Pensacola, Florida (March 21-24)

SATURDAY (March 21): 

We had a slow, relaxing morning, our flight to Pensacola, Florida not being until late afternoon.  Sofitel granted us late checkout, so we spent the morning  by the pool and had a leisurely lunch before heading  to the airport.  

View from room at Sofitel - Miami International Airport in the distance

Our flight was an hour late departing, but was otherwise uneventful, as was picking up our rental car and the drive to our hotel on Pensacola Beach (Santa Rosa Island). 

Welcome to Margaritaville!  Our room was on the fifth floor of the Margaritaville Beach Hotel.  It had a balcony with a good view of the beach and around the corner towards the mainland.  We had a average dinner in the noisy dining room and headed off to bed.

SUNDAY (MARCH 22): 

Today we woke up to overcast skies.  

looking east from our hotel room

Today we went to the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station.  This is a must-see when visiting Pensacola. 

Ship's bell of USCGC Westwind - the first
icebreaker I served on - 1971

Helm from USCGC Westwind

From the museum we went to the Pensacola Lighthouse, opting to just walk around the base of it.  

We returned to the hotel.  While sitting on the porch a USN plane cruised past us flying parallel to the beach at a fairly low altitude.  Perhaps a sanctioned show for the tourists?  I was a little slow grabbing my camera.

We ate in the hotel again because we lacked the initiative to do something requiring more effort, but a second night of doing so cured us of wanting to do it a third time.

MONDAY (March 23): 

The weather this morning was again overcast.  After a leisurely breakfast and some people-watching, we drove to Fort Pickens, which together with Forts Barrancas and McRee protected Pensacola Bay from attack.  Fort Pickens was never captured by the Confederacy during the Civil War.  

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In keeping with our commitment of yesterday evening, we went out for dinner, eating at Hemingway’s (which made no effort to link itself with Ernest). 

TUESDAY (March 24): 

Having driven west along Santa Rosa Island yesterday, today we drove east.  Yawn.  After a while we turned around and drove back. 

In proof of how boring the drive was, this is the most interesting picture I took on it.

The weather having improved from the previous two days, we had lunch at the pool and did nothing in particular our last afternoon here.  

We had a good dinner at The Grand Marlin.