By land, air and sea, Pensacola delivers summer fun – 225 Travel East – Special advertising section

The Pensacola Bay Area offers Louisiana residents the best of both worlds: 52 miles of sun-drenched, sugar-white beaches alongside a historic town rich with culture and Southern hospitality. It’s the perfect setting for a quick getaway.

The Pensacola Bay Area is in the midst of celebrating its 450th anniversary. Spanish explorers founded Pensacola in 1559, making the city one of the oldest European settlements in the country. Visitors are invited to special events this summer to help the city celebrate.

In May, renowned Spanish artist Miguel Zapata comes to the Pensacola Museum of Art, and the downtown streets are filled with multicultural groups and re-enactors during the Heritage Festival and the Battle of Pensacola. In June, visitors can step aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano, one of the world’s largest tall ships, while enjoying a 10-day party at the 60th annual Fiesta Days.

Besides the 450th anniversary events, the Pensacola Bay Area offers plenty of activities each summer. From scuba diving the world’s largest artificial reef and kayaking in the “Canoe Capital of Florida” to dining with the Pensacola Celebrity Chefs or catching a show in the newly renovated Saenger Theatre, there is plenty to do by land and sea.

The Pensacola Bay Area offers visitors an exceptional value, with many free activities throughout the summer. Guests can enjoy free summer concerts five nights a week in historic Seville Square or on Pensacola Beach, catch a Blue Angels practice air show, or explore historic forts and the National Naval Aviation Museum, one of the world’s largest air and space museums.

The shores of Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key are perfect for relaxing between big events and activities. Both destinations are known for their old Florida feel with natural, federally protected beaches. Located on one of the world’s longest barrier islands, Pensacola Beach is home to the Gulf of Mexico’s longest pier, local hangouts, first-rate fishing and historic Fort Pickens. Perdido Key encompasses federal and state parks abundant with wetlands, estuaries and wildlife. The area is home to Lost Key Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer Signature Design Course and the first in the world to be certified as an Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary.

With the city’s 450th anniversary celebration, there is no better time to visit the Pensacola Bay Area. For more information online, go to www.VisitPensacola.com and http://VisitPensacola.Blogspot.com or call (800) 874-1234.