NEWS50 Things to Do in Panama City BeachTake a sunset cruise: We recommend getting out on the water in as many ways as you can, particularly during sunset. Consider the jet boat Sea Screamer, Captain Anderson Sunset Cruise or taking a catamaran like Island Time.The News HeraldSwim with dolphins: Panama City Beach boasts one of the highest populations of bottlenose dolphins in the world. Take one of the many tours out for a chance to snorkel with them. Just remember, they are wild animals so no touching and respect their space.The News HeraldGo deep sea fishing: Whether it’s by charter or with a head boat, if you are passionate fishing this is the place for it. In June, the red snapper season starts to much fanfare, but no matter when you come plenty of fish are biting. Tight lines.The News HeraldCheck out a vintage arcade at Funland: What feels like one of the last vintage-style arcades that still doles out paper tickets, Funland is a blast from the past with dozens of classic games. May they have what you are looking for at the prize counter.The News HeraldGo shopping at Pier Park: With 124 stores and dozens of dining options, Pier Park is a popular stop. Catch a movie, sample a whole store full of hot sauce, play at Dave and Buster’s or maybe try Paula Deen’s latest restaurant while you are there.The News HeraldEat at one of the beachside restaurants: A plate of fish tacos or shrimp and grits or even a burger is better with a Gulf side view. Preferably with live music. We swear that’s a fact.The News HeraldTake an airboat ride: Few experiences allow the pure, unbridled freedom of an airboat ride through the area’s many marshes and bays. It’s somewhere between riding a motorcycle and flying a helicopter on the water. Meet alligators on their home turf, check out bald eagle nests and great blue herons and even learn a little about the local history while you’re at it.The News HeraldGo parasailing: Even if you’re afraid of heights, this is well worth it. There is nothing like floating high above the Gulf of Mexico with a unique view of the crystal green water. You’ll be able to see tons of marine life you can’t spot from shore, like sharks, dolphins and if you’re lucky, maybe even a whale.The News HeraldGo to the state parks: There is a lot to explore at Panama City Beach’s two state parks, St. Andrews and Camp Helen. At Camp Helen, fish or paddleboard around Lake Powell, walk through the nature trails or enjoy a much-less crowded beach. A St. Andrews State Park, take a walk around Gator Lake, collect seashells, fish off the jetties or bop between the kiddie pool and the Gulf of Mexico. And don’t forget to take care for the park’s precious residents - the deer that are a very common sight along the road and in the dunes.The News HeraldPet a sloth at ZooWorld: The number of interactive experiences is what makes this zoo special. Want to hold a sloth? You can do that. Lemurs are also fair game. Ever wanted to feed an alligator? They have a whole pit of them you can toss food too. They’ll even let you feed the giraffes.The News HeraldVisit the Panama City Beach Winery: There are no vineyards but this winery makes a great stop for a tasting, particularly if you are into fruit wines. Instead of traditional wines, this winery serves tropical fruit wines made from fruits other than grapes.The News HeraldTake some beachside photos: It’s just too beautiful not to. Hire a photographer, grab your white shirt and take some family photos at sunset that will make for the perfect Christmas card and keepsake. Or go the budget friendly method and have a friend take them.The News HeraldRent a pontoon boat: It’s almost like having your own private beach but you can take it wherever you want. These boats are perfect for a family day on the water. Pack some food. Bring some games, maybe even a fishing pole. Heck, you can even bring your dog and head to Shell Island for some fun.The News HeraldPlay fetch at the dog beach: Pets are part of the family, and they too deserve to frolic in the Gulf. A special dog friendly beach has been set up at Pier Park for pet-owners that want to enjoy the waves with their pooch.The News HeraldPaddleboard at Lake Powell: Fun fact about Lake Powell: Its a coastal dune lake, which are only found in the Florida Panhandle, Madagascar, Australia and New Zealand. It’s a fresh water lake that intermittently exchanges water with the Gulf of Mexico, and has nice calm conditions that make it perfect for paddleboarding. Rentals are available at Camp Helen State Park.The News HeraldTake a ride inland and visit one of the freshwater springs: Get a taste of old Florida and take a drive to some of the many freshwater springs fed by the Florida Aquifer. The water color is dazzling, the temperature is always cool, and people used to come because they believed the water was healing. Possible trips include Pitts Springs along the Econfina or Cypress Springs.The News HeraldFish the piers: To answer the biggest question: yes, people do catch things from the piers. We promise. The two concrete piers are the longest twin fishing piers on the Gulf of Mexico, stretching