Panama City Beach Travel Guide

  Remnants of an old pier
by SquadCaptain
 
  • Remnants of an old pier
      Remnants of an old pier
    by SquadCaptain
  • Shrimp boats
      Shrimp boats
    by SquadCaptain
  •   Panama City Beach
    by tvdandy
  • The bounty of the sea!
      The bounty of the sea!
    by johnjess
  •   Hotels
    by wtauch
 

Pro

hastera profile photo

 Cheap, for the most part. Save $ by driving. Good for large groups. 


Con

criss1956 profile photo

 Let's face it: Florida is ugly. The only pretty thing about Florida is the beach and ocean. It's awful hot in the summer, too. Panama City Beach has lost it's small town status with high rise condos... 


In a nutshell

Oldmemoriesoftown profile photo

 A great place to vacation and relax. Fun for the whole family! 

 

Explore Panama City Beach

Things to Do  

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  I remember old Believe It Or Not cartoons or other print media or radio items when I was growing up. I haven't visited this particular museum and have generally avoided going to these museums when I see them. There is one in Key West, and in Branson which I also have not... 

White Sand Beaches

White Sand Beaches, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  All along this section of the coast there are sparkling white sand beaches. In the winter when we were there, this made me think that there was snow. But it isn't snow, it is sand. Panama City Beach advertises their beaches as The best beach this side of paradise...Panama... 

Environmental Interpretive Center - St Andrews SP

Environmental Interpretive Center - St Andrews SP, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  One of the things you can do even in the rain or when it is cold in the winter is visit the Interpretive Exhibit at the Environmental Interpretive Center. It isn't Smithsonian quality, but they did have a small aquarium, some diorama exhibits, posters about migratory birds,... 

St. Andrews State Park

St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  I picked this park to visit because it was close. The fact that it was named by Dr. Beach (Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman) as America¿s Best Beach in 1995 didn't really matter to us as it was January and cold. At other seasons this might be a selling point for the park which s... 

Hotels  

Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort Panama City Beach

 6 Reviews and 767 Opinions  Very friendly staff, willing to help, we have been treated always well. I would recommend couples to... 

Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort

 9 Reviews and 713 Opinions  Arrived at the "resort" only to get a different price from a rude rep. The service was horrible and... 

Restaurants  

SHANE'S RIB SHACK: Great food and very friendly staff

SHANE'S RIB SHACK: Great food and very friendly staff, Panama City Beach

 chiefappraiser Says:  The restaurant was very clean as soon as we walked in . The staff was very friendly and greeted us imediately. We did not have to worry about a waiter forgetting us as we ordered at the counter and they brought us our food. Food was delicious . We had the ribs and chicken... 

Pineapple Willy's: Po Boys are Great!!

Pineapple Willy's: Po Boys are Great!!, Panama City Beach

 mdpate Says:  Super View on the beach, covered pier area is where we ate and the food was great. Sarah got the Grouper Po Boy (12.59) and I got the Shimp Po Boy (11.59) both were awesome and were packed with meat! We got french fries with them and they were really good too. I decided to... 

Schooners: Good Food -- Mediocre Service -- Great View!!

Schooners: Good Food -- Mediocre Service -- Great View!!, Panama City Beach

 mdpate Says:  Sarah ordered the Grouper Basket which was a special for ($9.95) and it was great, and the french fries were perfectly crispy. I ordered the Soft-Shell Crab BLT ($12), which I had never eaten anywhere before, and I definitely wasn't a fan. It was just a thin fried object and... 

J Michaels Restaurant: Great Fried Sea Food and MORE!!!

J Michaels Restaurant: Great Fried Sea Food and MORE!!!, Panama City Beach

 mdpate Says:  We wanted some good ole fried sea food and we got it!! Sarah got the "Fried Shrimp Basket" (14.95) and wow it was amazing, perfectly fried not too much and I ordered the "Fried Oyster Basket" (14.95) which was also great, both came with french fries which were perfect too.... 

