Travel Near

Beyond the Beach

Pensacola dazzles with outdoor

allure, history and so much more Above: Lee House, overlooking glittering Pensacola Bay, exudes gracious hospitality.

STORY: Jennifer Bradley Franklin Left: The author poses with Sammy, a I admit it: I’m guilty of assuming most Gulf-side beach towns are similar with their pretty beaches, kitschy each of the nine rooms and suites is uniquely decorated with colonialfriendly macaw living at Uncle Sandy's Macaw Bird Park. Right: Angelina's souvenir shops and amusement atstyle furnishings. Guests Ristorante Italiano tractions. If you’ve seen one, you’ve have round-the-clock is one of Pensacola's seen them all, right? What a pleasure access to a kitchen rising restaurant stars. it was, then, to be proven completely stocked with tea, coffee, wrong on a recent visit to Pensacola. sparkling water, wine less. For more inven

There’s history at every turn, as the and daily-baked treats. tive fare—and brilliant

Florida city, and beach of the same If you’re like me, it’s cocktails—Restaurant name, is the site of the continental impossible to resist the Iron, led by chef Alex

United States’ first European settlepull of the water when it’s close by. McPhail, didn’t disappoint. It might ment, established in 1559 by Spanish From downtown Pensacola, you’re seem strange to wax poetic about a explorer Tristán de Luna. It’s also the just a half-hour drive to Perdido Key, salad, but my wedge of butter lettuce birthplace of naval aviation in the U.S. the island that straddles the Floridatopped with bright tomatoes, salty

The Naval Air Station is the home of Alabama border, with its picturesque crisp bacon lardons, creamy gorgon

Blue Angels, the 16-member show sea oat- and sand dune-punctuated zola and basil oil was unforgettable. squadron famous for its death-defybeaches. Even closer, across two The next day, I drove inland to see ing fighter plane stunts, so it’s not unbridges, lies Pensacola Beach on what other curiosities I might discommon to see a practice formation the Santa Rosa barrier island. cover. I visited the 4,200-acre Tarkiln overhead. Divers can also explore Pensacola’s food scene was an Bayou Preserve State Park, home to the many shipwrecks in the area, unexpected pleasure. Far from the one of the largest colonies of rare including USS Oriskany, an 872-foot one-note of fried seafood joints white-topped and parrot pitcher

Essex-class aircraft carrier that was (though you’ll find plenty of excellent plants in Florida. These carnivorous deliberately sunk in 2006 to become options if that’s your craving), I had a plants are best viewed from the 1-mile the world’s largest artificial reef. memorable meal at Angelena's RisTarkiln Bayou Trail’s boardwalk. De

I opted to stay close to the quaint torante Italiano. Food Network host pending on the season, you may find downtown with its great boutique and celebrity chef James Briscione a proliferation of orchids as well. shopping and wide historic squares. is in charge of the kitchen, and my Funny enough, my favorite experi

The Lee House, built to resemble simple yet decadent choices of ence was something even my Floridan original 1866 home in the same house-made focaccia, Caesar salad ian friends didn’t know about. Uncle location, borders Seville Square, and and wood-fired meatballs were flawSandy’s Macaw Bird Park started as a

Downtown Pensacola features historic buildings, tree-shaded streets and shops galore.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Angelina’s Ristorante angelenaspensacola.com Lee House leehousepensacola.com Restaurant Iron restaurantiron.com

Uncle Sandy’s Macaw Bird Park macawbirdpark.org

nonprofit in 1998, and the sanctuary is now home to more than 170 birds, including amazons, cockatoos, cockatiels, peacocks and emus, many of which were rescued from untenable situations. A volunteer gave me a cup of pasta and peanuts, and showed me how to safely feed the 1.5-acre park’s avian residents (“You want to leave with all of your fingers!” she told me). As I wandered, I began to hear “Hello!” and “Cracker?” from nearby cages. Another volunteer offered to let me inside an enclosure to meet a friendly yellow-and-blue macaw named Sammy, whose active duty military owner was deployed. Sammy flew from his perch to my outstretched arm and even edged close enough on my shoulder to pose for a selfie.