some 1,500 feet. Even if you are not into fishing, the piers are perfect for spotting other wildlife and offer some amazing views.The News HeraldDive one of the many shipwrecks and artificial reefs: As you might have gathered from us having a museum dedicated to scuba diving, we take diving very seriously around here. Among the wrecks divers can visit are the Empire Mica, an ocean tanker torpedoes by a German U-Boat in 1942; the steamer boat the S.S. Tarpon which is an Underwater Archaeological Preserve; and the former bridge spans of the Hathaway Bridge. Closer to shore, the jetties at St. Andrews State Park are popular as well.The News HeraldLounge in a flamingo float, or maybe a donut: Nothing will make your friends and family back home as a jealous as a photo of you in the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico lounging in a pink flamingo float. It sends the ubiquitous message that you are having the most fun.The News HeraldTry a cajun boil: If you aren’t from the south, cajun boils are a can’t miss opportunity to say you sucked the head out a crawfish. (It’s crawfish, not crayfish around here.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aROOKSEJLkcThe News HeraldPlay a round of real golf: While mini golf options abound, there are also award winning golf courses for those that prefer the miniaturized version of the game.The News HeraldParty like you are in Floribama Shore: We will say this for the cast of Floribama Shore, they know how to party. Grab a drink at some of the area’s many bars, find a place to dance and just don’t do anything to get arrested.The News HeraldTake a helicopter ride: If you want unparalleled views or to just be able to say that you’ve been on a helicopter ride, this is the highest flying way to explore the area. Pilots will help you spot all the marine life and point out local landmarks.The News HeraldKiss a dolphin at Gulf World: Swimming with dolphins is the wild is exhilarating, but remember, they are a protected species and you can’t touch. So if you are the type of person who won’t be satisfied unless you touch a dolphin, maybe ride their fin, they Gulf World Marine Park is the place to go. They’re dolphins are all either rescued (they have a non-profit dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating stranded marine life) or born at the park and love to interact with guests. While you are there, check out the sea turtle, penguins, seals, sea lions and other marine life that call Gulf World home.The News HeraldRent a jetski: Zip through the waves on a jet ski. It’s a thrilling adrenaline rush and around here you can even combine it with a dolphin tour to make it extra special.The News HeraldGo for a hike: If you are looking for a long hike, try the Panama City Beach Conservation Park, with loops as long as 11 miles (biking is an option). Camp Helen is also beautiful with options that bring you to the Gulf, Coastal Dune Lakes or the woods. St. Andrews State Park has trails along Gator Lake where hikers have been known to spot … you guessed it … alligators.The News HeraldGet a milkshake made for Instagram: Recently, we’ve noticed an uptick in made for Instagram food, ranging from burgers to milkshakes. With the hot Florida sun, we are partially to a well accessorized milkshake.The News HeraldBurn some energy at Just Jump trampoline park: Bouncing off the walls with energy? This is the place for you. This 30,000 foot facility is filled with things to jump on, including a tumble track, TWO Soc-Air courts, dodgeball, basketball, a double trapeze, a Gladiator Pit and a kid zone.The News HeraldDo a round of mini golf: This is a destination that was built on mini golf. We’ve got Coconut Creek, Hidden Lagoon Super Racetrack and Golf, Pirates Adventure Mini Golf, Goofy Golf and so much more. Enjoy this classic family vacation activity and best of luck.The News HeraldBe a pirate: There’s a whole festival dedicated to pirates in October, but you can be a pirate any day of the year with the pirate cruise on the Sea Dragon. It’s a modern day replica of the pirate ships that used to sail these waters, including a cannon.The News HeraldCheck out Ripley’s Believe it or Not: It bills itself as the weirdest place in Panama City Beach and also has attractions like a moving theater, a mirror maze and an “impossible” laser race.The News HeraldBuild a sandcastle: The sugar white sand is the perfect construction material for an epic sandcastle. Just add a little water and you are good to go.The News HeraldEat some fresh seafood: Snapper, grouper, mahi mahi, tuna, triggerfish, wahoo and more. You can literally watch the boats come in with the fish, or you can catch the fish and bring it to a restaurant to cook. Either way, when you are this close to the Gulf of Mexico you deserve to have the freshest fish possible.The News HeraldLook for seashells: Sanibel Island\ gets all the hype, but the shelling at Panama City Beach is incredible. Hot spots seems to be the kiddie pool at St. Andrews State Park, Shell Island and Laguna Beach but shells can be found anywhere. Pro tip, look in the water where the waves are