Fort Pickens Area Reviews

We stayed at the campground near by and drove threw to see the old base,very nice and eye opening to see how they had all this to use and how they lived great historical sight

quite a find. great surrounding, photo opps. wandered throughout the exciting fort. old guns, fantastic architecture. didn't pay even for admission, think we got there early.

The thing about history; it’s hiding in plain sight - you just have to see it. We visited family in Navarre who asked — late in the afternoon — if we wanted to see the fort. At first not so sure, but now more than happy we went. Great for adults and kids. Lots of “American” history. I even found a huge piece of a cast iron cannon ball along one of the ramparts. Evidently recent storms had unearthed it. Had a great time.

We had gone to Opal Beach park and the park service gives you a brochure on Ft Pickens plus you get in free with that brochure just by paying a fee at Opal Beach. So why not- my grandson is 6 and he loved it. Lots of interesting things to see at Ft Pickens. We were there in July. It was just hot.

We had chilly mornings while staying on Pensacola Beach so we decided to give Fort Pickens a try while the temperature warmed up and I'm SO glad we did! You pay to enter the area (unless you have a National Park pass) but it is a 7 day pass. We loved it so much we went back more than once so it was definitely worth the money. The actual fort is a self guided tour and the staff and volunteers are so helpful to show you where to go and inform about special events. We were able to watch a cannon loaded and fired-an added bonus on one of the days we were there.

If you have time to walk around, I would suggest walking the trails around the fort too. We saw gorgeous birds and other wildlife and it added even more to our experience. If you want to experience a fort and learn some great history, this is a great place to go!

Every vacation we take includes a tour of an historic landmark. This one did not disappoint! So much to see and being self-guided, you can take all the time you want to explore.

Wonderful national park with very nice employees. Will stay here again.
Restrooms are very clean. Spaces are roomy.

The kids enjoyed it they became junior Rangers they got to see the cannons go off . Learn history I and explore the great USA most of all we have great family memories being there together as a gamily. We would recommend this place if your interested in history, exploration or the beach that's close..

We were so glad to see that the park service is working hard to preserve this old fort. Lots of good history here including the cell where Geronimo was imprisoned. Excellent campgrounds and old coast artillery installations.

Super great beaches! So beautiful and worth it. The fort and the history is amazing and very interesting for all ages. $20 to get in per car, pay the money you won’t be sorry!!! Great experience

The Fort is in a National Park - it’s well cared for and allows an up close experience. You can walk through it and go up on the upper level to see the canons. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Really neat if you like history!

We had our family of 5 (plus their boyfriends/girlfriend) as well as my parents. I was a little worried about this stop as my parents haven't been on vacation for 10+ years, my father uses a walker, and my mom had her arm in a sling since she broke it a few weeks before. We had been here before and really enjoyed our time so we figured they would as well. They loved it. And he had access to all of the ground level of the fort. They were able to see all of the fort and my mom made it to some of the second level areas. Definitely a spot I would recommend others to see. Also, one of the best laid out and most informative forts that we have visited, and we have done a lot.

If you want a quiet place to enjoy the beach this is it! Very few people and the only noise you hear are the waves. Just completely serene and very relaxing.

Fort Pickens national Discovery center is on the far west end of Santa Rosa island. It was a great discovery even if we had to drive 90 minutes to get there. There's a small museum building with several displays. Perhaps the best part of this area is the fact that you can tour the remains of the old Fort either on your own or with guided tours. since this is a national park you can get in for free with your national park passes otherwise it's $25 per car to get in. This is a good stop for families as there is quite a bit of space to walk around and discover on your own. There are quite a few stairs and rough brick pathways which may pose a problem for some.The drive out to the West end of Santa Rosa island is a really great drive with several spots to stop and visit the beach along the way.

What a great place to visit. So much history and so interesting. Such great views too! I recommend spending a few hours driving here.

Came here to go scuba diving off of the jetty. The water was pretty clear for the most part and the beaches were always amazing. The fort itself has alot of history and is always good to see.

This place has history and the setting is really neat, but there isn't lots of shade except in the tunnels. There is a little shop and a simple canteen, I think. Otherwise, you need to take everything with you. You can fill your own water bottles! The free tram service to the swimming beach with pavilion was really handy! It is a beautiful beach, but the fort wasn't very well marked for our visit.

A short drive from Pensacola Beach is Fort Pickens. There is an entrance fee of $20 per car. The fee is good for a week at this Fort, Fort Barrancas, Okaloosa Beach, Perdido Key and Opal Beach. So for a car load to visit 5 places is a great deal. Just hang on to your receipt!

We started at the Museum where we picked up a pamphlet on the sites we could see. There were also real restrooms across from the museum. Then we headed with our car around to the Battery Trueman and Payne.

Next we were off to Fort Pickens and Battery Pensacola. There were restrooms and a very small gift shop here. The size of Fort Pickens is very deceiving. It is much larger than it looks. So many rooms and tunnels to explore. I would highly suggest wearing tennis shoes as the surface is very uneven and there are stairs in a few places. Also bring a bottle of water. The inside of the buildings are actually pretty cool inside but the walk in between them and when you go on top of the Fort is very hot.

When we were finished at Fort Pickens we realized that there was no parking anywhere to be found and the wall along the Pensacola Bay was packed with people just sitting on the wall. I remembered that the Blue Angels were performing that day. So we waited another half hour and got to watch an incredible show. I think it was the best spot to watch them from. They flew over the Fort a few times but we were able to view most of the show from here.

We did leave before the Angels were done flying because it is a one lane road out and there were so many cars.

There is also a new Ferry that can bring you to the Fort from Pensacola. Not sure on the prices or the times.

We enjoyed exploring the Fort and being amazed at how they built this so long ago.

There wasn't a whole lot of people at Fort Pickens when I went there. You had to pay an entrance fee to get to the Fort. The fort itself was free.

If you’re in the area, I would highly recommend making a stop here. I love learning about history and this place is full of it. We went on a self-guided tour, which allows you to spend as much or as little time there as you like. We also watched the Blue Angels practice from the beach. It was quite a show! Some of the cannons here are the largest I’ve ever seen. It’s a great place for families to spend some time learning about our history.

PROS: lots to do (fishing, Fort, nature trail, beach); admission is good for multi-day entry

CONS: unhelpful staff members; no printed map; quite far away from the main drag

ADVICE: there is a $25 parking fee. This is unavoidable if you wish to visit the Fort.

It was a good place to learn bout how the gulf interacted with the war back in the days of becoming a state and acquiring there goods

Fort Pickens is about an hour or more away from where my family stayed during our trip, but we made the drive twice to explore this place. The first time, my four year old and I explored alone. Once my husband and other daughters heard all of the cool things we had to say about it.. they decided they needed to see for themselves and we went again the next day.
There are many old twists and turns to navigate. Lots of steps, lots of bricks, lots of arches and columns and cool architecture! Lots of history.
Women in the bookstore were also very very nice and informative about Junior Ranger badges for my daughter.
Paid $20 once, but that entry fee is good for seven days if you keep your receipt.

Fort Pickens is a MUST see in the Pensacola area. Located at the end of Ft Pickens Road 4 miles or so into the Gulf Islands National Seashore (there is a fee required at the Gate House, but well worth it), this is a piece of US history I was completely unaware of. It was built to protect against foreign invasion, but was the focal point of a standoff between the United States and Florida (!) after the latter seceded from the union. When you go definitely go to the information center to learn tons of things about the Fort and the area.

I live about an hour away and frequent the fort a few times a month during the summer season and have been for about 30 years. It is clean, is really open for wandering and researching and sight seeing for the whole family. Worth it!

its $20 to get in unless you have a national park pass. Completely worth it since the fort is large and you can spend a good amount of time there. The beach is gorgeous white sands, great breeze, seashells and sharks teeth galore. The best part not many people its like having the beach to yourself.

Good place for history buffs. Enjoyed the museum and gift shop. Watch out for red ants...they will swarm you!

It’s off the beaten path, quiet & worth the tiny drive. We had our family pics there this week & it was GORGEOUS!

It was a very informative stop. We learned a lot about the area and even where the beautiful white sand on the beaches come from. A must stop if here

Lots to see here. The centerpiece is the old brick fort at the end of the island. You're allowed to go in and climb many of the structures. There's a gift shop, visitor center, ferry landing, camping and picnic areas. The northern terminus of the Florida trail is also here. You can fish and swim near the seawall.

You have free reign to wander through the old structure, which has been subjected to the elements for decades. The architecture is something to behold and photo opportunities abound. We were lucky enough to be visiting while they were demonstrating a civil war canon - so loud! The thought of listening to multiple in use on the battlefield - deafening for sure.

The gulf was a short walk across the street & the bay was behind the condo. Restaurants,bars, shops on the boardwalk are a short drive away- or take the free trolly. A wonderful vacation.

We had a great time looking around and exploring. The drive to it has beautiful white sandy beaches and it was very lonely. We had it to ourselves. The fort is huge, clean bathrooms.

This place is amazing, especially if you are awarded with the opportunity to watch a training session of the Blue Angels from it (as the US Air Force Base is on the other side of the bay).

We camp for a week with our camper one of the most nice crystal clear beach I’ve been in, you are away from condo tourist crowd.

It was great to learn about the history of the area.You can see for miles at the top of the fort. There was a nice gift shop on the grounds. The beaches were beautiful as was the water and not crowded like the others. We didn't get to everything like the campgrounds and fishing from the pier but we will definitely go back. The only bad thing I could say is the fact that there wasnt any food at the site. So pack some snacks or a lunch or be prepared to go 10 miles back to town for food.

Beautiful drive out to Fort Pickens! The Fort itself is something to be seen! When you think about how in the world they were able to build that in the 1800’s, it is mind blowing. And as a bonus, if you time it right, you can watch the Blue Angels practice!!

Okay, first off - admission is a bit steep ($20.00), while they do offer Military Discount, it’s only offered to Active Duty, and not Retired members. They do honor DAV (Disabled Veteran’s) with VA ID. Okay, enough of that.

This Fort has some of the most amazing views, (especially sunsets) from its many vantage points, which is why the place is crawling with professional photographers capturing families and couples everywhere - so be on the lookout for them !

