Ensley - Pensacola, FL

Pensacola's history goes back to pre-Revolutionary War days, when Florida was owned by Spain and the Pensacola region was known for its easy mixing of Spanish Europeans, Creek Indians, and escaped or freed black slaves. Pensacola didn't join the United States until 1821. It was part of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and the local economy took a hard hit during Reconstruction. Gradually, the cotton-based economy faded out, replaced by manufacturing and, as of the late 20th century, tourism, with many folks from Alabama and Georgia attracted to the region for vacations.

Just to the southwest of Ensley, the Pensacola Interstate Fair opens its gates every fall. Have fun on the carnival-style rides and enjoy fabulous fair food, including corn dogs, sausage sandwiches, cotton candy, funnel cakes and cheesecakes dipped in chocolate.

While there are a few restaurants within Ensley proper, just south of the neighborhood you'll find a wide array of chain restaurants, casual pizza, seafood places, and ethnic choices. Terrific dining options abound all throughout Pensacola just south of Ensley.

When only a pizza will do, head to Sky's Pizza Pie for irresistible New York-style pizza. The perfectly crispy thin crust folds as a good New York pizza should, and the cheese hits just the right level of gooey delight. The chicken Caesar salad also makes a terrific choice, as does the Stromboli and the wings.

If you have something special to celebrate, head just a little bit south to Restaurant IRON. You'll have a tough time choosing your favorite from the rich, delectable menu, so meditate a while as to whether you'd rather start with fried oysters or escargot with Brie, following up with lamb chops with lentils and yogurt, prime steaks with crawfish mac and cheese, or chicken and dumplings. The restaurant makes it easy to save room for dessert by offering you the choice of ordering half-sized entrees. For dessert, locals rave about the fried Nutella ravioli.

Ensley may not be party central for the city of Pensacola, but it holds its own when it comes to dive bars and dance clubs. At the Shack, a wine-and-beer dive bar, you can enjoy the fire pit outside or the pool tables inside. O'Riley's Irish Pub, a friendly neighborhood bar where everyone knows your name, has been serving Pensacola for over four decades. Stop in and shoot a game of pool or enjoy live entertainment here on weekends.

While the vast majority of Ensley residents commute to work using their own cars, the Escambia County Area Transit system does run a couple of bus routes through the neighborhood to connect it to downtown Pensacola. Taxis and airport shuttles stand available on an on-call basis when you need door-to-door transportation across town.

Parking in Ensley typically costs nothing, and residents of the neighborhood have easy access to Interstate 10 and U.S. Routes 29 and 90, all of which run through Ensley to let locals easily get to Jacksonville, Alabama, Atlanta and points beyond.

You won't find bike lanes on the streets of Ensley though some consider State Route 90 to be bicycle-friendly. Walking tends to be impractical as well in this neighborhood.

The primary park serving Ensley, John R. Jones Park on East Nine Mile Road features football fields and baseball diamonds for adults and kids alike, while wheelchair-friendly baseball fields serve the players of the Miracle League. A couple of playgrounds for the little ones round out the park.

It's worth the drive to take your four-footed friends to Bayview Dog Beach southeast of Ensley, the only beach in Pensacola that lets dogs onto the sand and in the water. Dogs have lots of room to play in and out of the water, and shower stations with platforms let you clean your pup off before you put him back in the car.

The city of Ensley has a cost of living that runs about 3 percent below that of Pensacola just to the south and about 7 percent below the overall cost of living in Florida. A one-bedroom apartment should cost you only $813 per month on average, and when you stop for a beer on your way home from work, expect to pay $2 to $5 at the local bar.

If you plan to drive in the Pensacola area, plan to pay only about 1 percent more than the national average for a gallon of gas. Taking public transportation can be a bargain, with a one-way fare to downtown Pensacola costing only $1.75.

Most of the major shopping options for this neighborhood sit to the west of Ensley. When you have a significant shopping expedition ahead of you, head to University Town Plaza. Sears, Burlington Coat Factory and JCPenney anchor this mall, which also features handy shops such as Toys R Us and Academy Sports.

A little closer to home, you can find a few specialty shops to make life more convenient. Head to Blooms a Million when planning a wedding or event or you just want to send someone a lovely bouquet to express congratulations, sympathy or love. Tell the helpful staff your budget and get ready for them to create something of beauty just for you.

TBS Comics keeps local fanboys and girls up to date on their latest comics by providing terrific customer service and a wide selection of anime, cards and figurines in addition to comics. Check out the weekly Magic or Dungeons and Dragons games.

When it's time to stock the fridge and pantry, Ensley residents have two Publix markets close at hand as well as a Walmart Supercenter right in the neighborhood. Just to the southeast, the Fresh Market keeps you well supplied with organic produce. Locals also love the amazing in-store deli and meat market as well as the wide variety of cheeses and fish. While you won't find a farmers market in Ensley, a short drive west brings you to Beulah's Berries, where you can pick your own blueberries during the harvest season.