Getting to and around Pensacola

Welcome to Pensacola! Getting here is easy—leaving might be the hard part.

Fly into Pensacola International Airport (PNS), drive in on I-10/I-110, or arrive by water. Once you’re here, getting around is simple with ferry, trolley, ECAT, rideshare, bike, or on foot. Use the quick links to plan your smoothest route between Downtown, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key.

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🚗 Get Here by Car

Pensacola is easy to reach from just about anywhere along the Gulf South, with direct connections via Interstate 10 and Interstate 65. Whether you’re coming for a weekend getaway or an extended stay, you’ll find smooth drives, scenic views, and plenty of stops along the way.

From the North
Take I-65 South through Alabama to Exit 69 (Highway 113) toward Pensacola. Follow the four-lane expressway for about 13 miles until it ends, then turn right on Highway 29. After one mile, turn left to stay on Highway 29 South — about a 45-minute drive into Pensacola.

From the East or West
Simply take I-10 across the Florida Panhandle and follow signs for Pensacola. Multiple exits lead into the city and surrounding beaches, including Downtown, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key.

🏖️ Driving to the Beaches

To Perdido Key
From the west, take I-10 E to Exit 7A (Pine Forest Road / FL-297 S) toward Pensacola NAS. Turn right on Blue Angel Parkway / FL-173 S, then right again onto FL-292 W, which leads straight to Perdido Key.

To Pensacola Beach
Take I-10 W to I-110 S, then follow signs for Gregory Street / US-98 / Beaches / Gulf Islands National Seashore. Merge onto E Chase Street, then continue on US-98 E over the General Chappie James Memorial Bridge (Three Mile Bridge) into Gulf Breeze. From there, follow FL-399 S / Pensacola Beach Road across the bridge to the island.

✈️ Getting Here by Air

Pensacola International Airport (PNS) connects the Pensacola Bay area to major destinations across the U.S. with more than a dozen nonstop routes and easy one-stop connections worldwide. The airport is just 10 minutes from Downtown Pensacola and 25 minutes from the beach, making arrival a breeze.

Airlines Serving Pensacola

Nonstop Destinations
Atlanta • Austin • Charlotte • Chicago (MDW + ORD) • Dallas (DAL + DFW) • Denver • Detroit • Ft. Lauderdale • Houston (HOU + IAH) • Kansas City • Memphis • Miami • Nashville • Northwest Arkansas • Orlando (MCO) • Philadelphia • Raleigh/Durham • St. Louis • Tampa • Washington (DCA) • New York (LGA) • Birmingham / Northwest Alabama

💡 Tip: Check flight maps and schedules at FlyPensacola.com<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> before you book.

Pensacola Direct Flight Map

Private Air Service

Pensacola Aviation Center: Our award-winning Avfuel Customer Service Representatives and Line Service Techs are highly trained and dedicated to ensuring our customers' air-to-ground transitions are safe, prompt and courteous. Open 24 / 7.

Aero Air Charter

⛵ Getting Here by Boat

With miles of bays, sounds, and bayous, Pensacola offers endless ways to arrive by water. From Perdido Bay and Big Lagoon to Escambia Bay, Pensacola Bay, and Santa Rosa Sound, there’s no shortage of scenic routes to explore. Our waterways welcome boaters with calm channels, full-service marinas, and easy access to Downtown, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. Whether you’re sailing in from the Intracoastal Waterway or cruising along the Gulf, you’ll find convenient dockage, fuel, and friendly harbors ready to make your stay unforgettable.

💡 Tip: Many local marinas offer transient slips, fuel docks, and on-site restaurants — making it easy to drop anchor and explore.

Get Around While You're Here

While walking is a key form of transportation around the beach and downtown, you can get from one to the other in a variety of ways. Of course, you can always use services like zTrip, Lucky Cab, Uber, Lyft, or other taxi services. These options let you relax in the passenger seat and take away the trouble of parking. During peak season, it’s important to leave early and allow adequate time to get to your destination. Be cautious of pedestrians (and marine life) that may be crossing roads.