Highly recommend this Fort for its significant architecture and contributions to the United States.

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting The Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Fort Pickens itself is just a portion of a wonderful and worthwhile area to experience.

This area offers various ways to enjoy your time there. Are you interested in American history? Are you a nature lover looking for picturesque places? Are you just a beach bum in love with white sand and turquoise water? Fishing? Birdwatching?
One can do any of these or all of these things here!
Fort Pickens is an awesome historical site - the fortifications are very impressive and provide a great visual to the realities of the warfare in earlier centuries. It’s very educating to walk through the grounds, read the provided historical prompts and try to imagine what a life of those soldiers stationed there was.
The grounds also host a small museum/information center that offers great if only brief introduction to the nature and wildlife of the Gulf Islands. The exposition is interactive and very suitable for kids, aiming at engaging their attention and active exploration of the exhibits.
Close to the information center there is a fishing peer that appears to be quite popular - I saw many fishermen there.
Another great thing about this area are camping grounds that allow one to spend wonderful time away from the noise and tumult of the touristy areas and enjoy wonderful scenery and natural beauty of these islands.
Fort Pickens are is also a part of the Great Florida Birding Trail - so those who are inclined so can spend great time trying to spot some endemic and migrating species that appear there. There is a lot of diversity between the seasons, so one may want to plan ahead.

The bottom line for me is that is a truly great place to visit and appreciate the natural beauty and historical heritage of our country.

Fun place to explore and walk around. Kids loved it and enjoyed the large cannon at the top. Swimming and fishing are very near by.

Fort Pickens Area at Gulf Islands National Seashore is wonderful. We visited the Fort Pickens Historic Site and the Langdon Beach. The Fort Pickens is an excellent historic site with good views. The Langdon Beach is wonderful. The Fort Pickens Fishing Pier and the beach near the Discovery Center are also beautiful.

What a great place to visit in Pensacola. The rich history coupled with natural beauty of the sea oats and beautiful sand and water makes this a sight to remember.

My Favorite Place to Visit while in Pensacola! We buy the yearly Pass and go almost daily to use the beaches. Less crowded. You have bathroom access and places to have a picnic lunch if you chose. Then we go back at night for the amazing Sunset from the Fort side.

My husband and I came to Fort Pickens for the beach three times in our four-day trip because we really enjoyed it. In the morning, we were the only ones on the beach.

This was an interesting old fort to visit. Just the drive out there along 399 to get there is scenic and makes it worth the trip. Military get in free so why not try it on a weekend drive. Bring your bathing suit, if it get's too hot you can change there and jump into the ocean and cool off.

I used the self guided tour and it was really cool to wander the fort by myself without a big tour group. You can go most places in the fort with no issues although there are a few places closed off to visitors. There is a lot to see and some spots require crouching to fully see. The visitor center offers a self guided tour booklet for free that had all the information in it.

Running short on time so I didn’t get to learn as much of the history of this fort as I would have liked. Amazing that a large majority of the structures are still in existence. They were training for a cannon firing when we stopped. Would like to watch one of their enactments.

Our whole family loved visiting Fort Pickens! It was fun and informative. Very well-kept. It’s a treasure! We got a surprise visit from the Blue Angels, who were flying overhead, while there, too!

Very enjoyable, open where you can just do some investigating, learn what you want, take your time. See what interest you.

The location of this fort is one of the most beautiful civil war history sites we have ever visited. We loved that this fort is also located in a national park - extra bonus for us since we are on a quest to visit as many national parks as we can. The fort itself has been well maintained and the staff were all friendly and very knowledgeable. You only had to pay an entrance fee of $20 and you could come and go as you please for 7 days. Our 7 year old enjoyed the civil war history, exploring the forts many rooms and learning about Geronimo and his time spent at the fort. We all enjoyed learning about the wildlife that live on the island and the short video they offer in the small museum was very informative. The gift shop was very nice and staff there were some of the friendliest people we encountered on this trip.

Great place to visit, tons of history. Park Rangers are super awesome and helpful.
I highly recommend anyone in the area to visit and learn about the history there.

Fort Pickens is a great place for history. Be sure not to miss when they shoot the cannon! It is loud and awesome! You can go through the fort yourself or with a guided tour. Plus there are beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico on the ride to the Fort. If you are lucky you might even see the Blue Angels fly over if they happen to be doing a show that day in Pensacola.

It is a lot to take in all in one day. Wished we had of known to wear tennis shoes so we could have climbed the light house. We did walk out to the beach and had a gorgeous view.

This fort was started in 1829 and took five years to complete. It saw action at the beginning of the Civil War. This attraction is neither very young children or Handicap friendly. To get the real feel of the fort there are steep stairs to climb. Fort Pickens was built to defend the entrance to Pensacola Bay. It was used to detain Geronimo and 15 other Apache's in 1886. Just walking through this place and trying to imagine how these young soldiers lived and fought is fascinating.

We have seen numerous coastal forts and all are interesting. It was not crowded due to being cold. It is nice to explore but there is some graffiti. It is worth the visit while seeing the beach.

A little pricey to get through the gate ($20 per vehicle) but usually worth it. The fort is massive and surprisingly cool inside, there are nice beach access points right there for public use and there’s even fishing and hiking as well.

Being from the midwest, seeing something like an old bay fort really is amazing to see in person! I got so many amazing photos here and a visit first to the discovery museum is great to attend before looking around the Fort so you know more about what you are seeing. A 15 minute video from a Park Ranger explains all areas of the Fort and background stories as well.

We enjoyed exploring the fort with the family. Lots of history here. It can be hot so bring water. Don't forget to pick up a map with the explanations of the number locations.

Neat to drive through. Ruins are there still. Museums weren’t open yet when we were there but plenty of sights and beaches both on the Santa Rosa sound and Gulf of Mexico.

I went with my young grandsons. They had fun exploring all the different areas and rooms. They especially liked learning about the cannons and the jails.

Natural beaches, no high rise condos... Great place for families, tour Ft. Pickens, bike ride, go camping or spend the day at the beach! Gorgeous white sandy beaches, you can stay by the life guard area or walk on down the beach and enjoy a quiet away from the crowds area.

Myself and Paula took a day trip out to Ft Pickens on a Saturday and hiked/walked almost 10K.
The Park Ranger allowed us free access after asking if I was a Veteran although I was prepared to pay, very nice and considetce of him. We did make a few purchase at the gift shop later to show our appreciation for our time spent there.
I parked at the Langdon Battery trailhead which is a great place to start if you are up for a hike in to Fort Pickens. The beach area and the Langdon Battery are both impressive in their own way.Very few people there or on the trail, January is a great time of the year to visit. Along the trail we diverted and walked the Blackbird Marsh Trail. We looked for Blackbirds, but only spotted Bald Eagles flying above! Very cool.
Back on the trail we hiked through the campgrounds which were pretty full and used the facilities which were nice, well maintained. From there we hiked the last leg into Fort Pickens which cuts through more marshlands where we observed a Great Blue Heron, another bald eagle flying overhead with nesting material, ducks, fish swimming and many different types of birds. Luckily, we met a volunteer photographer who told us that at Fort Pickens at 3:00 there would be a reenactment of arts, so we made our way quickly there. After arriving we saw the reenactment was a type of ongoing "living history" where actors were reenacting life in the Fort, to include a working blacksmith, and soldier equipment displays. After viewing the blacksmith for a bit, the reenactment kicked off with the story of some of the history of Fort Pickens including the parts about how it was used as part of the Underground Railroad. The actors even had a "live" firing event from real black powder rifles, including all the commands. Very cool.
After the demonstration we toured the Fort and took in all the history. The Fort even flies an American Flag with 28 stars, as it would have when it in use during the Civil War. We then visited the gift shop and bout a book, an ornament and a coffee mug. We left back along the main road and stopped at an old well maintained gravesite with marble gravestones dating back to the the 1700s. It was very touching how many people had placed shells and coins on top of the stones as tribute. All told it was about 10 kilometers of walking when we got back to the car.
Next visit we want to check out the museum and discovery center, and take a ferry trip when it opens back up in March.
10/10, highly recommended.

Great fort and history. Self guided tour using the NPS app made it easy to get around at our own pace. The massive smooth bore cannon was neat to see. The view was amazing! Don't miss the adjacent batteries as well since one has a newer style gun in place.

We loved our visit to Fort Pickens! The kids had fun exploring, seeing the cannons, and learning about the Fort. Our kids were 10, 8, & 4 and they were all entertained. The workers were very friendly and informative. As an added bonus, the blue angels were practicing that day! So we were able to watch them from the beach, but you could have went about anywhere to watch them. We would definitely visit again!!

Awesome self guided tour with plenty to see. Go down a few of the dark hallways, neat to step back in time.

Spend a day exploring the historic Fort Pickens and enjoy the great views from the outlooks. Be prepared to climb steps and walk some yardage through the Fort. Recommend solid shoes and be in decent shape as stairways are steep and narrow. Small fee to get into this National Park area but worth the price. Beautiful beaches with soft, pillow sand and emerald green waters will provide a refreshing break. Picnic and fishing areas for lunch stop and recreation.

Fort Pickens is a really nice in-tact former military fort that provided protection to Pensacola Bay. The NPS employees are very knowledgeable and answer all questions. The beaches on Fort Pickens are the best in the area, and usually not crowded. The only draw back is that they need some sort of snack bar, or vending area at the fort because it is a little bit of a drive back to Pensacola Beach to get something to eat.

Very interesting. Enjoyed the history and the quiet walk around the area. Lots of well marked historical points as well as fishing area, picnic areas and campgrounds.

It feels like stepping back in time! I thoroughly enjoyed the self guided tour of the fort. Very interesting. Do yourself a favor, if you have time, download the app that will explain everything that you are seeing.

Very interesting, we walked around and went in the gift shop where you can buy a book or other items, I bought a bullet id card which will make a great gift for my son that keeps finding bullets on his old property.

I enjoy history, and this place was fun to explore. There was miles of road to bicycle - right to Pensacola Beach. Just make sure you have your National Park pass along for re-entry.
The sandy beach was beautiful.

