9 Incredible Hidden Gems in Panama City Beach

Many people visit Panama City Beach (PCB) for its stunning beaches and the fantastic array of entertainment options like Pier Park and Shipwreck Island. But look a little deeper, and you will find a great selection of family-friendly activities and high-octane adventures.

For a truly memorable vacation, get off the beaten path and check out some of these nine hidden gems in Panama City Beach.

1. Wreck Diving

Panama City Beach is home to some of the most amazing dive sites in the Gulf of Mexico, and below the surface of the ocean, you’ll find many hidden gems waiting to be explored. 

In fact, PCB is known as the Dive Wreck Capital of the South because of the many deliberately sunken ships in the area that are now used as scuba dive sites. Expect to find beautiful sea creatures and ecosystems living on these wrecks. 

Some of our favorite dive sites include:

St Andrew’s Park Jetties Dive Site – Shore Dive

For first-time divers or those who don’t like boats, shore diving and snorkeling from the jetties of St. Andrews State Park is perfect. It’s just a short walk from the parking lot to the beach, and there are plenty of tropical fish living in the rocks near the jetties. The visibility and current are much better during high tide, so plan ahead.

The Black Bart Dive Site

This 56-meter-long vessel was deliberately sunk in 1993 and is now an artificial reef. The wreck is around 12 meters down, and divers can explore the outside of the ship plus inside the original wheelhouse. There is plenty of marine life to see here, mostly coming from the nearby Warsaw Reef.

SS Tarpon Dive Site

This historic shipwreck sank in 1937, sadly taking the lives of 18 crew members. It’s about an hour on the dive boat to get there, as the wreck is located 7.8 nautical miles offshore. Once you’re underwater, you can expect to see sand tiger sharks, sea anemones, and many different corals.

Grey Ghost Dive Site

It’s a bit of a journey out to the Grey Ghost, and the site takes between six and eight hours to reach, depending on weather conditions. But there’s a reason so many people make the journey – the location at the edge of a natural reef provides a perfect habitat for a stunning array of fish and other marine life. Note that this dive requires a minimum of Advanced Open Water Certification.

2. Explore the Beaches

It’s no secret that some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are in this part of northwest Florida. The beaches nearest Panama City Center are busier with more amenities, so most tourists stick to these. However, if you head out of the city, you can find peace and tranquillity on some of the best beaches in the area.

Mexico Beach

Mexico Beach on Florida’s Gulf Coast is just 20 miles from Panama City Beach, or around a 45-minute drive. The beach is pristine, with clear waters perfect for a refreshing swim on a hot day. 

If you’d like to try some watersports, sailboat, and kayak rentals are available on the beachfront. Or you could just rent an umbrella and a lounge chair and relax with your toes in the sand. If you’re still here at sunset, you might be lucky enough to glimpse dolphins playing in the water.

Rick Seltzer Beach

A few miles to the east of Panama City Beach is Rick Seltzer Beach, an undeveloped stretch of white sand with a marked-off swimming area and seasonal lifeguards. There’s plenty of parking and a convenient boardwalk that crosses the dunes from the parking area to the beach. Amenities include outdoor showers, restrooms, and picnic facilities.

Laguna Beach

About two miles west of Arnold Road is Laguna Beach. This spot is quieter than many of the other beaches in the area, so it’s a great place to head if you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Free parking and a shuttle to the beach are offered at the Summer Breeze parking lot.

Santa Rosa Beach

Santa Rosa Beach is one of 16 beach neighborhoods in South Walton County and is located around 30 miles or a one-hour drive from PCB. The white sand beach here is stunning and has deckchairs and umbrella rentals. If you fancy a change of scenery, Santa Rosa has direct beach access to Point Washington State Forest, which offers fantastic hiking trails through the coastal scrub.

3. Todd Herendeen’s Theater

If you want a great show with live music, head to Todd Herendeen’s Theater. Todd is a musical master with a unique talent for making his voice sound like some of the all-time music greats. His “Legends of Rock and Country Show” features the music of Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Niel Diamond, and Elvis and is performed several nights a week.

Tickets to the Todd Herendeen Shows include a dinner before curtain up and a choice of non-alcoholic drinks on offer. Reservations for this fantastic show are absolutely essential.

4. Gator Country Alligator Park

Situated less than 20 minutes from Panama City Beach, Gator Country Alligator Park, also known as “Airboat Adventures,” is nestled between West Bay Creek and the Grand Lagoon. The park is home to American bald eagles, ospreys, herons, dolphins, and, you guessed it, alligators.

Airboat rides begin with a trip through the park’s alligator exhibits, where you can meet some of the residents. This is followed by an informative alligator demonstration before you board your airboat for a one-hour tour through the creeks. The ride out into gator country can be pretty bumpy, so hold on to your hats (and small children)! 

You’ll tour the backwaters of West Bay, rivers, creeks, and marshlands in the company of the knowledgeable crew, who greatly respect the gators and have fantastic insight into the local habitat. Because the gators are wild, sightings are not guaranteed, but the airboat ride alone is well worth the ticket cost. Private tours are also available.

