Panama City Beach Florida Vacation
A Panama City Beach Florida Vacation is the perfect getaway for families. Emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, swaying palms and moss-draped oaks and magnolias, makes it an ideal place for a family vacation.
The area around Panama City enjoys 320 days of sunshine a year. Temperatures do vary, especially during the winter. January highs only reach the lower 60s. But summer highs will reach the upper 80s and lower 90s. Summer days are hot and humid.
The sand on Panama City Beach is fluffy and powdery. The whiteness of the sand reflects the heat of the sun and the sand stays cool even on hot days making walking without shoes a dream. The blue-green warm water is irresistible. In 2006 Condé Nast Traveler, cited the Panama City Beach as one of America's Most Beautiful Beaches.
Shopping
Panama City Beach has all types of stores to keep teens happy for hours. One shop carries over 25,000 swimsuits. Shops sell everything from designer sunglasses to beach toys, hats and airbrushed T-shirts. One of the most popular shopping places is the Promenade Mall. There is also the Panama City Mall. For golf enthusuast, there are bargains on discounted equipment at the outlets.
Things To Do In Panama City Beach
While the beaches and the clear, turquoise-green waters are a big attraction, there are plenty of other affordable things to do. You'll find the Panama City area is a great place to entertain kids. Panama City Beach is a true family beach resort area with miniature golf courses, amusement parks, water parks, a zoo and go-cart raceways. After a day at the beach, kids are sure to have a fun night in Panama City.
One of the top attractions is Gulf World Marine Park, featuring dolphin and sea lion shows and unique penguin shows. The marine park's aquarium displays giant stingrays and a walk-through shark tank. Talking parrots squawk loudly are you make your way through the jungle like environment. Kids at least 5 years old and 48 inches tall can swim with a dolphin for an hour and fifteen minutes for an additional fee.
The Miracle Strip Amusement Park has more than thrity rides, including a rattling 2,000 foot roller coaster and a 40-foot swinging sea dragon. From atop the Top of the Strip, a 203-foot high observation tower, you can see down the entire beach and out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Panama City Beach Hotels
Advanced reservations are a must during summer months. Visitors to Panama City Beach outnumber residents in the summer. Weekends are especially crowded. Generally, the motels at the beach's eastern end are newer and more expensive than in the center. You'll find the family-oriented hotels at the western end of the beach.
Bay Point Marriott Resort: An ultradeluxe 356-room complete resort on Saint Andrews Bay with a hotel overlooking the Grand Lagoon, plus villas. Facilities include a number of restaurants and lounges, pools, tennis courts, two golf courses and shops. Though there's no beach, the resort's paddlewheel boat can take you to Shell Island. www.marriottbaypoint.com
Edgewater Beach Resort: A luxurious 550-unit condominium resort with both tower and mid-rise condominiums, each individually decorated, overlooking a wide beach and the Gulf of Mexico. Villas on the golf course, closer to the beach offer more intimacy. Other facitilies include several restaurants, tennis courts and swimming pools. Toll free (800) 874-8686.
Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort: A family-oriented beach resort with 340 oceanfront rooms with balconies, restaurants, seaside pool and Jacuzzi, kids' activity program, fitness center and game room. www.hipcbeach.com
Osprey Motel: A five-story motel popular with families for its convenient location near the action on Panama City Beach. Large rooms feature fully equipped kitchens and balconies, and there's a heated pool and sun deck, barbecue, volleyball and shuffleboard. www.ospreymotel.com
For more information visit the official website of the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau www.thebeachloversbeach.com
