Discover Pensacola: Ultimate Guide to Young Adult Adventures
Pensacola is the perfect destination for young adults. With tons of things to do, delicious places to eat, and so many picture-worthy spots, we've got you covered with all the fun highlights.
As a young adult myself, I am always looking for the next fun thing to take my friends to when they come visit me! There's ALWAYS something to do here in Pensacola.
Beach Time
Pensacola is home to the most beautiful white sand beaches. Whether you're on Pensacola Beach or Perdido Key, you can go for that refreshing dip and put your toes in the sand! There are plenty of public beach access points to choose from when planning out your beach day. To get your beach day setup done for you, check out Lazy Days Beach Rentals. Swell Ride is also great if you'd like to rent a stand up paddleboard - one of my favorite activities! They'll also do kayak rentals and skiff fishing rentals as well.
Want something to DO on the beach? If you're looking to do a little sunset picnic and take photos (which is my idea of a perfect end to the beach day), Pensacola Picnic Co will be there! Glow Paddle is another favorite of mine, offering night time glow clear kayak tours on Pensacola Beach. Going on a sunset sailboat ride is another fabulous and Instagram worthy way to end the day so be sure to check out Condor Sailing and Key Sailing.
Nightlife & Entertainment
If you find yourself out in Perdido Key, there's also fun nightlife there. You've got to go grab a bushwacker and enjoy all the live music at the Flora Bama Lounge, Package, and Oyster Bar. There's live music to enjoy 365 days a year, and it's a must do when you're visiting the area.
On Pensacola Beach, there is typically live music at Bamboo Willie's and the Sandshaker. Be sure to check the schedules. Bands on the Beach is another great event to enjoy live music. This takes place on Tuesdays (weather permitting) from April - October and is right on the beach at the Gulfside Pavilion.
Arts & Culture
Pensacola is home to the big 5! In Downtown Pensacola, you experience the Pensacola Opera, the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Pensacola, the historic Saenger Theatre, and the accredited Pensacola Museum of Art.
There are also plenty of art galleries to explore, live music, and festivals. Pensacola isn't called the festival city of the south for nothing. Foo Foo Fest is always a fun experience and takes place every fall, and has four cornerstone events or "anchor events". These four are the Blue Angels Homecoming Show, the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, Pensacola Eggfest, and the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival. In addition to those cornerstones taking place annually are other Friend of Foo events.
Food & Drink
No trip to Pensacola is complete without enjoying the delicious restaurants and cocktails of course. There are several options around town with good vibes, tasty food, and pretty views if you're looking for that.
200 South is another spot with good vibes. With over 40 beers to choose from and delicious bar eats it makes for the perfect stop on your Downtown adventure. Further down Palafox is O'Riley's Irish Pub - a Pensacola staple and a great spot to enjoy the night with friends. They serve up Irish-inspired dishes and a few traditional American dishes - along with your beer and spirits, of course. Play is another fun bar with arcade game - they even have a private karaoke room you can rent out called Electric Serenade. Sit outside at B Side at Vinyl and enjoy a cocktail among the neon pink lights and "vibey" atmosphere! Located in East Pensacola, The Florida Room at Alga is a retro and beachy paradise; enjoy a fruity cocktail with the 1986 Miami vibe.
Pensacola Pub Crawls is a great place to start if you're wanting a little taste of it all! It's guided beverage tour and you can customize all the stops, sign me up!
If you're wanting a non alcoholic beverage, read our blog on the best mocktails around town.
Perdido Key is home to the Flora-Bama, a Pensacola institution. Stop on over at the Flora-Bama Ole River Grill for a delicious bite to eat as you overlook the water. It's located directly across from the Flora-Bama and they offer a variety of seafood, steaks, po-boys, desserts and more. Mmm!
Another tasty stop is the Jellyfish Restaurant and Bar with a delicious seafood cuisine!
Get Moving
There you have it - your perfect guide to all the must sees, eats, drinks, and experiences for young adults. What are you waiting for?
