Pensacola Favorites

Favorite thing: Down in the harbor this historical marker commemorates the 450th anniversary of the first Spanish ship to visit Pensacola Bay. In 2009, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain took part in the official celebration of the Luna Expedition. "In 1559, an expedition led by Tristan de Luna y Arellano arrived in Pensacola Bay to establish Santa Maria de Ochuse, a settlement that preceded the founding of Jamestown by a half century and Saint Augustine by half a dozen years. Departing Veracruz on June 11, 1559, Luna was at the head of one of the most formidable settlement expeditions in American history: an eleven ship fleet carrying in excess of 1500 persons, more than double the number on any previous Spanish expedition to Florida. Though the settlement failed in 1561, it was the longest-lasting colonial settlement up to that date in what is now the United States."

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Favorite thing: Pensacola's historic ties to Bourbon Spain are illustrated in the Plaza Ferdinand VII, named after the early 19th century monarch whose government was responsible for the cession of Florida to the new United States in 1821.

Future American President Andrew Jackson was the US official who presided over the official transferal ceremony. A bust of Jackson looks with satisfaction upon the surrounding park.

The central obelisk in the Plaza is dedicated to the memory of William Dudley Chipley, railway magnate responsible for building railways across the Florida panhandle - and also a one-term mayor of Pensacola.

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Favorite thing: Overlooking Escambia Bay, Bay Bluffs Park is located on US 90 within the city limits of Pensacola. An intricate series of staircases and plank trails leads down the hillside. Interesting dense vegetation and attractive views of the expanse of water.

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Favorite thing: When Bob and I arrived in Pensacola with a station wagon full of our household goods, our first stop was the Naval Air Station. As we were driving out, a grey haired man stopped us and asked if Bob was entering the pilot training program. When we said that he was, he said that he rented unfurnished apartments to the student pilots for the BAQ.

They were in Beach Haven right under the flight path for the base. When they were doing touch and goes, we couldn't hear the radio or stereo (we didn't have a TV). That was where we lived when we were first married.

The other couple in our building had A/C (they supplied their own - we didn't have any), and he was a Lt. jg in the Coast Guard. They had a baby. The building next to ours had a Marine and his wife an baby, and the other tenant was an unmarried Navy nurse. The third building had another Marine couple and baby. I don't remember who the 6th tenant was. We socialized quite a bit with the two Marines.

Fondest memory: I was fascinated by the ornamental grasses near our apartment. I had not seen anything like that before.

The apartments were still there (they had not been destroyed by the hurricanes), although they were painted a different color and with some buildings across from the mailboxes that had not been there before. The second photo is of Grampera Street in back of the houses about where I had taken the first photo from.

The other pictures are of the apartment complex as it is today.

Favorite thing: i'm from pensacola and from what i've seen Pensacola is kind of a hmm...bad place to look for a job seems like its minimum wage or really high class but little in between jobs and the ones that are seem to pay less than they would in neighboring areas. If you really want to live in pensacola you might consider checking out the surrounding areas, milton baymonet mobile; these kinds of places. My dad is a computer programmer manager(20 years experience) and drives all the way to baymonet everyday(about 45min to 1 hour drive on interstate) he drives all this way because even with the higher gas prices he makes a whole lot more in baymonet than he would working in pensacola.

Pensacola is great to live in! and i love it very much but it just doesnt have the best of markets right now; not to say you cant find a good job there it just may take some hard searching.

Fondest memory: I love it all!

Favorite thing: American Airlines flies into Pensacola. But if you can get cheaper airfare check into flying to Mobile, Alabama and driving to Pensacola. The drive from Mobile to Pensacola is only an hour and it goes by very quickly. Check Southwest Airlines at www.southwest.com for flights into Mobile, Alabama.

Fondest memory: The drive from Mobile to Pensacola is scenic. You will pass by Battleship Park and see several aircraft and a battleship on display.

Favorite thing: Pensacola has white quartz sand beaches, the main one pensacola beach stretches for 48 miles. you have to pay a toll to cross the bridge to pensacola beach but its worth it. then just drive down the road along the beach untill you find a place you want to park and hang out, its easy to find a place on the beach with very few people if any. the areas near the hotels are much more cowded but if you want to get away take a short walk or even better drive a few miles.

Fondest memory: 48 mile long white quartz beach that seems to stretch for ever

Favorite thing: The main square in downtown has the county courthouse on one side, a small museum building on the other. It is framed by some of the nicer buildings in Pensacola. In the middle there is a bust of President Jackson and an obelisc honoring a XIX politician. It is a very nice square.