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Pensacola Vacation Savings Guide: Maximize Your Trip with these Deals

There really is nothing like a beach vacation to renew, recharge and reinvigorate your soul, and it doesn’t have to be an ultra-indulgent affair. You don’t have to break the bank to experience a memorable Pensacola Beach vacation. On our Gulf Coast, the natural, beautiful stuff really is free. It costs absolutely nothing to embrace the salty warmth of a beach sunset.

As for the rest of your visit to our coast, with careful planning, there are ways to pinch a few pennies while still getting to enjoy the same luxuries we know and love in the Greater Pensacola area. The key: vacation like a local!

From tanning on white-sanded beaches to exploring parks and trails to feasting on freshly-caught seafood, Pensacola offers plenty to see and do. To maximize your time and wallet, here are a few budget-friendly ideas for your next affordable beach vacation to Pensacola!

Places to Stay

We know one of the number one perks of a trip to Pensacola is the beach views, but those come at a cost. If you’re looking to save a little, it’s a short and effortless hop to the beaches from the Pensacola mainland. There are plenty of hotels near Pensacola International Airport, along the I-10 corridor and on North Davis Highway that have all the amenities you need and are conveniently located close to everything … including our beaches! Check out a list a comprehensive list here!

Good Eats that Don’t Break the Bank

By the time everyone is tuckered out from a day spent at the beach, grab a bite to eat at a local joint that won’t break the bank. Try these great-food-at-great prices locales.

There’s pizza and burger options on Pensacola Beach - try Papa's Pizza at Pensacola Beach Boardwalk or slide east to Paradise Bar and Grille for the best burgers on the beach — with a no-frills backdrop on Santa Rosa Sound. In Perdido Key? Check out the Flora-Bama and Lillian's Pizza.

In Downtown Pensacola, The Garden at Palafox and Main is a fun local outdoor, covered food truck hall that offers tons of options. This is a great place to go if you have people in your party looking to try different things or picky eaters. Other favorites of mine include Graffiti Pizza, O'Riley's Irish Pub, and The Dog House. You can't forget about Juan's Flying Burrito, Lucy's in the Square, and Cottage Cafe! All delicious spots. Click below for a full roundup of fair priced fooderies in Pensacola.

Fair-Priced Fooderies Around Pensacola
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Shop for Your Snacks

Ditch dining and opt for an outdoor picnic instead! Shoreline Foods International Deli, perched on Main Street, is an ideal spot to pick up some amazing deli items to go so you can hold a beach picnic. And if seafood is your game, the world-famous Joe Patti’s Seafood is nearby where you can pick a pound of peppered shrimp and more. They’ll even steam it for you! Pensacola has two Everman’s Cooperative Grocery & Café stores – Downtown Pensacola on Garden Street and in north Pensacola on E. Nine Mile Rd. – both of which offer a self-serve hot and cold food bar, a full delicatessen with a sandwich station, and plenty of healthy snack options to grab and go on the fly!

There’s a Trail for That!

Pensacola has no shortage of trails to explore…We have a Pensacola Beach Eco Trail, a birding trail, a saltwater paddling trail, a photo trail, an America’s First Settlement trail, a Pensacola Colonial Archaeological trail, endless nature trails, walking trails, biking trails – heck, we even have an underwater shipwreck trail!

With over 460 years of history, Pensacola is no stranger to those that came before it or the creatures that came along with it. We’ve got endless trail options to keep you and the family exploring and entertained. Curate your list of trails and get your walking shoes laced up!

Get Out There – the Trails are Waiting

With miles of paved and unpaved trails and boardwalks, there's no shortage of ways to experience the Pensacola…

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More Cheap Thrills

We love beach concerts around here, and the free ones are the best. Bands on the Beach starts at 7 p.m. every Tuesday from the Gulfside Pavilion stage at Casino Beach from April through October. Pack a cooler and a beach chair or blanket and sit in the sand and enjoy — or better yet —dance! Or, back in town, stop downtown and tour our many historic museums and sites that highlight our 460-year history. Take a walking tour of St. Michael’s Cemetery to see some of the oldest graves in our nation’s history. Or, try the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center and other stops dotting downtown at historicpensacola.org.

For even more travel deals and coupons for activities, attractions, hotels and dining for your next Pensacola vacation – be sure to check out Visit Pensacola’s Travel Deals page as they’re always adding new specials to choose from!

And for a complete list of free things to do in Pensacola, explore our curated list here.

Travel Deals
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25 Fun, Free Things to Do in Pensacola
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10 Fun Free Things to do in Pensacola
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