For Those Not familiar with Navarre

If you've ever visited Pensacola Beach, chances are you have heard of, or at least seen a sign for Navarre Beach.  Located about 15 miles East of Pensacola Beach, a different experience awaits you at Navarre Beach.  The one beach bar, Juana's is THE PLACE for serious beach volleyball, with frequent tournaments year round.

The fact that there is only 1 beach bar gives you an idea of the size of Navarre Beach.  Definitely smaller and more laid back than PCB, Navarre Beach does feature the longest fishing pier on the gulf.  I personally have seen more people fishing and more fish being caught at the Navarre Pier (this is also one of the few places where you don't need a pricy FL fishing license).

There is also a bridge from Navarre Beach across the sound to the town of Navarre and highway 98 that does NOT require a toll.  On the other side of that bridge to the west is Navarre Park which features a butterfly house (seasonal), a splash pad for the kids, and pavilions overlooking the sound that are perfect for picnics.  Immediately east is Navarre Family Watersports where you can tour the area by helicopter or ultralight aircraft on floats.  Next door is Helen Back's (accessible by boat), family pizza place by day, locals bar/nightclub by night.  Local Tip:  just beyond Helen Back's, Half Hitch Bait & Tackle is the place to get quality "Cheap Sunglasses" ($20 range).  On top of that the Navarre High School Football Team is undefeated headed in to their first playoff game tonight.

When you're ready to expand your beach experience, check out Navarre Beach, you'll be back..

Spectacular Sunsets

One aspect of Pensacola that I didn't  really appreciate until I moved here are the absolutely mesmerizing sunsets.  Having spent time in Colorado, I've seen some very picturesque sunsets over the Rockies, but the beach sunsets here are the best (to the point I have to make an effort to not let beautiful sunsets distract my driving).

The best establishment in the vicinity to experience these wonders of nature from is The Bridge Bar.  Located in Gulf Breeze proper, it is the first building on the right after you cross the 3 mile bridge on the way to the beach.  A favorite of locals and visitors, having a glass of vino on their deck as you watch the sun slip below the horizon is definitely tough to beat.

 

 

 

Here are a few of the most enchanting dusk scenes I've captured in the past month..

 

 

This type of setting can't help but bring a smile to one's face,

including yours truly. 

 

 

Be sure to experience this yourself, I promise you'll never forget!

 

Bands on the Beach

For low budget, premium entertainment, its tough to beat Bands on the Beach.  Every Tuesday during "Our extended summer, April - October"  you can enjoy a variety of music with 2,000 to 4,000 of your closest friends.  Regionally renowned bands such as my parents' favorite "Not Quite Fab (one of the better Beatles cover bands)" provide one of the few family friendly music venues on the beach.  The bands play in the Gulfside Pavillion, located on Casino Beach, under the beach ball and between Crabs and The Fishing Pier.  Enjoyed by vacationers and locals alike, many bring lawn chairs and coolers.  Food is available with Papa's Pizza walk up window on the beach (41 Ft Pickens Rd) being the most convenient.  Many other "within sight" options are available, Crabs, The Dock, Casino Beach Bar, and Flounders to name a few.  Local Tip:  As long as you're NOT from New York City or Chicago, Publix deli makes some pretty stellar sandwiches and provide a local alternative to Subway and Firehouse.  So bring your choice of food and beverages or buy them at the beach. 

Next week on October 27, the band "Something Huge" will play the last show of the season, so don't miss them!  Last night The Holley Shelton Band played many favorites.  After hearing a great rendition of "Heard it Through the Grapevine," from about half way out The Fishing Pier I realized that the pier was a great spot to watch and listen to the bands.  Upon checking out the pier, I noticed I was 1 of 5 people out there, the other 4 consisted of 2 couples.  Local Tip #2:  At the beginning and end of the summer when fishing on the pier is minimal/non-existent; watching Bands on the Beach from the pier could be conducive to romance..  (if you still don't get the picture, maybe Stevie Wonder can explain it better with My Sheree Amour)

If you turn up the volume, you can hear the waves crashing below the pier

Sidelines, where sports meet the beach

Last night I had the opportunity to take in a Cardinals vs Cubs playoff game followed by Monday Night Football at the premier sports bar at the beach, Sidelines.  Featuring wall to wall TVs inside and out,

 you do not have to turn you head far to see your team.   In addition to the bar, there's also a family friendly indoor dining area as well as a covered outdoor patio.  Watching your home team playing also provides the opportunity to meet and converse with people that you have something in common with whom you may not have otherwise met at the beach.  And if you ask any local, the best part of Sidelines is the food.  From the best burgers at the beach, to chicken wings reknowned by pregnant women of the golf coast, this is definitely the place for great, reasonably priced American food!

