Remember to pack flip-flops, shorts, and sunscreen when heading to Perdido Key for a much-needed getaway. Feel the cool Gulf of Mexico breeze and taste the salty air as soon as you step out the door. Moreover, you can also look forward to renowned museum visits, harbor cruises, as well as plenty of shopping and dining opportunities. Book your Perdido Key vacation rental today. Here are the most exciting places to stay in and around Perdido Key.
1. Perdido Key
Find your perfect beach vacation somewhere along Perdido Key’s stunning stretch of sugar-white sand and emerald sea. You and your kids can fly kites in the sea breeze, build sand castles on the beach, swim, bury treasures and draw maps and dream up countless ways to enjoy your day at your leisure. If you want to drink in the beauty of the region, Dolphin Tales offers a sightseeing cruise to see dolphins, pelicans, and other wildlife in the waters of the Back Bay. If you want to slip in some educational fun, head over to nearby Fort Pickens where you can visit Geronimo’s home.
2. West Pensacola
If you stash your golf clubs in your vacation rental garage, Osceola Golf Course offers an 18-hole championship course where you can book your tee time. The course offers a covered driving range where you can practice your swing come rain or the sunshine. Other amenities include a practice green, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and a full-service restaurant. Families who bring their boats can rent wet slips and use the boat ramp at Pensacola Shipyard Marina and Boatyard.
3. Pensacola
Pensacola’s museums share the rich history of Native Americans, the first European settlers and the excitement of Naval Aviation’s history. The National Naval Aviation Museum features over 150 restored aircraft that represent the American Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. On a day when you feel like climbing 177 steps up the historic Pensacola Lighthouse, treat yourself to stunning views of the Gulf Coast. Standing on the Naval Air Station Pensacola, the lighthouse was built in 1859. The Richard C. Callaway Museum resides in the Keeper’s’ Quarters, housing various exhibits on local history and said to include a ghost or two.
4. Northeast Pensacola
Your vacation rental in Northeast Pensacola positions you within minutes of shopping, restaurants and area beaches. Pensacola Paddle Sports rents single and tandem kayaks, pedal boats and paddle boards that you can enjoy on Escambia River and Escambia Bay. All rentals include personal flotation devices and safety whistles. The Bayou Texar Torchlight Tour is a guided evening tour at night with single and tandem kayaks, including the flotation devices and one flashlight per kayak.
5. Pensacola Beach
Almost any beach adventure you can name is up for grabs in Pensacola Beach, from deep-sea fishing to parasailing to windsurfing. If you book an excursion with Jolly Sailing, choose from dolphin and whale watching cruises, scuba and snorkeling tours, sailing cruises and sunset cruises. Imagine walking out the door of your vacation rental and strolling along the beach to the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier, which stretches out over 1,470 feet over the emerald waters and across two sand bars. You can fish from the pier as well as get bait, tackle, rental rods, coolers, and carts. The store also offers food, drinks, and gifts.
6. Gulf Breeze
Gulf Breeze even sounds like the ideal place to book your vacation rental, especially after being cooped up in an office all year. The Gulf Breeze Zoo is a great place to start. From the elevated boardwalk, observe roaming herds of deer, zebra, rhino, and antelope. On a 15 minute, narrated train ride, your family can get a close-up view of gorillas and hippos. Prompt the kids to feed and pet goats, pigs, sheep and llamas in the farmyard. Anglers enjoy fishing excursions with Bite Back Fishing Charters. Located between Navarre and Gulf Breeze, the Iron Gargoyle Antique Mall offers 12,000 square feet of clothing, jewelry, depression glass, artwork and much more.
7. Navarre Beach
Your vacation is a time to slow down and reconnect with your family in the uncrowded, unspoiled natural beauty of Navarre Beach. There’s no need to hurry as you plan your adventures and transcend paradise. If you love butterflies, the Butterfly House offers a beautiful and interactive adventure that enhances understanding and awareness of their habitat. You can learn how to create your own butterfly garden. For the ultimate in tranquility and relaxation, the beach beckons you to set up your beach umbrella and chaises where you can kick back for as long as you like.
8. Ono Island, Orange Beach, Alabama
When you stay on Ono Island, you’re just across the Florida-Alabama border, which allows you access to the best attractions of both states. For a vacation day your kids can’t stop talking about, Flora-Bama Marina rents pontoon boats with sliding boards. They also rent other boats and jet skis. If you want to let someone else do the driving, Blue Dolphin Cruises offer tours of the inland waterways along Alabama’s Gulf Coast to watch for dolphins. The captain and crew point out interesting sights of the bays as well as celebrity homes on Ono Island.
9. Orange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach offers active families an amazing opportunity to traverse the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail that extends into Gulf Shores, Alabama and Gulf State Park. Biking or hiking the trail lets visitors experience the Butterfly Garden, freshwater marshes, and coastal swamps. Sometimes visitors view bobcats, deer or alligators. To see the area from another perspective, Orange Beach Helicopter Tours offers flights over the beaches and the Gulf of Mexico for breathtaking, panoramic views of the area. For some indoor fun, the Indian and Sea Museum displays local artifacts related to the area’s Native American and fishing heritage. The museum building was built in 1910 as a school.
10. Gulf Shores, Alabama
When you book a vacation rental in Gulf Shores, you find lots of white sand, warm surf, seashells and family fun. You can experience guided kayaking tours, guided nature walks, and as much self-guided stargazing as you please. Picture stepping off your doorstep and sinking your toes into the warm sand and racing the kids to the water’s edge. You can relax under your umbrella while the kids splash in the surf or play with their beach toys. If you want a day away from the beach, Waterville USA features a water park, an amusement park, a bungee trampoline, go-karts and mini golf. The Starcade game room includes games for all ages featuring thousands of prizes and jackpots.