Pensacola

The beaches are the main reason most people come. Santa Rosa Island lies across the bay from downtown, about twenty minutes away over the bridges. Pensacola Beach and the protected Gulf Islands National Seashore run along it for miles: very white quartz sand, low dunes and clear green water. From late May to early October the Gulf is warm, often 28°C or more, and the surf is usually gentle. Perdido Key to the west is quieter and lined with condos, and the sound side of the island has calm, shallow water that suits small children.

In winter the water drops to about 16°C, and the beaches are for walking rather than swimming. Watch the flag warnings, because rip currents are a real danger on rougher days.

Most of the eating is Gulf seafood: raw and chargrilled oysters, grouper sandwiches, royal red shrimp, fried fish baskets and gumbo with a Creole touch. The best of it is in casual waterfront places on the bay and the island. Downtown, around Palafox Street, there is a respectable set of modern Southern restaurants, craft breweries and brunch spots. The Saturday market there sells local produce and baked goods.

Beyond that the range is narrow. There are few international cuisines worth seeking out, and the beach strip leans heavily on chains and tourist seafood houses. You will eat well here, but food is rarely the reason to choose the city.

Pensacola calls itself the City of Five Flags, after the Spanish, French, British, Confederate and American rule it has lived under. That layered past is easiest to see in Historic Pensacola. Its restored colonial and Victorian houses and small museums sit around the Seville district and Plaza Ferdinand. The brick Fort Pickens, at the western tip of Santa Rosa Island, is the most evocative sight on the coast.

The biggest single attraction is the National Naval Aviation Museum, a huge collection of historic aircraft. It stands on an active naval air station alongside Fort Barrancas and the Pensacola Lighthouse, so expect ID checks and access rules that can change. Two or three days cover the essentials.

Going out happens in two places. Downtown, Palafox Street and the old Seville Quarter have a cluster of pubs, cocktail bars, rooftop terraces and brewery taprooms, busiest on weekend nights and full of locals and young Navy personnel. Out on the island, the beach bars are casual, with sand floors and a party feel in summer.

The famous roadhouse bar on the Alabama state line at Perdido Key is a long-standing rowdy institution. There is little in the way of clubs, though, and outside the summer season and weekends the city is quiet fairly early.

The landscape is flat and full of water. The Gulf Islands National Seashore protects long stretches of dunes, sea oats, salt marsh and maritime forest. Its bike path and boardwalks are good for spotting herons, ospreys and nesting shorebirds, and dolphins are common in the bay and sound. Kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing are easy to arrange. Offshore, a sunken aircraft carrier forms a large artificial reef that draws experienced divers.

Inland, the Blackwater River and its state forest are known for canoeing and tubing on clear, sand-bottomed water. There are no hills at all, and summer heat, humidity and storms push most outdoor activity into the early morning. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for being outside.

Mobile, about an hour west, is the most rewarding outing. It has antebellum streets, one of the oldest Mardi Gras traditions in the country and a battleship museum on the bay. Across Mobile Bay, Fairhope is a pleasant small town with a pier and gardens. Fort Morgan guards the mouth of the bay.

East along the coast, Destin's harbour and the planned resort towns of Seaside and Rosemary Beach are each between one and two hours' drive away. They are beach towns at heart, though, and after them the list thins out. Almost every trip needs a car.

For a beach vacation with children it works well. The water is warm and gentle in summer, the sound side has shallow, calm spots for toddlers, and plenty of condos have kitchens and pools. Away from the sand, the National Naval Aviation Museum is a hit with children who like planes, and the Blue Angels display team is based here. The Gulf Breeze Zoo, the lighthouse climb and Fort Pickens' tunnels fill other days.

The drawbacks are summer heat, sunburn and thunderstorms. There is also little in the way of big attractions, so families looking for theme parks will be disappointed.

Plan on a car. Downtown around Palafox Street and the historic district is compact and pleasant to walk, and a free trolley runs along the beach strip in season. Beyond that, local buses are infrequent and not much use to a visitor. The beach, the naval air station, Perdido Key and the shopping areas sit far apart along highways and bridges, so even short trips end up as drives.

Shopping is modest. Palafox Street has a scattering of independent boutiques, antique and gift shops, and a Saturday market with local crafts and food. Inland there is a standard regional mall with the usual chains. The beach shops sell swimwear and souvenirs. Nobody comes here to shop.

Prices are moderate for a US beach destination, but this is not a cheap trip. Beachfront hotels and condos cost the most in summer and on long weekends, while rooms inland and in town are noticeably cheaper. Out of season, prices across the whole island drop sharply. Casual seafood and Southern food are reasonably priced, the biggest museum is free and the national seashore costs little. Most visitors forget to budget for the car hire they will need.

For a small city the stage is surprisingly busy. The restored 1925 Saenger Theatre downtown hosts the local symphony, the opera company, the ballet and touring shows. A long-running community theatre and a few bars with live bands fill out the calendar. All of it is regional in scale, a pleasant evening rather than a reason to visit.

There is no bathing or spa culture as such, just day spas in the larger beach hotels and the massage studios in town. What helps is the pace. Outside the summer peak, the island and the quiet stretches of Perdido Key are slow, uncrowded places to switch off.