Tony Roma's Restaurant: Closed

Tony Roma's Restaurant: Closed, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  Tony Roma's is a chain that does ribs, seafood and steaks. We were a bit tired of seafood, so we went here.Unfortunately, all the Tony Roma's in the Panama City Florida area are closed. The only ones remaining in FLorida are around Miami or on the east coast Bob got a rack... 

Sharky's Beachfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar: Location is Good

Sharky's Beachfront Restaurant and Tiki Bar: Location is Good, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  We went to eat at Sharky's, and this was the most mediocre meal and service that we had for the whole week. Bob had a dozen raw oysters and half pound of peel and eat shrimp. But of course the shrimp were cold and had no seasoning. I had the Grecian grilled tuna steak... 

Nightlife  

Salty's Beach Bar: Let's all do the Watermelon Crawl

Salty's Beach Bar: Let's all do the Watermelon Crawl, Panama City Beach

 kellyep Says:  It's a must, you have to go to Salty's Beach Bar. Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!Outdoor bar, live DJ or live band, coldest beer in town. And whatever you do you have to order the Watermelon drink, WOW, what a drink. Serves 6 people and it loaded with booze. They hollow out a watermelon... 

club lavela: mega beach bar

club lavela: mega beach bar, Panama City Beach

 doug48 Says:  nightlife tips on panama city beach would not be complete with out the mention of club lavela. club lavela has been a famous spring break destination for decades. this mega bar has wet tee shirt contests by the pool during the day and nine bars in operation at night. the... 

Shopping  

Condom Knowledge: Safe Sex

Condom Knowledge: Safe Sex, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  I have not been in this store, but I could not resist taking a picture of it.The owner's website says that this is a store for safe sex. This is the second store by this name in the Panama City area, so it is known as CK2. The original store is at 7510-A Thomas Dr. Panama... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Beach Swimming Precaution...

Beach Swimming Precaution..., Panama City Beach

 cfwestbe Says:  Beach Warning! The rip currents along the beach can be very strong at times. Many people drown each year fighting them. If you get pulled under, swim along with the flow of the current and work your way closer to shore as the current weakens. DON'T FIGHT THE CURRENT!! If you... 

Tourist Traps  

Panama City Beach Parkway

Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach

 scrapiron72 Says:  As soon as you come into PCB the speed limit goes from 55 to 45. At the base of the 45 mph sign is a PIG holding a radar gun. How any POS Cop can justify this is beyond me. I spent $200 before I even got to the crummy, seaweed stricken, trash laden, poor excuse for a beach.... 

dont waste your money going to panama city beach f

dont waste your money going to panama city beach f, Panama City Beach

 phhan Says:  This place looks like it is going downhill in a hurryit is very rundown looking nothing to do that is funbut mini golf and ripleys and some upside down housethat is over priced and very boring places to go.Seems seedy - don't leave your kids unattended !Those that go here... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Oakland Cemetery

Oakland Cemetery, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  I decided to visit some cemeteries in Panama City proper to take photos for some people that wanted pictures of their relatives' stones (I belong to a volunteer group that documents cemeteries). So I called Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery (photo 4) where some of them were and... 

Camp Helen State Park

Camp Helen State Park, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  We took a couple of day trips to Florida State parks. In addition to St Joseph we went to Camp Helen and Eden House GardensFrom 1945 until 1987 Camp Helen was a company resort for the employees of an Alabama textile mill. Some of those buildings have now been restored. There... 

Eden Gardens State Park

Eden Gardens State Park, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  This was two-story Wesley house with elegant white columns and wrap-around porch. There were moss-draped live oaks and ornamental gardens. This was formerly the home of a sawmill owner named Eden. Then in 1963, Lois Maxon came in and fixed it up and bought antiques from... 

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Panama City Beach

 grandmaR Says:  We went to Port St. Joe, and from there to the St. Joseph Peninsula State Park which is about 30 miles out onto a peninsula. At that time, it was $4.00 entrance fee. They have boat ramps, swimming, and bike riding. As a coastal barrier peninsula, St. Joseph provides... 

Comments

 
Map of Panama City Beach