Car Rental Pensacola

Rent a car in Pensacola and this fascinating city and surrounding area are wide open for you to explore, whether heading east along the Panhandle into Florida or across the border into Alabama.

Drivers and all passengers must always wear seatbelts, and it’s illegal to use a phone to text or call while driving. If you need to use your windscreen wipers for rain, then you must also turn on your headlights.

On multi-lane highways and interstates, the top speed limit is generally 70 mph (112 km/h), dropping to 65 mph (104 km/h) when going through urban areas. Limits drop inside towns and cities, and it’s also worth noting there are minimum speed limits on some roads. In a 70mph zone, you must drive at a minimum of 50 mph (80 km/h), in 55mph and 65mph zones the minimum is 40 mph (64 km/h).

The main interstate servicing Pensacola is the I-10, which runs west to east. Drive west to cross the Perdido River into Alabama or east to visit Tallahassee then to Jacksonville on Florida’s east coast. Along the way, you’ll skirt verdant forests and wildlife refuges, with plenty of places to stop along the way.

There are some memorable drives in and around Pensacola. Route 98 will take you across the bay to a peninsula, and then to a spit of sand that is Pensacola beach. Drive west from the city on Route 292 to discover Perdido Key, a small community located on a barrier island.

In downtown Pensacola, you’ll need to pay to park on the street. There are also several lots to use if your hotel doesn’t have its own parking arrangements.

A city by the beach, Pensacola combines the best of urban living with coastal cool and resort relaxation. It’s the perfect place for a family vacation while also packing in history, restaurants and museums.

Beauty of the beaches

Pensacola is a vacation hotspot for people from the US and beyond - and it’s easy to see why. It’s unpretentious, inexpensive and has the gorgeous Gulf lapping against its wonderful beaches. Cross the Bob Sikes toll bridge to reach Pensacola Beach, an offshore sliver of sand that basks in over 340 days of sunshine every year. There are miles of soft sand to wander until you find the perfect sun bathing spot.

If you’d like to get more active, snorkelling and surfing are on offer, while all manner of boats and floats are available to hire. Or simply cast your fishing line off the end of one of the piers. Charter a catamaran and head out to sea, returning in time for a beach barbecue or evening meal at one of the many restaurants that line the miles of sand. If it gets too hot, grab an ice cream or some shaved ice.

Peer into Pensacola’s past

Pensacola has a long history stretching back over 450 years. Wars between the British and Spanish were fought here. Trace the area’s past through the ruins of old forts, lighthouses gazing out to sea and other historic landmarks.

Stroll around the 19^th-century Fort Pickens and climb the 177 steps of Pensacola Lighthouse for views of the Gulf and naval yard. The National Naval Aviation Museum celebrates the Marine Corps and Coast Guard with over 150 aircrafts. Kids will love the flight simulators, while there are also flight displays for everyone to enjoy.

Head downtown

Pensacola’s Downtown area combines regional history, superb shopping and scores of restaurants making a lively centre from dusk to dawn. The area was first settled by the Spanish in 1559, and Historic Pensacola Village shows you exactly how the early settlers lived.

For shopping, head to the renowned Palafox Street, where independent boutiques flourish alongside galleries, cafes and clubs. After you’ve shopped for one-off gifts and souvenirs, grab dinner at Jackson’s Steakhouse. An award-winning eatery in a mid-19^th century building, it’s the best place for lobster tempura followed by a vast ‘Tomahawk’ rib chop for two. Desserts are great renditions of the classics – bread pudding, soufflé, crème brûlée.

Pensacola is a vibrant city that’s easy to fall in love with. It’s friendly, fun, and the beaches are unforgettable. Pensacola car rental is your ideal starting point to a great vacation here.