Pier Park
Panama City Beach is known for its 27 miles of white-sand beaches fronting the calm, clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. With an almost endless variety of family attractions, top-notch dining, beach activities, and water sports, there’s enough fun for that weekend getaway, a week vacation, or a stay of a month or more!
Pier Park is the main shopping hub with hundreds of stores, shops, and street-side vendors and a venue for major events. Dozens of other shops can be found conveniently along the beach so you can always pick up souvenirs and those last minute necessities for the day at the beach.
Frank Brown Park currently has over two hundred acres dedicated to outdoor recreation, including playgrounds, picnic areas, a saltwater fishing pier, a freshwater youth fishing lake, trails, and more. The Festival Grounds contain a 22 Acre Festival Site with a 10,000 person capacity. Frank Brown Park is home to many tournament/events, such as Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, Festivals, Horse Shows, Car Shows, and more.
Fun for All
There are numerous activities in and around Panama City Beach. The beach of course, is the main attraction and the water activities that take place there.
There is parasailing, jet skiing, whale boat rides and of course, swimming in the crystal clear waters. Vendors are dotted along the beach and it is easy to book up for your favorite fun-packed adventure.
Step away from the beach – (yes, it is difficult!) and a whole other world of adventures exists. Panama City Beach is home to one of the best waterparks in the USA, Shipwreck Island. Here you will find a lazy river, wave pool, kiddie pools and fast rides.
Take a visit to Ripley’s Believe It of Not or Wonderworks. These are great places to go to escape the sun or to visit if the weather is less than perfect.
For those with the need for speed, visit Kartona – The Electric Speedway. Kartona has all electric karts and the racing is challenging – and fast!
St. Andrews State Park
Panama City Beach has State Parks to the East and West.
St Andrews State Park at the East end of Thomas Drive is a wildlife preserve as well as providing excellent swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and boating activities.
There is an alligator lake, bird watching areas and ‘The Jetties’ which is a lagoon situated on the pass that connects St Andrews Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. The Jetties aka the Kiddie Pool has shallow water and a boundary of rocks that protect it from boats.
St Andrews State Park was voted the second best beach in the USA in 2021.
To the West of Panama City Beach lies Camp Helen State Park. Camp Helen State Park is a hidden gem on the western border of Panama City Beach. It sits between the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Powell – one of the largest coastal dune lakes in the state of Florida. Fishing areas are available for both freshwater and saltwater enthusiasts at this Florida state park. Other activities include swimming, beach-combing, and hiking.
