We often take for granted the easy access we have to beautiful beaches, the National Seashores, and over 80+ parks/recreation areas in Pensacola.
It would take over a year for us to feature every park and place we want to explore!
When we drive over the same bridge everyday, it is easy to forget that some people actually live landlocked 100% of the time. Could you imagine not having a breeze off the Gulf in the middle of summer? How about not being able to even see water unless it’s that of the community pool down the street?
One of my biggest responsibilities as a parent and native to the Pensacola area is to highlight the magic of where we live. I’d like to leave the legacy of being a Pensacola local who truly loved and appreciated the area for what it has to offer.
Oftentimes, Lou and I will be driving over the bridge and I’ll stop our conversation to point out the boats we see or the rays of the sun setting. I’ll remind her of where we live and to appreciate the gift that it is! It takes intentional effort to look outside of our day to day and see the beauty that is all around us.
To put it into perspective, lots of beach towns will restrict access, meaning that you have to own land or pay to occupy a spot on the beach. National Parks can be pricey and overcrowded with tourists. As Pensacola continues to grow in popularity, we feel even more inclined to enjoy the easy access and special privileges we have living here.
This time of year in Pensacola, the entire city seems to go on vacation mode in preparation for the 4th of July and Blue Angels Air Show. These two weekends are quite possibly the biggest draw to our beaches and shorelines. During these weeks, we like to lay low and enjoy the busyness from the outside.
For this week’s adventure we decided to take a mid-week afternoon trip out to Pensacola Beach. Simple, easy, and beautiful. To be expected, we encountered vacationers buzzing around the Casino Beach parking lot, so we continued to drive down farther towards Park East.
You’ll find Park East if you continue driving down past Portofino. Pass a couple parking lots on the right until you hit the big “S” curve, and there’ll be one last parking lot before you hit the seashore. Here you’ll find plenty of spaces to park, a bathroom with showers, and a whole lot of sand to yourself.
Hours: All day, every day
Location: Park East, Pensacola Beach
A Quick Review:
Being seasoned beach girls made our adventure time easy. We made a quick list of what we’d need before the trip;
- 2x Beach towels
- Sunscreen
- Water & snacks
- Flip flops
- Sun glasses & hats
- Beach chair, noodle, & seashell bag
One of Lou’s favorite parts about our adventures is making the list and the emergency plan. The list is anything and everything we need to make the trip a success. It is easy when we are both excited to forget something, so we make sure to check the list as soon as we get into the car.
The emergency plan was born out of necessity when we first started taking adventures together. We both realized that if something were to happen to me, it would make sense for Lou to have a game plan on how to act accordingly. This has turned into a way of preemptively problem solving and thinking critically about the risks we take.
In the case of our beach trip, we addressed the risk of rip currents, jellyfish stings, and having enough storage for all the seashells we would collect.
The water was calm, clear with the occasional seaweed cluster, and a steady breeze blowing. To our surprise, we didn’t encounter many jelly fish and the current wasn’t as strong as we’d been hearing.
We built sandcastles, collected shells, and picked up trash around the area we were lounging. We discussed the clouds and the formations they were making. Our time together felt recharging and life giving.
Keep in mind the day and time you plan on going. Afternoons during the week seem to be less busy than the weekends or daytime.
Mak & Lou Rating:
On a 5 star scale, we’d give our beach adventure a 5 out of 5.
Lou and I both witnessed a family that looked to be experiencing the beach for the first time. It gave us both great joy to see their reactions of putting their feet in the crystal white sand and playing in the waves crashing.
The moment was special for both of us for different reasons. Lou got to witness the reaction of someone her age seeing the Gulf for the very first time. I was reminded by the reactions of the adults that we truly live in paradise! We both agreed that we are blessed to live in the most beautiful place! It would be hard to rate it anything less.
Our adventures are not intended to be grandiose or expensive. Contrary to the highlights you see on social media, or the lavish vacations you see in the movies, we want to make adventure time with your family something accessible and easy.
We hope that you feel inspired to take a trip out to the beach! While you are driving, make an effort to roll the windows down and call out what you see. We love where we live and we love having the opportunity to share it with you!
Sending you peace, love, and good times at the beach.
Mak & Lou
Mom & Daughter Writing Duo
Local Pulse Pensacola
