Panama City Beach Travel Guide: Visiting for the First Time

Are you looking for a straightforward Panama City Beach travel guide? As a photographer, I’m always looking for new destinations to explore. For your next getaway, you can definitely add Panama City Beach, Florida to your list. Situated on the panhandle, I decided to visit Panama City Beach for my birthday and was pleasantly surprised.

I’m extremely familiar with Florida and its many hubs. I’ve visited over 8 cities across Florida and would say that Panama City Beach has a unique vibe with a lot to do.

Many people have deemed PCB a hotspot for spring breakers. But I found Panama City Beach to be a chill vibe — perfect for a solo trip, with family, or friends. Granted, I did visit in February, but if you’re concerned about a potential crowd, plan your visit around spring break.

That said, I enjoyed PCB so much and my hotel experience (more on that below) that I plan to visit during spring break. So, stay tuned for an update on my experience. Alright, here is your

But let’s get down to it. If you’re considering taking a trip to Panama City Beach this spring or summer, I’m sure you want to know the ends and outs. I’ll be discussing things to do, food, hotel options, and my overall experience.

Things to do in Panama City Beach, Florida

A free Panama City Beach travel guide wouldn’t be right without exploring things to do.

I drove 3 and a half hours to Panama City Beach from Georgia. Once I hit the Florida border, It felt like I was still in Georgia but with Palm trees. However, once I entered Panama City Beach, the atmosphere shifted completely.

Panama City Beach is small but vibrant with colorful architecture, beautiful palm trees and much to do within reach. I mostly wanted to relax for my trip but I still took advantage of the many activities the city had to offer.

With that said, here are a few things to do while visiting:

Hang Out in Pier Park

My hotel was right next to Pier Park, which allowed me to experience it in its entirety. I enjoyed shopping, dining, and the local nightlife.

If you want to explore your inner child, Pier Park has a fun Ferris wheel. You can also kick back and relax at the nearby movie theater.

You’ll find a variety of foods, such as popular favorites like Buffalo Wild Wings and Margaritaville, and Marco’s Pizza. But they also have plenty authentic Florida cuisine.

For those with a sweet tooth, Pier Park has several places for a snack, including two ice cream parlors and a tropical smoothie bar.

There are also plenty of shopping stores in the area. In fact, there’s an outlet mall called Silver Sands nearby if you’re looking to catch a deal.

Enjoy Beach Life in PCB

You can’t leave Panama City Beach without actually visiting the beach. Even in February, PCB can easily fluctuate between the mid to upper 70s.

Panama City Beach has a scenic coastline with plenty of activities to enjoy. You can rent a cabana and relax at the beach. Cabanas are offered by certain hotels.

You can also sunbathe in the beautiful Florida sun or enjoy water activities, such as kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, and diving.

At the end of the coastline is where you’ll find Shell Island — a 7-mile barrier beach known for white sand beaches, clear water, and diverse wildlife. While I didn’t get a chance to visit Shell Island, this is a great destination if you’re up for some adventure.

Beachfront Restaurants

Finding a beachfront restaurant is always the plan whenever I visit Florida. Thankfully, Panama City Beach has plenty of them. If you’re looking for quality seafood while enjoying the view of the water, here is a list of some restaurants to experience:

Panama City Beach Florida Travel Guide: Accommodations

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Panama City Beach, Florida has plenty of hotels — many of them within walking distance of Pier Park. The hotel I chose was the Embassy Suites by Hilton Panama City Beach Resort. I opted for a Gulf view room that provided a large patio and a beautiful view of the ocean waters.

I give this hotel a 9/10 and here’s why:

Cleanliness

One of the first things I look for in any hotel is cleanliness and the Embassy was pristine. The hotel lobby, breakfast area, hotel room, and amenities were all up to par, which made for an enjoyable experience during my stay.

Location

The Embassy Suites is just steps away from the coast and right next to Pier Park and the outlet mall. If I didn’t have a car, I would have still been able to enjoy all of the amenities.

Having a great location is essential, especially if you’re traveling somewhere for the first time. It’s nice to be able to experience a place without having to venture too far.

It’s also a time saver since you don’t have to drive 20 minutes between each location.

Staff

The staff at Embassy were friendly and really focused on providing a great guest experience. I didn’t encounter any staff member who wasn’t willing to accommodate my needs.

On the first night, I did need to switch blankets. As you can expect, the staff quickly swapped it out and was overall attentive during my stay.

Amenities

The Embassy has several amenities that truly added to my experience. For starters, the hotel had valet parking (no free parking available). The fee was $22 a night but well worth it.

The valet team was professional and quick. In fact, they provide me with a card with a QR code that allows you to request your car ahead of time. You’ll receive text updates of when your request was received, the car is acquired, and has been delivered to the front of the hotel.

Once I checked in, the receptionist provided me with two complimentary drink vouchers good for the duration of my stay. The vouchers were able to be used between 5pm to 6:30pm in their reception area each day.

I’m not sure if complimentary drinks is something they always offer but it was definitely thoughtful and made me love the hotel even more.

The hotel also had a heated swimming pool. Although, at the time there was something going on with the pool that prevented the heat. This is the only thing that brought my rating down a bit.

Especially in the winter months, it would have been great to have access to a heated pool to enjoy a quick swim. But their adjacent hot tub certainly made up for it. The hotel also has a gym for those that want to work out.

The hotel also served a complimentary buffet breakfast between 7 am and 10 am each day. They even cook meals on request, such as omelettes for those looking to customize their dish.

Overall Experience in Panama City Beach

I always felt like all the fun was in South Florida, but Panama City Beach really surprised me. I like that I can get there in under 4 hours and that it gives me the tropical atmosphere that I always get when visiting Florida.

The food was great, the people are friendly, and there is no shortage of things to do. I love visiting Panama City Beach so much that I’ll likely be traveling back and forth throughout the summer.

Staying at the Embassy definitely added to my experience. PCB definitely has a lot of great hotels in the area but I can only vouch for my experience at Embassy. When I go back, I’ll definitely stay at the same hotel and look forward to exploring more of what Panama City Beach, Florida has to offer.

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