About
Located on Florida’s Emerald Coast, Pensacola boasts some of the world’s whitest sand beaches. This Panhandle city sits on the border with Alabama and is known as the “Western Gate to the Sunshine State.” Pensacola even has a little elevation, compared to other Gulf Coast areas, at 55-feet above sea level. This provides panoramic views of the stunning waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
This small metro offers just about everything you’d expect to find in a city of its size. Pensacola has a more urban vibe than beachy but still embraces its coastal personality with seaside restaurants, weekly open-air markets, and balmy weather. History takes center stage as Pensacola prides itself on being America’s first European settlement, dating back to 1559 (48 years before Jamestown, Virginia and 61 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock). The “City of Five Flags,” an annual ten-day festival, celebrates all five governments that have ruled the area: Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy, and the United States.
Shopping is robust with national brands and locally owned retailers. Restaurants range from fine dining to chains and beachfront dives offering some of the freshest seafood you can imagine. There is plenty to do to kill time in Pensacola, even if you don’t like beaches. Catch a Blue Wahoos game (Minor League Baseball), visit the Seville Quarter (downtown) for a fun night out, or check out the National Naval Aviation Museum—Pensacola’s top tourist attraction. You’ll see the Blue Angels rehearse so often that you’ll feel like you could choreograph the whole sequence. It never gets old, though—trust us!
Neighbors
People choose to live in Pensacola for the big city amenities and to be near the water! There are many military-affiliated residents here, but mostly retirees or young singles or couples without children. There are also many dual-income couples here compared to other Gulf Coast cities because of the employment opportunities available in the city.
Neighborhood Feel
You may be expecting a beachy vibe, but Pensacola is an urban city that happens to be near the Gulf. There are plenty of condos and apartments to choose from, and also some single family residences near the outskirts of the city. There are older, more established neighborhoods to be found in areas like East Hill.