Pensacola Beach Toll Bridge

Electronic tolling is now here. SunPass, an annual pass can also be used. If you choose to go through a SunPass/annual pass lane and do not have a pass, you will be charged using Toll-by-Plate and a bill will be sent to you in the mail. This will include a $2.50 administration fee for each billing cycle. Click HERE for more information on ways to get your pass to the Pensacola Beach Ball.

Pay the $1 toll for the Bob Sikes Bridge with Toll-by-Plate or Sun Pass®. Make your trip quicker by using SunPass or Toll-by-Plate in ANY LANE of the toll plaza. Simply drive through without stopping. With your SunPass, the $1 toll gets automatically deducted from your prepaid account.

Not using SunPass? The Toll-by-Plate system also lets you drive through the toll plaza without stopping. You'll receive a bill in the mail. The toll is still $1 each time you pass through the toll plaza, plus a monthly $2.50 administrative fee. No matter how many trips you take to the beach, you will only be charged the administration fee once per month of use.

If you're here for an extended period of time, the Pensacola Beach Annual Pass may be a good option for you. To learn more about all these options contact Escambia County's customer service office at 850-916-5421 or visit myescambia.com/sunpass.

Pensacola Bay City Ferry

Pensacola Bay City Ferry features two double-decker boats that connect Downtown Pensacola to Pensacola Beach and the Gulf Islands National Seashore – Fort Pickens. The two boats, named Turtle Runner and Pelican Perch, hold 150 passengers and make each leg of the trip in 35-45 minutes. This is a unique way to enjoy the waterways of Pensacola and get to where you’re going.

Pensacola Beach Island Trolley

Travel island style and discover all the fun things to see and do on Pensacola Beach. During peak season, the Santa Rosa Island Authority operates a free trolley service to nearly three dozen stops along the beach from the east to the west end of the island. The service is ADA compliant and has bike racks.

Service has concluded for this season and the Santa Rosa Island Authority looks forward to serving the island again next summer.

2025’s free trolley service will return to Pensacola Beach on Memorial Day Weekend starting Friday, May 23 and run through Labor Day Monday on September 1. Click here for a detailed map.

VIEW TROLLEY ROUTE

Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT)

ECAT provides citizens with safe, convenient, and affordable public transportation. The majority of ECAT routes run service Monday – Friday with some routes also running service on Saturday and Sunday.

ECAT spans routes throughout the entire county making it simple for residents and travelers alike to get to their destination. All transportation is ADA accessible and includes wheelchair accessibility and includes bike racks (two bikes).

ECat Beach Jumper (Seasonal) - Seasonal beach route runs Saturday, May 24 - August 31, 2025. The bus route runs from 1:50 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and from 10:20 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.


GETTING ON BASE (NAS PENSACOLA) - DIRECTIONS AND THINGS TO KNOW

The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy require visitors 18 and older to show a single government-issued identification card. State-issued driving licenses and passports are acceptable.

Public access to NAS Pensacola will be available from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. through the West Gate only on the south end of Blue Angel Parkway. Additionally, vehicle operators must have a valid driver’s license, and foreign nationals will need to be escorted by a U.S. citizen.

Parking

Before parking in Downtown Pensacola, click here for information about the Park Pensacola App. Click here for an interactive parking map. Check out the live trolley tracker.

Screenshot from 2025-03-26


When parking on Pensacola Beach, you'll find several public access lots. Casino Beach is the main beach and will be the first parking lot in view. It has one entry and one exit so be alert and watch for signs. Click here for a full map of the island showing public access parking lots and trolley stop information.

Perdido Key has three numbered Public Beach Access Points. Perdido Key State Park is open 8 a.m. – sunset. The Gulf Islands National Seashore is located both on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. It is $25 per carload and the pass is good for seven days. When parking along any of the beaches be cautious of sand. Many cars find themselves stuck when they're on the sand and off the pavement.

Remember the motto, "Leave Only Your Footprints Behind." If you follow that advice, you will help to preserve the natural beauty of the beaches and help to ensure all residents and guests can have an enjoyable experience.

Transportation

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Play on World Famous Beaches

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