breaking to find some of the biggest, intact shells.The News HeraldLearn about the history of diving at the Man in the Sea Museum: This is an area that is serious about scuba diving. Thanks to the Naval Support Activity Panama City that houses one of the Navy’s diving training programs some of the biggest advancement in diving happened here. Exhibit A: SEALAB I on display at the Man in the Sea Museum. The underwater diving habitat was developed at Panama City’s Naval base in 1964 and then taken on a barge and placed at a depth of 193 feet of water near Bermuda. Four U.S. Navy divers lived in SEALAB 1 in 1964 in 193 feet of water to prove the theory of underwater living, saturation diving.The News HeraldTake a trip out to Shell Island: A barrier island only accessible by boat, Shell Island offers pristine undeveloped white sand beaches for boaters and people who take the ferry to it. It’s a great place to lay out on the beach, watch for dolphins, collect sea shells and soak in the day. Just remember, undeveloped also means no restrooms so plan accordingly.The News HeraldGo shark fishing: All kinds of sharks — hammerheads, bonnetheads, tiger and even in one case a Great White — have been caught along Panama City Beach. Many species are protected (and often tagged and released for science), some you can keep. Get a guide that can show you how to do it safely and knows the rules, and prepare yourself for what is truly an incredible experience to see a shark up close.The News HeraldTake a trip to the water park: Head to Shipwreck Island, voted number three in the nation by Trip Advisor, for a classic water park experience, with a wave pool, lazy river and family slides like family slides like the Zoom Flume, White Knuckle River, and the Pirate’s Race. Looking for a different kind of water park? Consider Aqua Park an inflatable water park floating in the Gulf.The News HeraldRide the Skywheel: One of the area’s newest attractions, the Skywheel, at Pier Park, offers incredible views, bringing guests 200 into the air on the ferris-wheel like ride.The News HeraldRide in style: Do you dream of driving along the Gulf of Mexico on a motorcycle? Or maybe a golf cart is more your style? Or what about a slingshot? All of them are available for rent to add a little bit of flare as you get around.The News HeraldGo snorkeling: Don a mask, because there is a lot to see under the water. We’ve already talked about snorkeling with dolphins, but there are also lots of surprises in the sea grasses by Shell Island or the jetties at the St. Andrews State Park offer a kaleidoscope of creatures, from crabs and sea urchins to colorful tropical fish to flounder and sheepshead.The News HeraldTry some fresh oysters: While nearby Apalachicola is famous for its oysters, local shucker Honor Allen, who also happens to be a two time national champion for oyster shucking (yes, it’s a real thing) contends that ones coming out of West Bay are also some of the best in the world. We do serve Apalachicola oysters too though. If you want to watch a champion shucker at work, Allen works at Hunt’s Oyster Bar in Panama City but there are also a multitude of great oyster bars around such as Gene’s, Shuckums and Sandbar that won’t disappoint.The News HeraldCross the bridge, and visit the Historic Downtown and St. Andrews: PCB is really, really great but there are lots of gems to discover on the other side of the bridge too. Take a tour of St. Andrews, a historic fishing village and visit the local shops, and then keep going to the Historic Downtown along Harrison Avenue where there is even more to discover.The News HeraldSlow down to watch the sunset: We have scientifically proven why we have some of the best sunsets in the world. https://www.newsherald.com/article/20151221/NEWS/151229974?template=ampartThe News HeraldTake a surfing lesson: The conditions have to be right, but when they are this is the perfect place to take a surfing lesson.The News HeraldGet a tattoo: In a throwback to the Beach’s days as the spring break capital of the world, there are plenty of tattoo shops for those looking for a more permanent souvenir. Some require appointments weeks in advance, and others are walk-in friendly.The News HeraldPet a wolf: This is a bit of drive and you do leave Panama City Beach proper, but you also get to pet a wolf. It’s a trade off. Head to the Seacrest Wolf Preserve in Chipley and be sure to pick up a disposable film camera as they don’t allow phone photography.The News HeraldVisit an upside down building and check out Wonderworks: It’s a building that has caused many to turn their heads at the upside down palm trees. Inside, there are over 100 hands on exhibits to explore.The News HeraldVolunteer to help with Hurricane Michael clean up: Just last year, this area was devastated by the first Category 5 hurricane to hit the continental U.S. since 1992 and many people are still cleaning up. For those that find fulfillment in community service, there are lots of opportunities to help people clean up and rebuild their homes.The News HeraldRelax by the water: This is a vacation after all.The News Herald