Spring breakers hit Pensacola Beach

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. (WALA) - Spring doesn't officially start until this weekend, but it's never too early to start beach season. Spring breakers have started crowding Pensacola beach, an early sign of some big money for businesses.

It's a time for students to take a break from the world, before they enter the real world.

"We're going to have fun," said Ashley Hurnie from Oklahoma.

"Check out the ladies," Terrell Frazier from Birmingham said.

"Relaxing with my boyfriend," Mianda Warren from Orlando said.

"And just enjoy the beach!" Hurnie added.

Pensacola restaurants are trying to keep up.

"They were calling around to other restaurants saying, I've run out of this and they'd call back and say we've run out of this, can we have some of yours?" Buck Lee with the Santa Rosa Island Authority said.

This past weekend kicked off Pensacola's spring break season. Lee says 6,000 more cars came to Pensacola this year, compared to last year, and they come from all over the country.

But with the chilly water temperatures you might be hard-pressed to find them in the gulf.

"It's not very hot, Not as hot as I want it to be," said Frazier.

But as the temperatures climb, more people are expected to swarm in. New hotels are going up to prepare for future crowds.

For those who aren't brave enough to jump in the water, there's much to do like food, fun, football..

"Partying!" said Frazier. "I'm 18-years-old, what else can a teenager do?"

Teenagers and students aren't supposed to do anything. There's plenty of time in the future for that. So for now, many are having fun at Pensacola Beach, and businesses don't mind at all.

The official at the Santa Rosa Island authority said this past weekend, nearly every hotel along the beach was filled to capacity.

Two additional hotels will open in the near future as crowds are expected to spike in coming years.