Pensacola Sights

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In lieu of another Blue Angels photo, here is a photo of Wall South, a replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.

• Naval Air Station Pensacola, S. end of Navy Blvd, ☎ +1 850 452-3100, www.naspensacola.navy.mil. The Naval Air Station is the single largest employer in Pensacola, and is the driving force of the city's economy. Pensacola holds a high degree of respect for its military base, and NAS Pensacola returns the favor by offering attractions for the public and allowing public access. First built in 1826 as a Navy Yard, the location was chosen due to Pensacola Bay's deep waters and importance as a naval port on the Gulf of Mexico. In 1913, following the invention of the airplane, Pensacola was chosen to become the first naval aviation station in the country, and today, still remains the primary training base for all Navy and Marine flight officers. Visitors to the base can get a brief glimpse of a military base in person, and can visit the many historic attractions. When you first drive into the base, a guard will ask which attractions you wish to see, and will issue you a vehicle hangtag for those destinations. Most of these attractions are on Radford Boulevard or Taylor Road; if you stray too far off the beaten path, prepare to be interrogated by a very inquisitive military police officer.
  • The Blue Angels, www.blueangels.navy.mil. The elite jet-fighter pilots of the U.S. Navy are stationed at NAS Pensacola for part of the year, and if you're in the west portion of Pensacola at 8:30 AM when they practice, you may be able to see them performing flight maneuvers overhead. Typically, the Blue Angels perform two public air shows a year for Pensacola; one at the beach, and one at NAS Pensacola, and these air shows are massively attended. However, locals in the know skip the air shows, and go to the Naval Aviation museum for their Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30AM practices instead; a few times a month, the Blue Angels practice just above the museum. The museum even has a special viewing area for you to do this, and afterwards on Wednesdays, the Blue Angels will sign autographs and answer questions for spectators. Try that at the air show! Free.
  • Fort Barrancas, Taylor Rd, ☎ +1 850 455-5167, www.nps.gov/guis/planyourvisit/fort-barrancas.htm. Meaning 'bluffs' in Spanish, Barrancas has been a popular site for military forts; the British, the Spanish, and the U.S. have built forts here to protect Pensacola Bay. One of three military forts built around Pensacola Bay by the United States, Fort Barrancas is still in extraordinary condition, and easily accessible, unlike its sister forts Mcree and Pickens. Tours of the main fort are offered daily at 2PM, and tours of the advanced redoubt are available Saturdays at 11AM. The remainder of the time, the fort is relatively abandoned, and you can oftentimes get free reign of the ruins to explore. Free.
  • National Museum of Naval Aviation, 1750 Radford Blvd, ☎ +1 850 452-3604, www.navalaviationmuseum.org. 9AM-5PM. The Naval Aviation Museum is the most popular tourist destination in Pensacola, and it offers a comprehensive look at the history of flight in the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. The 150 beautifully restored aircraft are the biggest draw here; make sure to check out the Blue Angels jets hanging in the atrium! Kids will enjoy the flight simulator, and the IMAX theater shows a visually stunning documentary, the History of Flight. Free, but donations welcome. $8 for IMAX tickets.
  • Pensacola Lighthouse, 190 Radford Blvd. Lighthouse lovers may want to check out the black-and-white Pensacola Lighthouse. Built in 1858 to replace an earlier, inferior lighthouse, it became a target during the Civil War for Union soldiers at Fort Pickens, aiming for the Confederate-held Fort Barrancas. Due to safety concerns, tours are no longer available, but access to the grounds is still available. Free.

• Historic Downtown Pensacola, 205 E Zaragoza St, ☎ +1 850 595-5985, www.historicpensacola.org. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su closed. This group of historic buildings, called the Pensacola Historic Village includes many museums such as the T.T. Wentworth Jr. Museum, a museum of history, The Museum of Commerce and the Museum of Industry. The Old Christ Church built in 1832 is also included in this group of buildings and has been recently refurbished. Guided walking tours are available at 11AM, 1PM, and 2:30PM of the historic homes in the quaint, shady area around Seville Square. $6, $3 for children. Free admission to T.T. Wentworth Jr. Museum.

• Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S Jefferson St, ☎ +1 850 432-6247, www.pensacolamuseumofart.org. Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su Noon-5PM, M closed. This museum is housed in the Old City Jail, a Spanish revival structure in downtown Pensacola. The collection focuses mainly on art from the 20th and 21st century and has many well known artists represented in their collection including Alexander Calder, Miriam Schapiro and Louis Comfort Tiffany. They present many special exhibitions throughout the years, and have previously hosted exhibitions of art by Picasso, Rodin, and Andy Warhol. $5 admission, $2 for students and military, free on Tuesdays.

• St. Michael's Cemetery, 6 N Alcaniz St, ☎ +1 850 436-4643, www.stmichaelscemetery.org. 9AM-5PM. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this cemetery is located on eight acres across the street from the Pensacola Civic Center, on the edge of the historic district. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Florida, officially designated by the Spanish in 1807. Free.

• Veterans Memorial and Wall South, (intersection of Romana St and Bayfront Pkwy), www.pensacolawallsouth.org. A large park along the Pensacola bayfront honoring Veterans of all of America's Wars, the memorial was built as a place to honor America's veterans without needing to make the trip to Washington D.C. Includes a one-half scale version of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. and other monuments dedicated to World War I and II and the Korean War. It is easily found by looking for the AH-1 Huey Cobra helicopter on Bayfront Parkway. Free.