[1][2] Pensacola Beach occupies land bound by a 1947 deed from the United States Department of Interior that it be administered in the public interest by the county or leased, but never "disposed"; its businesses and residents are thus long-term leaseholders and not property owners.

[3] Pensacola Beach is part of the Pensacola–Ferry Pass–Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Francisco Maldonado, a lieutenant[4] under Conquistador Hernando de Soto, visited the area during the early Spanish exploration of North America.

[4] His 11 ships, with 1500 settlers,[4] anchored in the bay and established a colony on the site of today's Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Shortly after their arrival, on August 15, 1559, Friar Dominic de la Anunciacion conducted what is believed to be the first Christian religious service in the present-day United States.

[7] This event is commemorated by a marker near the possible site of the service, indicating the historical significance of the location as a place of early religious and cultural exchange.

[4] A presidio was constructed on Santa Rosa Island in 1722 near the location of the more recent Fort Pickens.

With a bar, tennis courts, bath houses, and a restaurant, it was a popular resort until it eventually closed in the 1960s.

As such, winter lows are several degrees warmer than Pensacola proper and summer highs are generally cooler as a result of the surrounding waters.

As with many islands, Pensacola Beach enjoys sea breezes which begin around noon and end around sunset in the summer, and there are often afternoon thunderstorms.

[10] On September 16, 2004, Hurricane Ivan devastated the Pensacola Beach area, destroying more than 650 homes and damaging many others.

[17] Crews posted along Escambia County's coastline quickly cleaned much of the oil that was evident along the beaches.

[19] BBC News reported that swimmers at Pensacola Beach "encountered an oil sheen and children picked up tar blobs as big as tennis balls.

[26] The beach is equipped with lifeguard stands and station, volleyball courts, snack bar and large parking lot.

The Gulfside Pavilion hosts a "Bands on the Beach" concert series during the summer tourist season.

It is maintained by Escambia County Public Works and the Santa Rosa Island Authority.

[35] The Boardwalk is on the Santa Rosa Sound side of the island, directly across from Casino Beach.

[36] Located at the western end of Santa Rosa Island, Fort Pickens was completed in 1834 and used until World War II, when modern weapons made traditional coastal defenses obsolete.

[citation needed] In 2001 the Pensacola Beach Elementary lost its direct district operational control and became a charter school.

Jeff Castleberry, the principal, argued that ECSD would have closed the school if it had direct operational control.