A Great Reason to Look Forward to Flying, Again..

I recently flew out of PNS Pensacola International Airport and was once again reminded how pleasant it is compared to the chaos of airports the size of a small city.  Forget about having to arrive 2 hours before your flight.  Since you don't have to deal with trains taking you to neverending terminals, nor the sheer volume of people, arriving 1 hour before your flight is more than enough time.  VPS (Ft. Walton, Destin) is a similarily small and efficient airport within an hour of Pensacola Beach.

PNS Pensacola offers short, direct flights from the following cities:

Atlanta, GA   1 hour, 15 minutes   Delta
Charlotte, NC   1 hour, 40 minutes  US Airways
Chicago, IL    2 hours, 15 minutes  Southwest
Dallas, TX     1 hour, 15 minutes   American
Houston, TX  1 hour, 30 minutes  United, Southwest
Miami, FL     1 hour, 45 minutes  American
Nashville, TN  1 hour, 15 minutes  Southwest
Washington, DC 2 hours, 30 minutes US Airways

We also offer transportation to and from the airport for less than a cab.

Come visit the beach without the headache that flying into major airports has become!

 

Paradise is just across the street

Paradise Bar and Grill is the most convenient spot for refreshments as well as a perennial favorite for guests of BeachBumBB.  Located directly across the street from Beach Club, you don't even need to leave your condo to enjoy their nearly nightly variety of live music.  Just open your front door and your ears will be greeted by some very talented local and national touring musicians.  To truly understand why Paradise is so popular with our guests, you must walk across the street and try their reasonably priced food and drinks.  Crab stuffed jalapeno poppers, smoked tuna dip, and blackened fish are just a few of our favorites, and always taste best washed down with a bushwacker (the Pensacola Beach Original).  Their friendly staff help ensure that visiting Paradise is a memorable experience, and you never know who you may see there.  This past Wednesday, Biscuit Miller and the Mix kept our ears very happy with some great classic blues tunes.  Here’s just a taste..

Such a Special Place

 

As you drive across the bridge onto Pensacola Beach, something special, almost subliminal occurs. Words cannot describe this experience, it's almost like a mild sensation of inner peace and relaxation.  This feeling is most noticeable when you cross the bridge going the other direction, leaving on your last day here as you begin to notice it's gone.  This past weekend I had the privilege of attending a “Celebration of Life” ceremony for a close beach friend who left this world much sooner than we’d have hoped.  I could not imagine a better, more peaceful, appropriate way to say goodbye and the special effect this beach has on us is what made this perfect. 

 

In the pics below, we are gathering at the end of the pier at Paradise to say goodbye and to throw flowers for her into the water.

As the Sun returns, so does the Fun

Within an hour of Pensacola Beach, Destin offers many unique opportunities and a different atmosphere that can add just the right amount of variety to your vacation.  One thing to keep in mind is that traffic around Destin is severe at times, so plan your drive there avoiding rush hour (8-9:30 AM and 4-6 PM).  Approaching Destin, I saw a beach full of Kite Boarders (surfers that use a kite to pull them along and jump waves) and a 2 seat ultralight aircraft on floats which also flies at Navarre beach (just 25 minutes away from Pensacola).  Taking a 45 minute ride to meet a couple who live aboard their sailboat, currently moored in Destin, became a bit of an adventure in and of itself.  We met at a local beer garden that should be a must for any beer enthusiasts.  The Other End is a perfect example of a one of a kind spot to hang out.  Based out of an old Airstream trailer that serves as the kitchen and is located directly behind the bar, they offer a unique variety of bottled beers as well as many available on tap (see the lists at http://theotherendbeergarden.com).

