Welcome to Pensacola Beach and Santa Rosa Island, a place that you, your family and friends can experience all the Florida Gulf Coast has to offer. Pensacola Beach is world famous for its sugar-white sand beaches and emerald-green waters; it is about eight miles long and a quarter mile at the widest. At the present time 60 percent of Pensacola Beach is public use or public service land, with the remaining 40 percent leased for residential and commercial use.

Pensacola Beach has been named among the nation’s top 10 beaches by TripAdvisor.

Pensacola Beach is owned by Escambia County, Florida, and is under the direction of the Santa Rosa Island Authority . The SRIA was created by the Florida legislature in 1947 under Chapter 24500. The SRIA does not receive tax support from the taxpayers of the county. It is fully funded from lease fees collected from business and residences on the beach.

The Island Authority board is made up of six members, five are named by members of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners whose term is the same as the commissioner who appointed them. The sixth member is elected by the registered voters on Pensacola Beach. The elected member's term is two years. In October 2015, Escambia County assumed responsibility for public works and public safety roles on Pensacola Beach.