Things to Do
Discover Panama City Beach Florida

Located in Northwest Florida just 98 miles southwest of Tallahassee, Panama City Beach is a great spot for an incredible vacation! With its white powder sands, formed from the Appalachian Mountain crystals centuries ago, it forms the incredible beaches called "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches". It's easy to see why. With an average of 320 days of sunshine, subtropical average temperatures of 74 degrees and the outstanding Gulf beaches, many come and never leave! Panama City Beach has many award winning parks, scuba diving wrecks with tons of history, is home to one of the largest sport fishing fleets, contains one of the highest concentrations of Bottlenose Dolphin in the world, world famous fishing including Blue Marlin, Snapper and Pompano, 50 artificial reefs, Home of the Florida Ironman Triathlon and home of the only deep-water diving museum. Panama City Beach is truly a magical place for locals and visitors!

Beaches

Beach Warning Flags

Double Flag Closed

High Hazard

Medium Hazard

Low Hazard

Hazardous Marine Life

Public Beach Access Points

All of the beaches in Bay County are public. Bay County maintains 96 public access points stretching from the east end of Thomas Drive to the west end of Front Beach Road. Visitors should not park in areas marked by no parking signs or on private property. There are 4 public parking areas with beach access; Pier Park/Russell-Fields City Pier, MB Miller County Pier, Rick Seltzer Park and St. Andrews State Park.

Tents On The Beach

Tents are welcome on the beach, however, tents and other personal items that are left unattended between the hours of 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM Central Standard Time are subject to removal by the authorized beach services contractor under the Leave No Trace ordinance. Camping, Fires and sleeping overnight is not permitted.

Where To Find Shells

Shells can be found all along Bay County beaches both on shore and in the water. Early mornings are the most productive shelling times because the beaches are less crowded. Particularly popular shelling sites include St. Andrews State Park, Shell Island and Crooked Beach.

Fishing On The Beach

A fishing license is required to fish in all waters in the Panama City Beach area unless fishing from a licensed fishing pier or charter boat operated by a licensed captain. A 3-day out of state license can be purchased for $17 at all area Walmart stores, most bait and tackle shops and the Bay County Tax Collector's Office.

Alcohol On The Beach

Persons 21 or older are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages on the beach 11 months out of the year. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the sandy beach during the month of March. Glass bottles are strictly prohibited year round.

Dogs On The Beach

Dogs are not allowed on Bay County beaches with the exception of a pet-friendly area located on the west side of the Russell-Fields City Pier located across from Pier Park. Signs are posted to mark the designated area where dogs are allowed.

Parks

St. Andrews State Park

Located nearly three miles east of Panama City Beach, St. Andrews State Park offers 1200 acres of beautiful beachside landscapes, abundant wildlife and adventures for the entire family.

Camp Helen State Park

Hiking enthusiasts can explore the Oak Canopy Trail. The trail winds through stately oak trees and mossy maritime canopy. The park is home to several species of wildlife, so you may see wild tail deer, squirrels, possums and even a black bear. Camp Helen is also well known for incredible birdwatching. You can observe bald eagle, osprey, kingfisher and Cooper’s hawk.

Conservation Park

While in Panama City Beach, make sure to visit Conservation Park, where you can hike, bike and enjoy nature of all kinds. The park spans 2900 acres and has 24 miles of trails where you can explore northwest Florida’s lush environment under dense awnings of cypress trees. The park’s boardwalks allow visitors to observe wetlands and several kinds birds and wildlife in their natural environment.

Frank Brown Park

The possibilities for outdoor fun are endless at Panama City Beach’s many parks. Frank Brown Park offers many sporting area events and water park fit for the whole family.

Aaron Bessant Park

The amphitheater at Aaron Bessant park can seat 7500 people and also has 10 acres of festival lawn. Year round concerts of many different genres are held here.

Hot Spots
Recommended Restaurants
Shopping
  • The Salt Shed & Company
  • Magnolia Plaza
  • Shoppes At Edgewater
  • Beachwalk Center
  • Beach Shopping Center
  • Breakfast Point Marketplace
  • Crossings at Inlet Beach
About
Stay
Play
Guests
Owners
Guest Login
Owner Login
Employee Login
Facebook Foursquare Google-plus Instagram Linkedin Pinterest Yelp Youtube Envelope