Pensacola, Florida is best known for the U.S. Navy Naval Air Station, home of the Blue Angels. With a population of 437,125 residents in the metropolitan area, it is situated on Pensacola Bay, above the Gulf of Mexico, on the Western edge of the Florida Panhandle. Winters are mild, the summers hot.
Pensacola is over 450 years old, having been the first European city settled in this country. The name means “Five Flags” and it was a multi-national city strategically situated. The city has many historic buildings and sites of Spanish, French, British and American style and history.
The Navy is the major employer in the city, but with its magnificent beaches, often called the World’s Whitest Beach, the city is also a major tourist destination. Sun and sand create a tourism industry for the area, making it competition for many of the beaches to the south of the state. Of course, there are numerous clubs around the city to provide entertainment, food and drinks. Opening the yellow pages always amazes people when they see the number of restaurants and clubs available to them.
Many festivals are held here during the year and its parks act as the venues. Seville Square, Fountain Park and Bartram Park host a number of the festival annually. An attraction not to be missed is the National Museum of Naval Aviation. The University of West Florida and the Pensacola Christian College both host music and fine arts festivals. The Fine Arts Series at Pensacola Christian attracts some of the major art talent from across the country, including artists from the New York Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna Boys’ Choir, operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan and plays by Shakespeare. Opening a Florida business directory will provide the listings for many of the festivals and theatres in the area.