12 Fun Things to do in Pensacola for 12 Bucks or Less!
Who says good times have to come with a hefty price tag? In Pensacola, the best experiences are often the ones that don't cost a fortune. One barefoot walk in our squeaky white quartz sand will tell you that. But if you’ve already walked the beaches and filled your soul and have no more room for seashells in your carry-ons, you can still find fulfilling, frill-free fun.
Like, where can you have fun for $12 or less? In many beach destinations, you can’t even get an old-fashioned for that amount of coin. But you can get a creamy and delicious bushwacker for less at just about any local beach joint you stop in here.
So, let’s take a look-see around the Pensacola Bay Area and see what fun we can get into for not too many bucks. Here are 12 fun things to do for $12 or less in Pensacola (in no particular order):
1. Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier
Stretching over 1,400 feet into the Gulf of Mexico, the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier is a storm-tested icon with a majestic vista of our coast. After Hurricane Opal splintered the old pier in 1995, this pier rose out of the Gulf with a purpose.
The one-stop shop carries bait, rental gear and advice for the fish that are biting at the time. It’s a great place for Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, pompano, flounder and even the occasional cobia. You can fish without a fishing license, or you can just pay a few bucks for a 24-hour pass to walk the pier and take in the views. See dolphin, sea turtles, speedy gamefish, rays and the occasional shark from the comfort and safety of the pier deck. It also offers a beautiful vista for sunsets and, on the occasional Sundays, a flyby from the Blue Angels when they return home from a show.
2. The Magic of Flight in Action
Did you know the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Team — the Blue Angels — are based here and practice at their Sherman Field home base on NAS Pensacola during their nine-month show season? That means from March through November they can be seen on select dates throughout the season from the bleachers outside the Blue Angels Hangar, and other points around that area. Click here for more insider tips on watching a Blue Angels Practice.
Hear the roar of their engines as they execute breathtaking maneuvers. It's an exhilarating experience that offers a unique insight into the precision and teamwork of the Blue Angels, all without spending a dime. So, grab your binoculars, pack some snacks and come spend a morning watching them soar the Pensacola sky, then head next door to the National Naval Aviation Museum. Admission is FREE.
3. National Naval Aviation Museum
Yes, Pensacola is the cradle of naval aviation. At the National Naval Aviation Museum on-board NAS Pensacola, you can see more than 4,000 artifacts and over 150 beautifully restored aircraft representing Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviation. Experience the thrill of flight in flight simulators and refresh with a tasty lunch in the authentic Cubi Bar Cafe. Admission is FREE.
But wait, there’s more! So much more. There’s a super-massive theater for starters.
The Naval Aviation Memorial Theater experience is a larger-than-life theater with a giant screen nearly three-and-a-half times brighter and with more vibrant colors than normal theaters. Special shows - check the schedule! The NNAM is a cashless venue, most credit cards and Apple Pay are accepted. Ticket Prices are $11.50!
4. Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum
Just across from the National Naval Aviation Museum, you’ll find the historic lighthouse which still protects Pensacola Pass more than 160 years after it was built atop the sand dunes. Climb 177 steps up to enjoy a majestic view of the Gulf Coast.
Built in 1859, the Pensacola Lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation. Come climb the tower, take a ghost hunt, or, if you make reservations, get the best seats in the house for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels practice flights! It’s open daily from 9-4 pm.
Please note that on days the Blue Angels are scheduled to fly, the Lighthouse Tower will be open only to guests with reservations to watch the show. General Admission guests can’t climb the tower until the Blue Angels land. The museum and grounds will be open for all guests in the meantime.
Admission: $9.50 adults; $6.50 for military members, 12 and under, or 65 and over.
(NOTE FOR #2-4: All visitors entering Pensacola NAS to go to the Blue Angels practices, National Naval Aviation Museum, and/or Pensacola Lighthouse without a DoD identification card will be required to enter the installation via the West Gate located off Blue Angel Parkway and present proper ID.)
5. Big Lagoon State Park
This coastal state park features Big Lagoon, which separates the mainland from Perdido Key and Johnson Beach and the Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful undisturbed saltwater marshes and pine flatwoods, beaches, shallow bays, nature trails, and open woodlands offer splendid opportunities for nature study. Swim, fishing, paddle and hike.
Big Lagoon can proudly claim to be part of the Great Florida Birding & Wildlife Trail. The spots include Fort Pickens, Big Lagoon State Park and the Pensacola Bayfront. Spring and summer are shore-nesting seasons for colonies of protected black skimmers, plovers and least terns. They scratch out tiny clefts in the sand to lay tiny camouflaged eggs. The chicks often dart along roadways. Keep a safe distance and enjoy the wildlife hikes.
