Run away to ‘the beach that fun built’-Panama City Beach in Florida
The extremely popular beach side paradise of Panama City Beach is located in northwest Florida. Panama City Beach is located at a distance of 98 miles southwest from the city of Tallahassee and a distance of 297 miles from Atlanta. This stunning resort destination has a year round population of approximately 8000 people but it is visited by as many as 6 million visitors every year. Panama City Beach is renowned for its 27 miles of spun sugar like white sand beaches, emerald seas and its amenable weather which is characterized by more than three hundred and twenty days of sunshine. This perennially buzzing vacation hotspot also offers a basket full of attractions like two state parks, marine and water parks, a zoo and various recreational activities like jet-skiing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, dolphin encounters, fishing, boating, sailing, tennis, golfing and miniature golf, and world class dining. It’s no wonder then that Panama City Beach is a favorite holiday destination for scores of vacationers who enjoy coming here year after year.
Panama City Beach Vacation Rentals
The peak tourist season in Panama City Beach is generally between the months of March to October and accordingly hotel room rates during this time tend to reach astronomical heights. However a great way for you to enjoy the many charms of this Gulf of Mexico paradise in any season is to choose a vacation rental as your preferred mode of accommodation. Luckily Panama City Beach is equipped with a wide range of value vacation rentals that take the form of villas, condos, apartments, chalets and cabins most of which are located on the beach or offer stunning views of the ocean. Moreover several of these vacation rentals also offer various ‘extras’ like private pools, Jacuzzis, private gyms, sundecks, private game rooms and tennis courts, air conditioning which are all included in the price of your rental. A vacation rental is in fact one of the best ways to enjoy Panama City Beach especially if you are vacationing with a large group of family and friends as it represents an incredible value and allows you to free up resources for the many attractions offered at this beach side paradise.
Attractions in Panama City Beach
One of the most prominent attractions in Panama City Beach is the Saint Andrews State Park which extends over 1,260 acres and encompasses various different habitats like forests, sand dunes which are covered with sea oats, fresh and saltwater marshes, a lagoon swimming area, fishing jetties, hiking trails, beachfront land and two campgrounds. Camp Helen State Park is Panama City Beach’s other major attraction which is bordered by Lake Powell, the Philips inlet and the Gulf. Camp Helen offers an ideal backdrop for fun activities like hiking, picnicking, fishing, boating and swimming and it also functions as a refuge for migratory birds from Central America.
Panama City Beach is also known for the world’s highest concentration of bottle nose dolphins and one the best spots for dolphin watching in Panama City Beach is on Shell Island. Shell Island is an island which is situated between the Gulf of Mexico and St Andrews Bay. This island can be easily reached from Panama City Beach by catching the Shell Island Shuttle. In addition to dolphin encounters, this pristine island also offers pontoon boat, fishing boat and kayak rentals and snorkeling opportunities.
If you are holidaying in Panama City Beach with your kids , then the attraction of the Gulf World Marine Park is not to be missed. This marine park which was established in 1969 continues to be one of Florida’s top marine attractions and offers five shows and various interesting exhibits which are bound to enthrall and delight your children. Other child friendly attractions located here include Zoo World which is home to nearly 350 different kinds of animals including several endangered species and the unique Museum of The Man in the sea which is the only museum dedicated to deepwater diving in the USA. This museum houses relics from the earliest underwater explorations to recovered shipwrecked treasures. Shipwreck Island Park is yet another family centric attraction located here that offers a wide variety of dry and wet rides which are extremely popular with kids.
Shopping, dining and nightlife in Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach like the best beach side resorts in the world offers various other entertainment options like world class shopping and dining opportunities. In Panama City Beach vacationers can sample and savor various different global cuisines like Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, French and Italian along with a range of regional cuisines from the South and the Caribbean in a wide range of establishments that range from casual dining eateries to fine dining restaurants.
Panama City Beach boasts of a pulsating nightlife scene which is dominated by the world famous nightclub Club la Vela which houses 9 different "dance clubs" under one roof and also features live bands and concert events as well as numerous bars . Other popular nightspots that are located here include Big Kahuna, Coyote Ugly and Hammerhead Freds which are usually extremely crowded with vacationers during the Spring Break holidays.
Panama City Beach also offers several fun shopping opportunities in its many boutiques by the sea and open air malls so shopping for souvenirs here is quite a breeze though one of the best shopping locations to be found here is the Pier Park Mall which extends over a million square feet and features outlets of various national chain stores in addition to several local stores.