5. Escape Rooms

An escape room is an immersive adventure game where you must solve a series of puzzles before time runs out. Panama City Beach has a few differently-themed escape rooms, all designed to be completed in around an hour.

Escape Manor has different missions to choose from, each with its own storyline. The Attic Escape Room is popular for its great storyline solving the mystery of a forlorn bride and her disappearing groom. 

Other escape rooms include Area Z51-Zombie Escape, a race to solve puzzles and uncover clues before the zombies invade, and The Terminal Escape Room of Florida, which challenges you to get a malfunctioning New York subway working again before it crashes.

6. Take a Helicopter Ride

This isn’t a cheap option, but a helicopter tour is a thrilling way for the whole family to view the Panama City Beach coastline from above.

Panhandle Helicopter Tours offers five-minute introductory rides from $55 per person, which are ideal for those wanting to get a feel for flying in a helicopter. Try the Shell Island tour, a 22-minute flight over the historic St. Andrews State Park, Grand Lagoon, and the stunning Shell Island for a longer ride. The tour takes you to part of the beach on Shell Island that can only be accessed by water or air.

For shark enthusiasts, the Shark Run provides a bird’s eye view of numerous sharks swimming below. You might also see sea turtles and stingrays. Pilots are careful to get you close enough to these magnificent creatures to see them but not so close that they are disturbed.

7. Swim at Pitt and Sylvan Springs

Around a 40-minute drive from Panama City Beach, just off Highway 20 in Youngstown, is Pitt and Sylvan Springs, freshwater springs set in stunning parkland. You’ll reach Sylvan Spring first, then follow the pathway to Pitt Spring. The water at both springs is crystal clear and extremely inviting, and the well-established trails are safe and easy to explore.

There is plenty to keep you occupied at Pitt and Sylvan Springs. The water is four feet deep at the most and fantastic for swimming. Or, if you want to avoid the hard work, bring an inner tube and float along the waterway. 

The Springs provide a fantastic setting for a picnic, and there are many sheltered picnic areas in the park, most with barbecue grills and picnic benches for public use. Word is getting out about this hidden gem, so if you prefer to avoid crowds, head here during the week rather than at weekends when the area is much busier.

8. Marvel at the Man in the Sea Museum

This fascinating museum was founded by the Institute of Diving in 1976 and tells the story of man’s relationship with the undersea world. Visitors can climb through a submarine, try on a brass diving helmet, and learn about our early diving efforts, which included breathing through tubes and using leather sacks and inflated animal skins as air tanks!

If you have time, watch the 45-minute Diving and SeaLab documentary, which plays throughout the day. There is a scavenger hunt and plenty of interactive exhibits for younger visitors. The Man in the Sea Museum sits on an acre of land on Panama City Beach Parkway, and the entrance is just $10 for adults and $6 for kids. Under fives, go free.

9. Hike in the Parks

The area around Panama City Beach offers some outstanding hiking along the Emerald Coast and an intimate look at the Florida panhandle’s natural side. There is an abundance of well-marked trails and boardwalks, many of which are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. These are a few favorites.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

This wonderful 1,600-acre refuge is known as the Crown Jewel of the Florida Panhandle and boasts more than 15 miles of trails, which can be done individually as short walks or linked together into one wide-ranging hike. Our favorite was the Morris Lake Nature Trail, which takes in the shores of Lake Morris and shows off much of the area’s impressive ecological diversity.

St. Andrews State Park

Just to the southeast of Panama City Beach, St. Andrews State Park is 1,200 acres of sheer natural beauty. Check out the gator trail, and keep on the lookout for those reptiles! If you want to hike around the stunning barrier island, Shell Island, the Shell Island shuttle runs from St. Andrews State Park every half hour or so. 

There are no facilities on Shell Island, so take everything you need with you (and bring it back with you when you leave).

Point Washington State Forest

Point Washington State Forest is one of the top destinations for outdoor recreation on the Emerald Coast and makes an awesome day trip from Panama City Beach. There are plenty of hiking options, but the pick of the bunch is an 11-mile circuit of the Eastern Lake Trail System, which takes in plenty of native habitats and natural scenery.

Sand Hills Lakes

Just a short drive from Panama City Beach, Sand Hill Lakes boasts a series of interconnected lakes and pristine forests, perfect for hiking. Trails offer breathtaking views along the lakeshores and freshwater swimming spots.

Camp Helen State Park

Camp Helen State Park is home to the largest coastal dune lake in Florida, Lake Powell, and is the perfect spot for hiking. Complimentary trail guides are available in the visitor center.

Oaks by the Bay Park

This park overlooks St Andrews Bay and offers shade from the sun in the form of majestic oak trees. We recommend walking the boardwalk in the evening while the sun sets over the bay and the sky lights up in an incredible array of colors.

Explore PCB’s Hidden Fun Things to Do

If all that wasn’t enough to keep you entertained on your next PCB adventure, other hidden gems in the Panama City Beach area include Seaside, which was the filming location for the Truman Show, Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure Park, and the Panama City Beach Winery. Or head out of town to Pensacola for more stunning beaches and rich cultural history.

Whatever you choose to do, these hidden gems are guaranteed to make your PCB vacation one to remember.

Featured Image Credit: Domenico Convertini via Flickr CC2.0