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Healthy Travel & Safety Information

Visit Pensacola, Inc. is actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation and remains in close communication and coordination with Escambia County, City of Pensacola, Visit Florida and state officials. We are committed to keeping our visitors, partners and stakeholders informed of the latest updates and to follow the guidelines from these agencies and local departments.

Area tourism partners, residents, and visitors are encouraged to take any appropriate preventative measures. The federal government has not recommended limiting domestic travel.

Visit Pensacola Official Updates

Escambia County Beaches 

Beaches are now open. The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday, April 28, to reopen county public beaches to allow citizens access to all beach activities beginning Friday, May 1. Public county beaches in Pensacola are open regular hours including the sound side, Gulf side and Pensacola Beach. Perdido Key beaches will open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset, daily. 

Dog parks are open and permitted in designated areas. 

Beachgoers are asked to limit groups to 10 people or fewer and to adhere to CDC social distancing measures by keeping a 6-foot distance between others who are not in their immediate household. 

The county would like to remind residents that the toll on the Bob Sikes Bridge to Pensacola Beach is all-electronic. The new tolling system on the bridge went live on March 20, which was earlier than anticipated to adhere to social distancing for toll booth workers. 

The toll remains $1, and cash and change are no longer accepted at this location. Motorists can use either SunPass®, another interoperable transponder or be billed utilizing the TOLL-BY-PLATE system. TOLL-BY-PLATE customers will be charged a $1 toll, plus a monthly $2.50 administrative fee and will receive a bill by mail. Cash can be used at SunPass kiosks to replenish and pay TOLL-BY-PLATE invoices.
Several restaurants on the beaches are serving food for pick-up or delivery.

Gulf Islands National Seashore - Beginning May 16, 2020

  • The Fort Pickens Area
    • Regular operating hours
    • Restrooms will be limited to Langdon Beach and the restrooms outside of the Discovery Center
    • Lifeguards will be on duty at Langdon Beach
  • The Perdido Key Area
    • Regular operating hours resume
    • Lifeguards will be on duty at Johnson Beach
  •  Beginning on Saturday, May 23, additional services will resume including:
    • Free tram service at the Fort Pickens Area
    • Pensacola Bay Cruises will drop-off and pick-up passengers at the Fort Pickens Area
  • With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:
    • The Fort Barrancas Area
    • The Fort Pickens Campground, Discovery Center, and bookstore
    • The headquarters indoor exhibits at the Naval Live Oaks Area
    • Parking lots 33A & 36A along Highway 399 (closed for the season)
    • Parking lots 34A & 34E at the Opal Beach Complex

Florida State Parks

  • On Friday, May 1, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that beginning May 4, Florida State Parks will re-open access to trails, and some day-use areas, including some beach access with limited facilities. Visitors will be asked to practice proper social distancing and to limit group size to 10 or less and to stay six feet apart.
  • The selected reopened state parks will have limited facilities. Reopened beach areas allow visitors access to active recreation only. This includes walking, jogging, swimming and fishing. No sunbathing, chairs, canopies or coolers are allowed in beach areas at this time.
  • Reopened parks will resume normal operating hours of 8 a.m. to sunset, with the exception of beach areas. Access to beach areas will have reduced daily hours that may vary locally along with reductions in visitor capacity to ensure social distancing. Visitors should check the Department’s website at www.floridastateparks.org for the latest information.
  • Compliance with social distancing requirements and approved activities will be enforced and failure to comply with proper social distancing or approved activities may result in law enforcement action or park closure.
  • For a complete list of open parks and available amenities, please visit www.floridastateparks.org.

Restaurants & Retail

Following phase one of Florida's Recovery Plan, restaurants may offer outdoor seating with six-foot space between tables and indoor seating at 50% capacity. Click here for additional information. 

Retail can operate at 50% indoor capacity. 

Bars & Nightclubs

Bars and nightclubs in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola are closed per an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Visitor Information Centers

The Visit Pensacola visitor centers (Pensacola and Perdido Key) will function as virtual offices until further notice. Our team will be available by phone and email and will continue to provide the latest COVID-19 information and resources to help keep the traveling public informed. We continue to ask that all stakeholders and partners, communicate what they are experiencing so we can best track and report the impact on our area.

The Pensacola Beach visitor center is also functioning as a virtual office. The office staff will be available via phone and email. However, the office will be closed to the public until further notice.

Additional Requirements of Certain Individuals Traveling to Florida 

To limit the spread of COVID-19, Governor DeSantis has issued Executive Order 20-86 which states that individuals traveling to Florida from highly affected areas including Louisiana, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut must self-quarantine for 14 days following arrival. For full enforcement details from the Florida Department of Transportation, click here.  

Vacation Rental Suspension

Effective May 19, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation has approved the short-term vacation rental plan that was submitted Friday, May 15, by Escambia County.

The plan presented to the Secretary would allow for short-term vacation rental reservations and the acceptance of arriving guests in Escambia County and includes the following:

Reservations

  • Reservations and stays will be allowed from U.S. states with a COVID-19 Case Rate less than 700 cases/100K residents as of May 15. (https://www.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/index.html)
  • Reservations from COVID-19 hot spots identified by the Governor are to be avoided for the next 30- 45 days.
  • Reservations from international travelers will not be accepted.

The complete outline can be found here, Escambia County Short-term Vacation Rental Plan for Secretary Beshears. The county will review this plan weekly and update as needed.  

Resources

For more detailed information, we recommend contacting the Florida Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), or the Escambia County Health Department at 850-595-6500.

Resources for Businesses

Showcase Pensacola / COVID-19-related Industry Research

Visit Pensacola's marketing partner, Showcase Pensacola, prepared a report based on COVID-19-related industry research. We want to share this with our stakeholders to help you understand what's happening in the travel space. More importantly, having this information helps us work together as we move forward. Click here to download the report.

 

 

 

 
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