.

With beaches as secluded or activity-packed as you wish, history in a fun sense and things that go whoosh and boom in the sky, Pensacola presents a whole new side of Florida that families will never forget (and budgets will never regret).

On the Schedule: History, Art and Music

Even kids will think learning is fun in Pensacola, where history, art and music have a pulse. Stroll the streets of Pensacola's historic districts and admire the beautiful restored homes. Pensacola Historic Village collects a number of homes (open for tours) and museums in a four-block neighborhood. Demonstrators are often on hand to show kids how things were done back in "their time." Kids are sure to get a kick out of an eclectic array of slightly oddball items on display in the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum. The little ones will especially go for the hands-on discovery gallery upstairs.

Within the downtown historic district, Seville Square provides a lovely, live oak-shaded park for relaxing on a park bench or pushing your tiny tots on a swing. On Thursdays, it hosts "Evenings in Olde Seville Square," showcasing everything from authentic Irish bagpipes and a children's choir to big bands and jazz.

Take your artistic types gallery-hopping around town. Don't miss the artists co-op collection at Quayside Art Gallery. Stop in at Pensacola Museum of Art, which opens free-of-charge on Tuesdays.

Beach recess: For more free musical entertainment, head to the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach for Tuesday's "Bands on the Beach." The main beach on the Gulf of Mexico has a lot going on for families, including its famous fishing pier, a mini-golf course and lots of fun eateries.


Lunch Bell

Local restaurants make family dining a special occasion – often an adventure – at affordable prices. One of the favorites, Flounder's Chowder House, sits right across the street from the main beach and has its own beachfront on the bay, complete with a pirate's ship playground where kids can amuse themselves (instead of squirming at the table) while waiting for their food. The restaurant even hands out beach and pirate toys (complete with an eye patch) to your little buccaneers.

Also on Pensacola Beach, Crabs - We Got 'Em has a beach playground, too, and casual outdoor deck seating for those looking to enjoy the fresh, salty breezes and Gulf views.

On Perdido Beach, Flora-Bama Oyster Bar & Grill, at the Alabama state line, serves its kids food on a souvenir Frisbee. So when you're all done eating, you can step out onto the sands and toss it around.

For more information on free and easy Pensacola family vacations, visit www.visitpensacola.com or call 800-874-1234.