 

If anyone is interested in kiteboarding,  watching or possibly taking a lesson, there are Kiteboarders at Pensacola Beach and I’d be happy to research and set up something for you personally.  I’d also be happy to  arrange a discount on a ride in the Ultralight on floats at Navarre Beach.  Just email me at zach@beachbumbb.com

3 Ideas for Rainy Days

4/29/15

April has definitely brought us our share of showers this year and in response I am highlighting my top 3 rainy day activities at the beach.

 

1.       The Drowsy Poet

This is easily the coolest coffee shop on the beach.  Located on the 3^rd floor above Innerlight Surf Shop at Pensacola Beach Marina.  Their panoramic views of the island and the sound provide not only a great place to watch sunsets, but also a neat, dry view of a good thunderstorm.  Providing a very chill atmosphere, there are plush couches great for lounging and reading, as well as tables ideal for a laptop which of course can connect to their wifi.  There's even entertainment for young children (barely walking) such as toys as well as table games that may even capture a teenager’s attention. 

2.       The (empty during the day) bar on the 2^nd floor of Hemingway's

I recently found myself temporarily stranded here during a downpour.  Perched overlooking the sound, it's a great place to watch a storm and people watch.  With how quickly storms can blow up here, you’ll likely see boaters, sailors, and jet ski operators scrambling for cover.  For the price of a drink or two, it's a unique and entertaining way to weather a storm.  If you've never been to Hemingway's before, be sure to check out all the memorabilia of Ernest himself,  adorning the walls throughout.

3.       Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center

Although still under construction, this center will provide a fun, family friendly opportunity to learn all about sea turtles.  Located at Navarre Beach Marine Park (20 minute drive from PCB), the center will feature a 15,000 gallon pool that will be home to an injured sea turtle that cannot survive in the Gulf.  This will be a fun, rainy day adventure for all ages.  The Center has not released an official grand opening date, but word is it should be up and running by the 4^th of July.  Check out their website www.navarrebeachseaturtles.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activities for all ages at the Drowsy Poet on a rainy April day..

 

Welcome to Beach Bum Life with Zach!

ZACH'S  BEACH BLOG

My name is Zach Prosser, I am the Guest and Community Relations Manager at BeachBumBB.  In addition to setting up discounted promotional specials for and access to some of the more memorable opportunities on the island for our guests, I will be updating Zach's Beach Blog weekly with stories and descriptions of some of the more interesting experiences unique to this island that I have come across.  

 

Please check out my first entry below and if you have any questions or feedback, please email me at Zach@beachbumbb.com  

 

 

The Simple Things

 

Last wednesday evening, without any plan or intent to do so, I reminded myself why Pensacola Beach is so special.  After satisfying a friend’s craving with the best chicken wings on the beach at Sidelines, we crossed Via de Luna in safety at one of the “newly lighted by button” crosswalks.  With the Boardwalk at Quietwater Beach so close, it made for the perfect after dinner stroll.  Making our way down to the dock behind “the giant shell,” we indulged our imaginations thinking about what life would be like aboard one of the several beautiful boats moored along the dock.  Life doesn't get much better than watching the sunset while listening to the tunes of Dave and Joe carried across the water from Bamboo Willie’s.  They played a variety of classic rock favorites, personalized by the band just enough to make the songs extra interesting, without adding so much that it ruins one’s enjoyment of the song.  Once the sun had dropped below the horizon, we returned to the boardwalk where two girls put on a visually stunning performance with specially illuminated hula-hoops (see video clip).

 

The ability to have such an unplanned, memorable, and pleasantly entertaining evening without even trying is, in this Beach Bum’s opinion, what makes our little slice of paradise so incredible!

 

If you’re interested in keeping up with the day to day, limitless entertainment this beach provides from a local’s perspective, connect with me through your preferred social media outlet.  Friend me on Facebook Zach Prosser (Beach Bum Life with Zach), follow me on Twitter Zach Prosser@zach_BeachBumBB, Google Plus Zach4bb@gmail.com, Pinterest Zach Prosser@zach_BeachBumBB and be looking for me in the next week on Instagram, and Reddit.