Introduction
Panama City Beach, FL is a great place to visit. It is honestly one of our favorite cities in Florida! It has beautiful, white-sand beaches, crystal clear water, and many unique attractions that will keep you and your family entertained for hours.
Here are just some of our favorites:
- ZooWorld
- Pier Park
- Shell Island
- Gulf World
- SkyWheel
- Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
- Wonderworks
- Shipwreck
- Coconut Creek Family Fun Park
- Conservation Park
For the best deals on even more great things to eat, see, and do in Panama City Beach and throughout the surrounding area, be sure to check out Groupon.com HERE.
ZooWorld
Zooworld was absolutely one of our favorite animal parks in the entire state. ZooWorld is a wonderful option if you have small children to entertain! It is home to over 350 animals and 259 species of plants. It’s a smaller zoo, but the petting zoo at the end makes it worth it, and a great experience in our book. Vivian especially loved feeding the animals (mostly the giraffe). We spent the morning at this little zoo and made some wonderful memories which we will carry with us forever!
Pier Park
Consisting of over 1.1 million square feet of specialty shops, retailers, a state of the art movie theater and restaurants, Pier Park is a huge outdoor shopping mall that has become one of the main tourist attractions for shopping and entertainment in Panama City Beach attracting over one million visitors every year. This is a great place to spend a morning or an afternoon together as a family, and it is located directly across the street from the beach, so it’s easy to spend a little time playing or relaxing on one side of the street, and then take a brief stroll over to enjoy all of the amenities on the other side of the street.
Shell Island
Shell Island is another very interesting attraction in Panama City Beach, Florida. Consider making a day of the experience. The Shell Island Shuttle is the easiest, safest, and fastest way to get to Shell Island, and once you get there, you can choose from boat rentals, snorkeling, dolphin searching, and of course, hunting for shells in the shallow pools. The crystal clear water alone is reason enough to check this island out!
There is a great shallow place for young children to place which is located behind the rocks on the sound side. Note that water can be quite turbulent and the rip-tides quite strong on the gulf side, so take that into consideration when selecting the location where your family is going to hang out for the day.
In order to find the best shelling, you’ll want to walk beyond where the other tourists are hanging out. Most people walk about as far as they can find decent shells, pick up what they find and then leave, so if you keep walking, you will be rewarded. Another method is to walk out into about knee-deep water, dig up some of the sand in a pale and sift through that. You’ll be amazed what kind of cool shells you find!
It is not recommended that you venture beyond the shorelines, however, within the interior of the island, there are sand spurs, snakes, and quicksand pits, so be safe!
Gulf World Marine Park
Speaking of dolphins, did you know you can swim with them? If that is on your bucket list, you’re going to want to check out Gulf World. We love these marine adventure parks for learning about marine life up close and personal!
Gulf World has many different species of fish, shows featuring dolphins, sea lions and other animals and options for Meet and Greet programs. You’ll also experience petting and feeding string rays, We especially enjoyed meeting all the parrots!
And, as always, bonus points to GulfWorld for having a children’s play area!
SkyWheel Panama City Beach
If you’re looking for a thrill, the SkyWheel Panama City Beach is the place to be. It stands at 150 feet tall and will take you on an amazing ride with unparalleled views of the surrounding area.
The ride lasts about 15 minutes, and it goes up at speeds of up to 17 mph. It costs $9 per person, and you’ll get to see everything from beaches and restaurants to boats on the water!
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! is a museum….actually it is an “Odditorium” if you wanted to get technical. It has over 300 artifacts on display and three floors of featured oddities like shrunken heads, unusual formations, outlandish facts, and Pop culture memorabilia. The museum also includes an arcade game area, gift shop, and a guarantee you will leave with more questions than answers.
Wonderworks
Wonderworks is an interactive science museum attraction, and one the best science museums we’ve been to. The museum includes more than 250 hands-on exhibits, many of which are educational and interactive. Not only is it entertaining for kids, it’s also fun for adults!
Shipwreck Island Waterpark
If you’re looking for a relaxing day at the beach and also want to get your adrenaline pumping, Shipwreck Island Waterpark is an ideal choice. The waterpark features over 30 rides, slides and attractions like the Tornado tube slide and Dolphin Plunge water coaster. It’s also home to Rip Tide Lagoon, which has a wave pool that recreates the feeling of surfing waves.
Coconut Creek Family Fun Park
Coconut Creek Family Fun Park is an ideal place if you’re looking to have fun with the whole family. It is fully equipped with rides, go karts, mini golf, a snack shop and so much more.
Conservation Park
If you’d rather hike a trail or enjoy nature as opposed to bumper cars and shopping, Conservation Park is the place for you. There are various trails for walking, animal exhibit, a playground, pond, and even picnic tables. This is the perfect place to relax and Nehru the great outdoors.
Conclusion
Panama City Beach, FL is a great place to visit for vacation. It has so much to do, you definitely have a variety of things to choose from! You can book your family vacation here knowing will have a great time!
For the best deals on even more great things to eat, see, and do in Panama City Beach and throughout the surrounding area, be sure to check out Groupon.com HERE.