6. Tarkiln Bayou State Preserve
Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park is a 4,290-acre preserve, a Florida State Park located 10 miles southwest of Pensacola. It is home to four species of endangered pitcher plants, as well as other rare and endangered plant species.
It offers two hiking trails that wind through the pitcher plants and wetlands.
• Tarkiln Bayou Trail - A half-mile ADA accessible trail. The sidewalk and elevated boardwalk meander through prairie, cypress and titi forests. Benches along the trail provide rest areas. When the trail ends, the observation area provides a scenic view of the bayou.
• Perdido Bay Trail - A rugged 6.5-mile trail providing access to the bayshore beaches. This trail crosses seepage streams and muddy areas as it makes its way through the oaks and pines.
Admission: $3 per vehicle; $2 pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers
7. Tour Historic Pensacola Village
Explore Historic Pensacola and experience the rich heritage of America’s first multi-year European settlement that was founded over 450 years ago by Spanish explorer Don Tristan DeLuna. Historic Pensacola covers more than eight acres with 28 properties located in the footprints of the original Spanish and British forts in downtown Pensacola.
The “One Ticket, Seven Days to Explore” passes let you chill and visit all the museums, participate in guided and self-guided tours of historic homes and interact with period-dressed living history interpreters. And pricing? Yep, $12!
8. Explore the A1S Trail
When walking the streets of Pensacola, you may notice a painted maroon line winding its way through the sidewalks of downtown. That’s the America’s First Settlement Trail, nicknamed the A1S, a three-mile marked pathway that travails through the Pensacola Historic District.
Along this red path are 20 stops including Plaza Ferdinand VII, Seville Square, Intendencia Street and more, and over 70 points of interest like National Historic Landmarks, the Dorr House, Christ Church and Fort George. Along the trail, visitors can experience sites from as early as 1756 when the Spanish built Fort San Miguel in what is now downtown Pensacola. Tour 260 years of history and learn the fascinating story of how Pensacola developed into the city you see today.
9. First Tee Goofy Golf and Driving Range
Located in west Pensacola, the quirky and historic Pensacola Goofy Golf was built in 1958 and offers a whimsical and colorful mini-golf course. The facility also features the area’s only Floating Golf Ball Driving Range.
Goofy Golf is affiliated with First Tee Gulf Coast — a youth-serving organization that teaches golf as a life-long sport to instill character education through the game’s inherent “Nine Core Values.”
10. Catch the Blue Wahoos!
The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd. Yes, round here, we do baseball and the ballpark experience right. Spring and summer are the time for baseball season at Pensacola’s award-winning Blue Wahoos Stadium, which this year welcomes back the Blue Wahoos for another season as a Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.
The Blue Wahoos play their home games here at the 5,000-plus seat multi-use venue overlooking beautiful Pensacola Bay and the downtown harbor. Blue Wahoos‘ fans can reserve traditional modern stadium seats or enjoy games from covered and open-air party decks. Or bring a beach blanket and lounge in the grass behind outfield fences. Tickets range from $12 to $57, but there are often special promos for games. And there are no bad seats in this waterfront house. Play ball!
11. Deluna Lanes Bowling Alley and Peter B’s Grill
DeLuna Lanes, aka Pensacola’s favorite bowling center, has provided entertaining bowling experiences for the past 40 years. For $5 per person per game, this family-oriented atmosphere is a must-experience! The alley also offers recreational and league bowling, and numerous special pricing events. DeLuna’s also has a pool room with six tables and a video game arcade. You can also enjoy Peter B’s Sports Grill, a full-service restaurant to whet that appetite you charged while throwing turkeys.
12. Fast Eddies Fun Center
There’s a whole three acres of pure fun and excitement for the entire family at Fast Eddie’s Fun Center. While $12 will let you have some fun, you might want to bring more money to have fun for the whole day. Look at what kind of fun you can find:
• Go-Karts — Take a ride on the 'CRAZY 8' for fun and excitement with a bridge and some wild turns, or hop on over to the 'SPINNIN & GRINNIN' for a slip-sliding experience.
• Mini-Golf — Enjoy the fun-filled challenging 9 Hole course! With obstacles, twists and turns to challenge your skills.
• Arcade — Test your skills in our State-Of-The-Art Arcade Game Room! Fast Eddie's is always updating its Arcade Game Room to stay on the cutting edge.
• Batting Cages — Batter up! With four new cages from Slow Pitch Softball to Major League Fastball, you can find your strike zone.
So, whether you're a local looking for some budget-friendly fun or a visitor wanting to make the most of your vacation dollars, we got you covered! Pensacola offers plenty of affordable activities that won't break the bank!