Had not been here since the 60's and could not visit on our last time here due to the Govt shutdown. At the end of the National Seashore, you are able to see the land as it was back in the 19th century when the Fort was in full use. Built in 1834 to secure Pensacola from European Colonialism, then became part of the Civil War. the Fort was used on, and off, up through WWII. Great layout, exhibits and a wonderful way to spend a day, exploring a different side of history and scrambling through the structures.

We enjoyed our time on the self-guided tour of Fort Pickens. We went on a day when hanging out at the beach was not going to be as enjoyable due to the weather. It was fun to spend about 1-2 hours here walking through the various areas on the tour. I liked that we were able to use the markers on the tour to look up more information about each of the areas on the tour. My kids especially loved walking through some of the small passageways and imagining what life was like for soldiers here.

Fort Pickens is a lovely park with lots to explore. Beaches and birds. The fort and history. Plenty to do.

Beautiful area but definitely watch the video or at least get the map/app on your phone. It’s worth the stop even if you aren’t a history buff

Nice, and well worth it IF you have a NPS pass -- if not, it cost =s $25, which is a rip. If you go, get to the visitor/exploration building first and watch the film about FT Pickens. If you do, then touring the fort will make much more sense.

Along the scenic drive past pensacola beach you will find the fort Pickens area. There are the remnants of the old forts that defended the beach and also down this way is a fishing pier. They have wild birds and turtles this way. It’s also a good place to see dolphins from the shoreline. Highly recommended.

Long drive along the Gulf which was beautiful. Fort Pickens is interesting and shows how changes were made as technology in weapons changed. There was an explosion at one point and you can see the damage. Wear good shoes as it is an old fort with uneven surfaces and stairs. You can see a lighthouse on the base across the water. This would be a great location to watch the Blue Angels practice.

We really enjoyed visiting Fort Pickens. I also recommend reading about and visiting some of the additional military sites while down there, such as Battery Worth, Battery Payne, and others. Additionally, check the US Navy Blue Angels website for their practice schedule. Fort Pickens is a great place to view their practice.

I love this place so much. Great place to take photos! Great for families to see some history too. Take a drive around and see the water there while you are there. One in a million cool places!!

Fort Pickens is located at the extreme western end of the Pensacola Beach Area/Gulf Islands National Seashore and is part of the National Park 🏞 system. There is an entrance fee. Ft. Pickens was built in 1840 as harbor defense until about 1940. Well worth a visit. Allow about 2 to 3 hours.

Small sites with no privacy, no greenary. We always had eyes on us whenever we were outside. We loved the hike to the fort and the trais. Too windy to enjoy the beach but we hope to come back someday.

This is a fun change when you need a break from the water. They have a snack shop onsite to get water etc. we did a self guided tour using our phones, which you should download before you arrive because their internet is shaky at best. It was great to learn the history of the fort and the Apache that were imprisoned there. The tip of the first has good views of the island.

The fort itself is very well-preserved. Excellent interpretive signs regarding civil war history. The surrounding beaches are spectacular!

If you like history and architecture, this is your spot. Really great spot. Don't wear sandals. The ants will eat you alive!

Beaches that stretch for miles! A Fort from the Civil War, bike paths, hiking trails! The Fort is nice, not that elderly friendly, with nice displays and historical plaques and videos of the area from the turn of the century. They have a nice narrative on how slaves built the fort and how late in the Civil War Black soldiers defended it, as well as its history of WWI and II. This is also the fort that Geronimo was housed after his capture until he was returned to Arizona. But the best part is this is Old Florida before the condo’s before the sea side villas, this is miles and miles of beach with nothing but sawgrass and cabbage palms and of course White Sand! Well worth the stop, and if you enter at Navarre Beach you get 25 miles of stops that are breathtaking isolated!

There is an area on the island that includes the historic Fort Pickens military fort. A significant portion of the brick fort is still standing with self guided tours inside and outside on the roof.

The views from the top of the Fort are very good. Plus there are several large cannons you can view.

At the Fort there are also restrooms and a gift shop. There is good signage for the self guided tour. One plus, you can visit the site for free.

Interesting, hands-on history. Our family w four boys, 11-20, had an enjoyable afternoon exploring Fort Pickens. So many nooks and crannies to investigate and MUCH larger than we expected. It’s fascinating to imagine all who inhabited this piece of American history. We were all glad we went, and we will probably be back next time we’re in the area.

We took our kids, it was very interesting to walk through. Reading the history of the Fort, walking through and exploring. Daughter didn’t care to much but my son really enjoyed it. You will have to pay a fee to get into the park, 20.00.

it was fun touring the fort and the nearby park. Theirs enough to keep the kids entertained and plenty for the adults.

Great history here. Enjoyed walking the fort with our kids and talking about all the history. The boys enjoyed walking through all the tunnels.

We went out for a sightseeing adventure and found this park. The Fort is very impressive having lasted from before the civil war until after WWII. The bonus was the view of the air show.

The road to Fort Pickens has pristine, sugar-sand beaches. You have to pay $20 for a vehicle due to the fact that it is a state park.The road to the Fort is a bird watchers paradise. Huge Ospreys everywhere.The fort itself is like stepping back in time. We went just before sunset and had a marvelous adventure. Exploring the halls and tunnels is so much fun. The view from the top (pretty steep stairs) is exceptionally pretty.

Walking the fort is interesting if for no other reason than seeing what the weather does to brick structures. Throughout the fort there are numbers posted and it was never clear what the point of the numbers were. While there are some signposts that have good descriptions of the significance of certain parts of the fort, overall there just wasn’t enough information to make a self-guided tour very interesting.

We spent over an hour just walking through this old fort and thinking what it would have been like to be here years and years ago. There were so many different rooms and the walls and cannon areas were still in pretty good shape. We got to see the old ways they hauled the ammunition from the holding rooms to the top and even had some old cannons there. The rooms were dark and damp and it would not have been a treat to stay in them even saw some prison cells. A great place to take in the past history of the fort defending the areas from sea attacks. They do offer guided tours we were just there at the wrong time. It is a national park so dont forget your forever pass so you dont have to pay.

Arches everywhere! Great place for history buffs, photographers, bird lovers, & just about anybody else. We have done just about everything here. If you have kids, there are 2 Junior Ranger badges they can earn. We have tent camped here, & walked to the beach at night to gaze at the stars & play in the moonlight. Tent campers have their own section away from the RV's section (thank you!). You can see endless dark skies here at night. We have climbed on top of the fort & other structures. This is one of my favorite places to shoot photos. The light changes depending on the weather & time of day, creating many dramatic moments. You can usually see a wide variety of birds, both on the beach & at the fort. Great spots for picnics, & cookouts. Educational center fun & well thought out, interesting exhibits & videos. If there is a hurricane or water event, the roads do close & the park will evacuate campers before hand. Sand has covered the roads MANY times, so make sure you have a back up plan. The fort is not 100% accessible for mobility impaired people, due to the nature of the structure but there is still a lot that can be seen from lower level.

We came out to this area 3 times while on our trip. We loved it that much. There’s so much to explore here. From the old buildings, to the more secluded beaches. We had a blast!!

What a great, quiet place to visit the beach or go fishing. Also, nice view of the Blue Angels show.

I have been sightseeing here before. Sadly the road to the Fort is gone. I understand there is a ferry you can take to it if you want. We didn't make that adventure.

Drove to the Fort area. There was some water on one side of the road in some parts. Amazing beaches and birding area.

The History of Fort Pickens is Remarkable! We were included in a guided group tour that was very informational. The signage is very helpful and interesting. The Discovery Center is a Must See!! My husband was intrigued and quite pleased with our visit.

If you enjoy U.S. history you will enjoy a trip to Fort Pickens. You can take a self guided or guided tour of this extensive facility. Water, restrooms, and a visitor center are available. A special exhibit of civil war soldiers was on display when we were there. You will marvel at the construction of this fort and the type of armaments it carried.

My family went on a Sunday and to our surprise they had union dressed soldiers firing muskets and a cannon.

One of a number of forts built to protect Pensacola. In quite good condition given it's age. Get on a guided tour if you can, they are free. We had Kad Henderson, one of the Rangers, as our guide and he was excellent.

I hate that you have to pay $25 to get into a public space. That said, this area is beautiful, loads of beaches and hiking areas. The fort is very cool as well. You can swim, fish, hike, and just enjoy it.

We entered an eerie landscape on our way to Fort Pickens through the Gulf Islands National Seashore and we entered at the Fort Pickens Area. White sand as far as one could see. About 20 minutes after getting there we took the ranger's advice at the gate to stop at Battery Langdon and climb the trail to the top. The sand was very deep and soft but there was a great view at the top. We continued on to the Fort but it was pretty closed down! There were other groups trying to figure out how to get in. That's why the 3 stars. On the way back took some awesome shots of the landscape and Gulf.

Absolutely love this place. The fort is very interesting and a must see for people who enjoy history. They have several places for you to enjoy the beach that are much less crowded. Water was perfect, and we enjoyed the sand bar a little ways out. Part of the park was closed because of COVID-19.

We had a great time touring Fort Pickens. We did the self guided tour which was informative and easy to follow for the adults and children in our group. The ground is a bit uneven and there are some stairs so be sure to wear appropriate footwear. The Discovery center was also very informative and had a video tour of the fort if you are not up for the walking tour. We didn't spend much time on the beach but it was beautiful.

We visited Fort Pickens with our grandchildren. They enjoyed exploring the Fort, but were very excited to view a reenactment of cannon fire including the history behind the Fort's defensive posture as presented by Park Rangers and volunteers. There is an inlet where there is apparently a sunken vessel so there are scuba diving opportunities and fishing opportunities. I personally like the extended beach area just before arriving at the Fort. I am a fan of big waves and there are is usually substantial wave actions on the accessible beaches between the entrance to Fort Pickens and the Fort itself. Camping and RVs are accommodated on site as well. We think it is well worth a visit.

