The Easy Way To See The Pensacola Blue Angels
August 8th, 2008 Categories: Local Stories
Pensacola Florida is the home of the Blue Angels. Read on to find out the easiest way to see a Blue Angel’s performance!
These amazing aeronautical acrobats have performed countless times in Pensacola Florida, and all over the country. Crowds of thousands are always in attendance for the local air shows, many of which are held at Pensacola Beach. When a Pensacola Beach show happens, boat launches from Escambia Bay to Navy Point to Gulf Breeze are packed as boaters head out to claim space in Santa Rosa sound.
Driving? Boating? Rise and shine bright and early.
You need to get going early to prepare for a day of fun in the heat and traffic.
It is best to arrive on Pensacola Beach at least by 8:00 AM to have any chance of getting a decent parking space. After that, you are taking your chances. I have seen traffic backed up from Pensacola Beach into Gulf Breeze, and even across the 3-mile bridge into downtown Pensacola.
Are you ready for a great day?
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Heat
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Crowds
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Sunburn
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Early Morning Drinkers (They get so much worse in the afternoon heat)
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Traffic (and more traffic going home when you finally get off the beach between 3-6 PM.)
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If you take the kids, the fun increases exponentially
I hate to have such a downer view on the whole experience, but maybe I’m just getting too old for all that fun. At the Pensacola Beach Blue Angels show in 2004, over 100 people were treated for heat exhaustion.
This year, storms came through and wreaked havoc on the beach, sending several people to the hospital after being shocked by lightning. The show was cancelled and rescheduled for the next day. Many people were arrested up and down the beach for fighting. That demon alcohol and Mr. Sunshine don’t mix very well. And if you wanted to get in the water to cool off, you could expect a few jellyfish stings.
But it can be so much easier!
For those in Pensacola who don’t know, or have just forgotten, seeing a Blue Angels performance can be much easier than attending an official show. If you are coming for a Pensacola vacation, what better way to spend a morning.
The Blue Angels practice regularly at Sherman Field on Pensacola Naval Air Station.
This is the air field just behind the Naval Aviation Museum. I would recommend getting to the Naval Air Station gate by around 7:45 AM. You can then get to the museum and park by 8:00 and walk out to the airfield and get ready for the show.
They have bleachers for seating, or you can bring lawn chairs. They also have guides along the bleachers who tell you about each manuever, and you can ask questions throughout the Blue Angels’ performance.
Then when the show is over, a quick exit from the parking lot gets you on your way home, unless of course you want to stay and meet the pilots and get an autograph. They only do that on certain days, so check the schedule at the official Blue Angels website.
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I had to chuckle at “If you take the kids, the fun increases exponentially” – we recently went to our regatta with our kids and we lucked out – it was raining, so no heat or sun…
Those kinds of things are neat to see once in awhile. Not something I’d volunteer to do every day or even every year though!