When it was time for Randall and I to start planning our last trip before baby – we had some babymoon ideas in Florida and one destination stood out – Pensacola, Florida. It is special for us because it was the very first place we vacationed together. Anyone who knows me knows I am a tradition-a-holic (I’m making this a word!), so I was excited to go back to some of the same places we had gone together before. On our initial trip back in 2016, we stayed with Randall’s grandmother, who lived 30 minutes away from Pensacola. However, this time around, we needed a different place to stay.
Our Charming AirBnB Near Pensacola Beach
Accommodations right on the beach can be pretty pricey, and since we were only going for the weekend, we opted for a more affordable AirBnB located near the Naval Air Base! It had some great views of the water nearby so it was a great little compromise. If you’re looking for budget-friendly options in the Pensacola area and don’t mind not being right on the beach, I highly recommend it.
It’s Not Pensacola Without Shrimp Basket
One of my favorite Pensacola traditions is eating at the Shrimp Basket. Friday night we ordered in and watched a movie. We LOVE the Corn Fritters with extra ranch, as well as the Popcorn Shrimp, and Hushpuppies!
A Beach Day in Pensacola Beach
Saturday was our beach day, but since it was supposed to rain all morning we slept in! We decided to explore Navarre Beach on our way to Pensacola Beach. Navarre Beach is beautiful, but there is not as much to do there. On the road between Navarre and Pensacola, you’ll find various beach entrances. My husband isn’t a big fan of the beach, so we planned to take a short beach break, snap some photos, and enjoy the sand and water. Side note: If water fountains for your feet are a must-have for you at the beach – don’t stop at one of these in-between spots; they don’t have any so your feet will stay sandy (unless you have an angel of a husband who cleans them off for you like mine 🥰).
The rest of the day was quite an adventure. We hadn’t eaten all morning so we were STARVING, and I didn’t want to stop somewhere that we would have to sit down and wait for food. We decided to head to Whataburger since it was nearby and there aren’t many of them here in GA. Our burgers were really good but the drinks there are HUGE! The large lemonade was literally the size of my head.
Exploring the Boardwalk
One thing to note about the boardwalk area of Pensacola – there is nowhere “safe” to pee! If you’re a pregnant lady like me, planning for restroom access is crucial. Thankfully where we were parked, there was another Shrimp Basket and they let me go in there! We initially intended to explore the boardwalk and the shops, but I overestimated my energy levels, and we changed the plan.
Despite the change of plans, we went to Alvin’s Island to get our typical souvenirs! After that and a couple quick stops, since I was so tired, we decided to hang out in the truck for a little while before we headed to dinner at our FAVORITE place.
Dinner at Red Fish Blue Fish
Red Fish Blue Fish – 1000% recommend. The restaurant offers a beautiful outdoor seating area right by the water, complete with cornhole games and a little beach area. We went the first time we were in Pensacola and remembered LOVING the atmosphere, but we couldn’t remember if we liked the food or not. The food lived up to our expectations! Randall gets the Fried Grouper Sandwich, and I love the Cherry Pecan Salad. Even the virgin Strawberry Daiquiri was delightful. We will come back here every time we are in Pensacola Beach.
Satisfying Our Sweet Tooth
I knew I wanted to grab some dessert to take home for our movie night, so we stopped at the Ice Cream Shoppe at Pensacola Beach, right across from Red Fish Blue Fish. It’s the cutest candy and ice cream shop with a candy wall, various ice cream flavors, chocolates, and truffles. We got a little bit of everything to take home.
Sunset Views and Movie Night
We decided to watch the sunset from the little private beach next to our rental, but when we got there it was full, so we walked on the bridge to the Air Base to get some pictures there and enjoy the views of the water! After that, we headed back to our Airbnb and had a movie night!
Exploring the Pensacola Postcard Mural
On Sunday, we had a couple of items left on our list. One of them was the Pensacola Postcard mural, which I had been eager to find. Any time I travel I am a huge sucker for cute murals for taking pictures, so I was so excited when we found this one. See the address below the pictures! I googled it for so long before I was able to find it myself!
We had such a great trip and I basically cried all night when we got home because I wanted to go back! 😅 What are your favorite things to do in Pensacola? Comment them below so I can add them to our list for our next trip 😊 I also want to hear your babymoon stories – tell me where you went and what was your favorite part!!