Very nice place for those who likes National history museums. The travelers must be aware that there is a weekly pass of $20 when driving to that side (check-point, aka TOL both). This is not about Fort Pickens, nor this is a ticket, it's a weekly pass to allow you driving to that side of the island. As for the fort, many parts are still under restoration are there is a bunch of ants in some areas, you better have some good shoes (sandals will get you bitten)

We enjoyed visiting Fort Pickens - a beautiful drive down the gulf coast and the fort itself was very interesting! We brought our picnic lunch with us and ate up by the cannon. Due to Covid, the visitor center wasn't open, but they did have informative signs along the way. Going down dark tunnels and imagining the gunpowder filled to the ceiling was eerie. Such an awesome piece of history. We are from Oklahoma (where Geronimo died) and had no idea this was the place he had been held. Bonus: It was free admission because of a holiday!

Beautiful beaches! It’s a long slow drive out to the actual fort. There is not a full Fort, but still lots to see. Good self guided tour, get free booklet in bookshop. Was worth the drive. Not a lot of parking areas, still repairing. Beach was amazing. Quite, almost no one there.

I can't imagine a child of any age not enjoying this adventure. Their are paths and trails in every direction. Cannons, artillery positions and remnants of many threats of war and their watchful eye are waiting to be rediscovered. Take water and a good hat, but their is an excellent store on site with light food and drink as well as ice cream. Save time to take in the dock area and the views of Bay and Gulf. I look forward to returning and trying the new ferry service.

Very interesting history.Go on wednesday and see the Blues Angels fly! $15 to get a pass for the week.

We enjoyed walking through the fort, watching the reenactment of the soldier firing his musket and watching the fishermen on the pier.

Serene path winds down this federal park taking you from one quiet beach ti the next.

Active duty members can request a one year no fee pass. This allows entry to most national parks. Check each park for entry hours and exceptions.

The best way to visit Fort Pickens, is with a guide. Contact any of the area Visitors Centers for contact information. So much history in such a beautiful place. Ideal for great photographic opportunities.

We drove from Ft Walton Beach to explore this fort and see what life was like for the soldiers back in the day. The fort and surroundings are amazing to see and how it has withstood the elements. If you like to see historic things, definitely give it a visit. There is a fee to enter the area.

I have been to more interesting Forts but this one is average. It's in a pretty location by the water. If you're in the area it's something to peak your interest, probably more for the view.

We were in awe of the fort. Lots of the corridors, nooks and crannies. So much history and interesting information. The views are beautiful. We found lots of sand dollars on the beach too!

Beautiful views and a cool tour of the old fort. You can go in various different parts and see the cannons. It’s also a self guided tour so you can take as long as you like!

This is a neat historical place with decades of history. Plenty of parking, self-guided tour map available, and small gift shop. There is a fee to get in if you don't have one of the parks passes.

We stopped at the fort. We walked around and went into the National Park store at the fort entrance. We went to the beach at the Langdon parking area. Water was cold but we still got in. Beautiful day at the beach. Bathrooms and covered picnic area too. We took all our gear. A ton of broken sand dollars on the beach so we snorkeled out to the sand bar hoping to find whole ones. (We had wet suits on.). No luck on the treasure hunt today. Nice 20 min drive from Pensacola Beach condo.

This was amazing!!! We love history! We arrived early to explore the Fort! It was a simple self guided tour and the kids loved it. It took about an hour to tour the property with the map provided. At the end we got the enjoy the Blue Angles practice and have a lunch on the dock! Highly recommended if you want to see hour our country was shaped!!

Fort Pickens is a military installation frozen in time. It is a testiment to the military history of our nation.

I like visiting Civil War sites and beaches, so Fort Pickens was the highlight of our trip to Pensacola Beach, even though I had to pay for the pass to get in. Entrance gate attendant wanted to sell me an annual pass to save money. I appreciated the thought but I was driving a rental. It would have been more helpful if he had told me that hwy 399 was closed across the national seashore portion to the east of Pensacola Beach so I couldn't just follow it to my hotel in Navarre Beach like I had planned. Almost drove into the Gulf of Mexico in the dark and had to take a circuitous detour, turning a fifteen minute drive into an hour and a half and a lot of frustration. A previous reviewer was also confused and thought the road to Fort Pickens was closed instead. I can assure you the road is still there and still open but the park service clealry needs to do a better job of informing the public. The speed limit on the park road is 25, so it seemed to take forever to get all the way out to the fort at the end of the road. It was well worth it, though. The park service is usually over protective of both their historic and rebuilt structures so I was surprised when the road suddenly swooped onto the fort grounds directly through an old gate area and around to the parking lot. The bookstore/visitor center was closed but we walked around and through the massive masonry fort. Pickens remained active long after other civil war era forts were decommissioned. One of the attractions is the fort within a fort that held huge artillery guns from a later era. We passed one family riding bikes along the park road on our way out and they reached the fort while we were there. They didn't stop but continued on their outing and we passed them again later when we left. Other than that, we were the only ones at the fort itself, although a lot of people were fishing in the Sound on a fall weekday.

A great place to learn a little more about the Civil War Ana see the fantastic engineering of an old fort.

We were on a family vacation in Perdido Key so my dad and I came over because we love the National Parks. As usual, the website gave very basic information. So here's the deal - the Gulf Island Seashore area is a really well maintained piece of natural Florida. It was interesting to learn about the effects of the last three hurricanes that made landfall in the Floriday panhandle, the projected effects of climate change, and the birds and animals that live in the area. And the Fort complex was really very interesting. I am not about firearms, artillery, or forts at all. This park is a must for anyone interested in engineering or the Civil War. Amazing how it was built (and true to the National Parks, they acknowledge our dark history as the fort was built with slave labor to protect the land of the free) and modified based on need. Definitely stop at the Discovery Center and watch the video! Ranger Dave (Rick? Bob? Dan? Sorry I can't remember his name) is excellent. There is an admission charge for the park but it's $20 for seven days for your car - just do it and come back or visit another national park.

Lots of walking and areas to take photos. There is some renovations going on. We chose to do the self guided tour, got to grab a map from the bookstore at the cash register. We were able to be there in time to watch a few guys fire black powder rifles. This place is quite large, tunnels and stairs everywhere.

Good place to visit for the history of Pensacola. There is a small museum. You can visit the old fort. There is a place for fishing too.

It was very interesting and learned a lot about it that I didn't know! Especially the Geronimo and American Indian history surrounding it! The fort really had a comanding view of the bay, so would have been hard to sneak up on! I hope that it is preserved as a part of American history!

We really enjoyed our self-guided tour. The amount of work that went into building the Fort is amazing. We went early before the gift shop was open. Would recommend getting the brochure from the gift shop which is open at nine am. After we walked around we ran into the Park Service guide who told us some awesome info about the Fort. I would highly recommend this self-guided tour with the brochure available at the gift shop.

You can pay to get into the park for a 6 day pass, worth it if you want to explore the fort multiple days or go to the beaches in the park .

I highly recommend that anyone visiting Fort Pickens campground or historical area or beaches buy a National Park Pass. Otherwise you must pay $20 to get to Santa Rosa Sound and use that area. The campground costs another $40 a night without a pass and $20 with it. Campsites are nice. Some have trees that provide nice shade. The beaches are very clean and parking spaces are provided in several locations. The fort had a very interesting video about it's history, and the premises was worth the walk. Take the time to visit if you are in the area. You will be glad you did.

Took the drive out to the fort. Lots of beautiful white sand beaches with clear blue waters to see, all without any crowds. The NPS site itself is rather desolate, but perhaps better if you're going to camp. The fort itself has a minimal amount to do and see, including interactive (or even descriptive) history displays. We actually enjoyed the drive east afterwards through the Gulf Island National Seashore (which had no entrance fee for the vast majority). So yes, checked off another NPS site, but be sure to have other area activities planned if you're making the day trip.

Much like many of the Florida and other coastal Forts around. History is well documented and you can roam most of the remaining structure and area. Great views and you can see the Blue Angels flying at various time.

Going here was definitely fun and a great learning experience. We paid $25 that covered us for the week and you can come back anytime within the week. The views and beach their was pretty. All of the workers were friendly as well.

The forts are always fun to visit. With the exception of excessive ants, it is a great place to visit. Take water with you because it is very hot.

Kids ages 8, 10, and 16 enjoyed the Fort. My husband found it very interesting as well. The beach on this end of the island is gorgeous and uncrowded.

The history of the fort against the back drop of the Pensacola Beach area was great! Perfect way to spend the morning before taking a swim in the gulf waters!

This area is well worth visiting. The beach areas are excellent. The tour conducted by a ranger was very informative.

We visited Fort Pickens on our honeymoon and it's really something to see. It was my husband absolute favorite thing about our visit.

gift Air conditioned discovery center provides hands on experience for local wildlife and a 15 minute movie presentation of the fort. The fort tour is self guided and has a great gift shop with the fort National Passport Stamp and lots of souvenirs. Easy to navigate for walkers & strollers.

This is a very nice fort/park. Loved being able to walk all around and through the fort. It was interesting to be able to see the acting of the soldiers and who were very knowledgeable about the fort. Would definitely return.

The Park was beautiful and well maintained and had immaculate beaches. The sand was snow white and the vistas were gorgeous. The dunes were magnificent!

Fort Pickens was an interesting diversion and the tunnels were an interesting way to cool off and get out of the sun.

It is the perfect place to watch the Blue Angels practice.

Fort Pickens is an incredible structure that guarded Pensacola Bay. It is awesome in its immensity and just seeing how many bricks were used in the 10 foot thick walls just stupifies me! There were excellent displays explaining the fort and cannon placement. Great way to spend a day at the beach.

Perfect spot to see the jets fly by and do their maneuvers. Had some shade to sit under. Intersecting museum to visit

Ft. Pickens is a fun place to visit. You can climb on the old fort, sit on the sea wall, use the beach, etc. This visit was during Covid-19 so the book store and Discovery Center were closed but there's lots of info when open. When the Blue Angels practice this is one of the best places to be

The area is on a narrow island of white sand. The park has the north terminus of the 1500-mile long, Florida National Scenic Trail. Then there is the massive Fort Pickens. Millions and millions of bricks make up the five-sided fort. The arches and vaults make for some interesting photos. There are several cannons still onsite, notably the large 15-inch smoothbore Rodman cannon.