If travel is about discovery, this destination within an easy drive from Atlanta checked all the boxes and proved that Pensacola is much more than meets the eye. n

Nearby Bimini

This Caribbean getaway is so close, it’s almost home

Above: The rooftop deck and pool at the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini features sweeping views of the sea. Below: Bimini's beaches are among the best in the Caribbean, with white sands and crystal blue waters.

STORY: H.M. Cauley

One of the advantages of living in Atlanta is the ease with which beach lovers can escape the city’s land-locked scenery and find serenity in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean. While some island journeys may involve hours and multiple legs, one destination is as close as 57 miles from the U.S. mainland.

As the westernmost edge of the Bahamas, Bimini’s three north, south and eastern coral islands are barely specs on the map, measuring just 9 square miles total. They anchor some of the most popular fishing, diving and snorkeling waters in the Caribbean. It’s possible to get up close and personal with some sea creatures, including sting rays that happily flit around the feet of anyone holding a handful of bait in the shallow waters on the beach of Honeymoon Harbour. More adventurous sorts can sign on for a personal version of “Shark Week” at the world-renowned Sharklab, where marine biologists take breaks from studying the various species that flock to the tropical waters to lead visitors through tours and excursions that include snorkeling with reef sharks and feeding lemon sharks.

Beyond sea life, the islands’ crystal blue waters invite snorkelers to discover the underwater world of reefs and wrecks. One of the area’s most famous destinations is Bimini Road, a half-mile stretch of enormous stones just 18 feet below the surface. Legend has it they’re part of the path that once led to the lost city of Atlantis. Another mustn’t-miss snorkeling spot is the wreck of the World War I-era Sapona, a concrete ship that ran aground in 1926 and has been stuck in 15 feet of water ever since. During World War II, it was a bombing target for fighter plane trainees. (Eerie trivia: The disappearance of five returning bombers in December 1945 put an end to those missions, but the mystery of the lost planes lives on.)

Add to Bimini’s array of activities one of the most pleasurable: lying under a shade umbrella on a white sand beach while sipping a cool cocktail. That experience awaits guests at the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini, the islands’ premier vacation complex. Most arriving guests land at Bimini’s tiny airport on the south island and are whisked by ferry to the resort’s marina entrance on the north island. The property provides the perfect base for sea-bound excursions, as well as a broad stretch of beach where servers keep sunbathers fed and hydrated. The resort also boasts a kids’ club, spa and a variety of dining experiences, including a pizzeria, pub, rooftop piano bar, a formal Continental dining room and a sushi bar. The hotel’s big attraction is a 10,000-square-foot

The Sapona wreck is one of Bimini's most accessible snorkel sites.

casino, outfitted with gaming tables and slots that entertain boat owners and island visitors alike.

Views of Bimini’s blue water are never far from the Hilton’s guest rooms, as most overlook the marina and the sea beyond. A dip in the rooftop pool or a soak in the nearby hot tub affords sweeping vistas. Some rooms on the main floor also have patios that meet the edge of a wading pool perfect for floats and noodles, letting guests cool

off just feet from their beds.

Getting to Bimini can be as much fun as a stay there. Along with the usual flight options to the south island, visitors can decompress during a two-hour ferry ride on Balearia Caribbean from Port Everglades. In a hurry? Grab a seat on the daily seaplane trips operated by Tropic Ocean Airways from Fort Lauderdale or Miami. The 30-minute excursion brings guests right to the Hilton’s dockside and the start of a Bimini trip sure to start and end with a relaxing “aaahhh.” n

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Balearia Caribbean baleariacaribbean.com

Hilton at Resort World Bimini rwbimini.com

Tropic Ocean Airways flytropic.com