This post has been sponsored by Panama City Beach, all opinions are mine alone.
5 reasons to visit Panama City Beach this summer & 10 fun things to do in Panama City Beach!
The Florida panhandle is one of our favorite places in Florida.
Roger & I have been dreaming of returning to the beautiful blue waters & extra soft white sand since last year.
Originally we had planned to visit Panama City Beach last November, but sadly hurricane Michael swept through the area.
And while some areas of the panhandle are still struggling to recover in the aftermath, Panama City Beach is ready & eager for families to return to their fun-filled beach.
Although Roger & I visited Panama City Beach a few years ago, somehow we completely missed some of the most incredible adventures that await vacationers in this beach town.
We seriously had the most fun & memorable long weekend adventure!
I even created a little video of our whole experience with a list of 10 Fun Things to Do in Panama City Beach that you can watch here.
So while I do share my top 5 reasons to visit Panama City Beach (PCB) below, if you want to make your own fun list of 10 exciting things to do this summer in PCB you will want to watch this 2 & 1/2 minute video.
Between water activities, fun in the sun, experiencing 2 different bird’s-eye views of PCB, exploring the natural beauty, & all of the local foods, there are a whole lot of memorable moments waiting for you in PCB!
And I can’t wait for you to enjoy every single one of them!
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1.Water Activities
There are countless water activities available to you while in PCB, from jet skies to swimming in the resort pool (we stayed at the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort), surfing to snorkeling, & so much more!
Three of our favorites included paddle boarding, swimming, & a sunset dolphin cruise!
On our first day, Roger enjoyed some swimming in the ocean while I went for a little paddleboard ride.
It’s been about a year since I’ve been paddle boarding, so I was a little rusty, but luckily I never fell!
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I love scanning the ocean for pods of dolphins while at the beach.
So I was super excited about going on a sunset dolphin cruise with Island Time Sailing.
We hadn’t sailed far before we saw more dolphins than I could count!
And if you do check out the video I mentioned above you will notice that my cameraman (Roger) got a little excited every time the dolphins came up as the camera goes down ever so slightly every time a dolphin breaks the surface of the water, so he can see them better.
I laughed so hard when I saw this.
I’m not alone in my love for dolphins!
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2. Fun in the Sun
But the water isn’t the only place to have fun in Panama City Beach.
Roger & I enjoyed exploring Pier Park & the nearby Rainbow Houses Friday morning.
We grabbed a couple of drinks in one of the restaurants to keep us refreshed as we walked along the palm tree-lined street.
I loved all of the colorful shops & houses in this part of PCB.
So many picture-perfect spots!
3. A Bird’s Eye View
Near the center of Pier Park, we came upon the first of 2 opportunities to see Panama City Beach from up high.
The first was the SkyWheel observation wheel that takes you over 170 feet up into the sky to give you a one-of-a-kind view of PCB.
This gigantic air-conditioned experience can be enjoyed by your whole family with up to 6 people in your own private gondola.
Since this experience takes 4 turns around the wheel we brought our drinks with us onto the gondola, sat back, & relaxed as we enjoyed this beautiful view.
On the 4th turn around they stop you right at the top so that you can really take it in & grab a couple of special photos of PCB.
You can get a better glimpse of your upcoming adventure on SkyWheel here.
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My husband’s favorite experience was the Panhandle Helicopter Tour to Shell Island & Breakfast Point.
This was my first helicopter ride & I absolutely loved it!
As you can see from the picture above we had been seeing helicopters fly by above the beach throughout the weekend, so when we were given the option to see PCB from this unique perspective we jumped (or flew) on this awesome opportunity.
They currently offer 7 helicopter tours for you to pick from so that you can choose just the right one for you & your family.
During our tour, we saw everything from dolphins to sharks as we flew above the ocean, the city, & the marsh.
And while you can get a better glimpse of everything we saw in this video, nothing compares to having your own PCB helicopter experience.
You will love it!
4. Natural Beauty
Roger & I love to take some time to visit nature parks whenever & wherever we travel.
So while we were in PCB we headed to St. Andrews State Parks.
This 1,200-acre park has some beautiful trails to wander through & after the last hurricane you can even see a WWII gun turret that was uncovered on the beach.
Plus St. Andrews State Park has 18 fun experiences just waiting for you on their pristine beaches.
5. Local Eats
Of course, no trip is complete without good eats!
Our first taste of local cuisine was at the Thomas Donut & Bake Shop for breakfast.
Their donuts were so good!
I’m honestly wishing we had brought home one of their pink boxes full of donuts!
Our favorite overall dinner was at the Grand Marlin.
We loved everything from the virgin mango mojito, to the Blue Angel Chips with housemade potato chips and blue cheese, to the 2 special made vegetarian dishes (a vegetable pasta & an amazingly flavorful vegetable plate), & to finish it off, a warm brownie topped with ice cream, hot fudge, nuts, & fresh fruit.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
I hope these 5 reasons to visit Panama City Beach this summer & these 10 Fun Things to Do in Panama City Beach have helped you as you plan your next beach vacation!
Don’t forget that summer isn’t the only great time to visit PCB, winter, spring, & fall are wonderful too!
If you use these tips on a trip to Panama City Beach be sure to share a picture & tag @DomesticallyBlissful on Instagram so that we can all see your fun adventure & so that I can share your awesome photo on my stories!
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What are you most excited about experiencing in Panama City Beach?
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With love, G
