25 Fun, Free Things to Do in Pensacola
Some of the best things in life are free, and this is certainly true in the Pensacola Bay Area. Here's a list of 25 fun, free things to do in Pensacola.
Pensacola on $50 or Less
Pensacola is a fun place to spend your time no matter your budget. With rising costs on just about everything these days, locals and visitors can have a stress-free time enjoying natural beauty, entertainment, and eats and treats around the Pensacola area without breaking the bank.
Ferry Ticket
Getting around and seeing the sights has never been more affordable than riding the Pensacola Bay City Ferry. Available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays March 1 through October 31, the ticket allows you to hop on and hop off one of two Pensacola Bay City Ferry passenger vessels that travel between Downtown Pensacola, Fort Pickens and Pensacola Beach throughout the day. Explore these three popular areas – your admission fee at Fort Pickens is included when your purchase the Ferry Pass – all in one day. You can cool off in the ferry’s air-conditioned cabin or enjoy open air breezes as you cruise across Pensacola Bay going from place to place. There are restrooms on board each ferry. Imported and domestic beer, wines, soft drinks and water are available for purchase.
Offered for just $20-30 per person per day depending on your age and admission category, the Pensacola Ferry ticket is sure to save you money compared to ride services. Plus, there’s no need to fuel up and drive your vehicle to three separate destinations. Learn more and purchase tickets at pensacolabaycityferry.com.
Entertainment
Pensacola has a host of attractions that are free or inexpensive to enjoy.
During monthly Gallery Night events, it is free to peruse the sights, sounds and smells at shops, galleries, outdoor entertainment stages and vendors along Palafox Street. This major thoroughfare is closed to automobile traffic for the night, and the result is a vibrant celebration of all that Pensacola has to offer. Monthly themes ensure no two gallery nights are ever the same.
As of this writing, nonprofit organization Together We Weather is hosting Pensacola Happy Hour every Friday at Museum Plaza. Comedians and DJs offer free performances aimed at improving mental health within the local community.
State parks are generally inexpensive to enter. For example, $3 per vehicle gets you into Tarkiln Bayou Preserve near Perdido Key, where hiking and birding is popular.
In July, the Florida Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday will allow you to purchase popular summer items like pool floats, fishing supplies, and outdoor equipment, in addition to admissions to museums and state parks, without paying sales tax.
Cheap Eats
Whatever area of Pensacola you are visiting, there are plenty of affordable dining options to satisfy all of your cravings.
You can grab a slice of pizza at Papa’s Pizza on Pensacola Beach for around $5-6. In Downtown Pensacola, Graffiti Pizza serves the huge pies they are known for by the slice, as well.
In North Pensacola, Pounder’s Hawaiian Grill is new to the restaurant scene. A plate with your choice of a meat and sides is under $7. After your meal, head over to Grover’s, a popular choice for wings and chicken fingers, where you can get an ice cream cone for under $3.
In Downtown Pensacola, happy hour deals can be found in most spots. Drink al fresco at The Deck Bar at The Fish House, where $3 beers, $4 well drinks, and $5 house wines are available at the bar from 4-6 p.m. At Pensacola Beach, Drift boasts a $5 starters and cocktails menu until 6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a full day of fun in Pensacola.
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