Visitors have been traveling to Panama City Beach for its bright white sand and emerald green waters for hundreds of years. With more than 27 miles of beachfront, there are plenty of activities to enjoy like sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, dolphin-spotting parasailing, jet skiing, fishing and so much more.
Panama City Beach's legendary pure white sand resulted from quartz crystals washing down from the Appalachian Mountains centuries ago. Along their journey, the crystals were bleached, ground, smoothed and polished until the surf of the Gulf of Mexico deposited these millions of grains of sand on the shoreline.
During the day the beach is abuzz with activities on the sand, on the surf and under the sea. Volleyball and Frisbee games take place on the beach with parasailing, jet skiing, boating and windsurfing on the water while scuba divers and snorkelers spy playful bottle-nosed dolphins, sea turtles and manta rays underwater.
Panama City Beach has won numerous national awards for its beaches. To name a few: The Travel Channel rated Panama City Beach as the #10 beach in America in 2001. The Surfrider Foundation, an international group dedicated to protecting the world's oceans and beaches, selected Panama City Beach as the #3 "Most Healthy Urban Beach" in America in 2000. Dr. Stephen Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach, the country's foremost expert on beaches, selected Panama City Beach as the #1 beach in America in his 1995 annual rankings. In 2000, Panama City Beach was selected by the readers of Southern Living among the top five in the "Best Beach" category.
At the east end of the city, St. Andrews State Park is of special interest to locals and area visitors alike. The 1,260-acre park is one of the most popular outdoor recreation spots in Florida. It has thick forests, sand dunes covered with sea oats, fresh and saltwater marshes, a lagoon swimming area, fishing jetties, hiking trails, 1.5 miles of beach and two campgrounds. From here, you can also take a ferry trip to Shell Island, a pristine barrier island just across from the mainland. This 700-acre island is a peaceful spot for sunning or collecting shells.
Come late afternoon, visitors gather to marvel at our breathtaking Gulf Coast sunsets. The sight of a fiery sun dipping into the shimmering emerald water marks the perfect end to a perfect day at the beach.