We parked at the Battery Worth lot, visited the Battery Worth, then walked about a mile on the Florida Trail (which is flat) to Fort Pickens. Watched the 15-minute video tour at the Discovery Center then explored the Fort on our own. Then walked back to Battery Worth.

Great views and a lot of historical builds. We really enjoyed it and it would be a great location to watch the blue angels!

I learned so much about this area from the Civil War through World War II while exploring this well preserved historic military property. It was interesting to learn that Geronimo was even housed here for a while. You can fish here or picnic or hike or just explore

We went back to Fort Pickens again this year. Last year we toured the fort but didn't spend much time in the auditorium looking at the history. Take an extra hour and go into the exhibit and get educated on not only the history of this significant place but also the ecology of the area.
Few people know that Geronimo and his family were ket here for two years before being re-located out west. Take time to watch the film and you will have a much better appreciation for Fort Pickens. On the weekends they have live programs running at 11 and 2.

While the weather could have been better, it may have cut down on the crowds. The Fort has 2 major areas. A discovery center and the historic fort. There is a tram that runs between areas in case of crowded conditions. We saw many birds catching fish and perching on limbs. Beautiful white sand beaches.

I’m a huge civil war area buff. This place if very much a must visit if you like history. We rode our bikes the three mile out and back. Beautiful views. Beautiful area

When in Pensacola Beach, make a point to visit Fort Pickens! It is such a cool experience to see.....it is well preserved and it is interesting to see this part of American history. We didn't take a guided tour and only ventured around on our own, but at the end of our walk, we were stopped by a staff member who asked if we had any questions. He had an answer for everything asked was extremely knowledgeable....even down to how many bricks were used to build it. It was very interesting to hear more about the history behind the fort, so if you have the chance, a guided tour could be worth the time.
Even if you a history buff or not (I am not), you will still find this piece of the past a sight to see!

This is a fun area to explore for a half day--lots of different buildings and land with information shared throughout. Small gift shop. Restrooms. Fabulous place to watch Blue Angel practices.

We drove over from Ft. Walton and it was well worth the hour drive. We had two teenager boys with us and we all surprisingly had a great time. There are countless things to look at with a numbered map. I would say younger kids would like for about 20 minutes but teenage and above for 2 hours. $20 a car to get onto state park property and there are numerous places on beaches to picnic or just chill.

This fort is well worth the trip. There is a $25 fee at the gate but the drive and the fort are worth it. We did the self guided tour but probably would have really appreciated an actual tour with a guide. So if you are thinking of going and really want to hear about the history, I would encourage you to get the guided tour. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the property. I hope that Pensacola continues protecting this part of their beaches and history. We also saw a couple of Eagles. Pretty awesome !

We stopped by and attended two tours. Both guides were awesome. We found an armadillo here! I would definitely return!

We spent a little over an hour checking out this facility. The history behind it was fascinating. The structures were intact and easy to explore. There are stairs to climb if you want to see the upper levels, but there’s plenty to see at ground level as well. If you are interested in checking out old military bases, this would be a great place for you to visit.

The preservation of this old coastal fortification has been excellent. There are also old fortifications from the Spanish American War error and WWI & II. The RV camp grounds are well kept and located in the boundaries within easy walking of the Gulf waters and the fort facilities.

We had a lot of fun while we were at Fort Pickens. There is so much history and many places to explore. The kids had a blast and the views were beautiful!

Took the kids to visit. Great experience for everyone. Even on a warm day, the fort was cool and had a breeze. Love the history and views. Its well worth the $20 per car. The pass is good for 7 days and will get you in all the local National Parks.

Never knew about this place until our visit to Pensacola. It’s very impressive to see where this Fort is located and the history behind it. It amazed me how they got all the material there to build it considering the terrain. This is great place to visit and see some American History. The kids even enjoyed it.

Our hotel recommended that we check out Fort Pickens, and so glad we did. Enjoyed touring the fort and learning the history of it. After touring the fort, we stopped at the beach area and enjoyed our lunch at the pavilion. We were able to see the sunset, and it was AMAZING! The whole area was nice and clean. Would love to spend more time here.

Our kids liked exploring the fort. It's great to cool off a bit inside. The gift shop was small but good selection - shirts, stuffies, mini cannons, toys, etc. We thought the coolest part was discovering the mortar stalagtites. It's definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!

We did a short trip and walked around the fort area. The site was well preserved and interesting plaques to read.

We drove out to the fort to watch the Blue Angels practice. The only drawback was the lack of parking. The fort was neat to explore, and the view of the BA practice was pretty good. If you’re really wanting a close-up experience with the Blue Angels, you need to go to the base.

Great historic site, go early mornings if you’re wanting to stay cool. Water stations are available on site. We did a self guided tour, took 4 of us about an hour to see most everything. When entering the area be sure to check in at the ranger station for your pass. We had an all American pass so it was included. Great scenery along the beach drive with plenty of if areas to pull off and take in the beach.

We have been to Pensacola several times and had no idea there was so much deep history at the fort Pickens area. It isn’t just WW2 era stuff. It goes waaay back and the fort has directions and places where they explain the way the fort protected the bay. Our grandkids thought it was very cool (even though it was hot) that you could just roam at will. And there is some of the prettiest natural beaches you’ve seen.
Take comfy shoes and plenty to hydrate, it’s pretty warm even though close to the water. Definitely worth the cruise through.

This is such a nice area to visit. Lot to explore and learn. We did visit the small museum this time and it was free and informative.

Ft Pickens is an old fort where Geronimo was even captured. Lots for the historical buffs and fun to climb on and photograph. It is a National Park, so there is an entrance fee. There is a little museum, but also a great place to fish the jettys.

This was our 4th trip to Pensacola Beach and our first time to discover Fort Pickens! My kids (7 of them ages 7-16) were all complaining that we were going to go to see it. Boy did they. Ha he their tune once we got there. We all thoroughly enjoyed it. We spent quite a while exploring and touring the dark hallways that led to nowhere. The kids loved it just as much as my husband and I did. I would recommend though that you bring your water because we did get pretty hot and we failed to bring any, but were able to buy some at the gift shop on the way out.

they need to find a lawn mower and weed wacker and use it because they sure did not have one. beaches were a hidden gem better than fort

Planned a daytrip rom Panama City Beach to see the local forts and museums in the Pensacola Area. Unfortunately Hurricane Sally beat us to this area and access by the National Seashore and Hwy 98 is not possible because of storm related damage.
Additionally, all the sites that we wished to take in are also closed due to storm related damage. Needless to say it would have been nice to see this posted on the various websites and it would have saved us the trouble of travelling there until they have recovers; which is estimated to be the Spring of 2021. I would advise calling and speaking to someone in person before travelling then as I have heard that the restoration is being funded by the Federal gov't and sometimes it takes them a long time to disperse such funds.

Rather than be totally negative. I will say that if you find yourself on Pensacola Beach (accessible by Garcon Point Bridge) I would stop in Peg Leg Pete's oyster bar for some darn good food and great atmosphere.
We also spent some time at Seville Quarter that houses a bar for everyone's different music fancy and some delightful eclectic décor

Fort: If you are going for the
fort only do not go.
Camground: Bathrooms and showers have been redone but
mold not cleaned. Very busy campground but great birds & turtles
Beaches: Go to Fort Pickens for
the non busy beach areas. Get
the map and check out all the
sceduled beach areas.
Great swimming but watch for
beach life.
Main beach area is very overcrowded with limited parking
and bathrooms. Avoid this area.

Note, restaurants are very expensive in the are. Take food.

We went to the fort thinking it would be like other forts. There is a charge of 25 if you don’t have the national park pass. We walked around it using the information given to us from the ranger and found some really cool things. Going thru the little crooks and crannies were fun because you saw a different side of the fort.

We went to the fort on a free national park day, otherwise I don't think I would have paid the 20.00 to drive through. The fort itself is ok I guess. The museum was interesting and was definitely glad they had restrooms. What we did enjoy was the fishing pier and watching all the Ospreys. The beaches were amazing. Will go back at the next free day (November 11th) and go to the beach, but not the fort. Watch for red ants in the bathrooms they will eat you alive!.

How horrible to have a park built on military history and not offer some sort of discount for retired military. Not right.

There is a lot to see and it is a huge area. There are campgrounds, picnic area, fishing area and beach area on top of the historical sites. There are different battery locations.

You can go to my YouTube channel to check out the video for my visit. There is a link on my profile.

Recently had the opportunity to visit Fort Pickens at the tip of Pensacola Beach. . .thankfully it was on a day when admittance to the National Park was free! In our opinion, would not get a National Park pass just to see this; it's sort of like, if you've seen one historic fort, you've seen them all. Yes it's sad to think that so much slave labor was used to build this structure; yes the arched rooms are interesting when you think about when/how they were built without the use of modern technology but other than that, not much really to see as far as the fort is concerned. The beaches were nice & sugary but again, to access them you have to have the National Park Pass and why spend that much money when you can enjoy the same pristine sand at public access beaches all along Pensacola Beach (not to mention, we saw only 1 had access to fresh water supply).

If you are looking for wide open/wind swept sandy spaces with few folks, then this might be of interest to you but keep in mind, you'll have to pay!

We visited Fort Pickens today and were really amazed at the area full of history. There were great hiking places and quiet beach areas away from all of the tourists. We were sad that the bookstore was not open so that we could get our National Park passport stamp.

So glad we visited. Learned so much. Was not aware we had to pay to enter the area but well worth it.

We went here years ago on a family vacation. We enjoyed touring the fort. We did so independently and found there was a lot to see! It was a very immersive and interesting experience.

Went with my two sons and had fun exploring the tunnels and scaring each other. They earned their Jr. Ranger badges and we had a very nice interaction with the ranger. I wish they told you the tour times at the front gate, because we went to the Discovery Center (A/C!) and missed the in person tour. We'd come again!

