Caffeinated Kickoff

One of the smartest things I ever did was move to a town so beautiful that my friends quit asking when I’d come visit them and started asking how soon they could come to Pensacola. Like many Saturdays before, this past Saturday, my best girlfriends and I kicked off another fun-filled girls’ weekend with a little breakfast at The Coffee Cup, my favorite local diner, catching up over hash browns and cheese eggs before diving into our weekend festivities.

There’s just somethin’ special about swapping those “y’all remember that one time” kinda stories with the people who’ve lived every laugh, mess, and miracle right there beside you. The way they tell it brings the past rushing back like an old home movie you can suddenly hear and feel again. One second, I’m that scrappy teenage girl jumping into fights that didn’t belong to her, and the next I’m twenty-two, bright-eyed and fearless to a fault. Before long, we were laughing over stories from our younger mom days, back when I was wrangling my own scrappy teenagers, and you didn’t need Nostradamus to predict that was going to happen. We sipped through the years, reliving every laugh, every cringe, and every “Lord, what were we thinking?” along the way. Bitten by nostalgia, the girls and I paid our checks and headed to Navy Boulevard for our first adventure, to explore nearly a dozen antique shops that awaited us!

Antiquing on Navy Boulevard

If you love a good treasure hunt, you’ll find plenty of it along Pensacola’s “Antique Row” on West Navy Boulevard. We popped into a few local favorites, including Blue Moon Antique Mall, Oooodles Antiques, and Garth’s Antiques & Auction Gallery, and take it from me, there’s no better way to spend an afternoon than getting lost in a little vintage magic.

By early afternoon, our car was packed with treasures: vintage glassware, old postcards, and one too many “I’ll find a place for this” finds. With our trunks full, we headed back to Paradise Inn on Pensacola Beach, a cozy Old Florida gem where my friends and I were staying for the weekend. This little hideaway sits right on the water and has that laid-back, flip-flop charm that’s perfect for a fun girls’ weekend.

Afternoon Cocktails and a Sunset Dolphin Cruise

After a quick freshen up, we wandered down to Paradise Bar and Grill, just steps from our rooms overlooking the Santa Rosa Sound. We ordered a round of margaritas, a basket of their crispy fried pickles (trust me, give them a squeeze of lemon, it’s a game changer), and Renee’s Shrimp Salad.

Once our glasses and plates were empty, we hopped aboard an Island Breeze Cart, the most fun way to cruise around the island, and made our way to Sabine Marina just in time for a sunset sail with Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours. The sky turned cotton candy pink as we glided across the bay, spotting playful dolphins in the wake and snapping a few “we should frame this” photos before heading back to shore for dinner.

Dinner and Music at Flounder’s Chowder House

The evening wrapped up perfectly with dinner at Flounder’s Chowder House, one of my favorite waterfront spots for fresh seafood and live music. We toasted the day, soaked up the sound of the band, and ended the night back at Paradise Inn, barefoot, happy, and already planning our next trip.

Sunday Brunch at Peg Leg Pete’s

Sunday morning came too soon, and we weren’t ready to say goodbye just yet. We made our way over to Peg Leg Pete’s for a late brunch, starting with a round of Bloody Marys and a platter of Rockefeller oysters. I ordered the fried grouper sandwich, and let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious — crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and just what I needed to bounce back from all the “just one more song” fun we had the night before.

Shopping on the Boardwalk

After brunch, we sashayed our way down the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk for a little retail therapy. Our first stop was Intracoastal Outfitters, where we checked out their beachwear and coastal gear featuring designs from my good friend Josh Brown, the owner of Beachbilly Lifestyle, a brand he created for “beachbillies” and like-minded adventurers, dreamers, and go-getters who believe in living life to the fullest, so basically me!

We kept the fun rolling with a stop at Envie Boutique, where we found the cutest dresses, accessories, and gifts to take home. It was the perfect end to a weekend that reminded us how good it feels to slow down, laugh without hurry, and make new memories with the people who know all your old ones.

So, grab your best girlfriends, pack a little fun in a weekend bag, and head to Pensacola. Trust me, the coffee, the cocktails, the sunsets, and all the laughter waiting for you will have you saying, “Stay golden, girls.”