Ready to escape to Pensacola's white beaches?

Pensacola is much more than just a U.S. Naval base. It is a pristine paradise with glistening white beaches, beautiful waterways and endless blue skies which provides an excellent getaway from the hustle of the workplace, or a relaxing atmosphere for business meetings.

The first explorer to land on the shores of Pensacola was Don Tristan de Luna, who came in 1559. The Spaniard arrived with 1500 soldiers and settlers, four Dominican priests and numerous Mexican Indians. His mission was to establish the first settlement in America, to build a defensible fortress and to bring Christianity to the Native Americans. He did not succeed in any of these endeavors as the settlement lasted only three years before being destroyed in a hurricane.

Just recently the wreckage of Luna's 1559 ship was found in the shallow water just off the shore from the Pensacola Convention and Visitors Center. Nearly 350 other shipwrecks are believed to be in the waters close to shore. What fun it would be to snorkel or dive near these wrecks!

In order to get the flavor of the town and to learn some of its history, I took a tour of the Historical Preservation district. My guide not only gave historical facts and described the lovely architecture, but told haunting stories for every block in the area. Blue lights on porches, little girls in windows and ballerinas who forever practice in upstairs rooms are among the ghosts of Pensacola.

One piece of history that I learned is Pensacola is known as "The City of Five Flags" because it has been under control of French, Spanish, English, United States and the Confederate States of America. Each year in early June, the city puts on The Festival of Five Flags. This year, my friends and I were included in the celebration at the Seville Quarter. Each restaurant in the Quarter chose to represent a different country and provided ethnic foods and drinks. We danced, ate and drank our way through the Quarter to the music of (surprise) five distinctive bands. The celebration had a Mardi Gras flavor, though they also throw parties to celebrate Mardi Gras, too. In fact, the Pensacolans take any excuse to have a shindig. Rarely a month goes by without some sort of celebration. (CONTINUE...)