We love visiting Fort Pickens. The Fort itself is so much fun to explore whether you’re going at it alone or joining a guided tour. They offer special events throughout the year that is so much fun for everyone, especially history enthusiasts. If you can secure a site, the campground is also a lot of fun with just a short walk to the beach area and hiking trails to the Fort. If you love the outdoors (hiking, biking, camping, etc.), this is a must visit place.

We toured this old Civil War Fort. It was very interesting. My Grandsons loved exploring. We saw the Blue Angels doing some practicing as well.

Geronimo was imprisoned here. Pretty cool piece of info. Amazing step back in time plus the scenery is beautiful. We went in mid-November and the ants were horrible. They were literally everywhere and you had to keep moving to keep from getting bit. I'd still go back again. Its a neat place!

The history of Fort Pickens is facinating. It's easy to spend a few hours here just roaming around imagining what the soldiers went through.

We had a great time visiting the fort. We arrived just in time to get a free tour of the fort and at the end of the tour we were treated to a demonstration in one of the cannons that were used back in the day. Cannons aren’t fired everyday, but we lucked out. Neat views from up top. Spent more time that we thought we would.

Really interesting, plenty of information about the history of the fort and a fun place to walk around with kids. Beautiful scenery around.

This was an amazing day trip and thanks to Trip Advisor for recommending it. We spent the day roaming the grounds, marveling at the construction of the fort, and reading about its history. I regret not doing the talking tour to hear more about the historical facts of this fort. We accidently started at the end rather than go straight to the souvenir shop where you can sign up for the tour.

First, a little comment about the drive here - we disliked it. Driving 25mph with two kids in the car is NO fun.
The Fort: the visit to the Fort was great. Both my kids - 7 year old and 2 year old - enjoyed the sight. This was their first time at a fort and the older one loved it. He went in all the secret passages and took pictures, read all the information that was posted and enjoyed seeing the canons etc. The views are beautiful, and the history is interesting. Great place for a family.

We got a map from the gift shop and walked through Fort Pickens on our own. Very nice piece of history. We went at 08:30, but still very hot. We saw a dolphin in the bay behind the Fort. Stopped at the beach on our way out. The beach was not crowded and there was a nice bathhouse and picnic area. Saw a number of planes (including a Blue Angel).

This was a really cool place. Filled with tons of history. Our family had a great time. While we were there we got to watch the Blue Angel's do a practice.

Miles of beaches to explore clear blue-green waters. You can small shells on the beach and we did find some welks rolling up on the beach. You can also see the Blue Angels practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

2nd time back at campground and stayed for a week during winter break, we explored the fort more it’s very kid friendly area,there is enough stuff to keep the kids busy like old canyons, bike trails to ww2things, trails to the beach. Beach is still same clear lovely beach, it a bit chilly during December never really got it in but just sitting around the beach and relax was better than in the winter wonderland.

More than just a fort whose guns guarded the entrance to Pensacola Bay, Fort Pickens is the little known final location of one of our greatest Indiginous People: Geronimo.
It was here that he was imprisoned, photographed with 19th century tourists, and interviewed by journalists and historians. Civil War buffs can appreciate this old fortress as well. The whole area is good for a half day or more of exploration.

A great way to spend a few hours back in History at
This Old Fort. This visit will teach you all about how wars were fought from land to sea.

Worth a visit.

We camped here in the National park. The beach was to die for, beautiful emerald green water, sugar soft sand and an impressive fort. We are all about conservation and loved visiting Fort Pickens and learning of it's important roll. Spent half a day walking the grounds and listening to the rangers, we even saw a cannon demonstration.
Great piece of history!

The is a must if you are spending some time at Pensacola Beach. Pick up the pamphlet in the bookstore and you have a map for a self guided tour which explains everything you are seeing. It was also a great place to view the Blue Angels!

Went twice while in the area and loved that they accepted my lifetime senior pass. The first day it started raining but the next day was postcard perfect. Interesting history and nice walkable grounds. Several places to park and take pictures of the quiet beach with very white sand and pretty water. The families with children seemed to be enjoying climbing around on the fort. One family spotted a bald eagle, which I missed but they are frequently seen here.

We spent a few hours at Fort Pickens. We walked the fort, watched the sunset and the Christmas Star, plus went hiking on the trail. So much to do and the preservation of the beaches are phenomenal.

We have been to Fort Pickens several times. Everyone who visits the Pensacola area should take in this historic fort. Learning the history is very interesting.

Plenty of free parking. Clean, spacious restrooms. Disabled access to the beach. Sugar white sand. A must see. Breathtaking.Life guard on duty. Watch flags for beach conditions. Awesome experience.

Pay attention to-

✔️weather forecasts
✔️insects such as bees and ants
✔️ponding on the road
✔️sand on the road
✔️changing speed limits per the needs of the birds and turtles
✔️traffic congestion leading to and from Fort Pickens
✔️your fuel gauge
✔️food, snacks, and water you may need for your visit
✔️locations of lavatories
✔️bring a bag to carry-out your trash
✔️wear appropriate footwear for uneven and wet surfaces

The National Parks Pass is accepted here. If you don’t have a pass, the cost is $20.00 per vehicle. The Visitor’s Center is climate-controlled. The lavatories are located in a separate building. A 15-minute movie plays. Learn about the landscape, wildlife, and history of this area. A tram-ride is offered. A gift shop is located on the premises.

Docent tour ws well worth the time. Very informative, learned a lot about all the forts on the east coast too.

Fort Pickens is right across the bay from where the Blue Angles practice and what an excellent spot to watch from. We also spent time looking through the fort buildings and enjoyed seeing the osprey nests and pelicans.

Fort Pickens and the Gulf Islands National Seashore Park are a treat. We rented bikes by the Pensacola beach ball and rode down. It’s two miles to the park entrance, then 8 miles in and 8 miles out. The scenery is pristine. The fort staff provides many complimentary talks, hikes and demonstrations throughout the day so you really get a good feel for the history. They even offer snorkeling some mornings, call to check schedule. Flat trail so not hard to navigate but during summer months you’ll definitely want to go in the morning to avoid the heat. No shade on the route.

A great tour and site. Worth the drive and off the beaten path in the dense city beaches. A nice educational activity if doing the beach with kiddos.

I traveled 500 miles just to see this fort. My wife was not happy about that until she saw the beaches here. Gulf Islands National Seashore is definitely worth a visit. Pristine beaches with soft white sand and clean turquoise water. Lots of history with the forts and lighthouses. Much to see and explore at the fort. Also the location of the northern terminus of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Come for the history, stay for the beaches.
Highly recommended!

Nice easy drive. Plenty of old bunkers and gun mounts. We will go back in warmer weather when it is not so cold and windy.

We went to the ruins first as the signage and direction were not very good. I recommend going to the visitor center first (one of the green and white houses with a porch) and watching the video at the end of the room to the left when you enter. That will help orientate you to the grounds existing fort(s) and ruins.
A must do if you're in the area and like history and allow several hours for exploring.

Very interesting place. Lots of neat architecture. They do Ranger lead tours or you can solo and follow a informative sheet if your interested. You can also just walk around and enjoy some really nice views. The Ranger lead tour was very interesting and I’m only so-so interested in military history. I would come back and do again.

Fort Pickens is a National Park/Monument site. The maps say state park but a national parks pass will grant you entrance. If not, the cash price for admission is $20.00.
While this may seem steep, it is worth every cent. The civil war history here is amazing and fascinating. The way nature is slowly taking it over makes for some great photos.
You can go guided around the grounds or simply wander.
There is a bathroom & a gift store.
Oh, and take heed. It's rumored to be haunted!

This is how you protect a country from invasion, not by separating families and putting children in cages. This beautiful fortress is painstakingly in restoration by dedicated people. Take your time walking around and just absorbing the history at this expansive fortress.

Our family came at 5:30 PM and surprised to find there was nobody at the front gate. So, we didn't have to pay the $20 entrance fee.

This is a great spot to take pictures of the sun setting (see photo).

Another fun thing we accidentally discovered was it was fun to explore the rooms in the fort while it was dark. Since the fort closes at sunset, there's little time to do this.

I come along way to just sit out on Fort Pickens beaches to watch the sunset. Fort Pickens beaches are not as crowded as Pensacola beaches. I love to drive the road out to the Fort. This is one of my favorite places to unwind.

The fort itself is pretty amazing. So many tunnels and rooms. The view from the top (where the big cannon is) was beautiful. The history was interesting in how it served in the Civil War. I didn’t realize the Apache had been held there.
The wildflowers and butterflies were abundant here and beautiful. There was a trail to hike but we had small children with us so we didn’t do that but I would imagine the trail was beautiful.
The park ranger was putting on a little “touch and see” table in the discovery center and she was very informative. My children enjoyed her table. The discovery center was worth stopping at too. The day we stopped here, the Blue Angels were supposed to be practicing but they cancelled. Worth a stop at.

A great job of restoration and the ability to walk through the different forts, buildings and area. Enjoyed the canons on display and there development over the years.

A very lovely spot to visit, Langden Beach quickly moved into my top 3 US beaches and the Fort and Discovery Centre are well worth the visit. An excellent app allows you to self guide yourself around the Fort.

We enjoyed it so much we went a second time during our stay in the area.

If you love history you will need to check this out. Great place. You can walk around at will and you will enjoy just looking

This is one of the best civil war forts I have visited. It is definitely worth the drive and the turn of the century old costal batteries are an added plus. Do yourself a favor and visit this place and learn a little about this great country we live in. I was a little disappointed that they built one of the costal batteries inside of the old civil war fort but it was different times back then.

This place was very good. Love historic sites and this one did not let me down. Did not realize this was here till I got here.

Parking can get crowded, but it is a great spot to walk around for a day. The Blue Angels practice 3 days a week, and they draw a crowd to watch them in the sky. The area is clean and well-kept, and includes beaches by the fort.

Beautiful beaches... $20 a night to park my RV. Next year we will reserve spots. We walked in and found spots, but had to move every night. Didn’t mind too much, though, the beaches are amazing!

