Historic Pensacola Village: 205 E. Zarragossa St., Pensacola FL 32502
Do you know Pensacola’s nickname? It’s known as the City of Five Flags! This is the first fact that we learned when our family visited Historic Pensacola Village. We were so glad to be joined by Kari Scott, author of the blog Raised Southern, and her two children for a fun morning exploring the village together. It was the first of many interesting tidbits of information we learned! Oh, I forgot to mention, Pensacola is known as the City of Five Flags because it was ruled by five different countries: Spain, Britain, France, the Confederacy and the United States.
Historic Pensacola Village is made up of 27 buildings, all registered in the Pensacola National Register Historic District. Eleven of these properties are interpreted facilities that are open to the public. Visitors can purchase tickets for the tours at the Tivoli High House which also serves as the General Store. The kids had fun playing checkers while the crew got organized for the shoot. It usually takes about 30 minutes for us to set up for a shoot so the kids were glad to have something to do while they waited!
Kimberly then put the kids to work doing chores around the cottage. They watered the garden, swept the walkways and learned how to use a drop spindle to turn wool into yarn. Their hard work was rewarded with a game of quoits, which is similar to horseshoes, but played with rings.Our interpreter guide, Kimberly, took us on a tour of some of the buildings and we were able to see how people lived in Pensacola many years ago. The kids found it pretty interesting to learn that an entire family would share just two rooms of a cottage. Can you imagine how cramped and hot that would have been? Phew! Glad we have air conditioning and room to sprawl nowadays.Once everyone had on their mics, we were ready to start the tour. Guided tours of the historic homes and buildings are offered three times a day at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. and are included in the price of admission. Keep in mind that the guided tours can last up to an hour and a half so if your kids can’t keep focused for that long, you can always take a self guided tour.
We had such a nice time meeting the Scott family and spending the morning with them. One of our favorite things about producing this show is getting to know wonderful families who help us with each episode. They aren’t paid actors, just willing participants! The kids have to be patient and sometimes do things over and over again until we get the right shot. The Scott kids were great! They were genuinely enthusiastic and we had a hard time saying goodbye! We hope they had fun with us too.
Some Additional Tips
•Discount Ticket are available for Senior Citizens 65+, Active Military and Dependents, and AAA Members
• Private Tours are available. This might be a great option for your family so you can pick and choose what your family will enjoy the most.
• The Village is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Guided tours are subject to change based on renovations and repairs of the properties.
Need More Ideas?
Colonial Archeological Trail – 330 S Jefferson St., Pensacola, FL 32502
If you are looking for more historical fun, walk the Colonial Archaeological Trail. You will learn more about what existed in the area from 1752-1851. Experience sites that archeologists have uncovered such as the “Commanding Officer’s Compound,” or “Fort George.” Bonus: The tour is free for all ages!
Do you want to make learning about Pensacola’s history interactive for your family? Consider trying a segway or bicycle tour around Pensacola’s historic area. Tours are available daily and can last up to 3 hours. Keep in mind that kids must be 14+ years old for a segway tour. If you want to prep for your trip, check out Emerald Coast Tours website for additional information on Pensacola history.
