Panama City Beach, Florida

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Panama City Beach, Florida - What to expect

The city is located in the panhandle of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. It is often referred to as the Emerald Coast. The slogan of the city is “The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches” due to the sugar white sandy beaches and pristine water. It is referred to as the “Emerald Coast” because of the turquoise green color of the Gulf. With 27 miles of beaches, it’s hard not to enjoy the beautiful beaches here. Whether you are going on a family trip, couples, or with your friends there is literally something here for everyone to enjoy. You will not be disappointed in this vacation spot!

Where We Stayed: Pineglen RV Park

We loved the hospitality at this park! The owner was an exceptionally nice older gentleman. He waited for us to arrive before he left for the night. We did stay in contact and let him know we were arriving shortly after closing time. We really appreciated that he waited for us. The park sits back in a rustic setting and is situated off the main highway but you wouldn’t know it. There are woods surrounding the area and the spots are spacious. It did not feel crowded at all. There is a nice sized pond in the middle of the park with a gazebo to look out. The pool area is indoors in a lanai with the pool entrance through the bathrooms. It was very clean and looked inviting. The laundry facilities were very clean with newer washers and dryers. We would definitely stay here again.

Places We Visited

1. Oyster City Brewing Company

While we were in the Daytona area, we met a friendly couple from the panhandle area. I didn’t recognize the beer he was drinking so I asked him about it. That’s when he told us about this place. Oyster City Brewing is located in Apalachicola. It was on our way to Panama City, so we had to stop. The town itself reminded me of a historic town with older buildings. We did find parking easily with our camper in a public parking lot that wasn’t too overly crowded. And it wasn’t too far of a walk. The Mangrove was my favorite beer. It had a hint of mango and it tasted great. Shane’s favorite was Hooter Brown. He tends to favor the darker beers.

2. Panama City Beach

This was one of our favorite beaches on this Florida trip. The beaches were absolutely stunning. The sand was so soft like sugar between your toes. It had a therapeutic feel on the feet for sure. The water was so warm and inviting. It was so clear and you could see the emerald color. The waters were pretty calm and the swimming was amazingly refreshing. Parking was a bit difficult but to our surprise it was Jeep weekend so it was extra crowded. We did manage to find a spot to Parallel Park on the side of the road.

3. Pier Park

If you are looking for the hotspot for fun and entertainment for all ages, then this place is it! There is so much to do here. There are tons of stores and shops of all kinds. There are also many different foods, desserts, and drinks you can try. There is an arcade, putt putt golf, the skywheel, and so much more. Pier Park has something for everyone. I promise you will not get bored here. Also, the beach is across the street. Great area to visit and hang out for the day!

4. Skywheel Panama City Beach

If you want to get a good look at the city and ocean from way up in the sky, this is the way to do it! Located in the Pier Park, the Skywheel Observation Wheel is open all year. You sit in a climate controlled, fully enclosed private gondola. The gondolas seat up to 6 people with the exception of the VIP, which holds up to 4 people. Each gondola is private so you never have to ride with people you don’t know. That is great because you don’t have to fight with strangers over the air conditioning or breathing too much air. You can fight with the people you know over these things. They also allow food and drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) aboard. Each ride is about 10-15 minutes and the views of the Panama City Beach area are spectacular.

Places We Ate

1. Cool Runnings

Caribbean cuisine located across from a public beach between access number 46 and 47. If you love jerk chicken, then you absolutely must go here! We were a bit nervous after walking in. It didn’t seem too customer friendly but we were already there so we ordered. We decided on the jerk chicken. It also came with rice and beans, potato salad, and plantations. We ate the chicken pieces to the bone literally. We might have even eaten a bone or two. I don’t know. But I do know this place was delicious. It was hands down the best jerk chicken we have ever had! The chicken had a bit of a spice but it was more sweet than spicy. The beans and rice were excellent. The potato salad was different, it had corn in it. We did eat most of it though. The plantations were good too. We split one dinner since we were starving after the beach and the big dinner was going to be in a few hours.

2. Chick Fil A

This was our first time here. Recently they opened their first restaurant in our home state. Unfortunately, it is not exactly close so we haven’t had the chance to try it yet. Upon arrival, the drive thru line was pretty long. This was not your typical fast food restaurant. They had attendants in the drive thru taking orders and directing traffic. We both ordered the chicken sandwich meals with fries and a drink. Whatever dressing you want on your sandwich, they give you on the side. Personally, I didn’t care for the waffle fries too much but Shane did. He must have because he ate all of it. Not even a crumb left for the ants.

3. Guthrie’s Chicken

As you can tell, we love fried chicken. We had to fill up on gas so we stopped at the Busy Bee Station just up the road from our campground. Next door was Guthrie’s Chicken. While Shane was pumping gas, I ran in and ordered us some chicken strips. They were huge! These very well might have been the largest chicken strips we have ever eaten. The crispy coating with honey mustard dip was delicious!