This was an accidental find on our Pensacola trip. We wanted to find a place that was less crowded but also had the beautiful clear Florida water. This was it. The waves seemed more calm than closer to Pensacola and the water was clear and teal. More shells to find and hardly any crowd. There’s a $25 per vehicle fee, but that covers you for 7 days and allows entry to multiple locations in the area. While here we drove deeper into the area and found an incredible old military fort area. It’s self guided and exploitable. Bring hiking shoes because there’s so much more to find than what’s right off the road. There’s tent and RV camping areas that I can’t comment on, but we’ll return for that on another trip.

Plenty of ruins to climb and explore. Occasionally, reenactments of canon shots take place. Check online for schedule. The beach is less crowded. Camping is available, just book ahead. Wonderful evening walks along the bay shore, fiddler crabs abound everywhere.

Located on the eastern tip of Santa Rosa Island along Pensacola Beach sits the historic site of Fort Pickens. Rich in history pre dating the Civil War you will find this beautiful National Park. Walking through the fort and on top of it, you can imagine back to a time when life was a struggle and hard. You can even visit the jail where the held Geronimo. The Park Rangers are friendly and knowledgeable too...

Such a piece of history preserved for us to see, touch and immerse ourselves. Bonus you can watch the blue angels practice right over you.

Amazing site to see. Spectacular piece of history everyone should enjoy at least once. Nice slow drive down the coast

We loved visiting this place and went back several times during our vacation. Nice gift shop and Discovery Center and we watched the Blue Angels practice from there twice. Plan to spend several hours here.

Henny Bogan does Fort Pickens
I still can’t get my head around a pitched artillery battle from 1861 amid the natural beauty of Santa Rosa Island. Fort Pickens was opened almost 200 years ago at the western end of the island as a defence for Pensacola Bay. Visitors can have a self-guided tour if on a tight schedule or opt for a tour guide. There are several fortifications and bastions to explore - there’s even a fort within a fort. At the highest point, you can see a large cannon on rails pointing into the mouth of the Harbor. History buffs will love the many enclosures, bastions and gun placements, some built as late as 1943. A $20 fee for entry also includes the campgrounds and is good for one week. Not exactly a fun place to visit, but so intriguing to imagine that artillery barrage in 1861.

If you are a history buff like me, this place will take you back to that time! Plenty of guns and emplacements still intact. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable.

Went with family to see friends that work at fort Pickens. It's awesome and beautiful and worth price. Beautiful park and protected area. I stole pic because I can't find mine but it's pretty much the same.

Took the drive down the road to Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fort Pickens area. My husband and I and our two teenage sons went a little before sunset. Highly Recommend!!! The boys loved exploring the tunnels, cells and halls of the fort. It was a little spooky, but super cool. The sunset was beautiful too. The area is gorgeous and a must-see- bald eagles and many other nesting birds are everywhere. Dolphins were swimming just off the shore. Beautiful, natural area untouched by progress. The only suggestions I would make is to give yourself at least 2 hours before sunset and to wear gym shoes as the ants were as plentiful as the views :)

The Fort was an impressive place to visit, with its massive walls made of stone. One can’t help but imagine what it would have been like to be imprisoned there, as many of our Native Americans were….a shameful, tragic and sad part of our nation’s history. The location of the Fort at the very end of Pensacola Beach was as spectacular as it was strategically brilliant. We were there to watch the Blue Angels practice, and they flew right over our heads, thrilling the many tourists there. At the end of the evening, with all the tourist gone, the Fort was almost hauntingly quiet, with only the sounds of the Gulf pounding the nearby shoreline. On the long (25 mi) drive back, the many birds flew overhead as they headed back to their nest.

We went to Fort Pickens to check out the fort, which was very cool. We went when we knew the Blue Angels were supposed to be practicing. We had amazing views of the Blue Angels and it was so much fun to watch them practice. It was one of the highlights of our trip. I definitely recommend going to the Fort during the Blue Angels scheduled practice times.

This is a wonderful place to visit at the west end of Santa Rosa Island at the Gulf Shores National Seashore, You will find this historic old fort site very interesting if you are interested in Civil War history. It is a beautiful drive to get to it along the coast with stops along the drive to enjoy views of the Gulf of Mexico and Pensacola. The Fort is a very large and interesting to see what military forts were like in the Civil War era to protect the Pensacola bay/harbor.

It was to chilly to head to the beach one day of our vacation, so we drove off in search of local history and found Fort Pickens. What a great find!

Lots of history, super opportunity for creative photography, and interesting bits of information about how the fort was built and has aged since then. $20 cost for the car-full of people, good for seven days so we can go back and fish at the site, or explore further.

Easy walking, steps to upper levels if you choose to venture beyond ground level. Our only suggestion would be to add a room for exhibits that includes photos of how it "used to look" and other artifacts. I kept wanting to picture how the fort operated during its heyday.

It was a nice excursion during our week long stay in Orange Beach. The staff members we encountered were all friendly. The park is beautiful and the fort was a neat place to visit. We were lucky enough to have perfect weather too. Highly recommend.

Had a good time diving the jerries, 8$ per car to enter. Not a long walk for car to water. Lots of crabs fish and some artifacts down there. Not to deep but lots of boat traffic.

We visited the fort while camping. We rode our bikes over, it is filled with so much history. It is neat to walk through the fort and look out.

Fort Pickens is a very interesting civil war fort. There is still a cannon on the top of the fort with the tracks where they use to turn it. While we were there it happened to be the day that the Blue Angels we’re practicing so we enjoyed seeing that fantastic air show.

We stopped at this fort on our way to Langdon Beach. It was very interesting and surreal. Wish there were more signs explaining what everything was.

I’ve made frequent visits here since I was a child. Always a treat. If you are a history buff, there is plenty to explore. If you like nature, hike some of the trails. Some of the trails are like a tropical jungle.

Dunes and beach for miles......old military artillery sites....beach stretches for miles and not too crowded.
There is an entrance fee per car...worth to experience your private area of tranquility.....Go!

Really cool spot to check out. It’s a nice relaxing drive to reach Ft Pickens with some nice isolated spots to stop and enjoy the beach. It’s really cool to walk around. Amazing that this area was active during the civil war. Go with plenty of sunlight to explore all the corridors. You can get lost exploring the massive site. Have fun!

Well maintained on a beautiful beach location. Wonder and clumb through the old fort and step baxk in history. Very assessible. Beautiful views of pensqcola bay and the gulf. Great spot for a lunch. Excellent campground, miles of empty beach. Cleanup from hurricane still ongoing. White sand and sun, plenty foe the family to do

I really get in to history and this is a very unique place to explore, hidden hallways and rooms and huge cannons. Very enjoyable.

the Fort is nice to visit. it has lots of history. We stayed at the campground and rode our bikes over to the fort. The Fort is also a great place to watch the Blue Angels when they practice.

This was a great trip for when you need a day away from the pool. We went ahead and did the guided tour but jumped off since we had my baby with us and he was getting tired.

This history is rich and the tour guides are packed with interesting info. This is great for those in your group who are interested in history.

For those of you who aren’t into history the photo opportunities here are great! Tons of wonderful scenery to take pics at. We took some really great family photos with the old brick that turned out beautiful!

Had friends visit in Sept. One of our stops was Ft Pickens.

It is so amazing to walk through buildings where people had walked many many years ago.
Where battles were fought; where Indians were held captive including Geronomo.
It is such a wonderful place to see. How the place had been constructed with bricks placed there by slaves and it is still there.
If you are into History, this is a great place.

This section of the Gulf Islands National Seashore has a lot to offer from the hiking trails (Florida Scenic National Trail has its northern point here), the history surrounding the fort, its buildings and structures, picnic areas, beaches for wading or fishing and camping. We came and walked over 4 miles touring Fort Pickens, Battery Worth, Battery copper and Battery 234 and took a short stretch of the Florida Trail before walking back to the Fort along the seashore. The history runs deep and there is much to learn and gain from this experience.

Fort Pickens is great to explore the history of the fort and the surrounding areas. The nature trails are very good for viewing the wildlife in their natural habitat, which also serve as hiking and biking trails. The walk out to the point where you can view the location of the lighthouse scene in Jaws 2, unfortunately the lighthouse was only there for the filming and then taken down. The gun placements along the road leading to the fort are great to explore and some have high views of the water. Camping is very convenient to the beach and there is a campground store with limited provisions. Also the addition of the ferry help you gain access to other sites on Escambia Bay.

Pirates family visited Fort Pickens while one vacation and it was absolutely beautiful! We had so much fun exploring the area, climbing the old walls and stairs and going in the little caves. You have to pay $20 a car load to get in but it's well worth it and it is good for a week! Before you leave, check out the beach too. It's so clean and way less crowded!

This is a great out of the way area to go to for just a fair time at one of NW Florida's beaches. You'll avoid crowds as such you'd find over at Pensacola Beach, which is passed through to get to Ft. Pickins. I haven't actually been inside the fort out there, but have peaked inside in the evening. I can tell you right now that the darkness is pure and going inside at night can easily turn scary.

Speaking of scary, Fort Pickins is supposed to be fairly haunted in a number of different ways, including various ghosts being visible at times. So, if you are adventurous for some hunting of ghosts, this is supposedly a good place to catch some too...

I don't remember if there is a toll to get on/off the area either...

Great experience. I enjoyed the place ememsley. Was so informative and interesting. Kids need to see this place.

Beautiful area and nice drive back to the fort. Several things to see and the guides were very knowledgeable. Loved the lady in the gift shop!!! Didn’t like that you had to pay $20 for a pass. It is good for 7 days but honestly wouldn’t see myself going that many times. Wish they had a day cheaper day pass. Would have spent more money in the gift shop if I wouldn’t have had to spend $20 on admission. But it was a neat place to see.

This is a bit of a drive to get out to but worth it! They have a nice interpretative center with a movie and lots of info about the area. The fort itself is a step back in time and the cannons r amazing to see up close! U can almost feel the footsteps of those who served there. U can spend as little or long as u like walking around the fort and homes and pier area . The drive out is beautiful and they also have a campground .

First off, the National Park Ranger at the gate was awesome. He was friendly, and funny, and helpful. Lots of personality. This is a National Seashore. It was $25.00 per car to enter the park if you don't have a National Park Pass. Credit cards only.

