Please welcome Mandy, my friend and fellow blogger, today.  First, I have to apologize to Mandy because she sent me this guest post awhile back and it has taken me forever to get it on the site!  I promise it won’t happen again!  Mandy invited me to come along with her on a Pensacola trolley tour but unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it so I asked her to do a guest post for me.  Mandy is an advocate of being a tourist in her own town and I love to join her on her adventures.  Be sure to stop by her blog Mandy’s Life After 30 where she blogs about life, being a mom, cooking (she is even writing a cookbook that I can’t wait to get my hands on!), and anything else you can think of!  Welcome, Mandy!

Boats docked by Joe Patti's

Can you believe that Pensacola was once the red snapper fish capital of the world?  Did you know that the U.S. President and his entire Whitehouse staff receive their paychecks from our city?  – The money is processed, signed and printed right here at NAS!   These are just a few fun facts that I learned recently on the Pensacola Trolley Tour. 

Whether you are a newcomer to the area like me or a long-time resident, I recommend you ride aboard this fun trolley excursion.  While you sit inside a replica of an 1880’s streetcar, you’ll gain rich history and see beautiful architecture of this community.  The tour lasts just over an hour and makes one stop at Joe Patti’s Fish Market.  At the market place, tour goers receive a free cup of gelato or a free slice of bread, depending upon the time of year.   

Highlights of the tour include viewing places like the L & N passenger depot, Historic Pensacola Village, the Don Tristan de Luna expedition landing and other historic sites within downtown’s boundaries.   The tour is narrated partly by a recording and partly by the trolley driver, covering nearly 450 years of Pensacola’s past.   The guide encourages questions and photos from passengers.   

Here are a few points about the tour:

• This is a trolley replica of an 1880’s streetcar. Therefore, there are no seatbelts or safety devices in this vehicle.  Keep this in mind if you’re planning to bring children along with you.  This might be a tour better suited for school-aged kids who can sit still for an hour and who will appreciate the stories behind the historic monuments. 
• The trolley does not have air conditioning so please consider that during the summer months and dress accordingly.  You do, however, feel a breeze from the windows being partly opened.  Plus the stop at Joe Patti’s helps cool you off in the Florida humidity.   
• The tour accepts cash only so do not bring your checks or credit cards.  You will be told this when you call to make your reservation. 

The Pensacola trolley tours are currently in operation seven days a week.  The session begins and ends at the Welcome Center located at the Pensacola Area Convention and Visitors Information Center, 1401 E Gregory St at the foot of 3-mile Pensacola/Gulf Breeze bridge. Current tour times listed are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  The prices are $16 for adults, $15 for students, seniors and active military and $8 for children twelve years old and younger.  However, please call to verify times and prices before you attend.  Reservations are recommended, (850) 941-4363.

Note:  The Pensacola Trolley Tours just left a note on our Facebook page saying that they are “open on Thanksgiving Day, with tours at 11am and 1pm. Before you stuff yourself on turkey, come take a ride with us and enjoy the beauty & history of downtown Pensacola. Bring the family! Call for advance reservations: 850-941-4363.”