Pensacola, Florida (FL)

Patti (currently lives here; has lived here for 5-10 years):

"Pensacola has its ups and its downs like most places."

One thing I like about Pensacola, of course, is the easy access to the Gulf of Mexico. The self-proclaimed "whitest beaches in the world" is not a boast without merit... the beaches are truly white, and yes, the sand does squeak as claimed. Unlike larger metropolitan areas, like Tampa, for instance, the traffic doesn't pose a problem in regard to getting to and from the beach, which makes the beach scene even more desirable in Pensacola.

The historic downtown area is most definitely a bonus. It's beautifully restored and maintained, with routine tours of the historic buildings, as well as special events and concerts held in the numerous parks that exist right in the middle of the historic district.

Of course, Joe Patti's Seafood is a highlight for us. Fresh seafood, sushi, deli... it's got everything going for it. A must stop when visiting as a tourist, and a weekly stop as a resident.

The Naval Air Museum (home of The Blue Angels precision flying team) is also an unbelievably impressive museum. No matter how many times we've gone, bringing family and friends who have visited us, the museum never ceases to amaze us and our visitors.

In regard to theater and the arts, Pensacola is right up there with the best of cities. We enjoy live theater, Broadway shows, opera, music, kid's productions, and more. There is an active theater and dance community which offers classes to kids and grownups alike who want to learn.

As far as sports go, Pensacola has its own baseball team, The Pelicans, and hockey team, The Ice Pilots. I've been to at least one or two games for both and they were very fun and very professionally played.

The Pensacola Regional Airport is right in the middle of the city, which is pretty cool, really. It's very convenient to pick up or drop off travelers. It's funny because some of the nicest homes in Pensacola are built around the airport, instead of, like in most cities, as far from the airport as possible. Go figure.

There is a brand new gorgeous Naval Hospital. Along with that, a brand new beautiful VA Clinic was built. The Veterans Administration runs a top notch program here at their clinic. Let me repeat that for the nay sayers... The VA Clinic here in Pensacola is a top notch medical facility. I know personally because my husband uses the VA Clinic. If you are a veteran covered by VA health insurance, that would be reason enough to move to Pensacola.

I don't know anything about golfing, so I'll leave that up to someone who knows.

The downside, as I said there would be at least one, is the less-than-aggressive rebuild after Hurricane Ivan in 2004. My husband and I both are very disappointed in some of the debris and abandoned buildings that are allowed to still exist after almost 5 years.

The schools are way under-budgeted, which leads to a whole bunch of issues that I'm sure you're all too familiar with in your areas. There are also way too many "alternative" schools that some parents feel will provide a better education for their children. These schools are not necessarily accredited in any way, shape, or form, yet they get away with calling themselves a school.

One little thing, just an irritation, really, is the road names. If you're trying to get or give someone directions for driving around Pensacola, good luck. Just for instance, if you drive along one road here, you will see the name of the road change 5 times before you reach the end.

The wheels of change roll slowly here. Getting things done, like renaming the aforementioned road, isn't easy and doesn't happen quickly.

In summary, Pensacola is a pretty town, and an interesting town. It's small enough to get around easily, yet big enough to support a lot of events and activities. The wages are a bit below average, but the cost of living is still at a reasonable level, though creeping up. The weather is nice if you like hot in the summer and coolish in the winter. It can get pretty humid, but you get a nice break come November. I don't think I'd move here if I made my living as a roofer or by laying asphalt - the heat would be unbearable in those two instances, in my opinion. We get some rather scary afternoon thunderstorms, and you've got the whole hurricane and flooding thing to worry about. Like I said, there's good and bad, just like everywhere. Hope this review helps a little.

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