Photos (2): Visit Pensacola
Story by McCarton Ackerman
Okay, I’ve got to admit: if I had to pick a place to spend Memorial Day weekend, Pensacola wouldn’t normally be at the top of my list. However, once I began to browse through the activities this pint-sized Florida city is offering, it was obvious that Pensacola’s GLBT Memorial Day celebration, held from May 22th-26th, might be one of the best-kept secrets out there.
Pensacola Beach is a 15-minute drive from downtown, where all the circuit events and nightclubs are, so it’s close enough to be accessible and far enough to escape from if you’re just looking to take advantage of the sugar-white sand. During the day, the beach becomes a huge gay tent city with all kinds of impromptu activities.
Emerald City and The Warehouse are hosting most of the dance parties with names that leave little to the imagination -- Friction, Sweat, Climax -- but we’d make it a point to check out the Wave party that Friday, where renowned DJ Roland Belmares is spinning under the stars all night long.
The Hampton Inn at the Beach is one of the host hotels for the weekend, but if you’d rather be in the heart of downtown, we’d recommend the Crowne Plaza/Pensacola Grand Hotel.
