Santa Rosa Island Florida

Santa Rosa Island has two tracts in the national seashore, and each tract has two sides. On one side, rolling dunes and the Gulf of Mexico beckon. On the other side, Santa Rosa Sound offers generally smooth sailing, and the beach's sandy landscape is enhanced by a mixture of trees and other vegetation.

The Fort Pickens area, at the island's western end, offers not only pristine beaches but also bits of history. The area is popular with divers, boaters, and campers who spend nights at the park's campground.

Gulf Islands National Seashore stops just west of the Pensacola Beach area, a popular spot for bathers, shoppers and diners.The preserved seashore then resumes just east of the last residence on Via de Luna. Here, the seashore stretches out for about 16 miles of sand and surf with no interruptions for commercial development.

Fort Pickens is the best-known of the fortresses built more than 160 years ago. Pickens was held by Union troops during the Civil War and later was the place where Geronimo, the Apache leader, was imprisoned.

Fort Pickens, which has been largely restored and is open for free public tours, is the hub of seashore activities, with a handy Visitor Center, museum and auditorium offering information.

Pickens was one of three forts built in the 1820s to guard the entrance to Pensacola Bay. Fort McRee on Perdido Key is largely gone now, but it is not forgotten. Picnickers and boaters often head to McRee. And Fort Barrancas has a long and storied past, including a stint under control of Confederate troops in the Civil War. Barrancas, located aboard Pensacola Naval Air Station, offers not only history but scenery, too, with wooded areas, picnic grounds and a nature trail.

The Naval Live Oaks Area on Santa Rosa Sound in Gulf Breeze offers more than 1,000 acres of woods and waterfront ideal for walking and wading.The preserved area is home to plenty of plants, small animals and birds. Nature trails and a picnic area provide great settings for examining the live oaks, which are unusually strong and naturally curved.

The Seashore headquarters also is located at the Naval Live Oaks Area, along with a display of Indian artifacts and an orientation show explaining the seashore.

Pensacola, Florida - Located on Florida’s Panhandle, close to the Alabama border, Pensacola draws visitors looking for the ideal seaside vacation to play or relax on the sugar-white sand beaches next to the soothing Gulf of Mexico surf. Visitors enjoy fun in the sun and all its inherent activities, from wind-surfing to fishing, to exploring a plethora of historic sites and taking in the show-stopping Navy Blue Angels precision flying team.

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