Stay & Play in Panama City Beach
February 8, 2022
Warm weather beach destinations are still the #1 choice for domestic travelers for a sunny escape any time of the year, and what’s not to love about Panama City Beach.
Panama City Beach is a top-trending vacation destination for 2022, ranked 4th in the Expedia 2022 Travel Trends Report. Situated on the stunning Plan the Perfect Emerald Coast Getaway for Mom along the white sands and emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico, this beachfront town offers a laid-back coastal lifestyle with unique experiences for beach-goers, nature lovers, adventure-seekers, young families, and romantic escapades in a dreamy tropical paradise.
Here are our Top 10 Panama City Beach activities and favorite ways to play (and stay!) in Panama City Beach, FL.
Sun Kissed Beach Days
Panama City Beach boasts an average of 320 days of warm Florida sunshine a year, 27 miles of tropical coastline with palm trees, squeaky sugar-white sands, warm gulf waters, and over 100 public access points. Whether you’re seeking natural and secluded, safe family fun or the full Florida beach vibe, you’ll find the perfect stretch of sand for a sun-kissed beach day in Panama City Beach.
Panama City Beach at Pier Park is the most active and popular stretch of beach with a pet-friendly beach near the pier, 8-miles of shoreline, and centrally located to Pier Park to mix up your day with shopping, patio dining, or even a spin on the SkyWheel. For beach volleyball and a laid-back beach vibe head down to Schooners, near St. Andrew’s State Park.
Pier Park.
Explore scenic Camp Helen State Park.
Camp Helen State Park offers a tranquil escape along Florida’s 30A, bordered by the Gulf of Mexico, Philips Inlet and Powell Lake, one of the largest coastal dune lakes in Florida. You’re surrounded by sand dunes and sea oats, undisturbed natural beauty, calm waters for swimming, and an abundance of wildlife and birdlife. St. Andrew’s State Park near Grand Lagoon offers the same natural beauty with sandy beaches, shallow waters for kids, and endless water activities in St. Andrews Bay, Grand Lagoon, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Shelling, Sailing & Sunset Cruises
Shell Island is a small, uninhabited barrier island, only accessible from Panama City Beach by boat. Spending a day on Shell Island is a must for your PCB vacation! Ride the Shell Island Ferry from St. Andrew’s State Park (be sure to pack all you need for the day!) or set sail on a scenic catamaran cruise for the ultimate island experience.
Xplorie partners with Island Time to offer visitors to Panama City Beach exclusive tours with the chance to swim and snorkel with bottlenose dolphins, search for seashells, sand dollars, and starfish, SUP in the calm waters, or set sail into the sunset with music, dancing, rum punch and good friends (old and new!).
Play in the Gulf with Island Time!
The Island Time Sunset Cruise.
Aquatic Adventures
There’s aquatic adventures for every age and adventure level in PCB and you can even be your own captain for the day! Rent a kayak to explore St. Andrew’s Bay, have a blast jet skiing around Grand Lagoon, or take a sunset cruise to Shell Island on a double decker pontoon with an upper deck for dolphin spotting, water slides and maximum fun for the whole family!
Gulf World Marine Park is a top Xplorie family attraction in Panama City Beach, with daily educational shows and interactive encounters for all ages. Save your space in the splash zone for an incredible dolphin show, watch sea lions break dancing, stroll the tropical gardens, and you can even support marine conservation and adopt a sea turtle!
Dolphins making a splash at Gulf World!
Outdoor Adventures
Go fish!
The Florida Panhandle is known for its amazing fishing opportunities, so pack your rods and reels (or pick up a rental package) and go for the big catch in PCB. Book a deep sea fishing charter in the Gulf of Mexico or pick up a recreational fishing license and fish from the piers at St. Andrew’s Park, Grand Lagoon, or Pier Park, in the heart of PCB.
One of the best free activities in Panama City Beach is to lace up your shoes and hike or bike the local trails. Panama City Beach is extremely bike-friendly – you can ride on the beach, cruise through the coastal communities along 30A on the Timpoochee Trail, or head out on miles of trails in the secluded preserves and state parks with an opportunity for wildlife encounters and birdwatching.
Cruise the trails with the whole family!
Play a round at the Bay Point Golf Club!
The Bay Point Golf Club is nestled on a wildlife sanctuary at Sheraton Bay Point Resort overlooking St. Andrew’s Bay with tranquil coastal views of the bay, marshes, and wetlands. The award-winning 18-hole championship Bay Point Golf Club is the only Nicklaus Design course in Northwest Florida and offers a challenging and memorable round of golf for all skill levels in PCB.
Family Fun
Educational fun at WonderWorks!
WonderWorks is one of the best things to do in Panama City Beach with kids! This upside-down science-inspired amusement park is both exciting and educational with 35,000 sq ft of “edu-tainment”, six wonder zones, a glow in the dark ropes course, Laser-Tag, and science experiments that will blow your mind!
Whether you’ve had a little too much sunshine, need a rainy day activity for the kids, or looking for the best place to watch sports in Panama City Beach, Dave and Busters delivers! There are classic arcade games, a virtual reality arcade, and a massive 40-ft HDTV with stadium sound for sports games. Kids can choose from an affordable menu or get large share plates for the whole crew topped with sodas, signature cocktails, Keep-The-Glass beer specials, and game day shots!
Have a blast at Dave & Busters!
Sunset Celebrations
End the day with a beachside drink.
It’s a Panama City Beach tradition to join in a Sunset celebration at Schooners, the “Last Local Beach Club”. Sip on beach drinks and local craft beers by a beach bonfire, savor succulent seafood and listen to live music on the buzzing oceanfront patio, and celebrate a traditional PCB sunset as the old cannon fires. A perfect ending to a fun-filled day of free Xplorie activities in Panama City Beach.
Stay with a professional Xplorie partner and these top-rated Panama City Beach activities, and unique experiences are included free in the perfect Stay & Play package on the Emerald Coast of Florida.
Whether you choose to stay in Panama City Beach or one of the quaint beach towns along Highway 30A, you’re perfectly placed to explore some of the most beautiful beaches in the world with the added bonus of complimentary access to the best activities and attractions on the Emerald Coast with our Xplorie activity providers. Panama City Beach rentals boast prime beach access, world-class resort amenities, perfect Florida sunsets, and free activities powered by Xplorie to stay and play in Panama City Beach.
