FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Nicole Stacey, Visit Pensacola | nstacey@visitpensacola.com

Lindsey Steck-Jackson, Visit Pensacola | lsteck@visitpensacola.com 

PENSACOLA IS THE ULTIMATE VACATION DESTINATION WITH UNMATCHED EXPERIENCES, UNIQUE ACCOMMODATIONS,
AND MUCH MORE IN 2024

- Plan Your Visit to Pensacola on National Plan for Vacation Day, Jan. 30, 2024 -

Pensacola, Fla. (Jan. 10, 2024) – Pensacola, Fla. is the ultimate Way to Beach™ in 2024 as the long-beloved destination continues to see a significant boom in tourism and residential growth. Emerging as one of the country's favorite hideaway destinations, Pensacola has something for everyone looking to soak in all the sun, sights, and tasty bites it offers in the New Year. Celebrate National Plan for Vacation Day on Jan. 30, 2024, by booking a visit to Pensacola in 2024. More information on reserving a view of the sugar-white shoreline can be found here. 

Can't Miss Events in 2024

The iconic Mardi Gras celebrations will return to Pensacola with some of the destination's largest vibrantly decorated floats and family-friendly festivals, featuring live music, food, drinks, and free public access. As a city with deep Creole and French roots, it's no wonder Pensacola was the stomping grounds for one of the first Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S. Visitors can enjoy special events such as the Mardi Gras Mambo featuring Flo Rida on Jan. 26, 2024, the Pensacola Pawdi Gras on Jan. 28, 2024, the Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Parade on Feb. 9, 2024, the Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade on Feb. 10, 2024, and the Krewe of Wrecks Beach Parade on Feb. 11, 2024.

With sports tourism serving as a leading trend for travelers in 2024, there's no place better to enjoy collegiate basketball than in Pensacola. Returning in March 2024, Pensacola will continue to serve as the home base for the highly-anticipated Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament through the 2024-25 season. From March 5, 2024, to March 11, 2024, the Sun Belt Conference will take over the Pensacola Bay Center, marking the beginning of NCAA March Madness. For more information on this year's schedule, visit here. 

In August 2024, the legendary Flora-Bama – located on Perdido Key and straddling the Florida/Alabama line – will celebrate its momentous 60th Anniversary. One of the world's most iconic beach bars, the beachside honky-tonk has been a must-see landmark since 1964. Boasting five stages for live music that's performed 365 days a year, delectable Gulf Coast cuisine at the Flora-Bama Oyster Bar and unforgettable experiences such as the annual Mullet Toss (April), the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival (November), the Polar Bear Dip (January), and much more, 2024 is sure to be another can't-miss year of celebrations as the Flora-Bama celebrates its 60th birthday on the beach.  

Explore New Destination Offerings

Pensacola's first-ever rooftop bar and performance venue, Top of The Center will soon be nested atop the Clark Family Cultural Center, offering sweeping views of Pensacola Bay and Historic Downtown Pensacola. Slated to open in Winter 2024, the venue is set to offer sips and cocktails from a rooftop bar, coupled with performances by an array of local organizations and incomparable views of the destination's stunning sunsets.

The Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier will undergo renovations to include new pedestrian railing, ADA-compliant light installations, viewing scopes, benches, and fishing line receptacles. Tourists and locals alike can expect to be casting a line and enjoying the pier views by May 2024.

Enhance Bleisure Travel with Newly-Opened & Renovated Properties & Accommodations

Pensacola has several idyllic hotel openings and renovations for bleisure travelers including the newly-rebranded Pensacola Beach Resort, the newly-opened Fairfield Inn Pensacola Beach, and recent renovations at Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach, Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach, and the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Downtown to expand offerings and amenities that make the destination a must-stay for business travelers.

Experience Self-Care the Pensacola Way

Self-care remains top of mind for travelers across the globe, and Pensacola is the destination for re-centering, recalibrating, and relaxing with purpose. Lovelock offers several options to practice mindfulness and prioritize mental health with massage therapy, energy, sound and spirit classes, nutrition counseling, and even hypnosis. Those looking to test the waters can take part in one of several classes or workshops offered while others can partake in the six-week courses to take a deeper dive into their practice of choice.

Pensacola delivers unique ways to maintain their guests' best selves with offerings like Float Therapy, including short-term stress-reducing sensory deprivation sessions available in the Downtown Pensacola area. Also available is the popular focus on intravenous vitamin (IV) and hydrational wellness taking traditional medical treatments and giving them a modern twist with customized IV infusions called drips. Each infusion or injection can be pinpointed to promote different goals and ailments ranging from hydration and migraines to detoxes and fitness recovery.

Aqua Spa at Beach Club has created an environment where health and well-being are elevated to an art form, and the rediscovery of balance is the primary goal. Guests can rejuvenate with a selection of treatments, including the Sea Breeze Anti-Pollution Facial and Sea Foam Body Wrap.  

And for those looking for more natural relaxation, Pensacola and Perdido Key boast unmatched natural beauty ideal for reconnecting with one's self and nature, not just with pristine sugar-white beaches, and glittering waters but with nature trails like the paths within the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Perdido Key State Park, Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park and more.

Sip on Zero Proof in Pensacola

As mocktails, zero-proof menus, and “dry” drinks continue to grow in popularity, Pensacola is booming with potential orders for mocktail enthusiasts like the Dry 75 available at Union Public House – crafted with Lyre's London Dry, Raspberry Champagne Shrubb, lemon, and bubbles, or the Moonless Planet poured with Seedlip Grove, passionfruit, lemon and orgeat. Pensacola's first and only speakeasy, Brother Fox, serves up their version of a Peach Old Fashioned made with zero-proof bourbon, demerara, and peach bitters.

Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, owned by Pensacola native and historic preservationist, Katie Garrett, will create a mocktail based on a patron's request or preferred flavors. Popular non-alcoholic beers like Errdinger and Heineken Zero are also available.

Experience Locally-Sourced Menus & Chefs

Pensacola is home to locally sourced chefs, tastemakers, and restaurants that are owned and operated by Chefs and mixologists who hail from the Pensacola area, have traveled to hone their skills, and have returned to the destination to present new and exciting culinary experiences.

The Pensacola culinary scene is lush with fresh ingredients and pulsing with innovation with inclusive offerings like Agapi Bistro + Garden's new Chef's Blind Tasting Menus, including gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options. Perfectly aligned with the “No Menu-Menu” trend for 2024, the meal begins with a brief meeting with the chef to get to know a guest's favorites and preferences, then guests will receive a four-course meal based on their preferences, which the chef hand-delivers. Gourmet restaurant Pearl & Horn recently opened the doors to its new, expanded location in Pensacola, blending land and sea in an upscale fashion.

Hermitage Social Spirits is the latest tasting experience to arrive in Pensacola. Helmed by the creator of Old Hickory Whiskey Bar and The Kennedy, Hermitage Social Spirits offers event classes like “Whiskey 101,” “Kentucky Bourbon,” and “Scotland Regionals,” these unique educational tastings are led by field experts and are great evening options for locals and travelers looking for a fun intimate evening with friends and family.

The Burrow, set to be a new local hotspot, will be brought to life on the lower floor of the Sacred Heart Hospital, a historic hospital building and architectural landmark in Pensacola, steeped in unique design and teeming with history. The eclectic space will become a Biergarten, lounge, and eatery come Spring 2024.

Explore More Below the Surface with Eco-Diving on Florida's Gulf Coast

Pensacola's best-kept secret -- unparalleled diving experiences -- is quickly making the destination a favorite amongst the diving community, especially those looking for eco-friendly diving experiences. Experienced divers can descend about 200 feet beneath the emerald waters to view the USS Oriskany, aka “The Mighty O.” This shipwrecked 872-foot aircraft carrier now acts as the world's largest artificial reef, hosting an entire marine ecosystem. Affectionately nicknamed the “Great Carrier Reef,” divers can swim among goliath grouper, sea turtles, sunfish, eagle rays, tuna, amberjack, and tropical fish as they explore Pensacola's deeper waters. The Three Coal Barges dive site offers a beginner's experience and gets its name from three barges that broke free in 1974 and sank just a few miles from shore. Today they lie end-to-end in a field of bridge rubble, creating a rich undersea habitat in just 50 feet of water, providing easy navigation for first-time divers.

Pensacola's dive shops and charters have long been known for being stewards of the Gulf. For those interested in arranging travel plans to experience one of Pensacola's many dive sites, the winter season is suggested when water visibility is at its highest.

Experience the Boutique Boom in Downtown Pensacola and Multi-Generational and Skip-Gen Accommodations on Pensacola Beach & Perdido Key

Pensacola continues to see a boom in boutique accommodations and adaptive reuse, like the recently-opened Lily Hall, a 15-room boutique lodging house breathing new life into the bones that once housed the historic Old Mount Olive Baptist Church and includes Brother Fox (Lily Hall's signature restaurant) and its attached speakeasy, Sister Hen. Pensacola's first-ever speakeasy will have a password-protected entrance that leads guests into an intimate candlelit setting offering inventive cocktails with innovative presentations. Fitting only about two dozen guests, the patrons of Brother Fox will get skip-the-line priority for Sister Hen via a secret passageway inside the restaurant. Inspired by the finer hospitality of the 1920s-1940s era, the prohibition-style hideaway will feature a dress code and even “house rules.” The Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel is the first hotel in Pensacola to focus on sustainability and wellness and cater to adults-only clientele. Oyster Bay's goal is to create rich experiences that focus on local authenticity, modest luxury, and natural design. The accommodations are sumptuous, and the service is personalized at the eight-room property.

The newest boutique stay – Celestine Bed & Breakfast is nestled in the heart of the city and features elegant accommodations housed in a historic 1880s home in Pensacola's North Hill neighborhood. Taking pride in its southern charm and rich history, the property – named after the owner's great-grandmother, Celestine Harrison – features only four guest rooms, each named after Celestine and her husband Buster's children. Each room boasts a private en-suite bathroom and antique furnishings providing a vintage homey feel. Located only a short distance from many of Pensacola's popular attractions including the historic Belmont-Devilliers Neighborhood, the iconic Palafox Street, and more.

While boutique stays continue to boom, longtime family favorites hold steadfast as premier options for multigenerational and skip-gen travelers like the Holiday Inn Resort on Pensacola Beach with resort activities like pools with cascading waterfalls, a 250-foot seasonally heated Lazy River, and even specially designed KidsSuites. The stunning Perdido Key offers beachfront rentals like Eden Condominiums complete with elegant rooms, refreshing pools and waterfalls, and an on-site Emerald Oasis Day Spa where guests can enjoy massages and skincare sessions. Southern Vacation Rentals also offers condos and vacation homes ready to welcome families big and small of all generations.

Take Flight with New Travel Options

Travelers can now enjoy the newly launched direct daily flights from Pensacola to LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Delta Airlines, making getting to/from the Big Apple in 2024 a breeze for travelers. Direct flights will also remain available from other major hubs such as Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Nashville. For those living in neighboring states such as Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana the destination can be traversed via road trip in five hours or less - making a sunny beach trip easier than ever.

For more information on Pensacola or how to plan a visit in 2024, visit visitpensacola.com.

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About Visit Pensacola
Visit Pensacola is the destination organization for Escambia County which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. With over 464 years of rich history and nearly 40 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration, and communication.