We spent a wonderful day in Pensacola Beach. David told us that the beaches were beautiful and had soft white sand and warm, gentle water. He was absolutely correct! This was one of the most beautiful beaches we have enjoyed. We were able to get a nice room looking right out at the Gulf of Mexico.
This is the view. You could walk out from the hotel, across the pool area and right to the beach. We spent some time on the beach, being very careful about trying to not get burned. We used 50+ SPF sun screen, rented an umbrella and got a couple of beach chairs. It was so pleasant and the air warm with soft, gentle breezes. Believe it or not, I was inspired to go into the water a bit, since I no longer am quite so fearful of being harpooned. The water was definitely not cold and the waves gentle. The beach sloped a bit into the water but then became shallow for quite a way out. You can see that they are keeping some sand dunes as a buffer between the ocean and the hotel, but they are not huge and the sand all around is soft, fine and white. When you stay at a place like this, it is easy to go to the beach and very inviting. We could easily come back here again. I went walking in the morning and there were no hotels further along the island going east, just beach homes. I was impressed how many have signs indicating they can be rented. I am sure that during the summer season, they are booked, but a number of them seemed open now and without the crowds, and with the weather so nice, it might be a great time to return for a week or so. We could see that, sometime past, some of the homes had been hit by storms and severely damaged or destroyed and some new ones are being built. One of them advertised being built over code and able to withstand winds in excess of 175 mph. That is both reassuring and intimidating.
This is where we stayed, at the Springhill Suites Hotel, one of the Marriott chain. The room was very comfortable and we requested the ocean view. Looking the other way we could see the narrow Pensacola Bay, but the Gulf is more beautiful by a long shot.
I think you will agree.
We scheduled a full day here without having to travel or be anywhere else. Mom was in heaven! The temperature, the breezes, the beach and the ocean created an almost dream atmosphere. I wish we had skin that would accommodate a longer time in the sun. However, I remember an episode in Cancun when Mom suggested just a little longer in the sun without sunscreen and I paid a price for that which was rather uncomfortable. I decided to forgo another such experience.
This morning I awoke to a continuation of warmth, sunshine and gently zephyrs. I went for another walk down the Santa Rosa Island and went for about 40 minutes. As I was returning to the hotel, I could see dark clouds gathering to the south and west and hear the rumble of thunder. We packed up our things and went to breakfast. When we got to the breakfast room, it was pouring rain. The showers were intermittent but heavy. You can see the gray sky and ocean that became our view before we left.
We traveled across the Florida Panhandle for about 6 hours to get to Jacksonville Beach. A lot of the travel was in rain. But the countryside was very lush and green with lovely stands of trees lining the freeway and the drive was easy for most of the way. Put it in cruise control and move along. The I-10 is a really nice road. We hit some construction going through Jacksonville on the way to Jacksonville Beach and could see lightning bolts flashing from the sky all over the view to the east and the ocean. We had reserved a room at the Marriott by Courtyard Oceanview and our room is great. We are on the 6th floor, looking right out, again, at the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Waves are a bit larger and the sand darker, but the beach is nearly flat and slopes gently to the waves.
You can see some of the difference. Again, walk by the pool and right out to the beach. What a great location! Below is another view looking north along the beach. It is ideal for walking, biking, swimming or just lounging.
Mom was looking at a book that told her you could get on a bike and ride from here, along the beach, 27 miles to St. Augustine. What a marvelous coastline. It is know as the "First Coast" because it is along this coast that the first Europeans landed and made a settlement. St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in North America. We plan to visit it on our way to Orlando in a couple of days. Tomorrow will be a Conference Day. Good trip!
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