When visiting Panama City...
by red_stone
When visiting Panama City Beach, FL you absolutely must visit everything possible and do everything possible. There is so much to do. I made sure everytime I went on vacation here, I ate at Sharkies(great shark meat), go to St. Andrews State Park(snorkling, surfing on a body board(you can get these at Wal-mart), Alvin's(a must for the shoppers), goonie golfing(next to the go-kart track on Front Beach RD), Shipwreck Island water park(wear plenty of sunscreen.....this place is a blast). These are just the ones that I got out of the way to make sure I did before I left. They have para-sailing, sea-doos, motorbike rentals, deep sea fishing, and then at night you have the following clubs: Spinnakers and Club La Vela. These two are the main clubs there. They are both huge, and I mean huge. These two clubs are the place to be when it is Spring Break. You can do a search on these two, and find plenty of information about them, including a lot of pics. Fondest memory of Panama City Beach, FL would have to be just being there. I went there as a kid, and now as an adult. I have never tired of the place. The beaches are very pretty, and so are the women...LOL. If I ever wore myself out by doing too much to quick, I would just relax on the beach and enjoy the sun. Even at night time it is nice to go down to the beach and just relax.
St. Andrews Park and Shell Island
by MatthewMetcalfe
St. Andrews Park is a great Camping/Day Use Area. There's a little bit to offer for everyone:
Divers and Fishers will love the Jetty.
There is a protected beach area behind the jetty that is great for young swimmers who might not like the surf.
There's the beach with the surf for the skim boarders.
A Boat Launch is available for watercraft.
There are nature trails to walk through.
If you tire of all this, you can take the boat to Shell Island which is an undeveloped island on the opposite end of the channel. Warning:There are no facilities on Shell Island and you would be wise to bring some cold water.
The trails are fun to walk and I've dove the Jetty which is interesting once but probably not much else. Be aware of the urchins on the Jetty. They range from Golf-ball to Grapefruit size and they all have sharp spines that like bare feet.
The boat launch is nice but the water close to shore is REALLY shallow. I've seen people beach suddenly and throw everyone out. Use caution until you get out in the open water.
Beach Homes
by cfwestbe
These are some of the many homes located along the beach. Some are private and some can be leased out by the week or by the month. Most of the local realtors can help you find a home to rent if you would prefer it to a motel, hotel, or a condominium.
These homes were located across the street from where we rented a house. The beach is directly behind them.
This is the house we rented for a week. This is the view of the front of the house from the side street.
The top balcony is accessed from the master bedroom upstairs. There are 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a sleeper sofa. There is also a full kitchen. Sleeps 8 people with ease! We really enjoyed this house!
It can be booked from the web site: http://www.vacationhomes.com/
Search under Florida, then Panama City Beach. The house is called "Room With A View". Jenny, the realtor who owns the house and rents it out, was extremely helpful to us.
This is a view of the house from the main street (Front Beach Road).
This is a view of the beach across the street standing in the front yard.