The fort is a Civil War era fort or the remains of the fort -- bunkers, batteries, cannons, prison cells, practice grounds. Lots of history to learn about, read about, see -- you can take a self guided tour via your cell phone if you wish or with a ranger or you can just wander around.

The views from the fort are amazing and there is a ferry pier that you can walk out on or catch the ferry. There are plenty of restroom facilities there.

One of the coolest places we went in Pensacola. The entire family enjoyed roaming the grounds of the fort and walking over to the beach along the wall.

We've visited several times and I love this place. The fort itself is fun to explore. The nature walk is overlooked by most, but the sound side of the island has waterways, trees, lots of birds, and we saw several armadillos. You can also visit a few scattered batteries, and head out to the beach if you want to avoid the crowds. Also, bring a flashlight if you want to explore the short tunnels in the fort or some of the dark interior rooms - very fun.

We recently visited the fort and the beach areas. The Fort is very interesting, lots of history! But the best part is the beaches!!! With limited parking for the beaches they are not crowded like other beaches in Pensacola. You also have to buy a pass, and it’s a long 25mph drive. I will be visiting often!

Used my disabled veteran free National park pass and whole family enjoyed our day at the beach! Not crowded and waters/sand were beautiful.

It took 21.5 million bricks to build this fort !! A massive 19th century fort in "excellent" condition, in an area that offers more than a fort.

Beaches, walking, fishing, wildlife - in particular birds, great views of the Pensacola Bay and its shipping. Planes coming in and out of the Naval Air Station Pensacola. If you are really lucky, as we were, the Blue Angels - the US Naval flight demonstration team, may give you a free show.

The sunsets are spectacular here. Plan for a day in the area. Take food and water, as there are NO restaurants here.

Always go to fort Pickens when in the area. The park isn’t as busy as Pensacola Beach. However, if it is busy, it is hard to find parking!!

We really enjoyed walking throughout the fort. If you stick around they do have tours. We went out own way and got to enjoy the walk about. Ants along the trail so we didn't stop much while oustude but it was really hot but inside its cool and you can certainly take your time.

I thought Fort Pickens was definitely one of the better forts in the area if you are an old fort buff. Lots of interesting areas to explore with lots of informational signs. Not only is there the fort, there are also several different batteries within the park outside of the fort (however 2 are fenced off because they are unsafe to go into). The area also offers a camp ground.

The visitor center offers indoor exhibits of the history of the fort which was used from 1834 thru 1947. I was afraid we would not be able to see any of the forts due to the government shutdown but 2 days before we were supposed to leave the shutdown was lifted.

You come to a guard house type building where you pay admission. The long road to that point is through pristine dunes and beaches that are untouched. Once you pass through the gate there is another scenic long drive to the fort.

This is the largest Pensacola fort and it offers so many different areas to explore. The floors, however, are very worn and uneven and I tripped a few times. Also some of the passages are very dark. If you only have time for one fort I would make it this one.

Fort Pickens is located on Santa Rosa Island, which is close to Pensacola, Florida. It is an United States National Park, and was well worth the drive to explore the historic site. The pentagon-shaped military fort was completed in 1834, and was built in an effort to fortify and defend the Pensacola Harbor. Fort Pickens was used in various capacities until 1947.

Our family spent an interesting few hours exploring the grounds, the various remaining munitions, the arched portico's, unexplained dead-end tunnels and climbing stairs to view the American flag and the surrounding area. The grandkids loved it! Fort Pickens is a great mix of history and adventure!

This is an interesting place to visit. Nice discovery center and decently maintained. If it was high season and busy, it might be harder to stop and see the bunkers and views.

Lots of walking. Beautiful views all around. Spent a few hours there - should have went earlier as the museum closes at 4:30 pm. Several clean restrooms around. Lots of ants around the old fort which made it impossible to stop for long without getting bit. Wear tennis shoes, take water and go early!

Pack a picnic and enjoy the view!! The is a beautiful gem of a park, packed full of history and nature too! Don’t forget your camera!!! You won’t want to miss out on all the beauty this old Fort has to offer!

fort Pickens is an amazing place. Kids loved it and we learned a lot. This is a great place to take photos against the historic buildings.

Fort Pickens has an amazing history, Built by slave labor with over 4 million blocks laid by hand.One of the nicest beaches we found is just inside the national park.Crystal clear water in green and blue .The beach has white sand and is not the least bit crowded.Located at first turn off after check in station.It is 20 dollars to enter but that is good for seven days of visits.

Went here with my wife and sons and really enjoyed it. The fort has a lot of neat features and the self guided tour is really interesting. My son's enjoyed exploring the many nooks and crannies (you'll need flashlights). The adjacent beaches were largely empty and allowed for a quiet time with basically an entire beach to ourselves.

This place is really cool and creepy!
Tons of history and endless catacombs to walk thru that seem haunted. I’d go here again.

We went to Fort Pickens to watch the Blue Angels practice and then afterward toured the Fort. It was one of the most mesmerizing experiences of the vacation. There is a lot to take in, but it's all worth it and I highly recommend going to the Fort to see the historical monument and to watch the Blue Angels practice.

There is not much to see unless you are the adventurous type, appreciate history or go paranormal searching like my sister and I do. Kids probably wont care much for this place other than the roof top and canon but we appreciated every crack in this place, if only walls could talk! There are a few creepy areas but thats what we loved about it. We go back frequently as it seems to be a different experience eveytime

It is always fun for me to visit parts of American history in the form of forts. We went as a foursome - adult only. Not sure this would hold the interest of young children for a long period of time, but there are rangers who do some interesting interactive presentations in old style uniforms.

This is a really neat place to visit. There are lots of placards posted throughout, describing all of the different areas and things that you encounter along your self guided tour. Where do those tunnels lead?.....

If you are into history this is the place for you. My wife and I went to visit some friends in Florida and they suggested this place and I am glad that they did. You can take your time and explore. You can just feel and see what it was like back then at this location. I would recommend it to anyone, whether you are just by yourself, or a couple or a family. It is nice to see history right before your eyes.

This place is historically awesome! Most monuments and parks comparable to this are limited availability or are by tour only. Here, you are able to freely roam the grounds, and they are rich with history and intrigue. Tunnels/passageways, dungeons (jail cells), cannons, just so much! My teens absolutely loved it! They said it was like the movie National Treasure (one of their faves). There is a National Park entrance fee ($15+) but my mom has a senior pass (look into those if you travel and visit National parks a lot!). It's at the far west tip end of the Pensacola Beach area, and there was hardly anyone there during our visit (maybe three or four other families). They have events, but nothing was going on during our visit (that I know of). And they also have a small gift shop. Highly recommend this trek if you're in Pensacola!

We intended to visit Fort Barrancas however we could not reach anyone by phone and the website states that only visitors with DOD IDs are allowed in. So instead we visited Fort Pickens, and we were delighted. Very impressive. They say it is one of the most historically notable structures along the Emerald Coast, and I believe it. You can almost get lost in the low-ceiling, winding tunnels. The fort was constructed in 1834 to protect Pensacola Bay, and there are some beautiful views. Interesting to see cannons mounted in a way that allowed them to swivel 360 degrees. $25 is a steep entry fee, however if you have a National Parks Pass you don’t pay.

Fort Pickens is awesome, great history, fantastic location, beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, great fishing pier on Pensacola Bay, a wonderful place to explore and relax, definitely visit there when you’re in Pensacola

Our family loved visiting Fort Pickens! My husband loves history and my son loved looking at all the sites!

Pickens takes you back in time, an era little of us know about but should.

Go. You will be glad you dud.

Looking out over the battlements at the surrounding landscape thinking about the efforts taken to build the fort without modern machinery.

We took the Pensacola Bay City ferry, Fort Pickens history tour. Only on Sundays at 1pm. There was an NPS ranger on board giving some background info, but he did not have a microphone. He spoke outside at the bow of the ferry, so it was very difficult and windy to hear him. At the Fort, we did not walk around very much, which was disappointing. We went to maybe 4 areas of the Fort. The ranger gave a lot of history on the Fort, but interjected a lot of civil war morality into his speech making it much longer than necessary. Not sure I'd recommend it. If you just walk around the Fort there appeared to be many informational signs. The ferry ride itself was only about 30 min and was enjoyable. Only drinks and snacks available on the ferry and at the Fort.

We loved this place. we also did family pictures here. It was very historic and the kids loved roaming around.

Very cool place with interesting history. You can spend an hour or a day on this side of the island. Many photo ops and walking space.

We enjoyed this stop during our trip to Alabama. The kids loved the tiny tunnels - even though they were dark and wet! haha I stayed back while they explored. 2 of my kids became Jr. Rangers as well - fun program.

If you're in Pensacola (or Pensacola Beach, like we were), you definitely have to visit this historic fort. There is no guided tours or anything at this time, and the museum area was also currently closed, but this is to be expected at this time. However, it is easy to explore the fort on your own, and get lots of info from the signs posted up. Go, walk around for an hour, take lots of pics and learn a bit of the area's history.

This is very interesting and worth the trip!! Very important piece of Pensacola history and American military history.

Amazing island and beaches, best warm water experience in the Gulf!!

We visited Fort Pickens on a morning that the Blue Angels were practicing right overhead!! What a sight! And what a sound! The grounds of the Fort are well maintained, and the view of the surrounding water is beautiful. There was a Park Ranger that told of the history of the fort, too. It is much larger than was expected.

Causes one to think about our country's efforts to protect us during several wars. Great place to visit!

The fort itself is okay, nothing special really, its free to get into but you have paid $20 just to get onto the peninsula. Some good views of the gulf of Mexico from the walls, and don't miss the re-enactment people in the uniforms telling you all about the canons. Seen it now and wouldn't rush back.

Visited last summer with our family. We have four kids and they absolutely loved it. The drive there is slightly long, but it is a pretty drive. We loved climbing the fort and exploring. Perfect place for photos. Bring something to drink, not many places for water.

Spent about an hour and a half here. Lots of places for kids to explore and cool history too! Enjoyed it thoroughly!

Stopped in to visit the fort while on vacation. It was pretty cool and a good way to get some walking in. If your into forts and history, this is a must visit.