Summer vacation — should you stay or should you go?
According to the June travel report at ustravel.org, rising gas prices are playing a significant role in travel plans for 41% of Americans, leaving many to seek adventure right from their own backyard.
Judy Brown hopes people will take a look at Vacay Village of Pensacola.
"You always hear about all of the things you can do in Pensacola, but there's also things you can do in Pace or surrounding areas," Brown said.
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Vacay Village of Pensacola is a gated RV park situated on 15 acres at the very end of a wooded, winding, gravel trail at 5000 Guernsey Road in Pace. In addition to the covered gate, the park itself is fenced in with lines of aluminum panels.
Inside the privacy of the gate is an outdoor escape.
"We wanted to create several places for gatherings," Brown said. "It took no time to build and design the waterfall area by the pool, and once that was finished, then we added a fire pit."
Using sturdy concrete material that is expected to withstand hurricane and tornado force winds, Brown continued to build, adding a bar area with a brick pizza oven, exercise areas, slingshots ready for a water balloon fight, and an all purpose room for indoor activities.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Brown hasn't been in the area very long. She spent more three years renovating and renting out her own glampers (renovated campers adorned with themed décor) on Airbnb and was successful. But after a particularly cold winter, she was faced with two choices — winterize or move farther south.
"So I came to Pensacola," Brown said. "In a way, COVID helped greatly. It allowed me to start looking for another project, and I like to find diamonds in the rough. I fell in love with the property and the renovation process."
After she closed on the property, Brown wasted no time dressing up Vacay Village. After the first phase of renovations are completed, she hopes to add additional spaces in the near future.
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"I have a rule," Brown said. "No video games. No staring at your phone screen. You can do all of that at home. Get outside. Have fun with your family. Play with your dog. You're on vacation."