10 Best Things to do in Panama City Beach, Florida

The beautiful St. Andrews State Park is about 4 km east of Panama City Beach. It has miles of hiking trails, scenic picnic spots, and a white-sand beach, making it a favoured option among those who want to enjoy the great outdoors. 

Water sports equipment rentals such as canoes, kayaks, and snorkelling gear are available, as well as a shuttle boat to Shell Island, a 7-mile long undeveloped barrier island. This pristine state park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including alligators, herons, and white tail deer. Entrance to St. Andrews State Park costs around $8 per vehicle, and $2 for pedestrians and cyclists.

A trip to Panama City Beach is not complete without an outing to the beaches along the Florida’s panhandle shore. Over 43 km of white sand and warm gulf waters make up the shores of Panama City Beach, most of which are lined with restaurants, night entertainment, and shops.  

Rick Seltzer Beach is a local favourite given the public boardwalk and ample parking. This beach is also great for collecting colourful shells. For those looking for a livelier outing, the M.B. Miller Pier is the place to be.

What better way to see Panama City Beach’s coast than aboard a catamaran cruise? Watch the sun rise against a backdrop of Caribbean music or enjoy a classic Florida sunset while sipping on a margarita. 

Paradise Adventures Catamaran is a local favorited departing from the Pirates Cove Marina daily and offering morning and afternoon adventures lasting up to 3 hours. Guests can slide down the inflatable slide off the back of the boat, play on the inflatable water trampolines, and try their hand at stand-up paddle boarding or kayaking. 

Panama City Beach Winery is a family-owned winery selling all-natural fruit wines. This unique establishment lets you sample wines that are made from local produce – they’re strictly made from fruits, citrus, and berries, and have won many national and international awards over the years.

You can drop in for a tasting session throughout the day, and include samples of some of their most popular drinks – Chocolate Raspberry Port, Orange Coffee, and Strawberry Cream Sherry. The winery is located in St. Thomas Square, about 1 mile southeast of the central Panama City Beach.

Dolphin and whale watching tours are popular among locals and visitors alike. The marine animals are plentiful in the panhandle beaches, and seeing them in the wild is an experience unlike any other.

For a more personal outing, opt for Dolphin and Snorkel Tours, a boat tour company that limits the number of guests on their boats to 6 people. It’s is also one of the few tours that guarantee dolphin sightings due to their prime location at the marina. An affordable option is Sea Screamer, which offers 2-hour whale-watching tours with a sunset option.

Enjoy some of the world’s most beautiful beaches from above by joining a Panama City Beach helicopter tour. Panhandle Helicopter is a family owned business offering a variety of trips for groups of up to 3 people. If you’ve never flown by helicopter, try the 5-minute ‘Intro Ride’ tour, which takes you from the Panama City Pier to County Pier with views of the emerald coast. 

The ‘Shark Run’ is Panhandle Helicopter’s most popular tour – it gives you a bird's eye view of the variety of hammerheads and bull sharks swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. Reservations are not needed except for the sunset tour, which usually fills up several days in advance.

Nivol Brewery is a modern microbrewery in Panama City Beach. Founded by 3 craft beer aficionados, this pet-friendly brewery has over 34 years of experience and offers daily educational tours and beer tastings. 

There are more than 30 craft beers to choose from - some of their most popular choices include 98 Roadside Blonde, Vanilla Viper Porter, and Scuba IPA. Nivol Brewery is about 2 miles northeast of Long Beach.

Shipwreck Island Waterpark is a 20-acre outdoor park where families can enjoy hours of fun in Panama City Beach. This tropical themed destination has several wave pools, winding lazy rivers, huge drop-slides, and inner-tube racing competitions. 

The Tadpole Hole is suitable for the little ones, as they can splash around in a children’s activity pool and explore an old submarine known as The Silly Sub. This thrilling aquatic park also has a friendly and professionally trained aquatics staff on hand. There are also plenty of food and drink options to keep the fun going all day.

Conservation Park is a public park with scenic hiking trails with a total length of 38 km in Panama City Beach’s Conservation Drive. It’s also an attempt by Panama City Beach to reclaim the wetlands and cypress woods that have been threatened by invasive species. 

Within the park are 12 hiking trails, with lengths ranging between 1 km and 18 km. The Trail Head building is where you can find parking and public restrooms, as well as picnic tables and a covered pavilion, which you can rent for a few dollars. 

Pier Park is one of the largest shopping and entertainment venues in Panama City Beach. Welcoming over 1 million visitors each year, this mega outdoor shopping mall consists of 25 restaurants and over 80 stores, including speciality shops and well-known retailers. 

Pier Park is also home to The Grand Theater – a 16-screen movie theatre showcasing the latest films. A popular destination year-round, Pier Park is best enjoyed early in the morning or once the sun has gone down.