Two historic Florida destinations, St. Augustine and Pensacola, have announced a joint campaign called “From the 1500s, With Love” to mark the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026. The initiative is designed to highlight the nation’s history that began before 1776 by focusing on both cities’ early European settlements.
The campaign brings together Pensacola, recognized as the site of America’s first multi-year European settlement in 1559, and St. Augustine, known as the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States since its founding in 1565.
According to the announcement from Visit Pensacola and Florida’s Historic Coast (which includes St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches), the campaign will include collaborative content, travel itineraries, and events aimed at encouraging visitors to learn about and explore both destinations.
Travelers can access information about the initiative through dedicated landing pages for each destination and through joint social media efforts. For more details about planned events on Florida’s Historic Coast, information is available at floridashistoriccoast.com/events/250/. Details about Pensacola’s America 250 activities can be found at visitpensacola.com/America250/.
The campaign will feature travel itineraries connecting both locations, highlight historic attractions and museums related to Indigenous, Spanish, French, British, African, and maritime history, and present cultural celebrations linked to America’s 250th anniversary. There will also be educational resources for families and schools as well as digital stories showcasing diverse voices from Florida’s past.
For additional information or media inquiries regarding either destination or their programming for America’s semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026, interested parties are encouraged to contact Florida’s Historic Coast at BGolden@FloridasHistoricCoast.com or Visit Pensacola at PR@visitpensacola.com.
