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I will be in Pensacola...Destin, really...in early December and wondered if anyone knew anything about the place. Good plane spotting areas, etc...

Obviously, NAS Pensacola is the place to go. To get on base, say you are going to the Naval Aviation Museum. It's literally on the airfield -- well, the backside of the building where the outside exhibits butts up against the field. Take a look at Google Maps and you'll see what I mean.

While the Naval Aviation Museum itself is not the place to actually watch from, once on base, you pretty much have the run of it.

I've sat out on the road next to the water and watched planes for a few hours with no hassles ---- probably two decades ago when I was stationed at Corry Station just up the road. Things may have changed some for non-active duty types.

Just be sure to bring your DL, and proof of current registration and insurance --- as you will need these even to get a visitor's pass. NAS Pensacola has a history of being a pain in the ptootie about that where some other bases aren't. Then again, with the Lexington no longer there, security might be completely different.

If you're into helo's, Saufley Field is probably the place to go, or is it Whiting? I forget.

You will be near the "hot bed" of Naval aviation, plus not far to Eglin, Hulbert and Tyndall. Destin is a nice "fishing village" that alot of people go to deep sea fish. White sugar beaches.....

I am pretty jazzed about this trip. I am getting there early on a Monday just so I can go enjoy the beach and see some planes!

The beach is probably deserted this time of year.. water's too cold to truly enjoy it.

http://www.wftv.com/weather/10373307/detail.html

I'm sure it will be warm enough to soak up some sun! I was in Ft Meyers a couple of years ago for Christmas and had a great time at the beach.

Dan, You know what we call that part of Florida?? LA.....for Lower Alabama. Looks more like Alabama than it does Florida. Even one of our favorite govenors tried to annex the panhandle of Florida into Alabama a few years back. Lots of Alabama people own homes and business down in that part of the state.

Danny, have a good time dude,
lol. - Green wit envy! -
Lucky chucky. lol

I'm usually in places like Albany or Flint. I was in San Francisco a week or so ago...it has to be better than Flint.

BadPvtDan wrote:I'm sure it will be warm enough to soak up some sun! I was in Ft Meyers a couple of years ago for Christmas and had a great time at the beach.

Good luck. Having lived on the Gulf Coast all my life except for the time I was in the service, I've seen temps from freezing to late-August-style 90's in the "holiday season". As that article I linked to says, Thanksgiving is likely to be cool if not cold, with the temp on the upswing again.

I spent three full years in Pensacola going to four different US Navy A and C schools and can attest to the fact that it is a strange place - a mixture of conservative Baptist moralism and traditional "young male with money" Navy town. Being in driving distance of "the family" back in Lousisiana, I am quite familiar with the changeable nature of the I-10 corridor weather from Lake Charles to Fort Walton Beach.

If I were you, I'd pack a sweater along with your swim suit and hope for the best. Remember that the reference to Miami weather being in the 80's next week represents quite a difference in weather from that on the Panhandle - not only due to the physical distance, but also due to the geography of the Panhandle versus that of South Florida.

Still, even if it's cool, Pensacola can be a lot of fun.

((In contrast to my time in Pensacola, I wanted to swim in cold water to become a Polar Bear when I was stationed in Adak, Alaska. Now that's fun!))

Danny,

If you have the time, why not 'phone the base community relations office, they might be able to set up a base tour for you.

Just a thought

Stewart

I agree, try for a base tour. Which Albany have you been to?

Don't forget the armerments museum at Eglin AFB. It closes at 4pm.

http://www.eglin.af.mil/museum/

Calvin,

Albany, NY. Are you near there? I was in Saratoga Springs a few times earlier this year and in Albany a few weeks ago...but just for the day.

Houston this week...Destin, Fl the week after and London, On Canada the week after that. A busy month for me

Actually I live pretty far west. I am about an hour south of Rochester, but my ears alway perk up when I hear someone mention NY. (Especially when its not the city!)

Danny

If you're comming to London bring your Winter woolies its a tad cooler than Florida

Gary