Navarre Beach Day 3, part 2

So, after spending some time on the beach at Gulf Islands National Seashore, we headed to Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens. It's a scenic drive to Pensacola Beach - we saw lots of pretty scenery (and homes). We also saw the new Margaritaville hotel - pretty impressive!!

Fort Pickens was built from 1829-1834 and was named after Major General Andrew Pickens of South Carolina. It was one of only four forts never held by the Confederates during the Civil War. According to the Fort Pickens website, "Ten concrete gun batteries, including one in the middle of the historic fort, were built from the 1890s through the 1940s, each a response to a particular threat. Atomic bombs, guided missiles, and long-range bombers made such forts obsolete by the end of World War II and the Army abandoned the forts. The fort became part of a popular Florida State Park until the creation of Gulf Islands National Seashore in 1971. Following extensive repairs by the National Park Service, the fort was reopened in 1976."

Apparently, Fort Pickens is supposed to be haunted. And after seeing some of the battlements & reading the stories of what happened there, I can understand why. It's creepy down inside those places!

This last picture was taken from Fort Pickens, and is the Pensacola Lighthouse, across Pensacola Bay. It's supposed to be the most haunted lighthouse in the US, a fact of which I was unaware until we got back to the condo. If I had known, I would've insisted upon taking a tour! I wanted to do the Ghost Tour of the Red-Light District, but unfortunately, it was only offered on Oct. 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29. I'll remember that for next year, LOL!

Stay tuned for Day 4!!