Ask my multi-generational extended family what kind of vacation they want and no two answers are the same.

If it sounds like pleasing everyone could be a tall order, not so. The Pensacola Bay Area has something for all of our ages and stages.

Come along with us and see why TripAdvisor and Southern Living call the Pensacola Bay Area one of the nation’s “top family-friendly destinations.”

Family-Friendly Hotels and Vacation Rentals in the Pensacola Bay Area
Our family loves to stay on the beach. We like freebies too. For quick getaways, Holiday Inn Express Pensacola Beach and Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach are reasonably-priced and start our morning right with a free hot breakfast. In-room microwaves and mini-refrigerators at Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front and SpringHill Suites by Marriott make stocking munchies a breeze and the kids love the free video games and seasonal activities.

For longer stays, we enjoy renting a vacation condo (or several condos, depending on how much extended family is coming); we’ve found that this type of accommodation offers comfort, camaraderie and privacy for our group. When we want to truly kick back, our choice is Perdido Key for its laid-back attitude and focus on nature rather than activity (more than 60 percent of the 15-mile island is protected parkland). There are plenty of beachfront condo choices and vacation rental companies such as ResortQuest and JME Vacations Pensacola Beach pack on the perks for families.

For any type of getaway, Portofino Island Resort & Spa and JME Vacations Pensacola Beach lives up to our expectations with a bounty of activities and amenities. We book accommodations via the Web site and enjoy Premier Club benefits of free daily golf rounds, deep sea fishing and discounts on High Tide Kids Club for ages 5-12.

Regardless of where we lay our heads, vacation fun is never far away in the Pensacola Bay Area.

Family Fun on Pensacola’s Beaches
Pristine, white sand beaches are our personal playground for building sandcastles and beachcombing. The adults in our group take turns playing lifeguard with the kids while the rest of us daydream to the soothing sound of the surf. Teens make new friends while surfing, skim-boarding, kayaking and playing volleyball at Portofino’s Adventure Cove and Adventure Beach.

Later, we rent wheels from Tiki Island on Pensacola Beach and pedal the bike path along the dunes on Gulf Islands National Seashore. A bike built for eight is good for giggles and banter about who is not pulling their weight. A canoe or kayak paddle around Big Lagoon is also a very affordable and fun way way to spend the afternoon getting close to nature.

Everybody wants to cruise in search of playful dolphins and other sea critters aboard the Chase-N-Fins with Aquatic Charters. And, a family fishing contest on the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier (one of the longest piers in the Gulf of Mexico) is a must-do. Sometimes, we catch dinner. If not, we stock up for a fish feast at Joe Patti's Seafood and talk about the big ones that got away. Another seafood place we love is Flounder's Chowder & Ale House on Pensacola Beach since our kids can have fun on the pirate ship-themed playground while we relax.

More Family Fun
When it’s time for a break from the beach, the golfers in our group tee off on Pensacola Bay Area golf courses such as Lost Key Golf Club, Osceola Municipal Golf Course and Scenic Hills Country Club.

Our older kids enjoy amusement rides and the waterpark at Sam's Fun City and racing go-karts at Fast Eddie's Fun Center. The moms with small kids mellow out at Fusion Spa Salon while tiny tots nap under a babysitter’s eyes.

We like to visit the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, which ranks among the top aviation museums in the world. Here, we catch an exciting practice session with the Blue Angels precision flying team and spend hours climbing into cockpit trainers and touring the museum. (Did I mention it’s free?)

Just steps away from the museum, the Pensacola Lighthouse inspires tall tales of plundering pirates and other-worldly encounters. One of our imaginative brood sometimes “spots” Jeremiah Ingram, the resident ghost of the first lighthouse keeper.

For a real change of pace, we slip on our cowboy boots for horseback or bull riding at Hayes Ranch in Milton. On starry summer nights, we grab flashlights and get delightfully lost in Davis’ A-Maze-Ing Corn Field.

History Lessons and Other Educational Fun
At home, homework is greeted with groans. Here, history lessons get another reaction since Historic Pensacola Village offers education disguised as interactive fun.

At T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, our kids head straight for the third-floor Discovery Gallery for hands-on play complete with costumes at a recreated Colonial house, trade store, Native American village, military fort and ship. Exhibits like the anchor from one of Don Tristan de Luna’s ships score the ultimate compliment from a teen in our group – “maximum cool.”

Free Junior Ranger Camps for ages 3-5, 6 - 11 and 12-19 at Gulf Islands National Seashore offer adventures such as fort-to-fort hikes, “Gifts from the Sea” and “May the Forest Be with You.”

Heading Home
We pack for home reluctantly, amidst pleas to “stay longer.” There’s always something new to do in town and the Pensacola Bay Area calendar is filled year-round with family-friendly events and festivals such as Mardi Gras, the Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire, the Pensacola JazzFest, the Blue Angels air shows and the Fiesta Days Celebration. We’ll be back soon.